The Alabama Crimson Tide has a tall task ahead of it, as college football's resident bad boy, Lane Kiffin, awaits in Death Valley.

Fresh off a bye, the Crimson Tide are coming into this game a little healthier. Wide receiver Ryan Coleman-Williams is expected to return after undergoing arthroscopic knee surgery, while starting center Racin Delgatty is also expected back. It's still uncertain whether Zabien Brown and Terrance Green will find their way onto the field.

One thing is for sure though: it’s a must win for the Crimson Tide. We enter Week 10 and Alabama put itself in a major hole after losing two in a row to Georgia and Tennessee.

So as the Tide faces LSU, here are two keys to the game that we should keep a close eye on.

This is something that should be considered, given the recent issues with offensive playcalling.

For the first few weeks Alabama was revered for taking a major step forward in its run game from a historically bad run game last season.

However, for the past three games, Alabama’s run game has had a very difficult time getting going.

Barring a 58-yard run from Trae’shawn Brown against Georgia, the running unit only averaged 2.3 yards per carry. That also factors into the 11 sacks quarterback Keelon Russell took, which directly affects his rushing yards.

Needless to say, even if Russell didn’t end up getting sacked a lot, the running backs haven't been finding the right gaps. Brown’s 58-yarder was an outlier and that was three games ago. Since then, the Tide’s leading rusher in their past two has been Daniel Hill with a pair of 30-yard games.

That is unacceptable. And it’s not going to get easier. LSU is fifth in the FBS, allowing only 83 rushing yards per game.

In order to get past this defense, that creativity is going to have to include more designed QB-run plays and a lot of misdirection. There is some hope that EJ Crowell may be back, who can dramatically raise this run game’s ceiling.

However, using both Hill and Brown in two-running back sets could be a game changer.

Alabama already has a strong blocker in tight end Josh Ford, but Hill's development as a pass-blocking running back could give the offense another dimension. Using Hill as a lead blocker for Brown could create opportunities for some explosive runs.

LSU quarterback Sam Leavitt has been a bit of a wild card this season. In the first six weeks, Leavitt threw at least one interception per game. Luckily for him, he’s been able to limit his turnovers against Mississippi State and Auburn during his past two games.

When Leavitt is on, it's hard to find a better quarterback in the SEC. However, consistency has been an issue throughout his season.

He can usually sense when defenses are showing that they’re planning to blitz. When he senses that, he can use his legs immediately upon snap to run from that pressure.

However, against single pressure, his decision making falls off rapidly. He completes passes at a 56% clip, has thrown three interceptions, and has been sacked in 13 times. He also holds onto the ball way too long, with his time-to-throw ranging from 2.44 seconds in a clean pocket, to 4.09 seconds under pressure.

The solution for Alabama? Put a spy on him. Keeping a linebacker or safety as a spy could help contain Leavitt's scrambling ability, while allowing Alabama's pass rush to attack without abandoning its defensive responsibilities.

Alabama's pass defense has been inconsistent, but the unit has been one of the best in generating turnovers. It’s currently fourth in the FBS with 2.4 takeaways per game, and has the 11th-best turnover margin.

The Tide also are tied for the lead with five interception returns for touchdowns.

Leavitt can definitely hurt you with his legs, but if you’re keeping him honest, it’s one way to limit any damage that he can do.