Tyler Booker on Alabama blitzing LSU late: 'If you're gonna leave your guys out there, you have to be ready'

Although Alabama led LSU by nearly 30 points in the closing minutes of the game, it never took its foot off the gas. On Monday, Alabama offensive lineman Tyler Booker addressed the team’s decision to continue to blitz LSU starting quarterback Garrett Nussmeier until the final play.

“The word mercy is not in our vocabulary,” Booker said. “If you’re gonna leave your guys out there, you have to be ready for what comes with it.”

Alabama’s defense finished the game with five tackles for loss and two sacks. One of the Crimson Tide’s hits on Nussmeier forced a fumble, which they were able to recover and subsequently score a touchdown just three plays later.

When Alabama was unable to get its hands on Nussmeier, it made him feel its pressure. Nussmeier threw two interceptions against the Crimson Tide’s swarming defense. In total, LSU’s offense only recorded 343 total yards, over 100 less yards than the program is averaging per game this season.

After the game, Alabama head coach Kalen DeBoer discussed the team’s game plan to contain Nussmeier and LSU’s explosive offense.

“We had to just keep mixing up what they were seeing,” DeBoer said. “[Nussmeier] is a great quarterback and can predetermine a little bit of where the ball might go. And I thought over the course of the week you could see the wrinkles that we continue to add, a play off a play. Just really be effective. And I think that was the case.

“Again, just mixing up the defenses, mixing up the pressures and just making plays when we had a chance. There was a couple tackles we missed, a couple edges we gave up. But for the most part, I thought we were pretty sound, lined back up and played ball again.”

Alabama has now pieced together back-to-back dominant wins and will have another chance to do so as it squares off against Mercer on Saturday at 2 p.m. ET. The game will air live on ESPN+.