Behind the Boxscore: South Alabama

That’s more like it

For the first time all season, LSU finally played like a team worthy of the ranking next to its name.

The Tigers didn’t play with their food like they did against Nicholls or UCLA. Instead they pounced on South Alabama, quite literally from the beginning, and didn’t allow the Jags to get off the mat.

Was LSU perfect Saturday night? Nope, but they’re playing better and that’s all you can ask for. Keep improving and who knows where this season can take you, especially since all of your goals are still in front of you.

429: LSU’s first half yardage

The most yards LSU’s had in a first half since Burrow and the boys destroyed Oklahoma in the Peach Bowl. Neat! This 2024 LSU offense certainly isn’t the ‘19 offense, heck they’re not even the ‘23 one, but they are certainly one of the better units in the country and they’ll have a chance to win every game they play in from here on out as long as the defense can meet them halfway.

157: Caden Durham’s yards on his first two touches

I never played football, but I believe if you run for nearly two entire football fields on your first two touches that’s pretty good. Durham’s shorter stature reminds me of Clyde Edwards-Helaire but he’s got more speed. Durham’s the best back on the roster and if there was any doubt that he’s RB1 he put that to bed after the first play from scrimmage.

2: Number of Garrett Nussmeier interceptions

One was an underthrow and the other was just kind of a dumb decision by Nuss that earned him a deserved ass chewing from Brian Kelly. Nuss already has as many interceptions through four games, 4, as Jayden Daniels did all of last season. You can get away with throwing two picks against South Alabama, but LSU simply isn’t good enough for him to throw a pair of picks against someone like Ole Miss, Alabama, or Oklahoma.

11: Number of LSU receivers to catch a pass

Now of these 11 LSU players to catch a pass, nine of them were from Garrett Nussmeier. The other two players, Javen Nicholas and Ka’Morreun Pimpton, caught passes from Rickie Collins. So Nuss’s 26 completions went to nine different receivers, and I really like how much he’s been divvying the ball up. Kyren Lacy had 107 yards and it didn’t feel like he had a dominant game. Aaron Anderson had six catches, but again with Nuss spreading the ball out so much, the impact didn’t feel as massive in the moment. Last year’s passing attack was centered on Malik Nabers and Brian Thomas; this year’s offense feels more like the hydra: take away one head and two more pop up in its place.

13: Points allowed over the last six quarters

Look I’m not saying LSU is a good defense. Statistically speaking they are the worst pass defense in the conference and they’re sitting in the 90s nationally; and while they may be bending, they haven’t been breaking over the past six quarters and I can work with that. Especially because…

9/3: Number of LSU TFLs and sacks

LSU’s front, once again, was able to cause some havoc at the line of scrimmage. That’ll be the key if LSU wants to survive the upcoming gauntlet that is conference play. Can guys like Bradyn Swinson, Whit Weeks, and Saivion Jones ruin one or two drives? The LSU offense appears to be good enough to beat anybody, now we’ll just have to see if the defense can hold up their end of the bargain.