🏈 Alabama d-lineman loves playing 'angry backs' like Leonard Fournette for 1 simple reason

[BAMANEWSBOT]

There was a different look in Jonathan Allen's eye. His voice sounded a little different Wednesday.

The Alabama defensive end and the rest of the line is the centerpiece of perhaps the most anticipated showdown of the year. It's LSU's Leonard Fournette, the nation's No. 1 rusher versus the No. 3 run defense in the country.

By Wednesday evening, it was clear Allen wanted to play the game yesterday. Earlier in the day, he appeared live on ESPN's SportsCenter. Reporter Marty Smith asked him about the challenge of facing the Heisman front-runner at 7 p.m. CT Saturday night in Bryant-Denny Stadium.

"Going into a game like this, this is something we enjoy," Allen said. "We love physical games. We love angry backs. We are angry to get to the ball."

Allen on Wednesday evening was asked about the allure of playing someone who fits that description.

"Because it makes me angry," he said bluntly. "So we love that. Especially with the d-line and the front seven of the defense we play for, we love this. We love physical backs."

Allen described and "angry running back" as someone who's aggressive and he seeks contact instead of backing away from it.

Fournette's been known to toss would-be tacklers to the side while running for 193.1 yards per game. That's not on Allen's mind.

"We don't get hit," he said. "We hit them. I mean, that's how it is. We don't take the hits. We give the hits. So we're not worried about that."

Of Allen's 17 tackles this season, eight have come behind the line of scrimmage for a net loss of 49 yards.

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[BAMANEWSBOT]

With each mention of Leonard Fournette’s name, with each question he was tasked with answering about LSU’s Heisman Trophy frontrunner, a small vein in Jonathan Allen’s forehead bulged just a little more.

Staring straight ahead at times, Alabama’s junior defensive end made his feelings pretty clear: He’s tired of talking about Saturday’s highly touted matchup against the nation’s top running back.

“We’re excited. We’re tired of waiting,” said Allen, who leads Alabama with six sacks and eight tackles for loss. “We love physical games like this. So we’re just excited and ready to get to the field.”

While much of the talk this week about Fournette — at least coming from Tuscaloosa — has been a string of compliments, including Tide head coach Nick Saban calling him “as dominant as any player in the country,” Allen and fellow defensive end Jarran Reed weren’t willing to put the LSU tailback on a pedestal.

“He’s a good player, definitely a physical back, but at the same time, he’s (just) a player as well,” Allen said. “So we’re going to go out there and do what we’ve done every week. We’re not going to put a special emphasis on him or any special game plan in.

“He’s a back — (if) we wrap up and run to the ball, we’ll be successful.”

Allen, usually calm and reserved, was especially intense during his 4½-minute media session after Wednesday’s practice, and explained why Alabama’s defenders embrace the challenge of facing “angry backs” like Fournette.

“Because it makes me angry,” Allen said, referencing a quote he made on SportsCenter earlier in the day. “So we love that. Especially (among) the D-line and the front seven — the defense we play for — we love this, we love physical backs.”

Which is why, after almost two weeks of discussion about Fournette and his nation’s-best 1,352 rushing yards, and how Alabama’s SEC-leading run defense will fare against him, the time for talking is over for the Tide.

“Basically, just to be honest, I mean, no matter where it is everywhere you go, ‘Are you ready for this? Ready for that?’ ” Reed said. “I’m like, ‘OK.’ ”

Reed recalled an “annoying” interaction he had with an Alabama fan this week in Publix.

“I mean, I wasn’t rude about it or anything but I’m just trying to get my groceries,” Reed said, adding even professors have brought up the LSU game in class this week. “The teachers try not to but they sometimes slip up.”

But, with no more media availability before Saturday night’s 7 p.m. kickoff, all that remains is getting the job done against the physically imposing 230-pound Fournette.

The key, according to senior linebacker Reggie Ragland, is proper tackling technique.

“If you don’t wrap up, he goes all day on you,” Ragland said Monday. “Guys have to run to the ball and wrap up on him. We’re gonna see what type of guys we got, and what type of guys they got. It’s all about wrapping up when you get to him because a lot of guys don’t.”

That’s been evident in Fournette’s yards-after-contact, which leads the SEC at nearly 70 per game and 2.9 per carry according to ESPN Stats and Information.

A few of his more memorable runs this season have involved opposing defenders taking bad angles on tackles, which Fournette sheds with ease.

Reed doesn’t think that’s going to even be an issue for Alabama.

“That was other teams. I don’t think we’re going to allow ourselves to let him do that,” Reed said. “He can do all that, run how he’s going to run, (but) we’re going to play our game at the end of the day.”


Decatur Daily—Continue reading...

 

[TerryP]

 

[planomateo]

Jonathan Allen sounds like he's ready.

 

[BamaFan334]

I love it. This stuff never gets in the paper, and I love the intensity. I about wanted to throw a chair reading it! Hope these boys contain it and unleash it Saturday night.

 

[No Huddle]

Attack, wrap, and drive. All day long the back will go down. Love coaching the tech in football.

 

[utstnx]

"Saban...hasnt said anything about the defense. He knows....we know......if you are not excited about this game...you dont need to be here."

 

[planomateo]

Go back and watch the Jonathan Allen interview again.

Guys said after the game, they were tired of hearing about LF7.

 

[rick4bama]

After a while I think LF7 just fell into Allen arm. They fit so good in them. :rolf:

 

[bamaledge]

After a while I think LF7 just fell into Allen arm. They fit so god in them. :rolf:

:rolf::rolf::rolf::rolf::rolf::rolf::rolf::rolf::rolf::rolf::rolf::rolf::rolf::rolf::rolf::rolf::rolf::rolf::rolf::rolf::rolf::rolf::rolf::rolf::rolf::rolf::rolf::rolf::rolf::rolf::rolf::rolf:
:rtrsign:

 

[planomateo]