Alabama is No. 1 in the nation against the run, but coach Nick Saban isn’t satisfied.
“I think we can tackle better, keep leverage on the ball better,” he said. “We missed some tackles in the last game.”
It’s scary to think the Crimson Tide’s defense could be better.
Alabama is giving up only 39.6 yards rushing per game, leads the country in scoring defense at 8.4 points and is third in total defense (191.6). Linebacker Courtney Upshaw and cornerback DeQuan Menzie (Carver-Columbus) have returned interceptions for touchdowns in each of the past two games, and the Tide knocked Florida quarterback John Brantley out of the game.
The Gators were leading the SEC and were 10th in the country with 259 rushing yards per game, but were held to 15 on 29 carries Saturday.
“As far as rushing, we pride ourselves week in and week out on that,” linebacker Nico Johnson said. “We’re just going to make the offense one-dimensional, and then we’ll go from there. That’s what we did. We made them one-dimensional.”
Alabama’s defensive dominance can be traced to when Saban became the coach in 2007. The Tide has allowed only four running backs to rush for 100 or more yards in the 59 games since Saban took over there.
Burning question
What’s wrong with Kentucky’s offense?
Basketball season can’t come soon enough at Kentucky, which has one of the worst offenses in the FBS (formerly Division I-A).
The Wildcats are 118th out of 120 teams in total offense after gaining 155 yards in a 35-7 loss to LSU on Saturday. They’re No. 117 in passing efficiency and are rushing for only 116.2 yards a game.
Coach Joker Phillips hasn’t been able to find replacements for receiver Randall Cobb, running back Derrick Locke and quarterback Mike Hartline, their top offensive players in 2010. As a result, the Wildcats are scoring only 15 points per game.
“We had three really good players in Randall, Locke and Mike,” Phillips said. “Locke ran around the edge when we didn’t have the edge. We don’t have that ability right now. But Mike Hartline was the guy I think that was probably the biggest loss that we had. He made a great difference in getting our protection set, getting the ball out of his hands, getting the ball to those guys who made plays for us. Hartline is a huge, huge loss.”
Quarterback Morgan Newton has thrown for 647 yards and six touchdowns, but was replaced by freshman Maxwell Smith at the start of the second half against LSU. Newton returned in the fourth quarter, and Phillips said he will remain the starter.
In focus
Last week, South Carolina coach Steve Spurrier said it was “unlikely” that Connor Shaw (Flowery Branch) would supplant Stephen Garcia as the starting quarterback.
That was before Garcia threw two more interceptions — increasing his season’s total to nine — in a 16-13 loss to Auburn.
So on Monday, Spurrier said Shaw would start for the Gamecocks when they host Kentucky on Saturday.
“I think he’s ready to play well. It wasn’t that hard a call,” Spurrier said. “At some point we have to do something to shake up this offense, and this is the first step. We’ll see how it goes. It’s Connor’s game. Unless he gets hurt, this is his game.”
Garcia threw for 3,059 yards and 20 touchdowns to lead the Gamecocks to their first SEC East title last year, but was suspended twice in the offseason. He threw four interceptions against Vanderbilt on Sept. 24 and is completing only 51.7 percent of his passes.
Shaw started the season opener against East Carolina, but was replaced by Garcia after one quarter. He is 4-for-11 for 29 yards in two games this season.
“It’s an opportunity I’m willing to take advantage of,” Shaw said. “I’m excited, and we’ll see how it goes this Saturday. I feel confident, and I feel like I’m ready to play.”
Etc.
Auburn freshman Quan Bray (Troup) might see more playing time if injured starter Emory Blake can’t play Saturday. ... Matt Roark (North Cobb) caught a 4-yard touchdown pass and finished as Kentucky’s leading receiver Saturday with four catches for 19 yards. ... Freshman receiver Julian Horton (Greater Atlanta Christian) caught one pass for 19 yards in Arkansas’ comeback win over Texas A&M. ... Vanderbilt redshirt freshman Blake Gowder (Union County) was shifted from fullback to linebacker in the offseason, but hasn’t played in 2011.
Quotable
“Jarrett Lee is our starting quarterback. If he continues to play well and continues to do the things we ask him to do and lead our team, then that’s the way we’ll go from this point forward.” — LSU coach Les Miles on former starting quarterback Jordan Jefferson returning from suspension.
“Last week, with all the press coverage, and how long and physical those DBs were that we played against, [DeMarco Robinson] is 155 pounds. [It would have been] like child abuse putting him in the game last week.” — Phillips on why he didn’t play the freshman receiver from M.L. King in Kentucky’s game against LSU on Saturday.
By the numbers
87.5 The SEC's winning percentage (28-4) against non-conference opponents, second in the country to the Big 12, which has won 89.7 percent of its games (26-3) against non-conference opponents.
281 Receiving yards by Arkansas' Jarius Wright, the second-highest total in SEC history, in the Razorbacks' 42-38 victory over Texas A&M. He caught a school-record 13 passes.
Saturday’s schedule
Mississippi State at UAB, noon (CSS)
Kentucky at South Carolina, 12:21 p.m. (WPCH)
Florida at LSU, 3:30 p.m. (CBS)
Auburn at Arkansas, 7 p.m. (ESPN)
Georgia at Tennessee, 7 p.m. (ESPN2)
Vanderbilt at Alabama, 7 p.m. (ESPNU)
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