Lonn Phillips Sullivan
Oct 12, 20204 min
by LONN PHILLIPS SULLIVAN
@LonnPhillips
7 TDs
20 TDs (17 in the red zone)
-235 yards, 11 catches, 3 TDs vs Missouri
-4th all time receiving yards in LSU history (single game)
Did we just witness the reincarnation of Rohan Davey and Josh Reed when Myles Brennan and Terrace Marshall put on an absurd clinic, 11 of 15 targets caught by Marshall for 235 yards, 3 TDs (including a 75 yard long TD)???
Saturday was a rampant, rabid performance from Terrace Marshall and his quarterback, the pair in telepathic sync, adding another pair of red zone TDs to add to Terrace's highlight reel.
Had LSU's defense pulled off even a few stops, the Brennan-Marshall show vs Missouri would be more fondly remembered...and perhaps their offensive output will still get its due in time....still, the duo made history in spite of LSU's worst defensive display in recent times:
Terrace's 235 yards is higher than any single game amount Ja'Marr Chase totaled throughout 2019 (Ja'Marr had 221 vs Clemson, 227 vs Ole Miss, 229 against Vanderbilt) also eclipsing Justin Jefferson's 227 vs Oklahoma. Jefferson and Chase's marks rank from 8th-4th place on the all time single day charts at LSU...but the Jr of their 2019 trio now stands in front for the single game yards category.
Marshall Jr's massive day stands as the 4th highest receiving day in team history, behind only Todd Kinchen and a double entry at the top from Josh Reed (1st and 3rd).....
Undeniable in his receiving mastery, untouchable after the catch, undisputed in his aerial entrepreneurship, Saturday was an absolute juggernaut performance from the Tigers' red shirt sophomore WR.
We forget Marshall's legend was already secure once he ripped the National Championship-sealing TD outta the sky (as well as Derion Kendrick's heart out of his chest); 2019 wasn't all about Chase & Jefferson, Marshall scored 9 times vs 6 Top 10 teams, including 4 Top ranked defensive units...all TDs capping drives and helping LSU attain unassailable leads.
Following his radioactive display against Missouri, the high flying Bossier-native has 20 TDs at LSU, 17 coming from inside the red zone (all 13 TDs last year were red zone catches), while Terrace grabbed a TD inside the opposition half once during each of the first two games before ravaging Missouri's DBs for another pair of end zone strikes (snagging a back corner shot and a ruthless catch over the middle on a comeback route).
The latter touchdown stemmed from a triumphant scramble and toss on the run by Myles Brennan, both receiver and quarterback dialed in early.
Later, Myles was caught in trouble again, rolling right to evade pressure and looking long down the sideline, rocketing a barrelhouse kidney-failing pass through defenders and into the hands of Marshall.
Once again, the pair continued to surgically remove the soul of Missouri's defense.... and when Brennan uncorked a long bomb down the center of the field, hitting Terrace in perfect stride for a 75 yard touchdown answer, LSU's offense weren't just padding the stats: they were keeping the team's season alive.
Play after play, over the middle, on the out routes, in the red zone, down the sidelines, double coverage, triple coverage....even being interfered, Marshall grasped every catchable ball as if his future depended on his every yard....it's ridiculous to say his NFL future hinged on a successful 2020, but after his display on Saturday, Terrace just earned himself a $15,000,000 bump.
At this juncture, 7 TDs across 3 games with 7 more to come, Marshall stands only 6 touchdowns away from Dwayne Bowe's program record 26.....which begs the question...
Had Marshall been fully healthy during 2018 and 2019, would he already have the record?
With a porous LSU defense joined by Alabama, Florida, Auburn, A&M and Ole Miss's horrendous defensive units, shootouts against those five remaining schools are more than likely, they're inevitable. Elsewhere, there's big chances for stat-padding vs South Carolina.....we won't be surprised if Marshall catches 20 TDs during this 10 game SEC schedule....after all, Terrace said his preseason goal was 21.
Why are we so confident???
Thanks to Ensminger's consistently innovative passing designs, Arik Gilbert's presence gaining him extra space or Myles Brennan's intrinsic trust, Terrace is getting open at will.... and because of LSU's struggling defense and lack of quality run blocking, the Tigers need him to possess the ball as much as possible to keep their barely functioning SEC title hopes alive.
By LONN PHILLIPS SULLIVAN
@LonnPhillips
Copyright 2020 Uninterrupted Writings Inc LLC
SHOUTOUTS: the 2020 Tigers...you will rise again. We believe in you.