Auburn running back Carnell “Cadillac” Williams has an innate ability to see the field and cutback when the oppurtunity presents itself.
This usually spells doom for an overagressive, overpursuing defense with a one-tracked mind aimed at chasing the ball.
That is why staying at home and filling gaps were extremely important in the LSU defense’s suffocation of the Auburn ground attack, which was averaging over 260 yards-per-game on the ground in its last three games, all wins. Williams was held to 61 yards on 20 carries after totaling 496 yards and eight touchdowns in those same three games.
“We were disciplined,” said LSU defensive end Marquise Hill. “That was the key. We had to stay disciplined. We tried to stay in our gaps, keep them in the backfield and create a new line of scrimmage. We saw the success of it tonight. When we’re disciplined, we can do a lot of great things.”
Hill said Williams’ ability to change direction so fast was in the minds of the defense the whole night.
“We knew he could stick his foot in one hole and be in the other hole in a split second,” Hill said. “We knew we had to stay in our gaps. That was our main goal – to create a new line of scrimmage. The way he runs, he likes to wait and try to pick his holes. So we just wanted to block for the linebackers and let them make the play.”
Getting in the backfield before Williams even had a chance to do anything played another pivotal role for LSU’s defense, with senior defensive tackle Chad Lavalais leading the storm.
Lavalais played like a man possessed, totaling eight tackles, three of them for losses, and one of LSU’s four sacks.
“I thought Chad played a fabulous game,” said LSU head coach Nick Saban. “Especially a couple of the big plays he made early, and I know he had a big time sack. But Chad’s played fantastic all year long. I can’t say that he’s ever not played really well in any game that we’ve played. His effort and his intensity that he plays with, if we could get our whole team to play that way that we’d have what we’re talking about.”
Lavalais help set the tone of the game early when he stopped Williams on a fourth-and-one run from LSU’s 43-yard line. Lavalais threw Williams backwards five yards, and LSU scored on the ensuing possession.
“The fourth down stop that he made was with great penetration and great quickness,” Saban said. “It was a big play in the game that changed field position and momentum.”
Linebacker Lionel Turner said the rest of the LSU defense feeds of Lavalais.
“I don’t think anybody can block Chad,” Turner said. “He works hard and he never stops and he never gives up on a play. So we think, ‘If Chad can do it, we all can do it.’ We feed of each other. We look and what Chad does, and we feed off of him.”