http://blog.al.com/bamabeat/2008/10/both_tide_and_rebels_bracing_f.html
What’s a safe prediction for Saturday’s game between Alabama and Ole Miss?
To famously quote Clubber Lang — “Pain” — for both teams. To believe rhetoric from coaches, there are to be plenty of hard licks delivered during a game made for tough guys, one that each side seems to content to decide in the trenches.
That would seem to play into Alabama’s hands, but Ole Miss is probably as strong up front as any opponent thus far for the Crimson Tide.
Anyway, here’s a look at start to tomorrow’s Press-Register notebook …
TUSCALOOSA — Both Alabama and Ole Miss are in agreement on the physical style of football that will be played at Bryant-Denny Stadium on Saturday.
“It’s meat and potatoes football right here,” Rebels coach Houston Nutt said. “It’s hard-nosed ball. There’s no tricks to it, no gimmicks. It’s real football. It’s going to be rock ’em, sock ’em all the way.”
Nutt’s plan is a bold one going against the second-ranked Crimson Tide, which leads the Southeastern Conference in rushing offense and defense. Alabama’s dominance on offensive and defensive lines has been a key to its 6-0 start.
Undaunted, Ole Miss will be determined to try to run the ball, stop the run and do what few have consistently done — beat Alabama on the front lines.
“We’ve got to go win the game with execution, what we do and how we do and playing with the kind of toughness we need to control the line of scrimmage,” Crimson Tide coach Nick Saban said. “They are a very good running team, and they are intent on stopping the run. So it will be an interesting matchup up front.”
Saban expects to see plenty of man-to-man pass coverage, which Kentucky used to give Alabama problems in its latest contest.
Al.com
10/15/08
Magnolia Tribune
