Brian Kelly didn’t get to take pleasure in No. 3 LSU’s 20-10 win over Florida so long as he may need hoped Saturday night time.
The primary query of his postgame press convention dragged him again all the way down to Earth. As a result of it wasn’t about his protection’s stellar five-interception efficiency. As an alternative, the primary query was about LSU’s (3-0) ongoing offensive struggles early this season.
Kelly didn’t recognize the angle, inflicting a scene. He referred to as LSU’s media pool spoiled and identified explanation why the offense hasn’t been some big drawback.
To be truthful, perhaps that shouldn’t have been the primary query.
That’s one you sneak in close to the top otherwise you save for the subsequent availability early the next week.
And to be truthful, Kelly started his Monday press convention with an apology to Michael Cauble, the TV reporter who requested the query.
However neither of these issues make it an incorrect query.
LSU may be garnering buzz as an actual contender within the Southeastern Convention early this season, however there’s an plain situation that should be addressed.
The revamped protection below second-year coordinator Blake Baker appears unimaginable. The offense, anticipated to be an asset this season, appears decidedly pedestrian.
Though LSU is considered one of simply 9 top-25 groups that has performed a number of Energy 4 opponents by way of Week 3, the protection’s six interceptions are tied for second-most nationally whereas the Tigers rank tenth in yards per rush allowed (2.27) and eleventh in scoring protection (9.0 factors per sport).
Groups have reached the top zone simply 3 times and scored three touchdowns in as many video games in opposition to LSU’s protection. Clemson and Florida have been each anticipated to have high-powered offenses getting into the season, however each have been held to 10 factors by the Tigers.
It’s nonetheless early however LSU’s protection appears national-title good. The offense, however, nonetheless hasn’t kicked into gear.
Quarterback Garrett Nussmeier entered his second season with Heisman buzz and a boosted receiver room with three switch additions. He’s averaging 229.7 yards per sport, practically 100 yards down from final yr’s 311.7 ypg, early this season with three touchdowns to 2 interceptions.
Kelly stated Monday Nussmeier is taking part in by way of a torso damage, which might clarify a few of these struggles. But it surely doesn’t clarify the true drawback: LSU’s lack of a run sport.
The Tigers enter this week’s sport vs. Southeastern Louisiana a hundred and fifteenth out of 136 FBS groups with 332 speeding yards. Solely 9 groups have much less speeding TDs than their two.
It’s not an enormous pink flag that LSU struggled to run the ball successfully in opposition to Clemson and Florida, two stout and proficient defensive fronts. But it surely certain appears like a significant drawback that the staff managed simply 128 yards on 34 carries (3.76 per rush) in opposition to Louisiana Tech.
When you can’t run the ball in opposition to Louisiana Tech, it’s exhausting for me to think about you’ll be capable of run the ball in opposition to SEC defenses.
We’ll discover out quickly sufficient if the Tigers can. Seven of their last eight video games are in opposition to SEC competitors, together with 5 video games in opposition to groups presently ranked within the prime 20.
It’s exhausting to think about the Tigers surviving that and making their first Faculty Soccer Playoff look since 2019 if they’ll’t get the run sport, and the offense as a complete, going.
