After week nine’s inefficient and disheartening 31-13 loss to Alabama, did anyone really deserve stripes? LSU outgained Alabama 457 to 285 in yardage but scored only 13 points. Meanwhile, the defense gave up 31 points, largely because the offense was ineffective, but 31 points nonetheless. Balancing journalistic integrity with the annoyance of having to watch just how ugly that game was, I will hand out stripes to just three players instead of the usual six, and they will not count toward the final
scoreboard. You can consider them consolation stripes.
Three Stripes: DJ Pickett
DJ Pickett is the honoree I actually considered putting on the scoreboard this week because his game was unaffected by just how poor the rest of the team played. Pickett recorded three tackles with one sack on Saturday, good enough for the second-highest Pro Football Focus grade for the Tigers. Alabama only targeted him in coverage a couple of times. It just goes to show how much opposing quarterbacks and coaches respect his ability that they so seldom test him.
Two Stripes: Jackson Harris
Jackson Harris, DJ Pickett and a few others, if we are being completely honest, did have decent games. Harris caught 11 of his 18 targets for 166 yards. Even with Sam Leavitt having a subpar day, Harris still found a way to put up some really good numbers. His 47 catches for 800 yards and seven touchdowns on the season lead all three categories by a fair margin. The expectation for Harris coming into the year was to be a big contributor, but being the clear-cut first option in the passing game, as much as he has been, still comes as a bit of a surprise.
One Stripe: TJ Dottery
Dottery led LSU with 10 tackles and added a QB hurry, good for a 71.2 PFF grade, third on the team. His veteran leadership this season, especially with Whit Weeks being out, has been invaluable. If there is one defender to rally the troops until Weeks returns, it is TJ Dottery.
Honorable Mention: Trey’Dez Green
Typically, the honorable mentions do not get the extra explanation and just get the stats, but Trey’Dez Green deserves it. Playing through injury and sickness this season and still shows up to work with his lunch pail ready to work when he is physically capable of it. Green’s 10 catches for 85 yards on the day was good enough for the fourth-highest grade from PFF, with a 71.1. Truly, the only reason he is not higher on this list is not really his fault. This LSU team has struggled mightily in the red zone, and it seems like Green would be an easy solution to the problem with his 6’7” frame and basketball leaping ability, but the play-calling chooses to ignore him in that area.
Hopefully next week there is more of a reason to hand out actual stripes rather than participation trophies.
