Lonn Phillips Sullivan
Sep 27, 20207 min
Updated: Sep 28, 2020
While his secondary couldn't keep up with the routes from Miss State, every time our pass rush overwhelmed Mississippi State's offensive line we looked like sacking their quarterback, causing a fumble, rejecting a pass with a towering arm in the air or causing some other form of havoc....and this hallmark of the 2007/08 legendary Pelini Defense shined brightly on the big stage.
Everyone will rightfully focus on the defense's failure to cover Miss State, allowing a disgusting 623 passing yards, Costello throwing for 60+ passes on the night and his receivers hauling in a ridiculous 36 catches....and yes, this was the worst DBU performance I've seen since I've been old enough to recall...
Still, we forced 5 turnovers from K.J Costello and a 6th which was scandalously overturned despite the strength of the on-field call.
Costello fumbled the ball twice officially, a snap bouncing off his chest and into #7's hands, then Jacoby stripped and recovered from the Stanford transfer within the same abominable move, yet the quarterback also got away with a third fumble straight into Apu Ika's waiting hands.
Again, LSU's defense made plays: K.J threw a pick six to Jabril Cox in the second quarter, Cox dipping inside on a route and intercepting a pass thrown behind the receiver, walking into the end zone much to our carnivorous delight. In the first half, Neil Farrell batted a throw to himself and nearly caught a 3rd interception.
LSU grabbed a 2nd interception when Costello lobbed a throw for Eli Ricks to rip outta the air, a wondrous, highlight of the day play by the young man (Shauna was overjoyed)...
Eli swiveled and reached back, lifting his arms and snatching the ball when his team needed it most, just as we predicted before the game he would.
LSU's defense looked as if they were about to swallow Miss State and Costello whole on a couple different occasions, looking as if we were heading into the ascendancy late on our way to victory...instead, they let a game in which they forced 5 turnovers, allowed 9 total rushing yards, sacked the quarterback 5 times and scored a defensive touchdown slip away....that's how important Derek Stingley is.
ADJUSTMENTS: 5 turnovers forced and a 6th taken away is a fantastic start. More than anything, LSU were missing the swagger which comes from having alphas like Stingley.
Our soft tackling in the secondary was exposed and our depth suffered a ruthless SEC debut, Darren Evans being torched for 9 catches and 3 more where a rare Miss State drop or missed throw bailed him out. He shouldn't have been thrown in the game at that moment, especially since he was in the game extremely early, getting easily cleared out by blocks on a few big screens.
Where was Dwight McGlothern?
What about sophomore Raydarious Jones?
Freshman Jordan Toles who packs a punch at 6'1 223??? Our defense were worn out early and often, gassed by halftime. Offensively, we equalized the possession during the second half but the damage was done.
We need to actually trust our defensive depth over the next two weeks.
Jenkins showed up big time when LSU needed a leader, the sophomore catching 5 passes for 85 yards, averaging 17 per catch and pulling in a long bomb down the middle which sparked the Tigers offense after nearly 2 full quarters of dry football.
Jenkins was gutsy and proved he more than belonged amidst a receiving corps who appeared commitment questionable on occasion....but never with Jaray Jenkins.
#10 stood up and was seen by WRs Coach Mickey Joseph...he can rest easy for the upcoming Tell The Truth Monday.
Despite our O-line miscommunications, Brennan's aimless throws, our horrid 5/17 3rd down inefficiency, our inability to sustain the running game and many players' fearful posture, we still scored 27 points, both Brennan interceptions were either unlucky or inconsequential (his elbow was smashed right as he prepared to unload a wide open TD bomb, forcing an uncontrollable under throw, and the other was on the final play of the game);
Also, Ensminger's group responded to adversity and came from behind to take the lead twice late in the game.
We frequently saw massive openings and pockets of space within the Mississippi State secondary which went ignored by Myles Brennan today...this is still a good sign: if Myles can put the right elements together, he'll have an open player on nearly every play...he just needs to stop being greedy:
On too many plays Myles is scanning deep for an eternity and waiting for 6 or 7 seconds until being pummeled; Instead, he should've scanned deep quickly, if the read wasn't there he scans underneath...once you recognize it's there, BAM the ball is out immediately with zero hesitation and suddenly 1st & 10 becomes 2nd & 4 and everything's moving, we're in a rhythm and the defense can't substitute, they have to adjust on the fly.
Yesterday, Myles repeatedly ignored these open chunk plays while looking for the home-run shot and either took big sacks or was forced to throw the ball away, constantly breaking up rhythm and momentum, while also pinning LSU in a position where they always had to show their hand.
With such a bountiful group of weapons and two "easier" opponents up next on the schedule, Ensminger's offense has a big opportunity to generate some confidence heading into Week 4 @ Florida, yet LSU cannot afford to overlook a single opponent...there's a lot of work to do.
ADJUSTMENTS:
-Move Gilbert around more often
-Brennan takes the chunk plays underneath more
-Brennan throws without fear
-Our receivers catch the ball with commitment
-We see Koy Moore and Kayshon Boutte more often
-Our Offensive tackles need to get it geauxing and protect Myles' edges
Any time LSU sent four or more towards the backfield, the Tigers were close to making a play, Ali Gaye (feverishly flying off the quarterback's right) had a red zone sack on 3rd down, forcing a field goal and deflected a game-high 3 passes (CB Jay Ward also deflected 3); on the other edge, Andre Anthony wearing #3 also played well, as did Neil Farrell and most of the Tigers' front seven when it came to containing or invading the backfield.
Linebackers Damone Clark and Jabril Cox both grabbed sacks as well and when LSU used a 3 man front with either Evans or Ika at NT, they gained a big push up front...in fact, LSU started the game using a 3-4 base anchored by #94 Joe Evans. Our four man fronts gained the necessary impact, we were just too late in getting to the quarterback and Costello was usually smart about getting the ball out early.
This is an intense pass rush from LSU, potentially a juggernaut group on this side of the ball...however opening the season allowing 44 points, the second most ever allowed by a Bo Pelini defense at LSU is an alarming wake up call.
The Tigers sacked Costello 5x, forced a few intentional grounding plays, constantly contained the running game (only 9 yards rushing from 16 carries), created 5 turnovers and had another taken off the board, however the truth remains:
LSU's defense were worn down after a long first half and the open windows turned into big second half plays.
ADJUSTMENTS: Instead of flying towards the quarterback nonstop with never-ending abandon, Pelini should've introduced disguised blitzing and dropped DEs into coverage while sending linebackers etc for a Leach mindfuck and change of pace. Dropping Gaye's statuesque length to cut off the pass over the middle would've helped.
A good quarterback will exploit a defense which vacates too much space and Saturday, LSU's defense constantly handed Miss State's receivers Mitchell and Payton boundless green over the middle and in the corners..
If LSU were to lose one game this season, this is the perfect one to lose.
WHY???
There's still plenty of time for LSU to win their way back to the top, they're still in control of their own destiny if they can finish 9-1, beating Alabama, Auburn, Florida during the intense stretch from October to mid November....but in order for Orgeron's men to accomplish this task, our coaches need to mix up the personnel better, our quarterback needs to lead, our veterans need to deliver and show how it's done, and our youngest players need to grow up fast.
Over the next few months, other teams will rise or fall in the rankings and if LSU can continue to improve....most importantly, get Derek Stingley back, they'll no doubt have an opportunity to still defend their title, even after Saturday's debacle.
LSU's current squad is stacked with fantastic players, but they needed a good asskicking from an SEC West rival and they got it....instead of working out the kinks of our new offense and banged up defense against University of Texas-San Antonio during Week 1, this incredibly young unit were exposed right out of the gate by a rival ready to go Charles Bronson on our ass.
I wondered a few days ago "would a week 1 loss be the best thing for this team?"
No, losing is never a good thing....we just couldn't stop the onslaught.
The Stingley loss had more of a psychological effect than a physical one, such was the complete lack of mental preparation and readiness from some of our DBs in coverage, our WRs dropping the ball, our O-Linemen allowing continuous pressure, Brennan rattled and lacking confidence until the 3rd quarter...
Luckily, these mechanical details are fixable, it's the mentality which must be overhauled immediately and with brute force....
Possessing such incredible talent and experience still on roster, if LSU doesn't act quick and remains complacent (which Orgeron will not accept), 2020's fading promise will be cast aside forever as another big "What If?" era in Tigers history....a consequence of 2019's long eternal shadow or a squad worn to the bone by absences?
Or will they grow into the season?
Is this yet another juggernaut squad just hiccuping their way to history?
Either way, there's no time to dwell...
We don't blink...now prove it.
by Lonn Phillips Sullivan
@LonnPhillips
Copyright 2020 Uninterrupted Writings Inc LLC
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