Carl Lawson (DE) vs. Cam Robinson (LT)
This match-up will be based mostly on Robinson’s availability for the game on Saturday. He injured his shoulder during the fourth quarter against UT-Chattanooga, and it remains to be seen if he will be able to take the field this weekend. If he can go, this should be one of the more intriguing one-on-one match-ups of the game.
Lawson has been one of the most disruptive players in the SEC this season, and he will almost certainly hear his name called during the first-round of the 2017 NFL draft. His initial burst off the edge mixed with his power/motor are just a few of the things that truly set him apart from most other edge players in college football. Lawson is by no means a perfect player, but he can be deployed in a variety of ways that make it hard for opposing offenses to prepare for him.
Lawson is currently tied for third in the SEC in sacks with 9.0 — behind only Tennessee’s Derek Barnett (11.0) and LSU’s Arden Key (10.0). At only 6’2 253 pounds, one would think that Lawson is too small to be an effective 4-3 defensive end in the SEC. While it is true that he can sometimes be a liability against the run, that mostly has to do with Lawson’s aggressiveness and not always playing smart, sound football — he can sometimes give up containment by being too aggressive getting up the field. His ability to gain leverage on blockers is extremely impressive, however, and he has shown the ability to be a force against the run when he stays disciplined.
When it comes to Lawson’s match-up against Robinson — and Jonah Williams as well — it’s pretty evident that both players will win some and lose some. Robinson’s play has been very inconsistent, and his struggles as a pass protector can be exposed by a player like Lawson who can win in a variety of ways. Lawson is the type of edge rusher that can take advantage of a tackle that overextends and doesn’t consistently maintain his balance, and that is exactly the type of player that Robinson has proven to be over the course of his career at Alabama.
The best thing for the Alabama offense will be getting the run game going early. That will allow Cam Robinson to play to his strengths — as a dominate run blocker — while also allowing them to exploit some of Carl Lawson’s weaknesses — as a run defender — at the same time.
Advantage: Carl Lawson
Austin Golson (C) vs. Da’Ron Payne (NT)
This match-up between Golson and Payne probably won’t be hyped prior to the game, but it will play a crucial role in determining who wins the battle between Auburn’s run game on offense and Alabama’s ability to defend the run on defense.
Austin Golson had quite the recruitment when he was coming out high school back in 2013. The Prattville native had originally committed to play for Jimbo Fisher at Florida State, but then there were rumors that he had seriously considered switching his commitment to the Tide. After much debate, Golson ended up signing with Ole Miss, and everyone thought that was that. Well, everyone was wrong. After one season on the Grove, Golson decided to transfer to Auburn to be closer to his family. The former four-star prospect was forced to walk-on due to NCAA rules regarding transfers, and he eventually made the switch from tackle to center.
Things have gone smoothly for Golson since that transition. He has emerged as an NFL prospect at center due to his size — 6’5 314 pounds according to Auburn’s official website — and balance as both a run blocker and pass protector. Much like with former Florida State offensive lineman Cameron Erving, Golson has really improved his draft stock with the move from tackle to center, but he still has some things that he could do better. He will need to maintain a low pad level if he wants to consistently get movement against the stout nose tackle from Birmingham in Da’Ron Payne.
Payne has really stepped up his game during his second year in Tuscaloosa. His ability as a two-down run-stopper has been vital to Tide’s success as a run defense — Alabama currently checks in with the first ranked run defense in all of college football. The 6’2 319 pound former five-star recruit is a load, and it’ll be interesting to see how he matches up against Golson, Kozan and Smith in the trenches on Saturday.
Advantage: DaRon Payne
Kamryn Pettway (RB) vs. Reuben Foster (LB)
Kamryn Pettway has been one of college football’s pleasant surprises this year. The former hybrid fullback is a load to bring down at 6’0 240 pounds, and that size has helped him pound his way to 1,106 rushing yards and seven touchdowns in just seven games this season.
As impressive as Pettway has been overall, it has been his last four games that has really stood out as far as production. Of those 1,106 rushing yards and seven touchdowns, 770 yards and six of those touchdowns have come over the course Pettway’s last four weeks on the field — all against SEC opponents. He has averaged 6.36 yards per carry over the course of that time span, and it’ll be something watch out for to see if that holds up against Alabama’s stout front-seven.
He has been the MVP of Auburn’s offense this season, but there are some chinks in Pettway’s seemingly impenetrable armor. First off, he tends to have poor habits in the way that he carries the football at times, and that has resulted in three fumbles this season — it could’ve been four if the fumble against Vanderbilt hadn’t been overturned.
The second issue with Pettway isn’t really his fault. His style of running is just not one that has been too successful against Alabama’s defense in the past. Alabama’s number one ranked run defense has always had an advantage when going against what people consider “power” running backs, and as a result, it would be surprising to see Pettway find much success on Saturday.
One of the main contributors to a potentially slow day for Pettway will be Butkus Award finalist Reuben Foster. Foster was forced to leave the UT-Chattanooga game temporarily this past weekend due to injury, but he quickly returned and made his presence felt. After a strong junior season in 2015, Foster has continued to tweak his game, and the results have been outstanding. His natural instincts combined with his ability to close on opposing ball carriers has been nothing short of phenomenal this season.
Like with Cam Robinson, Foster’s injury is something to monitor heading into Saturday’s showdown against the Tigers. He is expected to play, and if he does, expect him and Pettway to get well acquainted rather quickly.
Advantage: Reuben Foster
Clint Lamb is a columnist for Touchdown Alabama Magazine. You can “follow” him on Twitter @ClintRLamb.
