Defenseless

 

We all expected a step back after LSU lost so many players and coaches.  But I don't think anyone expected this.  Going into this season, with the exception of hiring Matta Canada, Orgeron has pushed all the right buttons with the Tigers.  He hung on to Dave Aranda for as long as he could.  He took in Joe Burrow and Cole Tracy as grad transfers. He hired Joe Brady from the Saints.  It all culminated in the 2019 LSU Tigers, arguably the greatest team in the history of college football.

No team, in the history of LSU football, has given up more points in three consecutive games than the 2020 LSU Tigers.  MSU, Vandy and Missouri have a combined record of 2-7, and scored a combined 96 points on the Tigers.  We can hope the performance against Missouri is the bottom, but I'm not so sure.

Offense

* Myles Brennan has played better each week of this season.  He was 29 of 40 for 430 yards, 4 TD and no interceptions.  Brennan graded out #1 this week in PFF's Power 5 QB ratings. 

* Brennan has very little support from the running game.  LSU is averaging 3.22 yards per carry and less than 100 yards a game.  The Tigers are ranked 71st out of 76 teams in rushing.

* LSU's offensive line has got to get better.  LSU must also recruit better.  The elite teams have have multiple 5 star recruits on the offensive line.  LSU has none.

* LSU may win the Biletnikoff Trophy two years in a row.  Terrance Marshall has been unstoppable this season.  He is averaging seven catches per game, 20 yards per catch and has 7 TD's through three games.

* Scott Linehan has been a total bust.  He calls 3rd down and red zone plays.  LSU is an atrocious 9 for 39 on 3rd downs.  He called the four plays on the goal line at the end of the Missouri game.  LSU's TD conversion rate in the redzone is only 54%.  Last year it was 78%.  Do you give ALL the keys to Ensminger?  I have more trust in him than Linehan, but we are only three weeks into the season.  As poor as the defense played, LSU should have scored at the end of the game to beat Missouri.

Defense

* Defensive line cannot stop the run.

* Defensive secondary cannot stop the pass.

* LSU ranks 73rd of 76 teams in defensive yards per play.  The Tigers give up an average of 7 yards every defensive snap.

* Thus far, Bo Pelini has be a complete and utter failure.  His buyout is in the neighborhood of $4-$6 million.  How LSU agreed to that contract is mindboggling. This is on Orgeron for hiring Pelini and Woodward for signing off on such a foolish contract.  Pelini is not getting fired before the season ends.  The best they can do is keep working and simplify what they are doing as much as possible.

In 2010, Cam Newton came from nowhere to win the Heisman Trophy and a National Championship.  Auburn's head coach Gene Chizik guided one of the more improbable title runs in college football history.  Newton entered the 2011 draft and a depleted Auburn went 8-5 that next season. The wheels fell of in 2012 as Auburn went 0-8 in the SEC and Chizik was fired.

I'm not saying LSU and Coach O are on the same path.  But as a whole, this is the worst team since 1999.  That's how bad this defense has been and how poorly these coaches have performed.  Orgeron has a huge task ahead trying to salvage this season.  Poor coaching has cost LSU two victories.  The Tigers should be 3-0.  But after Saturday, LSU looks like a 3-7 to 4-6 team.  Missing out on a bowl game and the extra practice would be a giant blow. Let's hope this staff and these players get their minds right in a hurry.