Nick Saban Talks LSU-Alabama Matchup, Brian Kelly's Coaching Style
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The Tigers are simply in control of their own destiny, but are taking each day to live in the moment. For LSU to get to this point wasn’t simple, and it surely didn’t happen overnight, but the process is coming together.
Brian Kelly is set to face Nick Saban in their first SEC West matchup in what has all the makings of being an instant classic. What stands out most? What areas are of the most concern for this group?
We took a look into the biggest storylines surrounding Saturday night’s matchup:
The LSU vs. Alabama Rivalry, Significance
Year in and year out it’s a highly anticipated matchup, but this year is different than the past. With both programs ranked in the Top 10, there’s even more hype surrounding what can transpire Saturday night.
Saban took the time to comment on the rivalry, Brian Kelly and what he hopes to get out of Saturday night’s showdown.
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"They’re very well-coached. This game has always got significant implications,” Saban said. “They’re always ranked, we’re always ranked. It’s kind of a rivalry game that’s always a really important match-up. Brian Kelly has done an outstanding job there bringing his team along, improving each week.”
“We’re gonna have to do a great job of paying attention to detail, preparing for the game so we can get more consistent execution and play for 60 minutes in the game."
Can LSU’s Defense Contain Bryce Young?
The Tigers have struggled to contain quarterbacks who can extend plays with their legs. Starting sluggish against Auburn and Florida, it was their mobility under center that exploited this defense. But LSU has shown growth since then and it’s imperative they stay on that same trajectory against Alabama this weekend.
This weekend they’ll face a tremendous challenge against Heisman-winning quarterback Bryce Young and his elusiveness on the field. With such a high football IQ paired with his elite decision-making, it puts Young near the top when it comes to best signal-callers in the country.
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Kelly detailed what makes Young so special and what this defense must do to slow him down.
“It’s making sure you don’t allow big plays. You have to stay in coverage,” Kelly said. “If he scrambles for a few yards here or there, that’s gonna happen within the structure of the defense, but it’s coming out of coverage and losing your eyes and not staying disciplined.”
Can Jayden Daniels Continue Playing at This Pace?
We’ve seen Jayden Daniels explode into one of the conference's most lethal dual-threat quarterbacks, but the job isn’t finished. LSU’s signal caller is only scratching the surface.
A growing relationship with his receivers, while instilling trust, has seen this offense takeoff and Kelly feels there’ more to come, but for now, his growth has been impressive.
“There’s much more of an understanding of where they’re going to be and what they’re doing and he doesn’t need to look them down," Kelly said. "He was waiting for those receivers, but now he can get the ball out of his hands without the receiver out of his break. They’re starting to have that relationship that wasn’t available to us early in the year.”
When Daniels is clicking, it’s something special. We’ve seen him begin to put it all together over the last few games, but carrying over his success into the Alabama matchup is of the utmost importance if the Tigers want to come out with a victory.
