Keys to an Alabama Victory over Florida Today
#1: Establish the Deep Passing Game
The gators are going to stack the line today in order to stop the dynamic duo of Mark Ingram and Trent Richardson. In order to take the pressure off the running game, Alabama needs to make sure that they take safe shots downfield to stretch the defense. Look for Florida to take a page out of the playbook of Auburn from last year's Iron Bowl. Auburn stacked the line and kept one linebacker at all times on Mark Ingram. The result was Mark Ingram's lowest rushing performance of the year, only 30 yards.
#2: Hit Julio Jones on Lots of Slant Routes
Even though Alabama needs to go deep, Jones is one the best receivers in the country about physically dominating a defensive on a slant route and then taking it to the house. He is big, he is physical, and it is important that we use the physicality to back the Florida linebackers off the line of scrimmage. It will also slow down the pass rush and not allow Florida as much. It will do this by not allowing Florida to run its 5-2 defense designed to stop the rushing game of Bama. Urban Meyer said that Jones is "probably the first receiver that's going to be picked in the NFL draft" so you know that they will be respecting his ability.