Alabama defenders break down matchup with J.J. McCarthy, Michigan offense

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – Alabama will wrap up its on-campus prep for Michigan today before the team disperses for a brief holiday break. Following three days of fundamental practices, the Crimson Tide shifted its full attention to the top-ranked Wolverines earlier this week.

Michigan (13-0, 9-0 Big Ten) is stout defensively, ranking among the top 10 in the national in a number of statistical categories, including scoring defense, rushing defense, passing defense, total defense and opponent red zone touchdown conversions. And while the offensive output is not as eye-popping, the Wolverines are efficient and effective on offense.

“Watching them, they’re like a real balanced team,” said defensive back Malachi Moore. “J.J. (McCarthy) does a good job of managing their offense and setting up the offense, changing the look if you give away a blitz or something like that, checking the calls and putting his team in the best situation to win.”

Michigan enters the Rose Bowl semifinal matchup averaging 36.7 points and 380.5 yards per game, which rank 14th and 68th in the country, respectively. The Wolverines convert 46.71 percent of their third-down attempts (15th nationally) and score a touchdown on 71.19 percent of their trips to the red zone – or the 18th-best rate among FBS schools.

The top overall seed in the College Football Playoff has the No. 60 rushing offense with 161.77 yards on the ground per game and is led by running back Blake Corrum, who rushed for 1,028 yards and a nation-leading 24 touchdowns on 218 carries (4.72 ypc) this season.

“They run the ball really, really well,” said defensive back Terrion Arnold on The Next Round. “Effective with motion. They do a good job with eye candy, trying to get you to see different pictures and they change the picture and they do a very, very good job of running the ball effectively.”

The offense is led by McCarthy, who has started 26 games for Michigan and posted a record of 25-1 behind center. McCarthy has thrown for 2,630 yards, 19 touchdowns and four interceptions on 213-of-287 (74.2 percent) passing this fall and has also added 146 rushing yards and three scores on 57 attempts. McCarthy finished 10th in the Heisman voting, one spot behind his teammate, Corrum, and four spots behind Alabama’s Jalen Milroe.

But one Crimson Tide defender compared McCarthy to another former Heisman winner.

“Joe Burrow,” Arnold said. “When you’re playing against somebody, you have to give them the credit that they deserve. And J.J., he’s a very good athlete. When you look at him on film and things like that, it surprises you how much he actually does run. Like he scrambles, has his eyes down the field. 

“Now obviously, he ain’t no J-Mil or nothing like that, but when it comes time to making the right reads, making the right throws, he’s a great decision-maker and he’s a good athlete.”

Linebacker Dallas Turner added, “He stands out in the way that he runs that offense. He’s kind of like the general on that offense. He makes sure that those guys know what they’re doing. He’s just a good quarterback and a good leader, is what I’m seeing.”

Alabama’s defense will face Michigan’s offense in Pasadena, Calif., in 10 days, and the winner of this matchup will go a long way in deciding which team will advance to play for a national title. Facing a balanced offensive attack, the Tide has to have the right mindset.

“We’ve just got to bring our hard hats whenever we play them, and we’ve just got to be the more physical team,” Turner said. “We’ve got to practice like that throughout the week, pick up on every single tendency that they do as an offense.”

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