Storylines For Upcoming Arkansas Game

Is This Alabama Team Ahead of Schedule in the Rebuilding Process: Many college football analysts have Alabama at least one more year away from being in the hunt for an SEC title. Although this Alabama team is young, playing 15 freshmen regularly, they play with a great deal of maturity. This weekend (A Blackout Between the Hedges) will give us a better picture of how good the Tide is this year.


What Will The Tide's Strategy Be On Defense: Alabama has been very reserved in both their offensive and defensive play calling, but expect this week to be different on the defensive side. With Alabama having the #1 ranked run defensive in the country, Georgia will try to beat the Tide through the air. Alabama will blitz more than they have all season to put pressure on Stafford. If the Tide Linebackers get to Stafford often, expect the Alabama Defensivebacks to have a field day.


Mark Ingram Overcomes Adversity: Not many people knew how a young man like Mark Ingram would play with his father recently being sentenced to seven years in prison. If Arkansas is any proof of his maturity, it is evident that he is able to leave his off-field issues exactly where they are, off the field. On a personal note, I must say that is incredibly mature of him.


If Need Be, Will The Tide Be Able To Throw On The Dawgs: With Alabama easily running the ball all over most of their opponents and wanting to take the air out of the ball to hold leads, opponents have not put Alabama in a position to have to throw the ball. Georgia might pack the box with eight or even nine guys in order to try to stop the running back duo (I refuse to call them thunder and lightening -- too many running back tandems are called that) of Mark Ingram and Glenn Coffee. If this is the case, they will test the young Tide receiving core by giving them one-on-one match-ups.