LSU OL provides 'some good competition' for Alabama's pass rush

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — Alabama’s got a massive challenge in front of it this week in the form of a road trip to LSU, with College Football Playoff hopes hanging in the balance.

One of the keys to the game will be the Crimson Tide pass rush, which will need to find a way to affect LSU quarterback Garrett Nussmeier and make him uncomfortable for this defense to be able to have success in a hostile environment.

“It’s always important to get to the pass rush, making sure we’re getting pressure on the quarterback,” Alabama defensive end Jah-Marien Latham said after the Crimson Tide’s Tuesday practice. “It’s the same thing this week. It ain’t nothing we need to do different, just keep getting to the quarterback and putting pressure on the quarterback so we can get some turnovers.”

“I feel like we’ve done pretty well in the pass rush. There’s just certain things every now and then like the pass rush integrity, the pass rushing lanes, just making sure we’re collapsing the pocket so he doesn’t have anywhere to go.”

In order to get to Nussmeier, though, the Alabama pass rush will have to get past the LSU offensive line, which has been one of the better units in all of college football this season, particularly in pass protection.

The Tigers’ two tackles specifically, Will Campbell and Emery Jones Jr., are very highly regarded. Campbell is a projected first round pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, and will likely be one of the first 10 or 15 players selected this April.

“They’ve got a good offensive line. Good tackles. It’ll be some good competition this weekend,” Latham said. “I feel like everybody knows about the tackles, there ain’t too much that everybody’s talking about amongst us. But they’re good athletes, big size, physical. It’s just making sure that we’re doing the right things here, pass rushing the way that we should be so that on Saturday we can implement it in the game.”

Though Campbell is such a highly-touted prospect, it doesn’t change the way Latham, or any other defensive lineman on the Alabama front, prepares for the matchup.

“To me it really don’t matter, because coming here you’re gonna get everybody’s best shot,” Latham said. “There’s been times where I’ve gone up against a tackle that they didn’t really talk about, that we didn’t really put eyes on, and he came out ready to play. It’s just knowing you’re going to get everybody’s best game.”

There have been times where the Alabama pass rush has struggled this season, and other times where it’s been a strength. Currently, linebacker Que Robinson leads the team with four sacks, while no one else has more than 2.5. Of the defensive linemen, LT Overton has two, Tim Keenan has 1.5, while Latham and Tim Smith have one apiece. There have been a multitude of games where the defensive line has generated pressure, while being unable to actually bring the quarterback down.

If Alabama walks away from Tiger Stadium with a win on Saturday night, there’s a good chance we point to the defensive line’s ability to create chaos as a huge reason for it.

Latham detailed what this week has been like in order to prepare for that.

“Staying the course,” Latham said. “Doing what we got to do to make sure that we go out there and do what’s supposed to be done on Saturday, you know. Building the right practice habits, doing everything right throughout the week so on Saturday it’s like second nature.”