'He's improved a lot,' Tigers linebacker Kevin Minter said. LSU defenders said they see a big difference in McCarron this season. McCarron was solid in the first meeting last season and was offensive MVP of the BCS championship game with an impressive performance, keeping LSU off-guard with frequent passes on first down. We've got to come in and try to throw some different things at him, different schemes to try to mix him up.' 'He's checking a lot and doing some great things. 'He does a great job of operating and knowing what the defense does and hits the key holes on pass plays,' Milliner said. Tide cornerback Dee Milliner said Mettenberger is a 'great quarterback, a big-armed quarterback.' Alabama's defense leads the SEC with 14 interceptions and LSU is second with 13. Taking care of the ball is an important challenge for both quarterbacks. I'll definitely be ready to go for this game, I promise you that.' 'You want to get amped up, but at the same time I don't have to go hit anybody. A quarterback has to do a good job keeping your emotions in check during the game. It's a fine line, between looking too relaxed and being too jacked up. You can't play with your tail tucked between legs or you'll play too timid. 'You can't get too jacked up or you will start throwing balls in the stands. 'You have to be level-headed,' Mettenberger said. It's Mettenberger's first time playing in an Alabama-LSU confrontation. 'We've just got to go out there and give him confidence.' 'He throws a little bad ball and everybody jumps on his back,' Ford said. Running back Michael Ford and his teammates are standing by their quarterback. Mettenberger has been intercepted a modest four times through eight games. He hasn't completed 50 percent of his passes in any of the last three games - all against ranked SEC teams - and has one touchdown pass, two interceptions and a modest 403 passing yards during that stretch. The strong-armed Mettenberger might still be finding his way toward the game manager role in his first year as starter. So I'm going to, like what coach always, take what the defense gives me and. People nowadays love to see the ball being slung around and everything but that's not our style of play. 'I think coach, in that aspect, is saying he's taking what the defense is giving him and he's not making any real bonehead mistakes. He could hand the ball off 47 times but still manage the game. I mean, he can throw nine touchdowns in one game but he still managed the game. 'I probably think more along the lines of coach Saban. 'What I think and then what the media tries to make a game manager out to be is two totally different things,' he said. McCarron wants to clear up what being a game manager means in his eyes. He's thrown 262 passes without an interception dating back to last season, second-longest in SEC history behind the 325-pass streak by Kentucky's Andre' Woodson. McCarron has been the nation's most efficient passer with a quarterback rating of 182.4 for Alabama (8-0, 5-0). I don't think you can be a good quarterback unless you're a really good game manager. 'I don't think it's fair to AJ that because I said he's a really good game manager for us that it's like that means he doesn't do anything,' Saban said. McCarron has been the consummate game manager even with 18 touchdown passes. 5 LSU (7-1, 3-1 Southeastern Conference) would love to get a McCarron-like, efficient performance from Zach Mettenberger Saturday night in Baton Rouge where both passers will be supported by punishing tailbacks and terrific defenses. The coach of top-ranked Alabama considers it the highest praise. Unless the QB is AJ McCarron and he plays for Nick Saban. A quarterback described as a game manager can often be perceived as someone who's mostly responsible for supervising plays and not making them.

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