LSU’s offense picked the right moment to get rolling.
After a 63-14 demolition of McNeese State in Week 5, the Tigers have spent the first half of the season proving they have the talent to match the hype. Now comes the part that actually tells the story: seven games left, all SEC games, and no breaks until the end of October.
That makes the timing important. LSU already worked through early tests against Texas A&M and Ole Miss, and those matchups helped the offense settle in before the schedule tightens again.
Lane Kiffin’s offseason overhaul brought in serious talent on both sides of the ball, and the wide receiver room was one of the biggest unknowns entering the year. Five games in, LSU has started to sort that out. The Tigers have found dependable starters there, along with players who can absorb the hits from recent injuries and keep the production moving.
Jackson Harris flashed against Texas A&M when he was used as an inside receiver in place of tight end Trey'Dez Green. He finished that SEC game with 163 receiving yards and two touchdowns, and he already has 317 receiving yards this season.
Winston Watkins Jr., the wide receiver transfer from Ole Miss, has also made his presence felt. He leads the group with 354 receiving yards.
Quarterback Sam Leavitt’s recent surge has gone hand in hand with that development. With changes up front giving him more time in the pocket, he has been able to lean on his outside targets instead of relying so heavily on the run instinct that showed up earlier in the season.
And when Leavitt does hand it off, Dilin Jones has been a real problem for defenses. The running back has 94 carries for 426 rushing yards and five touchdowns.
The numbers say the unit is producing at a high level. LSU ranks 3rd in the nation at 547.8 yards per game, and against McNeese it set school records with 101 offensive plays and 39 first downs.
But the next stretch is where all of that gets stress-tested. Before a Week 9 bye, LSU has SEC games against Kentucky and Auburn, with Mississippi State coming to Baton Rouge in between.
Then November turns the heat up even more.
The first two weeks bring home games against Alabama and Texas in Death Valley, followed by a trip to Knoxville to face Tennessee. The regular season closes with a road game at Arkansas.
The Tigers got their one weekend off from SEC opponents last weekend, and it was the last one they’ll get in the regular season.
Now the offense has to carry what it built in the early weeks into the toughest part of the schedule. LSU looks ready for that next wave. If it isn’t, the margin for error disappears fast.
In Other News...
LSU Should Watch One Mississippi State Problem Before Baton Rouge
Mississippi State left Tuscaloosa with a lopsided loss to Alabama, but the bigger concern for LSU is the churn in the Bulldogs lineup. Coach Jeff Lebby said quarterback Kamario Taylor is day-to-day, and the list of injured key contributors also includes running back Fluff Bothwell and linebacker Jalen Smith, leaving the Bulldogs to sort through depth questions during an open week before Baton Rouge.
Parker Puckett is being prepared for a potentially larger role if Taylor cannot go, and that alone changes the feel of the matchup for LSU. The Bulldogs also saw a few players flash against Alabama, which gives Lebby something to build on, but the coming days will be about getting bodies back and stabilizing a roster that suddenly has more uncertainty than it wanted heading into an SEC road test. [Read more 🡒]
LSUs Injury Problem Just Got Harder To Ignore In SEC Play
Lane Kiffins latest update on LSUs injury situation only sharpened the concern around a roster already being tested by SEC play. At a press conference, he confirmed that two players are done for the season and that two more are expected to miss significant time, a development that hits especially hard with linebacker Whit Weeks and tight end Trey'Dez Green among the unavailable pieces. Both have been important not just on the field, but in the way they help set the tone for the group.
For LSU, the timing makes the issue even tougher to shrug off. Kiffin made clear his frustration with how many injuries the Tigers have had to absorb, noting the effect it has had on performance and leadership as the schedule stiffens. With a difficult stretch of SEC games ahead, LSU is now trying to manage depth concerns while also replacing some of the voices and production that held the team together. [Read more 🡒]
Sam Leavitt May Change LSU's Offense Again At Kentucky
Sam Leavitts health is becoming a bigger part of LSUs offensive conversation as the Tigers head into their game at Kentucky. The quarterback has spent the past few weeks working back from a hamstring injury he suffered in the win over Texas A&M, and that setback has clearly shaped how LSU has been able to use him. With his mobility limited in recent games, the offense has had to lean more heavily on his arm than on the full range of what he normally brings.
Leavitt said he expects to be fully healthy for Kentucky, which could give LSU another layer to work with if he looks like himself again. The injury forced him to focus more on passing, but a healthier version of Leavitt could change the way the Tigers attack the Wildcats and restore some of the dual-threat element that makes their offense tougher to defend. [Read more 🡒]