Well, well, well. For nearly 2 decades LSU fans have clamored for a modern-day offense. You know, the type of Offense where a running back is not asked to ram into 8-man boxes. The kind of offense that doesn’t use up all 40 seconds of the game clock just to hand the ball off tackle. After an entire offseason in which Coach O consistently told reporters and Tiger Nation that LSU would run a spread offense, theory became reality. LSU finally incorporated imaginative concepts where skilled athletes ran in space allowing Burrow to hit them in stride or in soft areas of Defensive zones. Burrow got the ball out of his hand quickly and LSU’s playmakers made plays.
The new look LSU Offense was on full display Sat night in Tiger Stadium. It was oozing with plays straight out of the New Orleans Saints playbook indicating that Coach Ogeron was being honest when he said that Passing Game Coordinator Joe Brady was brought in to modernize the Offensive Passing Attack. For once, the promise of running a Run Pass Option offense was true and fans could put to rest starting a game or a drive with the proverbial toss dive. In fact, LSU went empty backfield for the first handful of plays and it was glorious. The TE was used to stretch the middle of the field as well as the seams instead of consistently being used as another tackle eligible to add extra blocking support to the O line.
My first thought around middle of the 2nd Qtr was to not overreact since it was only Game 1 at home against Georgia Southern. However, there is no need to deny what not only my eyes saw but also what the statistics revealed. In other words, the results were impressive but not as impressive or as validating as the way in which the results were achieved. The mindset, the concept, the pace, the play calling and the execution of the game plan on Offense were spectacular. LSU was a fine-tuned, well-oiled Offensive machine on Saturday led by a Sr QB who did his best Drew Brees impersonation not just because he also wears the No 9 jersey but because he distributed the ball to open playmakers all over the field during in the 2.5 Qtrs he played.
In 2018 in 13 games, 14 different LSU players caught a pass. 14 players caught a pass on Sat night. In 2018 in 13 games, 4 LSU RB’s caught a pass. 5 RB’s caught a pass Sat night. When Burrow targeted non-WR’s on Sat, he was a mere 11 for 12 for 122 yards. Burrow finished the game 23 for 27 for 278 yards and 5 TD’s which ties the LSU single-game record. Burrow did it in one half. I am so glad Ogeron pulled him early in the 2nd half because there was no need to jeopardize injuring LSU’s Sr QB chasing after a record in Game 1 of a long season especially when there are much bigger goals to reach.
Had LSU not pulled Burrow and members of the 1st and 2nd team Offensive unit, they would have likely scored well into the 60’s. Again, proper perspective by the coaching staff allowed players to gain valuable game experience especially Myles Brennan. While the Offense didn’t hum along as smoothly as with Burrow, it had some impressive moments and didn’t totally stall like in years past when the backup QB and supporting cast rotated in.
The Offensive Line which is still the biggest question mark on this team performed more than adequately albeit against an undermanned and undersized opponent. Starting Left Tackle Charles sat out likely due to a suspension and was replaced by Traore and Rosenthale. Both played very well. The rest of the O line more than held their own. Funny how a well called game can make an average unit look better than average. If LSU can get consistent O Line play this season especially against the likes of Texas, Fla, and Bama, the thought of this team being a legitimate contender for a playoff spot is not farfetched. However, if this year’s O Line resembles the line of last year, we will again be relegated to “what if” as well as asking Ogeron and James Cregg LSU’s O Line coach as to “where’s the beef”.
The final score was 55-3 and while the majority of this article focused on the 55, let us not lose sight of the dominating performance by the Tiger Defense. LSU sat Michael Divinity another player who allegedly was suspended for Game 1. LSU inserted Damone Clark into the starting lineup and all he did was fly around the field and make plays. Ogeron had been raving about Clark this summer and again, he was forecasting what would come. Clark is both aggressive, fast and seems to put himself and more importantly, his teammates in the right position to make plays. I can’t imagine what Aranda will come up with once he has yet another linebacker with NFL measurables to add to his exotic play calls.
Other players who were dominated in the game were Tyler Shelvin, Jacob Phillips, Jacoby Stevens, Kristian Fulton, Delpit, and Chaisson. Shelvin is in much better shape and for a man his size, he has quick feet and was demanding double teams throughout the night yet he still made many tackles. He and the other D linemen did an awesome job not only maintaining gap integrity and lane assignments but they took on the Eagles O Linemen which allowed the LSU LB’s and DB’s to roam free to make tackles. Speaking of roaming free, there were a few times when Jacoby Stevens made incredible plays and if you didn’t know better, you would have thought he was our All-American Safety and not Delpit.
Delpit is a one-man wrecking ball and the closest player to the Honey Badger that LSU has had since Mathieu played for the Purple and Gold.
Fulton didn’t have to defend the pass too often against Georgia Southern’s triple option attack but he is without a doubt a No. 1 CB. If he stays healthy this season, he and Delpit will be the next LSU DB’s to hear their names called early in the NFL Draft and help further solidify the distinction that LSU owns which is to be the real DBU.
Chaisson is the edge, speed rusher this team has been missing for several years. Opposing teams have to account for him every down and there were back to back plays in this game that will make NFL GM’s drool over his potential. On a 3rd and long, Chaisson blitzed from his outside LB position and crushed the QB for a sack. The play was nullified by a delay of game penalty. The very next play Chaisson ran down a player and blasted him from the blind side causing a fumble which LSU recovered.
The LSU Defense held Georgia Southern to 3 points and less than 100 yards of Offense in this game. That is dominant folks!
As far as Special Teams, Derek Stingley was all he has been advertised to be. He nearly took his first collegiate punt return to the house and in that one play, he showed the nation why he is going to be one of the most feared punt returners in the country very soon. Stingley also looks the part as the next lockdown corner for LSU.
Last season, LSU found a gem in grad transfer kicker Cole Tracy. Tracy won the Auburn game last season and never looked back. The season could have been drastically different had his kick not gone through the uprights against Auburn. Well, Greg McMahon recruited Cade York as Tracy’s replacement, and the true freshman kicker was nails the entire night. The football jumps off his foot and he not only gets distance on his kicks but also height. The one knock on Tracy was he kicked a low ball due to not having NFL-type leg strength. York doesn’t have that problem and based on his 2 FG kicks, Ogeron will likely feel confident with him from 50-53 yards and I wouldn’t be shocked if he didn’t attempt and made a FG from 55 yards plus this season. Speaking of strong legs, Avery Atkins crushed the ball into the end zone on kickoffs. I would be very surprised and disappointed if teams get to return many kickoffs against LSU this season.
The one problem that still exists and baffles me is LSU’s continued reluctance to put a kick returner back that is able to take it back all the way. Clyde Edwards-Helaire is obviously trusted by the coaching staff to not fumble but he is not a prototypical kick returner. He doesn’t possess top line speed as compared to at least 10 other players LSU has on the roster. Edwards-Helaire fair caught the opening kickoff when he had at least 7 yards between he and the opponents so the idea of playing it close to the vest on kick returns does not align with Ogeron’s aggressive style in most other areas of his gameplan. LSU needs to take advantage of their skilled DB’s and WR’s and coach them to be able to not only catch the kickoff’s but also secure the ball as they return the kick.
With that said, LSU looked every bit the part of a top 7 team. They played 10 true freshman this game and were down at least 2 significant starters. They looked down-right dominant in Game 1. Texas will be a worthy opponent on Sat in Austin. The heat will be around 95 at kickoff. The crowd in Austin will be buzzing. Hopefully, LSU maintains its composure and aggressive play calling. Hopefully, the team limits penalties and turnovers as they did this past game. They say you improve the most from Game 1 to Game 2. If that happens this coming game with College GameDay there and the nation watching, I believe LSU will leave Austin with a victory as big as the state of Texas.
I also believe that the Longhorns will be left wondering after the game if they should have outbid LSU for Tom Herman. After all, aren’t you supposed to get what you pay for?
Geaux Tigers!