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Snap Count analysis through the LSU game

Najee has taken over in the backfield.

By Josh Chatham
NCAA Football: Louisiana State at Alabama Butch Dill-USA TODAY Sports

A few weeks ago we shared some snap count data provided by Chum26, who had taken the time to painstakingly chart snap counts for both offense and defense. He has continued to do so, and we thought that you might find the updates to be interesting.

The primer:

  • To the left you have total snap counts per game. He then breaks down the percentage of first-team snaps played in column AJ.
  • Offensive personnel groupings are expressed as two digit numbers, with the first digit representing the number of RBs and the second digit the number of TEs. “0” personnel would be better expressed as “00” and it means there are five WRs on the field.
  • On defense, Alabama runs a 3-4 despite the fact that you often see four men with their hands in the dirt, the weak side end man designated as a LB. “Nickel” removes one LB in favor of a DB, and “Dime” installs a sixth DB, leaving just one standing LB. He also observed “rabbit” packages in both sets, which indicates lighter DL personnel on passing downs.

Offense:

  • Kendall Randolph was the main beneficiary of the snaps vacated by Miller Forristall at tight end. Having that extra big body in the game certainly seemed to help the rushing attack.
  • In Forristall’s absence, the Tide did run a bit more four-wide, but 11 and 12 personnel are still heavily favored by the staff.
  • Najee Harris has progressively increased his share of the rushing load, and thoroughly dominated the snap count against LSU.

Defense:

  • The first surprise here is the defensive line, where Christian Barmore continues to struggle to get on the field despite seemingly creating more havoc than any other lineman on the roster. Very strange.
  • Markail Benton did not have a very good game in coverage against LSU, yet logged far more snaps than either Shane Lee or Christian Harris. My guess is that Harris can’t get on the field more due to problems with run fits.
  • There is zero depth at OLB and in the secondary.
  • LSU had Alabama in dime for basically the entire game.

Your thoughts?

Roll Tide.

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