BRING ON THE CONFERENCE GAMES! After a 42-6 nail biter against a powerhouse Utah St. team, I think most fans would agree that it’s time for some real competition. The good thing about playing inferior teams is it gives you a chance to work on your deficiencies, which was necessary after a few lackluster defensive efforts. Against Utah St. the offense wasn’t as sharp as it has been, but the defense looked more like the LSU defenses that we’ve come to expect over the years. I was encouraged by what I saw in that regard.

I felt that focus, discipline, and conservative defensive calls were mostly to blame for yards/points allowed against Vanderbilt. The lack of focus contributed to failure in gap responsibility, lack of discipline led to missed tackles due to not breaking down/wrapping up, and conservative calls gave up too many easy completions. One play that sticks out against Vanderbilt was a 3rd and 2 in which CB Derek Stingley was lined up 7 yards off the line of scrimmage. Obviously, it is physically impossible to stop a 2 yard route with a 7 yard cushion. Against Utah St. we saw more man coverage and fewer missed tackles. LB Patrick Queen had a miscue in gap responsibility against Vandy that led to a chunk running play. The same Patrick Queen looked like an All SEC performer against Utah St., playing gap sound, diagnosing quickly, and his speed to the ball was phenomenal. The defensive line also played well. Unheralded DE Neil Ferrell has quietly had a solid year, getting a one-handed sack on a very athletic QB. Kristian Fulton was very effective at the nickel. The only big play made on him was made after the WR blatantly pushed off. There is nothing I can say about Stingley that his play hasn’t said already. The only question I have about him is how long will it be until I stop calling him “one of the best” to “the best” defensive back LSU has had. He simply has tools you can’t teach. His technique on the play he got his interception should be put on a training tape. No official word, but I expect DE Rashard Lawrence and OLB Michael Divinity to be back for the Florida game, which will be major additions to a defense that appears to be rounding into shape.

On offense, the Tigers were sloppy compared to the high standards that had been set in the first four games. Ball security was a problem. Joe Burrow missed some throws he normally doesn’t, and held the ball longer than usual before making a decision. That said, he also completed over 70% of his passes and threw 5 TD’s. It says a lot about his play when that’s an off game. While I love Ja’Marr Chase’s athleticism, Justin Jefferson is a model of consistency. It’s as if you can chalk him down for 100 receiving yards with no drops before each game is played. There was a noticeable commitment to the running game that I’m sure was refreshing for the LSU defense to see. This resulted in longer drives and a huge advantage in time of possession, keeping the defense fresh. It also resulted in valuable experience for the freshmen backs, who look better with every rep they get.

When I was at LSU, Steve Spurrier routinely came to Baton Rouge and dropped 200 points a game. Urban Meyer beat us more times than not. Former AD Jeremy Foley used a hurricane to vilify LSU and get 3 home games in a row against us. Let me be clear; I am no fan of UF or anything UF affiliated…but I respect them. Florida comes to town this weekend as a top 10 team and with all the hype and fanfare that comes with a top 10 matchup. There aren’t many things better in life than a 7:00pm start in the REAL Death Valley with ESPN’s Gameday on campus, so the environment will be unrivaled. To put it simply, these are the games we wait for in the off-season. The Texas win was big, but this is the first legitimate, championship caliber defense we will see this year. There is NFL talent on all three levels of the Florida defense. However, they haven’t faced an offense poses as many problems as LSU’s. Joe Burrow has had answers for practically every look that has been thrown at him this year, and the running game is quietly averaging over 4 yards a carry. This is a very intriguing clash of strengths, offensive for LSU and defensive for Florida, with national title hopes on the line. In Wednesday’s update I’ll look deeper into how the Tigers match up on both sides of the ball. Until then, it’s GEAUX TIGERS!!!