Football vs. LSU Postgame Notes
11/9/2019 6:58:00 PM | Football
GAME CAPTAINS: Alabama's captains for today's game against LSU were redshirt junior offensive lineman Landon Dickerson, redshirt senior linebacker Anfernee Jennings and junior defensive back Xavier McKinney.
Defense
McKINNEY PACES DEFENSE: Junior defensive back Xavier McKinney led the game in total tackles with 13, a number that matches his career high. He also set a new best in sacks with two and tackles for loss with 2.5 for a total of 13 yards while adding a quarterback hurry, forced fumble and a blocked PAT.
TURNOVERS, TURNOVERS, TURNOVERS: With redshirt junior linebacker Terrell Lewis' fumble recovery in the third quarter, the Crimson Tide has now forced at least one turnover in 63 of its last 68 contests dating back to the start of the 2015 season. During the current run, the Crimson Tide has forced 112 turnovers (73 interceptions, 39 fumbles) and returned 24 of those miscues for touchdowns.
GETTING TO THE QUARTERBACK: Alabama tied its season high in total sacks with 5.0 against LSU for a total loss of 37 yards. The yards lost was also a season-best for the Tide.
DIGGS RECORDS CAREER-HIGH 10 TACKLES: Senior defensive back Trevon Diggs had a career-high total for tackles with 10 stops against LSU, five of which were solo. His previous career high was seven at Arkansas (2018).
Offense
TAGOVAILOA NOW THIRD ON UA CAREER PASSING YARDS LIST: With his 418 passing yards against LSU, junior quarterback Tua Tagovailoa has accumulated 7,186 passing yards in 32 career games to rank third all-time at Alabama. Tagovailoa is now 739 yards shy of passing John Parker Wilson (2005-08) who is second on the list with 7,924 yards. AJ McCarron (2010-13), the program's all-time leader, finished with 9,019 yards across his four seasons in Tuscaloosa.
HARRIS ECLIPSES 100-YARD RUSHING MARK: Junior running back Najee Harris finished with 146 yards on the ground against LSU. Harris is the only Alabama rusher to go over the century mark this season. It is the fifth 100-plus yard performance of his career (Arkansas State on Sept. 8, 2018 – 135 yards; Southern Miss on Sept. 21, 2019 – 110 yards; Texas A&M on Oct. 12, 2019 – 114 yards; Tennessee on Oct. 17, 2019 – 105 yards; LSU on Nov. 9, 2019 – 146).
SMITH ADDS ANOTHER 200-YARD GAME: Junior wide receiver DeVonta Smith notched his second 200-plus yard receiving performance of the season after hauling in 213 against the Tigers. With that, he became the first UA receiver with multiple 200-yard games in a season since Amari Cooper in 2014. Smith's first outing of over 200 yards came against Ole Miss where he set the Alabama single-game record with 274 yards receiving. He continues to pace the Tide with 934 yards on the season.
SCORING STREAK CONTINUES: Alabama extended its school record for consecutive games with a score to 251 thanks to sophomore wide receiver Jaylen Waddle's 77-yard punt return touchdown in the first quarter against the LSU Tigers. The Crimson Tide was last held off the scoreboard in a 9-0 loss to Auburn on Nov. 18, 2000. Alabama has a 196-54 (.784) record over the course of the current streak.
Special Teams
WADDLE'S PUNT RETURN RANKING: Sophomore wide receiver Jaylen Waddle entered today's game leading the nation in punt return average, toting 21.6 yards per return. His 77 yard punt return for a touchdown in the first quarter brought Waddle's season total to 15 return for 379 yards, averaging out to 25.3 yards per return. For his career, Waddle is averaging 19.7 yards, a total that ranks atop the Alabama career list.
