Arkansas vs. Alabama: Breaking Down the Running Game
ByWhile we are on the subject of running backs and the running game, we all know what the Crimson Tide’s running game can do and has done.
Over the past two weeks, the Tide’s running game has picked up averaging almost 250 yards a game; it probably doesn’t hurt that both Eddie Lacy and Trent Richardson had almost ran for 200 yards a piece in last week’s game against North Texas.
But it’s a trend that started in the Penn State game when Richardson went over a hundred yards for the first time this season and Lacy almost duplicated Richardson’s numbers.
The Tide has moved up from 35th in the nation running the football to 15th.
Arkansas’ running game is not as impressive, probably because they lost their leading rusher earlier this season in Knile Davis, who injured himself during preseason workouts.
The Arkansas running game is ranked 52nd in the country averaging 170 yards per game, but only just over four yards per carry. Arkansas has never been known as a running team anyway, they relay heavily on the pass to win them ball games.
While their running game may be in the 50’s, their passing game is 8th in the nation; shocker right.
How about stopping the run? Alabama is tied for fourth in the country in stopping the run while Arkansas is 27th.
The impressive thing about this stat is that the Tide has shut down two of the top running backs in the game in North Texas’ Lance Dunbar who is a candidate for the Doak Walker Award and Penn State’s Silas Redd.
The question Saturday will be whose running game will be more effective. If the Tide can build up a nice lead Saturday, they can use Lacy and Richardson to pound the Arkansas defense into submission and wear them down.
If Arkansas takes the lead, will their running backs be able to wear the Tide’s defense down and do enough to help win the game, just another interesting piece to the puzzle Saturday.
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