Derrius Guice still feels Alabama defense was 'scared' of LSU
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HOOVER, Ala. — LSU running back Derrius Guice isn’t backing down from the statements he made about Alabama’s defense following the Tigers’ 10-0 loss to the Crimson Tide last season.
Alabama held LSU to 33 rushing yards on 27 carries during last year’s game in Baton Rouge, La., with Guice gaining just 8 yards on two carries. The performance marked the second straight season in which the Tide had stuffed a potent Tigers backfield, that also featured first-round pick Leonard Fournette. Alabama limited LSU to 54 yards on 26 carries in 2015 during a 30-16 win over the Tigers in Tuscaloosa, Ala.
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However, that didn’t stop Guice from sounding off about the Tide’s defense the following week after LSU’s 38-10 victory over Arkansas.
"Alabama always stacks 10 people in the box to stop us. They're scared as well," Guice said, according to The Advocate (Baton Rouge). "It's always good to do our bread and butter and run down teams' throats and be physical. The (offensive line is) tired of hearing that they're poo and that they can't block, and we're also tired of hearing that we can't run (after) Alabama and that we can't run after we play them."
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That didn’t sit well with former Alabama linebacker Ryan Anderson, who fired back with a response of his own.
"Yea we're terrified to play in the Louisiana crawfish bowl every year!!!" Anderson later tweeted, using the hashtags #clown and #DonkeyOfTheCentury.
One of three members representing LSU during SEC Media Days on Monday, Guice stood by his remarks when asked if he still felt Alabama's defense was scared during the game.
“Yeah, that's what I said," Guice said.
While Guice still believes Alabama was scared of LSU, he shows no fear in facing a Tide team that led the nation in rush defense last season. Guice even referred to the experience as “fun” when questioned what it was like to go up against Alabama’s front.
“It was a really great experience for me because I never played Alabama,” Guice said. “I only got two career carries against Alabama so far, so that’s good enough for me. I trust the coaches. If they felt I should have only got two carries, I can only trust that. Their pay-grade is way higher than mine. So whatever they tell me to do, that’s what I’m doing.”
Despite starting in just six games last season, Guice led the SEC with 1,387 yards and 15 touchdowns on 183 carries (7.58 yards per carry). Heading into his junior year, the 5-foot-11, 212-pound running back is thought to be one of the early contenders for the Heisman Trophy. Oddshark.com has him tied for the seventh-best odds to win the award at +1400. Southern California quarterback Sam Darnold is the preseason favorite at +250.
With Fournette off to the NFL, Guice will now take on even more of a role in LSU’s offense.
“I don’t feel like it changes anything,” Guice said. “I’m the same player I was behind Leonard last year that I am now. He’s just a step higher, but I’m fixing to be next. I learned a lot from him while I was here, and he learned a lot from me. I’m just happy to learn from him while he was here.”
If LSU is to end a six-game losing streak to Alabama, Guice will have to improve on his former teammate's performances against the Tide. Over his three seasons at LSU, Fournette gained a combined 145 yards on 57 carries (2.54 yards per carry) with a single touchdown.
LSU will travel to Bryant-Denny Stadium on Nov. 4.
“I don’t know where everyone else’s head is against Alabama. Like I said earlier, we got to take it one game at a time,” Guice said. “We’ll worry about Alabama when we get there.”
