Brian Kelly walked away from LSU’s loss to Ole Miss with a clear read on what was bothering Lane Kiffin’s offense most.
It wasn’t just the run game. It wasn’t only the quarterback play.
It wasn’t even the way the offensive line was being handled in the first half. In Kelly’s view, the central issue was simpler than all of that: LSU wasn’t doing enough on first down.
“First down is so important for Lane’s offense,” Kelly said in an interview with SiriusXM College Sports Radio. “If first down is not successful, they lose their tempo.
It becomes a little bit more difficult. And I thought Pete understood that clearly, and being physical up front.”
Against Pete Golding’s defense in Oxford, LSU had plenty of problems early. The Tigers struggled to run the ball, quarterback Sam Leavitt was slow getting rid of it, and the offensive line kept losing its battles. But Kelly said the root of the issue was the lack of positive first-down plays, because that’s what allows Kiffin’s offense to stay in rhythm and push the pace.
“At the end of the day, that's probably the biggest piece there,” Kelly said. “Offensively at LSU, they couldn't get in that rhythm.”
That rhythm showed up later. LSU started to find more success on first down as the game went on, and that surge helped fuel a comeback from a 24-7 deficit.
The Tigers scored two of their three touchdowns on first down and finished the game averaging 5.4 yards per play on those snaps, just ahead of Ole Miss at 5.2 yards. LSU ultimately fell 32-24, but the way it finished in that area carried over.
The next week against Texas A&M, LSU’s first-down production jumped again, and the result was a blowout. The Tigers averaged 8.1 yards per play on first down last weekend, piled up 251 yards in those situations and completed 10 of 14 passes for 154 yards. Seven first-down plays also turned into new first downs.
“To win 35-6 and have really dominating numbers, 500 yards to 197,” Kiffin said, “like I said in the first game, when those things happen, that’s a lot of people doing things right.”
Still, the last six quarters may not be a perfect preview of what’s ahead. LSU’s ability to keep that first-down edge will be tested by better defenses and by the pieces around the offense.
The questions are obvious: can the offensive line hold up against Alabama, Texas and Tennessee? How will Leavitt handle those matchups?
And when will star tight end Trey’Dez Green be back to help the passing game?
LSU won’t have to answer any of that this week against McNeese State. But the schedule turns quickly after that, with road trips in two of the next three weeks and an explosive Mississippi State team coming to Baton Rouge two weeks from Saturday.
In Other News...
LSU Suddenly Has Real QB Intrigue Before McNeese
LSU heads into Saturday nights game against McNeese with more uncertainty at quarterback than anyone expected this week. The Tigers are set for a 6:45 p.m. kickoff in Death Valley, but the main storyline isnt the matchup itself so much as who Lane Kiffin will put behind center after Sam Leavitts recent left hamstring injury opened the door for questions about the depth chart.
Landen Clark and Husan Longstreet have both entered the conversation, and Kiffin still has not made a decision on the starter. McNeese brings its own established signal-caller in Devin Lippold, a third-year quarterback with a steady season to this point, but for LSU the intrigue is all about whether the Tigers can navigate the week cleanly enough to get the right answer before kickoff. [Read more 🡒]
LSU Quarterback Situation Just Got More Interesting Before McNeese
McNeese will head into its matchup with LSU without third-year quarterback Devin Lippold, who is out with a right wrist injury and will be replaced by Jake Strong. On LSUs side, the quarterback picture is still taking shape as the Tigers prepare for the game, with Sam Leavitt expected to start while working back from a left hamstring injury.
The bigger question for LSU is how much the offense might need to lean on depth behind Leavitt if he is not fully ready to handle his usual workload. Landen Clark and Husan Longstreet are both candidates to see the field, which gives the Tigers a little more insurance but also leaves some uncertainty in a position group that will be closely watched once kickoff arrives. [Read more 🡒]
LSU May Have Found A New Defensive Contributor Fans Should Watch
Jhase Thomas is starting to look like more than just a special teams piece for LSU. The defensive back saw his playing time rise against Texas A&M after spending most of his first season in that familiar off-to-the-side role, and his growth has been building quietly in the background as he settled into college football and worked his way toward a bigger defensive opportunity.
Thomas prepared for the expanded look by studying film and leaning on veteran teammates, while also drawing on the guidance of his father, former NFL defensive back Fred Thomas. For LSU, it is the kind of progression coaches like to see from a young recruit becoming a real contributor, and it gives the defense another name worth tracking as the season moves along. [Read more 🡒]