It’s a good bet that Vanderbilt has taken note of Hawaii’s defensive game plan against Alabama last weekend.

The Crimson Tide, who plays the Commodores at home on Saturday, scratched out a 25-17 victory over the Rainbows. Alabama found it difficult to move the ball because Hawaii played a base defense and loaded the line to stop ’Bama’s run game.

The result was Alabama gaining 125 rushing yards on 36 carries, including five carries for 4 yards in the fourth quarter. Last year, Hawaii allowed an average of 188 rushing yards per game.

All-SEC running back Kenneth Darby ran for 25 yards on 16 carries — that was 54 fewer yards than his worst game of 2005, a 79-yard performance against Southern Miss.

"They loaded the line up front, and it’s just something we had to adjust to," said new ’Bama starting quarterback John Parker Wilson, who completed 16 of 29 passes for 253 yards and one TD. "They played him (Darby) pretty well. We ended up with too many field goals."

Alabama coach Mike Shula said he’s not sweating his offense, especially Darby, who had a couple of runs nullified by holding penalties.

"I’m not worried about K.D.," Shula said. "Any back, especially his senior year, wants to have 150, 200 yards every game."

Bottoms up: LSU’s 45-3 blowout of Louisiana-Lafayette allowed highly touted redshirt freshman quarterback Ryan Perrilloux to make his college debut.

Perrilloux was ranked as the nation’s best high school quarterback two years ago, and has languished behind JaMarcus Russell and Matt Flynn on the LSU depth chart.

Perrilloux trotted on the field against the Ragin’ Cajuns to a rousing ovation. On his very first snap, he tripped over the foot of his center Ryan Miller and fell for a 4-yard loss. On his next play, he completed a 10-yard pass.

Perrilloux wasn’t the first LSU quarterback to fall over on his first snap in college.

Jamie Howard took his first snap, tripped and fell square on his rear in his collegiate debut on Sept. 19, 1992, at Auburn. Howard got up and went on to complete eight of 18 passes for 151 yards and two touchdowns, almost bringing LSU to a come-from-behind victory.

Crossing Fingers: The way Arkansas running back Felix Jones coughed up the ball in Saturday’s 50-14 loss to Southern Cal, Hogs’ coach Houston Nutt is crossing his fingers that Darren McFadden will miraculously be well enough to start carrying a heavy rushing load against Utah State on Saturday.

Jones fumbled three times, including two that were recovered by USC, on six touches during the game’s first 16 minutes. McFadden, who was considered doubtful for the USC game after undergoing surgery on July 29 to repair a dislocated joint in his left big toe, started against the Trojans, lining up as a wide receiver to serve as a decoy on a fake reverse. He eventually gained 44 yards on nine rushes, including a 17-yard gain.

"If you told me July 29 when he had surgery, I would have said no way is he going to be able to play in a month," Nutt said.

What goes ‘round, comes ‘round: Noel Mazzone departed after last season as Ole Miss’ offensive coordinator, but he still had a hand in the Rebels’ 27-25 victory over Memphis on Sunday.

Yes, it was Rebels’ assistant Hugh Freeze who suggested the trick play called "Wolfpack" that the Rebels scored on. But as former Briarcrest coach Freeze told Ole Miss network analyst Pete Cordelli on Cordelli’s radio show on Monday night, Freeze got the play from Mazzone when Freeze was at Briarcrest and visited Mazzone ,who was coaching at North Carolina State at the time.

Hence, the play’s nickname "Wolfpack," which is N.C. State’s nickname. Freeze said he tweaked the play a little.

Hamstring Or Loose Lips?: Was it a tight hamstring or loose lips that caused Auburn running back Kenny Irons to slow down for the final 10 yards of his 58-yard TD run against Washington State on Saturday?

Irons said it was payback to toy with the smack talkin’ WSU defenders. He also said it wasn’t a classy move and he wouldn’t do it again.

Auburn coach Tommy Tuberville, apparently unaware of Irons’ postgame statements, said in a Sunday teleconference, that Irons slowed down because he had tweaked a hamstring.

"He said he felt his ham get a little tight," Tuberville said.

Jinxed?: Maybe Mississippi State quarterback Michael Henig jinxed himself. Henig knew prior to last Thursday’s season opener against South Carolina that he and backup QB Tray Rutland would play.

"I understand what Coach (Sylvester) Croom is trying to do at the position because he did the same thing with me last year," Henig said. "He wants to get Tray game ready, and that’s a good thing because you never know."

Henig broke his collarbone late in the first half and is expected to be out until at least mid-October.

Writers in other cities contributed to this report.