Weekly Film Session: Alabama

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LSU dropped a heartbreaker to Alabama on Saturday, 21-17, ending the Tigers hopes for an SEC title.

After breaking down the film here are some numbers and notes that grabbed our attention.

Packages Used

Offensive Formations
I Formation/2 WR Split/1 TE Right: 9 Plays (5 runs, 4 passes)
I Formation/2 WR Split/1 TE Left: 6 Plays (3 runs, 3 passes)
I formation/1 WR Right/2 TE Right: 2 Runs
I formation/1 WR Right/2 TE Split: 9 Plays (6 runs, 3 passes)
I formation/1 WR Left/2 TE Split: 5 Runs
I formation/1 WR Left/2 TE Left: 4 Runs
I formation/1 WR Left/2 TE Right: 1 Pass
I formation/3 TE Right: 1 Run
1 Back/2 WR Left/2 TE Left: 1 Run
1 Back/2 WR Left/2 TE Right: 3 Plays (1 run, 2 passes)
1 Back/2 WR Right/2 TE Left: 4 Plays (2 runs, 2 passes)
1 Back/2 WR Right/2 TE Right: 5 Plays (3 runs, 2 passes)
1 Back/2 WR Right/2 TE Split: 2 Plays (1 run, 1 pass)
1 Back/2 WR Split/2 TE Split: 3 Plays (2 runs, 1 pass)
1 Back/2 WR Split/2 TE Right: 1 Run
3 Wide/3 WR Right/ 1 TE Left/1 Back: 2 Plays (2 passes)
3 Wide/3 WR Left/ 1 TE Right/1 Back: 2 Plays (1 run, 1 pass)
3 Wide/3 WR Left/ 1 TE Left/1 Back: 1 Run
3 Wide/2 WR Left & 1 Right/2 Backs: 3 Passes
3 Wide/2 WR Right & 1 Left/2 Backs: 2 Passes
3 Wide/2 WR Right & 1 Left/TE Right/1 Back: 2 Runs
3 Wide/2 WR Left & 1 Right/TE Left/1 Back: 3 Plays (2 runs, 1 pass)
3 Wide/2 WR Left & 1 Right/TE Right/ 1 Back: 1 Pass
3 Wide/2 WR Right & 1 Left/TE Left/1 Back: 2 Plays (1 run, 1 pass)
4 Wide: 10 Plays (1 run, 9 passes)
Wildcat: 1 Run

Offensive Notes:
*** LSU ran a total of 85 plays against Alabama, which was the most offensive snaps for an LSU team since they ran 82 in the triple overtime loss to Kentucky in 2007.

*** LSU ran 42 plays in the first half and 43 in the second half.

*** The Tigers lined up in 3-wide receiver sets 18 times and went 4-wide 10 times.

*** LSU ran more two tight end sets than any other game this season with 42 of their 85 snaps having two tight ends on the field.

*** Jeremy Hill posted his third consecutive 100-yard rushing game as he finished with 107 yards and a touchdown on 29 carries. Hill ran 14 times for 70 yards in the first half and 15 times for 37 yards and a touchdown in the second half.

*** The Tigers ran behind the right side of the line 22 times for 99 yards, and went for 36 yards on 11 carries behind the left side. LSU rushed 12 times up the middle for 38 yards and finished with 139 yards on 49 carries when you deducted Mettenberger’s three sacks.

*** Mettenberger had his best day as a Tiger by completing 24-of-35 passes for 298 yards with a touchdown. He completed 10-of-18 passes for 92 yards in the first half.

*** After throwing an incompletion on his first pass attempt in the second half, Mettenberger went on to complete 14 of his next 16 passes to finish the game with 206 yards and a touchdown. He completed 10 of his last 11 passes on the night.

*** Mettenberger lined up in the shotgun on 27 snaps and was 18-of-23 for 161 yards. LSU rushed three times out of the shotgun for 22 yards and Mettenberger was sacked once.

*** LSU converted 10-of-20 on third down. Mettenberger was 9-of-14 passing on third down and eight of the completions were good for a first down.

*** Of Mettenberger’s 11 incompletions, four were dropped passes with Odell Beckham, Jarvis Landry, Kadron Boone and Nic Jacobs each having one drop. On Beckham’s drop he slipped but still had a chance to make the catch.

*** On LSU’s second drive of the third quarter where the Tigers went 58 yards in 13 plays for the touchdown to pull within 14-10, the Tigers went with two tight ends on seven plays and three tight ends on the Hill TD run.

LSU converted four third downs on the drive with Mettenberger throwing for three of them.

*** On their next offensive possession that ended with a Mettenberger TD pass to Jarvis Landry, the Tigers went with two tight ends on four of the seven plays that covered 90 yards.

Mettenberger was 4-of-5 on the drive and 82 of the 90 yards were through the air.

*** LSU’s offense went three and out three times with one being on the final drive as the clock expired.

*** The Tigers ran the ball 26 times on first down and attempted to pass eight times.

Defensive Sets
4-3 (30 Plays)
Nickel (10 Plays)
Dime (11 Plays)
5-Man Front (1 Play)

Defensive Notes:
*** The Tiger defense was on the field for 52 snaps and Alabama gained 10 or more yards on 14 plays.

*** LSU forced Bama to go three and out twice in the first half and on four of five drives in the second half leading up to the winning drive.

*** LSU did not get out of its 4-3 base alignment until the 12:42 mark of the second quarter.

*** The Tigers did not run their dime package until the 3:55 mark of the second quarter.

*** LSU’s defense stepped up with a big stand by forcing a 3 and out after the botched fake field goal attempt.

*** On Alabama’s 6-play, 63-yard touchdown drive at the end of the first half that started with 1:08 left on the clock, John Chavis did not send any extra rushers on any of the snaps.

*** Alabama QB A.J. McCarron completed 8-of-14 passes for 83 yards in the first half and finished 14-of-27 for 165 yards and a touchdown.

*** Prior to his last drive, McCarron completed only one pass in the second half out of seven attempts and it went for no gain. On his scoring drive, however, he was 4-of-5 for 72 yards and the touchdown.

*** Bama RB Eddie Lacy gained 51 yards on his first four rushes and 32 on his next seven.

*** On Alabama’s game-winning touchdown pass on the screen to T.J. Yeldon for 28 yards, Chavis brought seven rushers. LSU had three down linemen and blitzed Kevin Minter and Lamin Barrow up the middle, and Jalen Mills and Micah Eugene off the edge.

*** Prior to Alabama’s final game-winning drive, the Crimson Tide ran only 16 plays and had one first down and had 46 yards of total offense. LSU sent extra pressure on four of the 16 plays.

*** On that final scoring drive, Chavis brought extra pressure on every play and was in his dime package.

*** Bennie Logan had his worst game of the year with two tackles and two missed tackles. He did not get good penetration but neither did any of LSU’s other defensive linemen except for the sack by Sam Montgomery.

*** LSU missed 17 tackles on the night and the breakdown is as follows:
Craig Loston: 3
Lamin Barrow: 2
Bennie Logan: 2
Lamar Louis: 2
Eric Reid: 2
Kevin Minter: 2
Tharold Simon 1
Ronald Martin: 1
Corey Thompson: 1
KeKe Mingo: 1

Honors

Offensive Player of the Week
Zach Mettenberger: 24-of-35 for 298 yards and 1 TD

Defensive Player of the Week
Jalen Mills: 4 tackles, 1 PBU

Special Teams Player of the Week
Brad Wing4 punts, 49.0 AVG, 2 Inside the 20