The end of October is typically a wake-up call or a message to keep your foot on the gas for most college football teams.
Week 9 typically sees some teams surging, others falling out of playoff contention, and those on a bye week using the time to scout.
For Alabama, Week 9 serves as a bye week before a season-defining game against the LSU Tigers on Nov. 7.
While most view the bye week as a time to relax, recover, and take a moment to step away from football, that’s not the case for some, at least for linebacker Luke Metz, who is all about football and consistently watching the game to either get better or learn teams.
“I honestly like to watch other teams (during time off). Usually, you’re watching yourself and the opponent. You don’t really just get to relax and watch a football game,” said Metz when asked how he plans to spend the break. “The Georgia versus Florida game, I’ll be watching that. I like football!”
Alabama has three priorities during this bye week: refining their established schemes, monitoring the rest of the college football landscape, and getting key players healthy before the trip to Baton Rouge.
The Crimson Tide, currently 6-2 overall and 4-2 in conference play, face one of the nation's most challenging schedules; they are no strangers to the grind of weekly intensity and have finally earned a brief moment to recover.
“It’s rewarding (to get the break). It’s nice, but LSU has a bye week too, so whatever work they’re putting in, we have to match that and exceed that, so, really, just focus on us.”
Alabama had a total of 10 players out against Texas A&M, with roughly half of the players appearing as of midseason or over the last few weeks.
Players like Ryan Coleman-Williams, Zabien Brown, EJ Crowell, Racin Delgatty, and Terrance Green's absence highlight a significant hurdle for the team's depth. Each of these players serves as a foundational piece in their respective units; in their absence, the Crimson Tide has had to rely on younger personnel to maintain competitive standards, but their possible returns against LSU could prove pivotal for an Alabama team looking to make the playoffs for the second time under coach Kalen DeBoer.
The hope is that the majority of those players will be ready to go by Week 10, as their presence will be greatly needed.
However, the Tigers are also hopeful to have a few of their players return as well. Veteran linebacker and one of the leaders of the team, Whit Weeks, has been sidelined since suffering a broken right fibula and undergoing surgery on Sep. 26; however, he’s targeting a return to practice and a chance to play in the game against Alabama.
Big-bodied tight end Trey’Dez Green recently returned to the lineup against Auburn after missing four games with a knee injury. He is expected to continue building back to full strength and potentially play against Alabama as well. And quarterback Sam Leavitt is working back from a hamstring injury that has progressed well in practice and is trending toward being near full capacity for the SEC showdown.
With Alabama and LSU’s seasons on the line in Week 10, the anticipated matchup will need not only as many players back healthy, but Alabama will also need a different level of aggression and dominance to defeat the Tigers in Death Valley.