Kirk Herbstreit outlines important keys for the LSU defense against Tua Tagovailoa
By Keith Farner
Published:
Even if Alabama QB Tua Tagovailoa is limited with the right ankle injury, some keys in the game might be how the LSU defense handles the Alabama passing game.
That’s the opinion of ESPN analyst Kirk Herbstreit, who made an appearance on SportsCenter on Tuesday.
“You have to tighten up your coverage — Alabama does so many run-pass options and quick slants that you’ve got to take some of Tua’s easy throws away from him,” he said, according to 247Sports. “Make him hold onto the football to allow your pressure to get to him. The problem is Tua has answers. Steve Sarkisian is using his offense from the NFL with the Atlanta Falcons and a lot of times we talk about Tua getting the ball out quickly because he takes what the defense gives him.”
If it’s not the short throws, it’ll be the long ball.
“If LSU takes away those easy throws, you’re going to see Tua with maybe the best receiver group in the country, take shots over the top and try to hit big home runs against that LSU secondary,” Herbstreit said.
One tough loss for the Tigers is a key player on the defense stepped away from the team, coach Ed Orgeron announced on Monday.
“The biggest fear for LSU is they do not rush the passer well, they haven’t all year,” Herbstreit said. “Michael Divinity, their best pass rusher, this week announced he’s stepping away for personal reasons. If I’m LSU, I’ve got to find another way to keep Tua off balance. And that’s where I think tight coverage can make Tua throw the ball downfield. I think that is the answer.”
The game is set to kick off at 3:30 p.m. ET on CBS from Tuscaloosa.
A former newspaper veteran, Keith Farner is a news manager for Saturday Down South.
