"Deep-passing Razorbacks give Tide opportunity to put pressure on QB"

[Chechem]

TUSCALOOSA — A drop-back passer and a young offensive lineman.

Alabama linebacker Dont’a Hightower can only smile thinking of the opportunity Arkansas presents Saturday afternoon. After two weeks of quick passes with little opportunity for crushing quarterbacks, the Crimson Tide pass rush is more than eager for a visit from the deep-passing Razorbacks to visit Bryant-Denny Stadium at 2:30 p.m.

Besides sporting a first-year quarterback in Tyler Wilson, the 14th-ranked visitors start true freshman Mitch Smothers at left tackle. Hightower and fellow linebacker Courtney Upshaw were well aware of that fact before seeing a single snap in practice this week.

“That’s something that me and Courtney’s probably going to thrive on, try to get a beat on him, try to get in his head, things like that during the week,” Hightower said. “So, yeah, we’re going to try to take advantage of that.”

Through three games, Arkansas allowed seven sacks — ninth most in the league and good for 77th nationally. Both FCS Missouri State and Troy took passers down three times in previous weeks.

How effectively Smothers and the rest of the Razorback line slows Hightower, Upshaw and company could be a determining factor in the SEC opener for both sides.

A year ago, both critical fourth-quarter Arkansas interceptions thrown by Ryan Mallett immediately followed pressure from the Tide front.

Whether or not Alabama’s quarterback hunters reach the passer before the pass, in turn, can’t be the only measuring stick for a defense. Both Penn State and North Texas game-planned to avoid the scenario after Kent State was sacked four times in Alabama’s 48-7 season-opening win.

“We had guys running free in the ‘A’ gap and they couldn’t sack him, because he was going to get rid of it,” Alabama coach Nick Saban said. “He wasn’t going to get sacked. They weren’t running any vertical patterns downfield that took much time to develop where the rushers had a chance.”
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[SUPERCOACH]

This is going to be a fun game to watch.

[Chechem]

This is going to be a fun game to watch.

Sure is.

I've noticed something different about our pass rushing this year.  I remember 2 years ago, against Tebow and McCoy, the D emphasized never rushing past the QB.  They looped to his level, and worked to keep from getting pushed past him.  It worked well (especially against running QBs).

This year, not so much.  Our DE have been rushing and getting blocked past the QB with regularity.  I'm watching that this game, to see if the strategy is bull-rush with speed, or controlled rush to crush the pocket and limit the QB's footwork options.

ps.  I know the rush technique varies throughout the game, but I'm surprised we have raced past the QB so much this year (SO FAR - heh heh  ).

[SUPERCOACH]

I will be watching Jesse pushing the center back into the QB and knocking them both down.

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