Jackie Sherrill, a 1966 Alabama graduate, will coach against his alma mater for the final time this weekend. Sherrill is 5-9 all-time against the Crimson Tide (5-7 as head coach at Mississippi State). However, the Bulldogs have won four of the last seven meetings.
The Mississippi State/ Alabama series is the longest running series for the Crimson Tide. The teams will face each other for the 88th time with the Tide owning the series 69-15-3.
“This series has gone on for a long time,” MSU Sherrill said. “Since I’ve been here there is a 21-point difference in 12 years. Even when I was a player, the series between State and Bama has been one that both teams have played very, very hard.”
The Crimson Tide has not won a football game at Scott Field since a come-from-behind victory on Nov. 14, 1994.
Sherrill will be going against a coach that he dismissed at the end of the 2002 campaign. Alabama running backs coach Sparky Woods served as the MSU offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach under Sherrill from 1999-2002.
Sherrill said Woods should be familiar with the formations that State likes to use.
Breaking down Bama’s offense
Running back Shaud Williams powers the Tide’s offense. Williams ranks second in the SEC in all-purpose yards and has 208 carries for 1,051 yards and 11 touchdowns.
“When you look at Alabama you look at him,” Sherrill said. “Shaud Williams jumps out just about every time you turn the film on—whether it is offense or the kicking game.”
The senior transfer from Texas Tech is averaging 148.1 all-purpose yards a game.
“Without a doubt he is the player on their football team that really makes things happen for them and also shows that he enjoys playing the game,” Sherrill said.
Williams has finished seven out of Alabama’s nine games with over 90 yards, including a 174-yard performance in the Tide’s victory over Kentucky and a 166-yard feat in Bama’s overtime loss to Tennessee.
Sophomore Brodie Croyle will take the snaps for the Crimson Tide. Croyle has battled injuries and is last in the league in passer rating, but is coming off of his best two performances of his career. Croyle completed 63 percent of his passes for 463 yards in his last two games.
Breaking down Bama’s defense
Senior defensive end Nautyn Loescher leads an Alabama defensive unit that ranks 33rd in the nation for stopping the run. Loescher has 41 career quarterback pressures and ranks fourth in the SEC with 12.5 sacks.
Linebacker Derrick Pope has 131 career tackles, four sacks, two forced fumbles, and two pass deflections in 21 games. In Bama’s 20-13 loss to No. 1 Oklahoma Pope had a career-high 17 tackles.
The Crimson Tide defense is third in the SEC with 21 sacks for a loss of 155 yards, so the MSU offensive line must protect Kevin Fant.
The weak point on the Alabama defense is the Bama secondary. Alabama is 10th in the SEC in stopping the pass, allowing over 220 yards a game. If Fant gets ample time in the pocket, he will be looking for senior wide out Justin Jenkins who leads the SEC in catches and receiving yards per game.
Keys to a Bulldog victory
The Bulldogs must shutdown Williams and pressure Croyle into bad decisions. On offense the Dawgs need to get the ball to Jenkins any way possible.