Bring on the Gators

Sorry for the late post this week.

LSU continued its dominance over Mississippi State with a 59-26 win on Saturday. There was plenty to like and much to be concerned about. But 5-1 is a great first half of the season with an opportunity for bigger things down the road.

Offense

*Z Mett is just getting better every week. He finished 25 of 29 for 340 yards with 2 TD’s and an INT. With all the great QB’s in the league, Z Mett is ranked first in QB rating, TD’s, yards per attempt and total yards. These are amazing All-American type numbers.

*Jeremy Hill busted off another long run and finished with 157 yards and 2 TD’s.

*Jarvis Landry picked up an ankle injury which is a cause for concern with Florida this week.

*Analyzing the offensive line is interesting. From a statistical standpoint the Tigers are not bad. LSU is rushing for 197 yards a game which would be the 3rd highest in the Miles regime. LSU is 71st in the nation in sacks allowed giving up 1.83 per game, but given Z Mett’s lack of mobility that number is understandable. Having said all that, this unit doesn’t really meet the eyeball test. They are good but not great. I think the Tigers have benefited from big plays in the running game and beastly performances by Jeremy Hill.

Defense

*Another ugly first half for the Tigers. LSU gave up 23 points and over 200 yards before halftime.

*Everyone has focused on the secondary, but the real problem is up front. The front seven don’t stuff the run or provide much of a pass rush. In Chavis’ first four seasons, Tigers’ opponents averaged 115 yards per game on the ground and 3.24 yards a carry. This season, LSU is giving up 159.5 yards per game and 4.25 yards a carry.

*Look for LSU to play two true freshmen at corner in the nickel package, Tre’Davious White and Rashard Robinson. Lots of ability, little experience.

*I took a look at the LSU game notes for this week (click here) and it was very interesting to see the breakdown of starts by player. Of the 35 players listed (see page 17 of 61) only 9 had started for 10 games or more. The graphic really brings home how inexperienced this team is on both sides of the ball.

LSU v. UF

Big game this weekend as the Gators roll into town with the best defense in the league. In three conference games, Florida is only giving up 222 yards a game and 3.8 yards per play. It should be noted that UF has thus far faced Arkansas, Kentucky and Tennessee, the three worst offenses in the SEC. Notably, UF is only giving up 75 yards per game on the ground in those SEC games.

LSU must be able to run enough to maintain some balance on offense. Look for Hill to get 25+ carries. LSU’s passing game should continue to hum along and produce another 300 yard day.

Defensively, Florida’s new QB Tyler Murphy is going to give LSU some fits. He can run and throw fairly well. But he has never faced anything like Tiger Stadium. Look for him to make a few errors turning the ball over in pressure situations.

If the Tigers can get up early on Florida, the Gators will struggle a bit to keep up. But LSU’s defense hasn’t stopped anyone so look for another close game.

LSU 30 – UF 23

LSU's Jacob Hester in the Tiger's 2007 victory over Florida.