TOP 5 PERFORMERS VS ARKANSAS

by LONN PHILLIPS SULLIVAN

@LonnPhillips

Despite Daronte Jones' unit boasting a clear dominance & superiority over Jake Peetz's identity-less offense, we're trying to represent some blend of both offense & defense here in our Top 5:

Even in defeat, we watched on as an offensive freshman's star is born, a veteran kept grinding on the ground in the face of adversity, and our defense full of new faces & longtime Tiger stalwarts continues to run the show as the stars of this fiery stage.

5.

VS ARKANSAS

106 Yards

28 Carries

Without starting left guard Ed Ingram or starting right guard Chasen Hines, RB Ty Davis-Price grabbed his 4th 100 yard rushing game out of the previous 5 Saturdays & his second consecutive 100+ yard appearance against the Razorbacks, earning every yard the tough way against a rough and tumble Arkansas defense.

Keeping LSU in it once again on the ground, TDP raced for 106 yards off 28 carries, navigating small creases in between the holes, lowering his shoulder and powering a path through Barry Odom's front seven for critical yardage.

Somehow Ty was able to shake off a disastrous wild cat play in order to keep LSU in the game:

On the cusp of Arkansas' red zone, Ty was surprisingly lined up in the wildcat formation, only to fumble a wayward snap from center Liam Shanahan, the ball ricocheting off his outstretched right hand before clapping against his facemask;

Then as he fell forward to collapse over the ball, the pigskin bounced away from his reach...an unfair situation, a poor snap, and TDP is left with his 2nd straight game fumbling the ball (3 fumbles in his previous 338 touches).....all because of Peetz's insane decision, coupled with Shanahan's horrendous snap.

Regardless, the National title-winning RB finds himself on the cusp of a 1,000 yard season, now at 837 yards and 6 TDs, Ty is not only LSU's #1 rusher by a long distance, he's also the second-leading scorer for the Tigers (behind Kayshon Boutte's 9 TDs).

Though the first two lost fumbles of Ty's career have proven costly, one was from a great play by Henry To'o To'o and another due to a woeful snap & a ridiculous play call hanging #3 out to dry.....

All the same, he will take full responsibility, because he's a leader, and he'll fight even harder to finish his season on a blistering note against ULM and A&M, aiming to become the first 1,000 yard rusher since Clyde Edwards-Helaire.

4.

VS ARKANSAS

4 Tackles (3 Solo)

3 Pressures

2 TFLs

Playing his greatest games as a Tiger over the past few weeks, starting DE Soni Fonua is proving to be a wrecking ball pass rusher who can also pounce for smart stops against the ground attack, issuing 10 tackles (6 solo), 7 pressures, 3 QB hits, 1 PBU, and a trio of TFLs over his prior 3 outings......and against Arkansas, the Salt Lake City man made damn sure he gave it everything on every down.

Evolving from his previous roles at LB or DT, Soni found a home as the 2nd string defensive end after a strong Spring Game performance solidified his spot.

Ever since Ali Gaye's hand injury and preparations for the NFL Draft, Soni is finding major playing time against top SEC competition, standing tall @ Alabama, shutting down the trenches.....then, he took over entire drives vs Arkansas.

Smacking QB K.J Jefferson twice, pressuring him 3 times, and nearly sacking the Razorback at one point, next to his 2 TFL and 4 tackles, Fonua stepped in like a fire-breathing detonator waiting to go off at any moment, slicing through the inside shoulder of Pittman's right tackle, dipping his head low and showing off seasoned swim action.....erasing O-linemen by way of his overwhelming physicality.

The 2019 National Champion returnee is competing throughout 2021 as if he has business to finish at LSU.....and it appears no one will be standing in his way.

&

VS ARKANSAS

4 Tackles (2 Solo)

3 Pressures

2 QB Hits

1.5 TFL

Returning to our list after a few weeks out, B.J Ojulari's versatility has been in full flight over the past few weeks, with Defensive Coordinator Daronte Jones lining up B.J at OLB, dropping the lengthy, hulking sophomore in coverage, or sending him on a variety of creative pass rushes from multiple points of attack.

It was a mature offering by Ojulari yet again, the Nigerian Prince grabbing a tackle for loss vs Arkansas, ranking him second on the team with 8.5 across 10 games (Lsusports.net stats list Ojulari at 2 TFLs vs Arkansas).

Ojulari grabbed 4 tackles, 2 pressures where he came stunting inside or rushed off the edge as an OLB flanking a 3 man front, he pounded K.J Jefferson for 2 QB Hits (both forcing incompletions), although for the second consecutive outing, LSU's future 1st Round pick could not add another sack to his once-CFB-leading season tally of 6.

Overall, as one of our last remaining "All-American pedigree / high profile" defenders, the soon to be All-American has led the team with an awesome degree of physicality, intensity and purple & gold leadership.

Ojulari is assuming control of a new job title, a new role.....one which has cut down on his chances to record endless stats, while affording the sophomore DE major opportunities to help the defense.

B.J is a team-first player and LSU Odyssey reward him as such.

3.

VS ARKANSAS

66 Yards

4 Catches

1 TD

Every time Jack Bech gets the ball......something great happens.

Only receiving 7 targets his way all game (3 behind Trey Palmer), the freshman made the most of it, cobbling together 66 yards, key first downs on all 4 grabs, and scoring LSU's only touchdown of the game when he acrobatically tapped a foot down at the back of the end zone for his 3rd TD of 2021.

The play was remarkable from QB Garrett Nussmeier, the Texas slinger spinning to his left out of enormous pressure, spying Jack as he beat his man down field, and without hesitation, Nussmeier rocketed a home run ball deep toward the end zone.

Bech leapt up behind and away from Arkansas DB Malik Chavis and raised his hands helmet-high, snagging the ball easily and tapping a foot down with very little margin for error, barely scraping his toes before crossing the white.......

.....almost like he meant to.....

Bech is a special, tyrannical talent who must be unleashed by the Tigers or they'll rue every one of these lost opportunities. For instance.....Jack should have at least 6 TDs at this point, easily becoming the Tigers' #1 target after Boutte went down.

Instead, they continued to relegate Jack, benching him for the kind of red zone plays in which he made his name at St Thomas More.......when will our offense begin to understand the necessity of Jack Bech?

Feed him.

2 red zone targets all season....both ended in touchdowns....

Give him the football.

NOW...

2.

VS ARKANSAS

12 Tackles (7 Solo)

2 Pressures

2 QB Hits

1.5 TFL

1 Sack

Technically tied at 12 tackles and 7 solo stops each, linebackers Damone Clark and Micah Baskerville enjoyed another amazing evening last Saturday at Death Valley, but what could separate the two?

Just 2 or 3 fewer plays in the backfield (in comparison to Baskerville) kept the Butkus Award favorite at #2 on our list.

All the same, Damone Clark is an absolute freak of nature, posting 118 tackles with 2 games still to play on the schedule.....the former Southern Lab project is now a human tackling turbine that has surely impressed his mentor, LB Devin White.

LSU's #18 is not only enjoying his greatest LSU season or his first campaign tallying 100+ tackles, Damone led the team in tackles during each of the first 9 games, only being bested by Micah's extra few TFL, though truth be told, they ended the Arkansas game with the exact total & solo stops......

As for Clark, who out-tackles LSU's #2 ranked stop-artist Micah Baskerville by a filthy 47 stops, the Butkus shoe-in's violence is so prolific he's about to double his 10 game, 63 tackle output from last year by halftime this coming Saturday.

It's absolutely wild what Damone has done across 2021, arriving on Saturday night to intimidate, devastate and vindicate LSU's bone-thin defensive unit.

Leading the defense like a fire-bellied assassin, Clark put on a show from first second to last, setting a vicious tone by way of a highlight reel sack on Razorbacks' quarterback K.J Jefferson, wrapping up the QB before violently whipping him to the ground.....as close to a body-slam as you could legally get away with.

He made sure his ultimate presence was felt, showing off his dynamic range and surprising scouts all season long with his elite football IQ.

Clark is special.....turning his doubters into disciples after this year, regardless of his two seasons remaining of eligibility (2022, Clark's senior year, plus the extra Covid year), accumulating 7 outings of double digit tackles, a team-leading 10 tackles for loss, 3 sacks, 2 forced fumbles, another fumble recovery, 2 pass breakups, his first ever interception, alongside 11 pressures & 6 QB hits, when all is said & done, Damone Clark's 2021 will be remembered as a Louisianimalistically brilliant, unrepentantly violent campaign of elite savagery.

1.

VS ARKANSAS

12 Tackles (7 Solo)

3 Pressures

3.5 TFL

2 Sacks

1 QB Hit

In a season full of his consistent best, at #2 on the team registering 71 stops, 8 TFLs, 2 PDs, 5 pressures, 2 sacks, plus his first ever pick, topping Damone on the single game tackles list finally required Micah Baskerville's most brutal & complete outing as a Tiger.

Dropping every Razorback player where they stood, LSU's 6th year linebacker was a destroyer out there, lighting up ball carriers in the backfield, underneath, at the line, as well as corraling K.J Jefferson's threatening scrambles, limiting the QB to 40 rushing yards.

LSU's senior LB made every right decision on the night, timing / disguising his blitzes, when to jump the hole, spying the QB, refusing to break contain on the outside by way of some outlandish solo stops in space, #23 was everywhere.

In fact, due to Baskerville's expertly driven madness, Jefferson's 40 yards became Arkansas' leading mark on the day, the LB stuffing runners alongside Clark or Ojulari, while also displaying his versatility as a pass rusher, busting through the backfield to collect 3 pressures, 3.5 TFL, and a pair of masterful sacks.

Throughout his whole LSU career, including 2021, Micah has been the personification of consistent, from his longtime presence on campus to 2019's special teams touchdown & another near score from an onside kick, or his above average display during 2020, Baskerville always gave his all for the Tigers....but against Alabama and Arkansas, Micah is now showing off exactly what separates him as a starter.

by LONN PHILLIPS SULLIVAN

@LonnPhillips

Copyright 2021 Uninterrupted Writings Inc

SHOUTOUTS: Michelle and Martin Bech!