The Charleston Southern Buccaneers boast a 9-1 (6-0 Big South) record entering their regular-season finale against No. 2 Alabama (9-1, 6-1 SEC) this weekend. And that’s just one of the many reasons the Crimson Tide isn’t sleeping on its upcoming non-conference opponent.

Title/Alt Text

Charleston Southern has won eight consecutive games since its early-season loss to the Troy Trojans, has averaged 31 points per contest this season and has held foes to 16.2 points per game. And Nick Saban knows his Alabama team can’t overlook the Buccaneers on Saturday.

“Charleston Southern is 9-1, one of the probably best teams in their FCS division,” Saban said Monday. “They’re ranked in the top 10 in almost every category, one of the top defenses in that league, as well as very productive offensively with a different style of offense than what we’ve played against. A lot of option, split-back kind of options that we have not played against.

“Their quarterback, Austin Brown, does a really good job. He’s a very athletic guy that can run, as well as is a good passer. This is going to be a challenging game for us from a preparation standpoint.”

The Buccaneers have averaged 395.9 yards of total offense this year with 230.2 of that coming on the ground. During his Monday press conference, Saban was asked if Charleston Southern compared to its 2011 opponent, Georgia Southern, which ran for 302 yards and a score in its trip to Tuscaloosa.

“There are some similarities,” Saban said. “It’s not totally the same, but it’s option football. Georgia Southern basically ran more Georgia Tech-style offense, which is more three-back, which they have some of.

“But they mostly do it with two backs in the backfield and multiple formations, which create adjustment issues to be able to stay sound on the option. But there are some similarities in the plays they run and the way they run the plays.”

Regardless of the offense it will face, the Crimson Tide is treating its next game like the other 10 it has played so far, despite the team taking a day off from practice Monday to nurse some nagging injuries. Alabama still held team meetings and film review.

“Same way we approach every game,” left tackle Cameron Robinson said. “It’s the same thing we do every week. We don’t change anything. We prepare for every opponent the same way.”

BROWN TO STEP IN FOR FITZPATRICK?

When true freshman cornerback Minkah Fitzpatrick went down with a sprained knee in the second quarter of the Mississippi State game, sophomore Tony Brown stepped into the first-team Star spot on defense.

Brown registered two total tackles (one solo stop) and two pass breakups, although he could have walked away with an interception or two – something he would later receive some jabs for from his veteran teammates, like Cyrus Jones, after the game and when watching film.

Fitzpatrick is still considered day-to-day and may not suit up this weekend against Charleston Southern, so Brown could see more of the field Saturday. But Saban made it clear that Brown will battle the elder Maurice Smith for the starting spot in Fitzpatrick can’t go.

“He and Maurice Smith have kind of gone back and forth as to who the next guy is that plays,” Saban said. “Mo got in the game, we have a lot of confidence in him, but Tony had a better week in practice and they were in empty a lot. He did a good job in the game. He got his hands on a couple of balls, could have had an interception. He did a good job.

“We’ll end up (not playing) nickel all the time in this game because of the formations and so forth that they do, but we’ll see how he and Mo compete this week and decide which one will play in the game.”

But Brown has also been effective on special teams this year for the Crimson Tide, especially covering kickoffs and punts and delivering big hits to nullify big gains for opponents.

“The big hit’s always cool, but when people do their job and we get results like that – inside the 20 and stuff – that’s really what we want to strive for,” senior fullback Michael Nysewander said. “And so I think that just naturally fires people up.”

ROBINSON RECALLS FIRST-YEAR WOES

When he spoke with local reporters Monday afternoon, Robinson remembered the change he saw in the talent on the field in front of him from high school to the collegiate level. The sophomore left tackle enrolled early at Alabama last January and experienced some first-year woes.

“I came in early … I was supposed to still be in high school, and I go to spring practice and I was getting killed,” he said. “I didn’t even know if I was still good at football at the time. I guess it just took getting used to.”

Robinson earned freshman All-American honors after last season and has come on strong of late to help junior running back Derrick Henry rush for 200-plus yards in back-to-back games, so to hear of his early struggles was a bit surprising. He did, however, come out of that slump.

“I guess my preparation in practice, great coaching and going against those guys every single day in practice,” Robinson said. “Eventually, I got good at football again.”

Not a VIP member? Take advantage of our THREE months for the price of ONE!