Orange Squeezed

Tigers gang tackle Syracuse receiver.

Saturday night was painful. But the Tigers won and at the end of the day that is what's most important. Let's start with the positives.

1. The LSU offense sputtered for most of the first half, but for the game, the Tigers put up 35 points and gained over 400 yards.
2. The offense is showing big play ability in the passing game. Etling had 2 TD's that went for 43 and 87 yards. Etling has the 4^th best QB rating in the SEC.
3. The defense held Syracuse to under 100 yards rushing. Even with the 285 given up to State, the Tigers are only allowing 106 yards per game on the ground.
4. Only three penalties for 25 yards. MUCH better.
5. When Syracuse scored to make the game 28-26 the Tigers came back with a great seven play TD drive to go back up nine. Easily the most important drive of the season.
6. After scoring to go up 35-26, the defense held the Cuse to a four play minus-3 yard drive to end the game.
7. I liked Myles Brennan entry into the game. He got meaningful snaps which would have NEVER happened under the last head coach. He played well when the game was still in doubt. He has a huge upside and fans should be excited. Having said that, Etling should remain the starter as Brennan continues to get reps. The Tigers are 3-1 and should be 4-1 after this weekend. LSU then travels to Florida for a huge game in the Swamp. Let's agree to revisit the issue at the half way point of the season.

Now for the bad.

1. LSU is ranked 97^th in the country in punting. I would be curious to see the back up punter.
2. The offensive line is a hot mess. This group has been poor all year and doesn't seem to be getting much better.
3. LSU was up 28-10 late in the third quarter then proceeded to allow Syracuse to score 16 straight points. The run started with LSU's O-line getting pushed back in to the endzone resulting in a safety for Syracuse.
4. The Tigers committed another drive extending penalty in the 4^th quarter. With 3^rd and 19, the defense was flagged for roughing the passer on an incomplete pass. The Orange eventually scored their final TD on that drive.
5. LSU has a number of talented guys on defense, but consistency from play to play will be an issue with their inexperience.
6. LSU's best players, Guice and Key were non factors in the game.

LSU fans can be a negative bunch and I must admit I have been hard on this team the last few weeks. But LSU can improve. This Saturday LSU faces Troy. The teams are very close statistically. Troy is decent against the run so this will be another test to see where LSU is in regards to the O-Line. I look for improvement this week versus an inferior foe. A few things to look for:

1. Can the O-Line start opening some holes for the running game?
2. Will we see more Myles Brennan?
3. How far is Arden Key away from game fitness?
4. Does the offense look to a shorter/quicker passing game to help the O-Line?

Finally I want to address a claim I have heard twice in the last two weeks from articles on the web. LSU players quit during the game. I'm calling total bull---- on that. I see plenty of effort from some players that are not as good as we want them to be. With young teams you get a lot of up and down performances. Consistency is not a trait associated with younger players. Fans need to accept these players as they are and not as they want them to be. Do I want out guys to be better? Of course. But calling them quitters because they don't execute like we want is lazy, counter productive and just plain inaccurate.

LSU 38 – Troy 17

Other Random Thoughts

1. Never, ever, ever, ever, ever say, “We Want Bama.”

2. Florida gets this season's lucky charm award after only four weeks. The incompetence of their opponents is the only thing keeping them from 0-3.

3. Georgia looks legitimate this season. They are the best hope to take down Alabama in the SEC.

4. A number of contenders have been exposed thus far (Auburn, LSU, Oklahoma State, Louisville to name a few). Curious to see who is next.

5. I liked what the Cowboys and Cardinals did on Monday night. Take your knee, then stand for the anthem. You make you point (whatever it may specifically be) then you show respect to the flag and the anthem. From a PR perspective, the players have chosen a terrible way to try and bring their grievances to the public.

Playoffs:

Alabama, Clemson, Oklahoma, Penn State

Too Much Cowbell

Danny Etling gang tackled Saturday night in Starkville

LSU fans are out with pitchforks after the Tigers' 37-7 beat down at the hands of Mississippi State. Lots to dissect so let's get right to it.

1. State pushed LSU around on both lines of scrimmage. On offense, LSU could not generate much of a push up front or consistently handle the State pass rush. Why? Because the five starters are a very average bunch. LSU's best O-lineman left school before the season started and was replaced by a true freshman. State could bring four and get a steady pressure on Etling.
2. On defense, the Tigers just got mauled at the line. Lack of depth, injuries and two ejections culminated in State getting 285 yards on the ground.
3. LSU's upperclassmen are not delivering. Ed Paris and John Battle were awful last night getting fooled twice on State TD's. The receivers dropped passes and Etling just isn't good enough to make up for a shaky offensive line.
4. Penalties. Still a massive problem.
5. LSU is not deep on either line. This is a deeper problem which has been building over the last few years. Great teams are built on the offensive and defensive line. LSU needs to recruit heavily in these areas if it intends to compete at the highest level.

I find it highly amusing when fans say the game was “embarrassing.” It's a football game folks. A football game that you have zero responsibility for or ability to control. The players and coaches can feel embarrassed, but you need to step back and get some perspective. I think part of this stems from many fan's arrogance when it comes to State. Maybe the LSU players didn't properly respect State? I have no idea. But fans need to realize that Dan Mullen is an excellent coach and recruiter. He has overseen the best 8 year run in the history of Mississippi State football.

A loss like this is tough. From what we have seen all these things are off the table:

No National Title

No Playoffs

No SEC Title

No SEC Division Title

No Big 6 Bowl Game

That is a bitter pill to swallow after only 3 games. 

Fans need to come to grips with another fact, LSU is not a premier program right now. The Tigers have slowly atrophied under Les Miles over his last three seasons. Outside of Guice, do you see any future NFL starters on that offense? LSU lost a ton of playmakers on defense and is not in a position to just reload as they have in previous years.

Ask yourself, why are so many freshman getting playing time?

The SEC is unforgiving. Slip just a little and you get results like we had last night.

I'm not ready to give up on Da Coach O and this staff after one game. (But I'm sure there are a number of LSU fans saying “I told you so”) 

Let me ask the question in another way, do you believe Aranda can figure this out? Do you believe that Canada can do a better job? Sure, Orgeron is ultimately responsible for the play of the team, but he is going to sink or swim based on his coordinators getting this right.

I want to see how the coaches and players respond. I also want to be fair to these players and this staff. Let's give them an opportunity to make corrections and see if they can improve.

The Tigers return home for two games they should win before heading to Gainesville the first Saturday of October.  Syracuse is up first this Saturday.

LSU 35 – Syracuse 24

And one last thing, no matter what happens, Joe Alleva needs to go.

Other Random Thoughts

1. The Texas v. USC game was fun to watch. The Golden Child Tom Herman is 1-2 with games still left versus Oklahoma, Oklahoma State and TCU.

2. The Florida v. Tennessee game was terrible until the 4th quarter. The offensive play calling inside the redzone lost the game for the Vols. Not sure how many more losses like that Jones can withstand.

3. I've been saying this for years: Auburn's offense MUST have a running QB to be effective. 

4. Clemson is clearly the best in the ACC.  The number two spot is wide open.

5. Best Division in football is the Big 10 East.  Michigan, Ohio State and Penn State are all playoff contenders.  Maryland also has a win at Texas.

Playoffs:

Alabama, USC, Clemson, Oklahoma State

Coach O is 1-O

The final score was 27-0 and the game really wasn't that close. Going in I expected another sloppy opening performance as we have seen the last few years. But I was pleasantly surprised to see LSU come in and dominate on defense early as the offense found its footing. A few observations:

* Danny Etling was excellent. He made all the throws the coaches asked and was very efficient with the ball. Let's see if he can do it when more pressure is applied.

*Guice was solid but BYU had him contained most of the night. I'm expecting bigger games and a better per carry average (4.4 yards) as we move forward.

*Red zone offense must get better. The Tigers were a little bland with goal to go situations.

*I know some fans complained about the play calling on offense. I would suggest they remain patient and let the offense evolve. LSU is still a power running team that will use play action. Let's revisit the issue after the Tigers visit Florida on October 7.

*Considering how many freshman played on defense, this was a tremendous performance. I know BYU is limited, but LSU was suffocating all game.

*Look for freshmen to continue to get meaningful snaps. It will build experience and keep younger players focused as they know there are opportunities to be seized.

*Special teams were a mixed bag. Kick-off coverage was average at best. The new place kicker, Jack Gonsoulin, went 2 for 3 and on FG's and made all 3 PAT's.

LSU plays Chattanooga on Saturday in a game that will effectively be over by halftime. Look for plenty of young players to get game action and maybe we will see more of Myles Brennan at QB.

LSU 55 – Chattanooga 3



Other observations from this weeeknd:

1. Kevin Sumlin is done at A&M.  You just cannot lose a game like this when your head coaching job is in jeopardy.  Epic collapse by the Chavis defense.

2. Brandon Harris is not good at football.  After throwing a game killing pick in last season's opener in Wisconsin, Harris threw two INT's in the opener forhis new school, North Carolina.  Same result as last season, his team lost.

3. Alabama's defense is as nasty as ever.

4. Feel really bad for the players that suffer injuries.  These guys work so hard and to then have it taken away in the first game of the season is cruel.  Texas A&M, FSU and Maryland all lost their starting QB's for the season this weekend.

5. So much for the next "Chosen One" Tom Herman.  After giving up 51 to Maryland in Austin, the Longhorns look no better than they did in 2017.  Curious to see how this plays out.

PLAYOFFS!!

After one week of action I'm going with these guys: Alabama, Ohio State, Oklahoma State, Penn State.

Mormons Meet Decadence Fest

French Quarter Decadence Festival

With the game moved from Houston, BYU's Mormon contingent will mingle in the Quarter this weekend with revelers enjoying the New Orleans Decadence Fest.  I suggest everyone have a hand grenade and play nice.

As for the game itself, LSU has an advantage at most positions across the field.  But BYU plays a tough and physical style that will challenge the Tigers, at least for a half.  Here's what to look for:

1. Expect BYU to stack the line of scrimmage and force Etling to make plays.  We will see how much he has improved over the off season.

2. LSU is talented but inexperienced at the LB position.  Without its best member, Arden Key, we will find out where this group is in its development.

3. Although not specifically identified, some players will not participate because of suspensions.  Keep an out out for who you don't see on the field Saturday.

BYU will keep it close in the first half, but LSU's depth and talent will prevail in the second half.

LSU 30 - BYU 13