Dixon, MSU offense problematic

TUSCALOOSA - Spread offenses and bruising running backs rarely come together.

At Mississippi State, the combination of a new coach with wide-open philosophies and a group of bulky backs returning has the Bulldogs defying convention as it prepares for Saturday's visit from No. 3 Alabama (9-0, 6-0 SEC West).

Coming from a shotgun with as many as three backs surrounding the quarterback, Mississippi State (4-5, 2-3 SEC West) gives itself several options to choose from and for defenses to consider. Alabama coach Nick Saban said he takes a different mindset in practice for this "very different" offense.

The centerpiece of first-year head coach Dan Mullen's atypical scheme is 6-1, 235-pound power-back Anthony Dixon who is coming off a career-topping night at Kentucky. His 252-yard performance was the difference two weeks ago in Lexington, although it was compiled against the SEC's worst run defense.

Saban said Mississippi State's unusual scheme and bruising running game make it difficult to prepare.

"These guys run the football probably as well as anybody we've played against this year," Saban said. "It's a little difficult, different preparation, so our players are going to have to have to do a really good job of getting prepared for this game."

Against Alabama, Dixon will face the league's best rush-stopping unit that trails only Texas nationally. Dixon's numbers suffered a week before playing the Wildcats when Florida and its second-best rush defense in the SEC limited Dixon to 53 yards on 15 carries.

Dixon's size and productivity compare favorably to Alabama's Mark Ingram, the SEC's leading rusher at 127.6 yards per game. Dixon averaged 125.1 yards per game.

Mullen, who was Urban Meyer's offensive coordinator at Florida, lists a number of similarities between the two including their intensity, physicality and vision.

Ingram downplayed any hype surrounding the matchup, leaving Dixon duty to the defense. And they're ready for a challenge.

"It's always a hard task," linebacker Rolando McClain said of tackling Dixon. "You've got to go and wrap him up. You can't just put a shoulder in the guy, you have to wrap him up and wait for everyone else to come."

The Bulldogs also have run the no-huddle offense that troubled the Tide against LSU this past Saturday. Mullen said there was nothing specific about Alabama's defense that made it susceptible to confusion when the offense rushed back to the line. It was more about the offense's comfort in the style that makes it effective, Mullen said.

Tide nose guard Terrence Cody said the no-huddle offense was just one of the many ploys opponents have attempted to this point.

"At the end of the day, we're going to buckle down and get things right," he said.

Whether the Bulldogs are playing hurry-up offense, Alabama likely will respond with a nickel formation that involves an extra defensive back and one less linebacker. Saban said an extra defensive back can operate easier in the open spaces the spread offense creates than a linebacker.

Defending spread offenses typically means less playing time for Cody because of his size and speed deficiency. But with a Mississippi State team that still likes running between the tackles, "there is certainly a consideration to just leaving your big guys in there and just playing with them," Saban said.