Crimson Red Sports

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. -- A drop-back passer and a young offensive lineman.

Alabama linebacker Dont’a Hightower smiled when thinking of the opportunity Arkansas presents Saturday afternoon.

After two weeks of quick passes with little opportunity for crushing quarterbacks, the No. 3 Crimson Tide’s pass rush is more than eager for a visit from the deep-passing Razorbacks to visit Bryant-Denny Stadium at 3:30 p.m.

Besides sporting a first-year quarterback in Tyler Wilson, the 14th-ranked visitors start true freshman Mitch Smothers at left tackle. Hightower and fellow linebacker Courtney Upshaw were well aware of that fact before a single snap in practice this week.

“That’s something that me and Courtney’s probably going to thrive on, try to get a beat on him, try to get in his head, things like that during the week,” Hightower said. “So, yeah, we’re going to try to take advantage of that.”

Through three games, Arkansas allowed seven sacks, ninth-most in the league and good for 77th nationally. FCS Missouri State and Troy took passers down three times in previous weeks.

How effectively Smothers and the rest of the Razorbacks’ offensive line slows Hightower, Upshaw and company could be a determining factor in the SEC opener for both teams.

A year ago, both critical fourth-quarter Arkansas interceptions thrown by Ryan Mallett immediately followed pressure from the Tide defensive front.

Whether the Tide’s quarterback hunters reach the passer before the pass can’t be the only measuring stick for a defense. Penn State and North Texas game-planned to avoid the scenario after Kent State was sacked four times in Alabama’s 48-7 season-opening win.

“We had guys running free in the ‘A’ gap, and they couldn’t sack him, because he was going to get rid of it,” Alabama coach Nick Saban said. “He wasn’t going to get sacked. They weren’t running any vertical patterns downfield that took much time to develop where the rushers had a chance.”

I look for Jesse to have a big game this week.