Joe Burrow is enjoying what he calls a much-needed week off ahead of the Alabama game.
The LSU quarterback has said this week is about 60 percent self-scouting and 40 percent on Alabama, especially what both sides are showing as tendencies.
“We have some tendencies we’re going to have to break,” Burrow said, according to LSUSports.net. “Alabama’s a really well-coached team, so they’re going to know when we’re in certain formations, we’ve been doing this or that. We’re going to try to break those tendencies.”
LSU is trying to improve its red zone offense, which is just 9-for-24 in scoring touchdowns inside the 20, though the Tigers have kicked 13 field goals. They are averaging 4.38 points per possession inside the 20. Burrow said the coaching staff would experiment with some things during the bye week. That doesn’t mean, though, that there isn’t a break. That may be what the Tigers need the most.
“The main thing is you get a chance to take a deep breath,” Burrow said. “You don’t play Florida, Georgia, Mississippi State back to back to back then have to play Alabama all in four weeks. You get a little break. That’s the biggest thing for us. My mind needs a break, my body needed a break, and it’s been great so far.”
The Ohio State transfer has treated this season as if it’s his first job out of college, and has not spent time like an otherwise normal college student. That means “no nonsense, no parties. … I’m looking at this like a professional job.”
While new to the rivalry with Alabama, Burrow understands what’s at stake.
“They’ve dominated college football for the last five years,” Burrow said. “This is obviously a big game. It’s a top-five matchup, SEC West on the line. Big game.”
A former newspaper veteran, Keith Farner is a news manager for Saturday Down South.
