Alabama Football Three Keys: Texas A&M

Three-keys-Alabama

Alabama faces Texas A&M on Saturday in College Station. Here are your three keys to an Alabama win over Texas A&M.

By Steve Wright

The Crimson Tide travels to College Station to take on Texas A&M in SEC play this Saturday. Alabama should be rested and healed up after the bye, with Nick Saban looking for a better defensive showing after giving up 31 points to Ole Miss last time out.

Key 1 – Contain Kellen Mond

Alabama had some un-Alabama style moments last week on defense against Ole Miss. Thre freshman quarterback John Rhys Plumlee accounted for three touchdowns and 250 yards, numbers we don’t often see against the Crimson Tide.

Next up, the Tide have to cope with a quarterback that has had success against the team in the past. Kellen Mond was great for the Aggies against Alabama last season and he has passed for 1,333 yards and 10 scores this season. Mond’s ability to scramble and throw on the run is of particular concern, so the Bama defensive front needs to work on keeping him in the pocket and forcing pressure through the defensive tackle position.

Key 2 – Offensive line continuity

Alabama’s offensive line could well be down an important starter on Saturday. Centre Chris Owens is listed as questionable as he works through a knee issue, a problem given how important to job of the center is to the timing and overall functionality of an offensive line. If Owens can’t go, then Landon Dickerson will slide over from his usual spot at right guard to the snapping position. It is a position Dickerson has played already this season, but changing the makeup of any offensive line for a big game is always a concern.

Key 3 – Get a defensive score

The Crimson Tide has killed the Aggies with their ability to turn the ball over in recent contests. Over the last six games where the two have played, Alabama has 14 takeaways that have been turned into 73 points. Five of those turnovers have been turned directly into scores, with Alabama accounting for four pick-six’s and one fumble recovered for a touchdown from the defense. Alabama is as good as anyone in the country at creating scores with the defense, Saturday would be an ideal day for one of those scores to occur.

Saturday‘s game kicks off at 2:30 PM CT (3:30 PM ET). Watch on the CBS Network.

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