The LSU Tigers got the win over Louisiana Tech in an eventual 45-14 blowout, but the game was close throughout the first half because of the inefficiencies of the offense.
Let’s get into the good, bad, and the ugly from Week 2.
The Ugly:
We are going to start with the ugly. The red-zone offense and running game were nonexistent throughout the first half on Saturday night. Dilin Jones finished the first half with 10 rushing attempts and only eight net yards.
The second quarter is really where the offense was trying
to find more creative ways to keep LA Tech in the game than actually put them away. The first play of the second quarter started with a Tre Wilson fumble after a 12-yard reception. Just 2:18 later, Sam Leavitt was picked off on a pass that sailed over Trey’Dez Green as he was wide open on a deep crossing route.
Just before the two-minute warning, a disastrous pick-six took place inside the 5-yard line. Follow that up with another red-zone interception that was forced into zone coverage. LSU had two possessions inside the 15 in the final four minutes of the first half and threw an interception on both of them.
The part about the pick-six that will get overlooked is that it came on the heels of a 19-play, 74-yard drive. Finally, the offense was able to get into a little bit of a groove, just to throw it away.
Now, let us also add that there was a missed pass interference call that should have been made on that interception. But even with that being said, there were still some players on that play who could have done their jobs a little bit better to help the play be more successful.
Sam Leavitt and the turnovers are also part of this section. You can get away with having three interceptions in one half against LA Tech; you cannot do that against a quality SEC opponent.
Had Leavitt not thrown those interceptions, he statistically would have had one of the best passing games of his entire career. One of the interceptions was simply the result of bad mechanics. It felt like early on he was rushing his throws and leaving the pocket a step too early because of how the offensive line was playing.
The pick-six was more on the players around him than actually on the quarterback. The last interception was the worst of them all. He forced a pass into an occupied zone, the ball was batted up into the air, and a defender was able to make the catch.
Sometimes the ball will not bounce your way, and in the first half, it absolutely did not.
The Bad:
LSU’s offensive line, especially its run blocking, was atrocious.
For the second week in a row, the LSU offensive line did not create a lot of space in the running game. Lane Kiffin stated earlier in the week that he wanted to see the interior of the offensive line improve its play. While some questioned him based on the team rushing for over 300 yards in the game last week, Kiffin was more than right to be concerned.
Dilin Jones ran for 113 yards against Clemson, and 99 of those came after contact. He also had to force 10 missed tackles. This week, it was much more of the same, except LA Tech did a much better job of tackling.
Jones finished with 66 rushing yards on 18 attempts but had 67 yards after contact and was only able to force three missed tackles in this game. At halftime, Jones had run the ball 10 times for eight yards. The line could not open any running lanes at all.
When you look at PFF grades, please understand the grading scale. Anything 90 or above is elite. 80-89.9 is great. 70-79.9 is good. 60-69.9 is average. 50-59.9 is below average. Below 50 is bad, and below 40 is terrible.
Starting right tackle Weston Davis has had consecutive weeks in which he has finished as one of the three worst blockers on the team based on PFF grades. This week, he was the worst. Davis finished with a 40.3 run-blocking grade.
What’s more concerning is the fact that your highest-graded run blocker was Braelin Moore at only 71.1, and the second-highest was Jordan Seaton at 61.2. Both of your guards were in the 50s.
The interior offensive line has to do better, and Weston Davis has to start making strides, or it may be time to insert Sean Thompkins at right tackle.
Through two games, coming in during cleanup duties, Thompkins has not graded lower than 61.8. Now, this has been in limited reps. He has totaled 35 run-blocking snaps over two weeks, but it may be time to consider making a change because Davis’ pass-blocking grades are the worst on the unit as well.
Thompkins’ pass-blocking grades have been near the 80s in both games.
If LSU is going to win anything of significance, it has to be because the offensive line plays better, and that has to start this week.
The Good:
The defense.
The article can literally end right here. The defense was dominant again.
For every interception thrown by Leavitt, Princewill Umanmielen had a sack. He has now surpassed last season’s sack leader in only two games. LSU is second in the nation in team sacks with 11.
Deuce Geralds, as a true freshman, finished as the second-highest-graded defender on the entire team with a 92.3 grade, right behind linebacker TJ Dottery, who had a 95.1.
The interior defensive line was a concern entering the season because of the youth that needed to be relied upon to get things done. But the young linemen are all stepping up.
Geralds had his first sack in this game and forced a fumble as well. He played like a veteran, not like a teenager just breaking into the SEC.
The defense looks like it could be the best in the country. It held an offense that scored 40 points in Week 1 to only one offensive touchdown, minus-3 rushing yards, and 143 passing yards. LA Tech converted only three of its 14 third-down attempts.
The defense is excellent, and the rest of the country is taking notice.
LSU will now prepare for a trip to Oxford.
What were some things that stood out to you in this game? Share them with us in the comments.
