Alabama QB Keelon Russell Facing Similar Trouble Against LSU

Remember how bad Keelon Russell looked during the Alabama Crimson Tide's loss to the Tennessee Volunteers last month? Well, he could experience some deja vu on the road against the LSU Tigers this Saturday.

Russell never had much of a chance against Tennessee, which boasts arguably the best pass rush in the nation and a terrific secondary that had the clamps on Alabama's receivers. The Crimson Tide's offensive line was blown back by the Volunteers' front seven, and Russell was running for his life throughout the contest.

The sophomore quarterback ended up turning the ball over three times in what ended up being a 26-10 loss and looked very much like a first-year starter in the affair.

Russell definitely looked better against a much easier Texas A&M defense the following week and had a bye this past Saturday, but now, he'll have yet another stiff test against another rugged defense.

LSU ranks second in the country with 34 sacks behind Tennessee's 35. It also ranks 13th in passing defense and 12th in opponent passer rating.

Princewill Umanmielen, Jordan Ross and Deuce Geralds comprise one of the best pass-rushing trios in the nation, and the Tigers' cornerback duo of PJ Woodland and the 6-foot-4 DJ Pickett can be lockdown.

The hope is that Ryan Coleman-Williams will be ready for the LSU matchup this weekend, which would make a major difference for Russell and the Alabama offense. Coleman-Williams' absence has been palpable, so it would mean the world if he were back on the field in Baton Rouge.

But even if the star wide receiver does play, he may not be 100 percent coming off of arthroscopic knee surgery, so Russell will still need to improvise.

That will require far better offensive line play this time around, and hopefully, center Racin Delgatty is back in the fold after missing two straight games with a lower leg injury.

But even with a healthy Delgatty, 'Bama has been questionable in the trenches this season, and that could result in a nightmare against LSU.

Alabama has to win this football game in order to keep its College Football Playoff hopes alive. Just about everyone agrees that the Crimson Tide are outside the 12-team field right now and that it would take winning out and some help in order for Kalen DeBoer's squad to get in.

That means Russell will have to put forth a much more even performance versus the Tigers, and based on what we saw from him and the Alabama offense in Knoxville, there is absolutely cause for concern.