Big Men

For me, one of the more interesting things to watch for during Saturday's game will be how Bama's heralded freshman offensive tackle Andre Smith does against Hawaii's 3-4 defense. On paper, it sounds like he should knock everybody down. Smith is 6'4", 348 pounds, and this article from the Decatur Daily says that he's quick and smart to boot. He sounds like a real football player and has understandably gotten a lot of hype.

But he'll be matched up against Hawaii senior captain Ikaika Alama-Francis along the front, and I think Alama-Francis is poised to have a breakout year, having bulked up over the off-season while retaining his quickness. It should be a good battle. If Ikaika causes problems, that'll free the linebackers to make plays, including blitzes, which I definitely want to see, especially from Amani Purcell! In general, this game is going to be a real test for the UH defense, and it's a chance to show how much they've improved from last year.

Four more days!