Tag: BJ Ojulari

The five most important LSU Tigers against Mississippi State

Which LSU Tigers are the most important for a win on Saturday?

The last time these two teams met, it was a stunner for the ages.

Last September, Mississippi State came into Baton Rouge to open the season and pulled off a massive 44-34 upset over the then No. 6 LSU Tigers.

This season, it’s a little different. LSU started the season out slow with a tough loss at UCLA but has since bounced back with strong wins over a pair of cupcake opponents. The Bulldogs, on the other hand, started the season off 2-0 but lost this past weekend to Memphis after some bewildering officiating. Momentum seems to side with the Tigers heading into this game.

Here are the five most important players for LSU as they take on the Mississippi State Bulldogs this Saturday.

LSU currently leads the nation in sacks and yards lost

When it comes to getting to the quarterback, LSU is among the best in the country.

The LSU Tigers had one area they needed to improve upon after last season. Their defense ranked 39th in the nation with 24 sacks a season ago. Bo Pelini exits and in comes Daronte Jones, the defense has already seen a bump in production when rushing the passer. The team went from 2.4 sacks per game to 5.7 this season through three games.

Their 17 sacks are tied with Marshall for the top spot in the nation. They are the top team in terms of yards lost on sacks with 118. At the top of the individual leaderboard, edge defender BJ Ojulari has 4.5 sacks. Tied with three others but he leads with 35 yards lost on sacks.

For his efforts against the Central Michigan Chippewas, Ojulari was named SEC Defensive Lineman of the Week.

Pass Rusher Sacks TFLs Pressures QB Hits
Ojulari 4.5 4.5 9 2
Anthony 3.5 4.0 7 0
Smith 3.0 3.5 10 0
Gaye 1.0 1.0 2 0

Maason Smith has really come on strong in the early going and the team is going to rely on him off the edge. After losing Andre Anthony for the season due to a knee injury, it is going to be all hands on deck for this one. Ali Gaye is expected back against Mississippi State, so his return will be huge.

Head coach Ed Orgeron stated they will use a three-man rotation at defensive end with Gaye, Smith, and Ojulari. The trio will get their opportunities as the Bulldogs have allowed a total of 34 pressures through three games. Will Rogers has been sacked six times this season, on average twice a game.

Mississippi State’s offensive line will be tested as they are tasked with slowing down the No. 1 pass rush in the country.

LSU edge defender Andre Anthony done for the season

Per Ed Orgeron, Andre Anthony is done for the season.

During the game against Central Michigan, the LSU Tigers lost one of their top defenders in Andre Anthony. During his weekly press conference, coach Ed Orgeron stated that Anthony is done for the season. It is a devastating blow to the defensive front.

The Tigers will use a three-man rotation of Ali Gaye, BJ Ojulari, and Maason Smith that moved outside due to need. The sixth-year senior will be severely missed upfront. Ojulari will continue to be relied on playing opposite of Gaye for the most part with Smith getting worked in.

Ojulari was named SEC Defensive Lineman of the Week on Monday.

Ojulari is tied with two other defenders for the most sacks in the nation. The move for Maason Smith will be an interesting one, he primarily played on the interior but moved outside and did well against Central Michigan. Orgeron stated that Smith has a chance to be dominant playing on the outside.

This group will be challenged to get to Will Rogers on Saturday when the team travels to Starkville.

Contact/Follow us @LSUTigersWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Louisiana State news, notes, and opinions.

Follow Patrick on Twitter: @PatrickConnCFB

Tiger Up, Tiger Down: Which LSU players stood out on Saturday

Who were the studs and duds from Saturday night? We have you covered with Tiger Up, Tiger Down for LSU.

It was a good night in Death Valley as the LSU Tigers defended their home turf at Tiger Stadium. The team improved to 35-0 in their last 35 games where they wore purple jerseys with gold pants and helmets.

Head coach Ed Orgeron had to be pleased with the performance of his team in the final tune-up game ahead of SEC play next week.

“We made some improvements tonight,” Orgeron said in his opening statement after the win. “I was very pleased with the up-tempo of our offense. I was really pleased with the play of the young receivers. I thought our quarterback, for the most part, played really well. Max had five touchdowns. You got to see what we’ve been seeing in practice with Deion Smith and those young receivers and a young running back. Some really good plays.”

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Which LSU players stood out in the game? We break it down in our ‘Tiger Up, Tiger Down’ segment this week.

LSU vs McNeese State: How to watch plus game predictions

A look at how to watch the LSU Tigers host the McNeese State Cowboys on Saturday night in Death Valley. Plus game picks and predictions.

Saturday night in Death Valley the LSU Tigers get a chance to even their 2021 record two games in. After the loss to UCLA, the Tigers host an in-state opponent from the FCS, McNeese State.

After warts from 2020 arose once again in 2021, the optimism of the season quickly faded as the Bruins ran and threw all over the Tigers’ defense. The Cowboys are nowhere near the level of UCLA, but if Cody Orgeron can throw the ball on this defense, we could be in for another long afternoon.

The hot seat for head coach Ed Orgeron began to heat up, even a dominating win over McNeese won’t be enough to quiet the noise around the football program. At least not until after Central Michigan and Mississippi State. The Tigers still have an opportunity to get to 3-1 ahead of SEC play, which is important for postseason chances.

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As far as the game on Saturday, it gives LSU an opportunity to fix a lot of issues. Most of which are coachable. The Tigers and Cowboys play Saturday night and you will need a subscription to watch the game on SEC Network+ and ESPN+.

How To Watch, Listen, and Stream

TV: ESPN+, SEC Network+

Kickoff Time: 7:00 pm CDT

Listen: 98.1, 104.5, 107.3 FM (Baton Rouge)

Full Listing- LSU Radio Network

Stream: ESPN+, Watch ESPN App

Game Prediction

I took one on the chin last week choosing LSU to win that game on the road in Pasadena, California. Just like the team, there is an opportunity to even my season record.

Game Pick Off X-Factor Def X-Factor Season Talley
LSU Tyrion Davis-Price BJ Ojulari 0-1

In this game, I think it gets put away relatively early on and allows some of the younger players to see in-game action. McNeese will score some points late after the outcome has been well decided.

My bold prediction is Tyrion Davis-Price runs for 150 yards and three touchdowns in this game.

Score: LSU 56, McNeese 27

Stream this Saturday’s LSU-McNeese State game, plus college football games from the SEC, Big 12, The American, and more on ESPN+

Contact/Follow us @LSUTigersWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Louisiana State news, notes, and opinions.

Follow Patrick on Twitter: @PatrickConnCFB

LSU Tigers 2021 Game-by-game predictions from Athlon Sports

A look at how the Athlon Sports team has the LSU Tigers finishing the 2021 season.

Count it down, we have just over a week remaining until the LSU Tigers kick off the 2021 season against the UCLA Bruins. This is the first time that the Tigers have faced off against the Bruins but not the first time for head coach Ed Orgeron.

In 2013 as the interim head coach of the USC Trojans, Orgeron lost that match up 35-14. This game will be a good early-season test for the Bayou Bengals to gauge exactly where they are ahead of the home opener against McNeese State on Sept. 11.

What should we expect from the Tigers this season?

Athlon Sports’ analysts Steven Lassan, Mark Ross, and Juan Jose Rodriquez each gave it a shot at predicting the Tigers’ 2021 season. Here is how they compared to our game-by-game breakdowns:

Highest-graded returning players for LSU on defense

A look at the highest-graded returning players on defense for the LSU Tigers, led by cornerback Eli Ricks.

Less than two weeks before we see the return of Eli Ricks and Derek Stingley Jr and the LSU defense on the field. The countdown continues for the Tigers as they prepare for the UCLA Bruins.

Fall camp wrapped up on Saturday, now all the focus is on opening the regular season on the road. This will be the first true road game to open a season under head coach Ed Orgeron.

Last year the defense was far from the level of expectation and it was on full display from the opening of the 2020 season. Mississippi State air raided their way to the 44-34 victory, as they threw all over the Tigers defense. The defense gave up 40+ points in five of their games. Thus the reason that Daronte Jones is now the defensive coordinator with Bo Pelini being relieved of his duties.

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Derek Stingley Jr is looking for a return to 2019 form and Eli Ricks looks to continue his 2020 play. The guys on the edge are looking for a return to dominance in 2021. Plenty of players to watch.

Here are the top returning players in 2021 based on their 2020 PFF grades.

Three LSU Tigers tabbed as breakout stars in 2021

A look at who Athlon Sports believes are breakout stars for the LSU Tigers in 2021.

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Last season it appeared that quarterback Myles Brennan could have been on his way to being a breakout star for the LSU Tigers. His season was cut short by injury and another unfortunate injury ended his 2021 campaign before it could get started. There are three Tigers this year who could be breakout candidates according to Athlon Sports. They released their SEC all-breakout team.

On the offensive side of the ball, it is all about Kayshon Boutte. Given that Athlon picked a trio of quarterbacks with Bryce Young, JT Daniels, and Emory Jones, that left no room for Max Johnson. Boutte ended the year as the leading receiver for the Tigers in yards. His SEC freshman record day against Ole Miss was a huge reason why.

Tennessee’s Jalin Hyatt and LSU’s Kayshon Boutte headline the breakout picks at receiver.

It should come as no coincidence that Boutte’s best games came with Max Johnson at quarterback. According to The Athletic (subscription required), the duo worked on their timing together after practices.

And whenever Embrick would check in with Boutte, his son would tell him he and Johnson were staying after practice to gain extra reps. They would work on perfecting their timing and execution. Far from the spotlight, these two were refining the connection that is now the focal point of LSU’s offense.

He will be the player to watch when the Tigers have the ball for the foreseeable future.

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On defense, Athlon named BJ Ojulari and Jay Ward. Ojulari will be in the rotation behind Andre Anthony and Ali Gaye, but he is expected to see ample playing time. Last season for the Tiger Ojulari received the fourth-highest grade from PFF right behind Gaye and ahead of Jabril Cox.

Ojulari played a total of 314 snaps with 189 coming as a pass rusher. He would finish third on the team with 24 quarterback pressures. Ojulari accounted for five TFLs and four sacks.

The other name to appear was Jay Ward. He played a total of 232 snaps in coverage for the Tigers. PFF graded him as the No. 5 best LSU defender in coverage. Ward was the second-best player in terms of creating interceptions with three last season. With JaCoby Stevens now in the NFL, Ward will get to see plenty of time in the secondary as the lead safety.

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Derek Stingley, Cade York make first-team All-SEC

The LSU Tigers dominated postseason honors one year ago, with several players receiving both All-SEC and All-American honors.

The LSU Tigers dominated postseason honors one year ago, with several players receiving both All-SEC and All-American honors.

After a disappointing 5-5 season in 2020, things were a bit different for the defending national champions.

However, some players still stood out this season.

Sophomore cornerback Derek Stingley Jr., an All-American in 2019, was named first-team All-SEC on Tuesday. Joining him with first-team honors is kicker Cade York.

Stingley’s 2020 season didn’t go quite as planned, as he missed three games with either an illness or injury. Yet, when he was on the field, he still proved to be a difference-maker.

On the season, Stingley made 27 tackles, including 2.5 for loss and five pass breakups. He did not record an interception after leading the SEC as a freshman. A big part of that is opposing quarterbacks would often target LSU’s other young cornerbacks rather than challenging Stingley.

York was one of college football’s top placekickers in 2020. The sophomore from McKinney, Texas, was perfect on all 36 of his point-after attempts while also connecting on 18 of his 21 field-goal attempts.

While York’s biggest moment was the 57-yard game-winner at Florida two weeks ago, he was consistent from long range all season. York was six of seven from 50 yards or more, a remarkable number for a college kicker.

Senior punter Zach Von Rosenburg was named second-team All-SEC. Von Rosenburg averaged almost 44 yards per punt in 2020 and had 27 punts downed inside the opponent’s 20-yard line. Von Rosenburg also had 18 punts of 50 yards or more.

Junior defensive end Ali Gaye joined Von Rosenburg on the second team. He recorded 32 tackles, including 9.5 for loss and two sacks in 2020.

Four LSU newcomers received All-SEC freshman honors in wide receiver Kayshon Boutte, tight end Arik Gilbert, linebacker BJ Ojulari and cornerback Eli Ricks.

HALFTIME: LSU shows new life, leads Florida 24-17

LSU was counted out of this one before the first quarter ever began, but the Tigers have shown life halfway through the contest.

This is not the dominant Florida performance that so many drew up ahead of the Gators’ meeting with LSU this weekend, thanks to goal line stops and a type of explosiveness on defense we haven’t seen all season.

With two games remaining on the schedule, LSU entered Saturday night’s matchup against the Florida Gators with the hopes of getting back on the right track to finish off what’s been a rough season on a high note.

LSU is without cornerback Derek Stingley Jr. and one of its most solid receiving targets in tight end Arik Gilbert after he opted out ahead of the game this week.

The Gators opened with an 11-play, 74-yard drive, only to be stopped at the goal line and give the LSU offense, led by Max Johnson for the first time, the ball at the one.

LSU’s initial offensive effort was dismal though, and the Tigers went out and were left punting at their own seven.

Things hardly got better for LSU from that point, losing cornerback Cordale Flott to a targeting call and allowing Florida to draw first blood with a drive that ended in a one-yard, punch-it-in touchdown run on third-and-goal from potential Heisman Trophy winning quarterback, Kyle Trask.

The score gave Florida a 7-0 lead with eight minutes remaining in the first quarter.

But then LSU did something it hasn’t shown a great ability to do recently — respond.

Johnson, partially off his own mobility, led the Tigers 75 yards down the field in a drive capped off with a five-yard touchdown to Jaray Jenkins that had the Tigers tied with the Gators, 7-7 at the bottom of the first quarter.

LSU was able to take the lead when freshman cornerback Elias Ricks stepped up with a 68-yard touchdown on an interception return to give LSU the lead, with fellow cornerback Jay Ward coming up with an interception of his own in second-quarter action.

Coming into the game, Trask had thrown for just three interceptions on the season, and these two come against the worst-ranked passing defense in the SEC.

In the same half of football, though, there was a particularly bright spot for Trask as he tied Danny Wuerffel’s single-season record for passing touchdowns (39) after finding wide receiver Jacob Copeland in the end zone.

But LSU wouldn’t lose the lead for long, as Johnson put another passing touchdown on the board after connecting with wide receiver Kayshon Boutte on the 34-yarder.

LSU continued making strong defensive plays, forcing its third turnover of the game when Trask was sacked by linebacker Ray Thornton, who forced a fumble recovered by defensive end BJ Ojulari to set up a 39-yard field goal just before halftime.

If LSU can keep the momentum through the second half, the Tigers will pull off the biggest upset in college football this week.