TIDE, TAKE THREE
1. Alabama holds a commanding 50-25-5 series advantage over LSU and is seeking a sixth consecutive win in the series.2. Crimson Tide freshman quarterback Jalen Hurts and senior defensive end Jonathan Allen are among the 18 finalists for the Maxwell Award, given annually to college football’s top player.3. The last four Alabama-LSU games in Baton Rouge have been decided by one possession, with the 2008 and 2014 games going to overtime.
After 10 meetings between Alabama football coach Nick Saban and LSU counterpart Les Miles, this Saturday's showdown in Baton Rouge will instead pair Saban and Tigers interim coach Ed Orgeron.
It's a matchup nobody could have imagined a decade ago, when Orgeron went 10-25 in three seasons coaching Ole Miss, but Saban is viewing LSU this week as having the same number of losses as his 8-0 and top-ranked Crimson Tide.
"Obviously this is a tremendous challenge to play what's arguably an undefeated team, at least to me, because they've been undefeated since their new coach, Ed Orgeron, took over," Saban said Monday in a news conference. "They are playing with a new energy and a new enthusiasm. Ed took over this team, and they have played well in all three phases."
Since replacing Miles following an 18-13 loss at Auburn on Sept. 24 that left the Tigers unranked and 2-2, Orgeron has guided LSU to impressive thumpings of Missouri (42-7), Southern Miss (45-10) and Ole Miss (38-21). The Tigers had their game at Florida on Oct. 8 rescheduled for Baton Rouge on Nov. 19, and both LSU and Alabama are coming off open dates.
Orgeron became the first coach in LSU history to win his first two games by at least 30 points and became the first to win his first three by double digits.
"All I can speak to is what has happened on the field, and his leadership has obviously had some effect on that," Saban said. "The team seems to be playing with a lot of energy and confidence. They've executed really well and haven't made a lot of mistakes, and I just feel like they've played really well in these last three games."
Said Crimson Tide junior linebacker Shaun Dion Hamilton: "They've broken some offensive records since Coach Orgeron stepped in, so we know we're in for a dogfight."
While Alabama will look to limit LSU tailback Leonard Fournette for a third straight November while also trying to make new starting quarterback Danny Etling uncomfortable, the flip side of Saturday night's matchup offers intrigue as well. Crimson Tide offensive coordinator Lane Kiffin not only is scheming against LSU defensive coordinator Dave Aranda for a second straight year, with Aranda having coached at Wisconsin last season, but has worked with Orgeron at Southern California and Tennessee.
Orgeron and Kiffin were USC assistants under Pete Carroll, and Orgeron later worked for Kiffin when Kiffin guided the Volunteers and Trojans.
"We were a two-back offense that ran play action, and obviously he still does a tremendous job of mixing the run and the pass, but it's all spread with quarterback runs now," Orgeron said. "We never had quarterback runs at USC. We were always underneath the center, and now he's in a lot of shotgun with varying formations."
Saban considers LSU's defense the best, front to back, that Alabama will have played this season.
A win over the 5-2 Tigers would be another big step in the Tide's quest for a third consecutive Southeastern Conference championship and a fifth national title in eight years, while an LSU upset would open the door for a potential wild, wild West race that also includes Auburn and Texas A&M.
An LSU triumph might also result in Orgeron coaching the Tigers on a full-time basis.
"That's way out there, and I'm not thinking about that," Orgeron said. "The focus is about these players. These next four weeks are going to pass fast. My job is to do the best thing I can to do for this team today.
"Let the chips fall where they may, and everything will take care of itself."
Replacing Jackson
Saban said Monday that no decisions have been made in replacing senior safety Eddie Jackson, who fractured his leg in the 33-14 win over Texas A&M on Oct. 29, but sophomore cornerback Minkah Fitzpatrick said Monday in a news conference that he has assumed Jackson's role in regular-personnel work.
"It's a big loss, but I think we can handle it," Fitzpatrick said.
Saban said Jackson's punt-return chores will be handled by Xavian Marks or Trevon Diggs.
Tide tidbits
Senior outside linebacker Ryan Anderson and senior inside linebacker Reuben Foster are among the 12 semifinalists for this year's Butkus Award, as are LSU's Kendall Beckwith, Florida's Jarrad Davis and Vanderbilt's Zach Cunningham.... Alabama's home game next week against Mississippi State will have a noon EST kickoff on ESPN.... Fitzpatrick on playing in Tiger Stadium: "I've heard some great things about it and some bad things."
Contact David Paschall at dpaschall@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6524.