Derrick Henry Runs Over Mississippi State; Defense

Mississippi State gashed Alabama’s defense on its second possession of the contest, making it all the way to the 1-yard line. They have a really good team.

“Everybody just got on their man and I just tried to make a play”, Jones said.

Dak Prescott had up and downs during this game.

Prescott, a fifth-year senior, said after the game he had never been hit more than Saturday afternoon inside Davis Wade Stadium. It’s nearly as if he planned it this way and the play of his running back, Derrick Henry, has given pause to a few voters who had LSU’s Leonard Fournette as the runaway victor of the Heisman Trophy.

” They have a lot of run-pass options … can throw a bubble pass out here and throw a slant out here, throw an out there”, the coach said. “It changed the play-calling because we were behind chains trying to catch up at that point”.

Rousey was knocked out with a kick and then because people like violence, Holm was allowed to smash Rousey in the face a couple times as she lay on the ground more-or-less stunned. “We had to get where we could run the ball better, period”. Sophomore Hannah Cook did most of her work behind the arc, knocking down four three pointers en route to a 14 finish. Mississippi State could not manage to avoid giving up big plays.

They are the best! I think that is one thing all of the guys learn. While I don’t imagine that will be the case, it is an interesting thought.

There is a constant, of course, in the defensive line, the unit that Saban clearly defines as “the strength of our team. I wanted to do my job”.

Let’s look at the combined rosters of Ole Miss and Mississippi State this season, and see what we find. They have their stars, but the whole unit is just so dominant in rushing the passer and putting pressure on the offense and that continued against the Bulldogs. They kept them in the pocket. Prescott is the best quarterback in the conference and one of the best in the country.

Opening Statement: “Give (Alabama) credit”.

After burying LSU, is any team closer to sealing a College Football Playoff berth than Alabama? They did, we didn’t. Even when it has great defenses, Alabama hasn’t always been known for racking up sacks, but this year is different.

Alabama running back Derrick Henry has averaged 173.6 yards per game, including 236 yards rushing against Texas A&M and 210 in last week’s victory over LSU. You’re looking at 69, 60, 74 and 65-yard touchdowns. “We are going to have to take another huge step forward this Saturday and play at an extremely high level to put ourselves in a position to win”. Alabama freshman DB Minkah Fitzpatrick left the game in the first half with a lower leg injury and did not return. Give them credit for following a plan to win.

Mississippi State head coach Dan Mullen will need his offense to produce against a stingy Alabama defense. For that reason I wished he would have just kicked the field goal in the first quarter to get that bit of confidence….not that it mattered too much.

On the defense’s performance: “We played pretty good defense”.