Kyren Lacy – Syndication Server

5 stats that defined LSU’s loss at Texas A&M in Week 9

These five stats defined LSU’s loss at Texas A&M.

LSU’s second half did not go to plan in College Station on Saturday night. Texas A&M turned to dual-threat QB Marcel Reed and the LSU defense had no response.

On the other side of the ball, LSU’s failure to run the ball put too much on the passing game and QB [autotag]Garrett Nussmeier[/autotag] made a series of mistakes that let the game get away from LSU.

LSU was a slight underdog and playing on the road in the SEC is never easy, but A&M flat-out beat LSU in the second half. ESPN play-by-play man Chris Fowler called it a Texas A&M avalanche. It’s hard to find a better way to describe it.

Texas A&M looked like a playoff team over the final two quarters while LSU looked like a team unprepared for the moment. Mistakes in all phases of the game cost LSU on Saturday night. Anything that could go wrong, did go wrong.

Here are five stats that defined LSU’s loss.

LSU’s 1.9 yards per carry

At first, that reads like a typo. LSU averaged 1.9 yards per carry — not what’s expected from an SEC team with future NFL linemen and blue-chip running backs.

[autotag]Caden Durham[/autotag] ran it 11 times for 15 yards while Josh Williams got seven carries for 23 yards. Together, they combined for a -8.33 EPA on the ground.

LSU’s offensive line couldn’t get any push or create space. Durham and Williams were constantly met by Texas A&M defenders at the line of scrimmage.

Just 19% of LSU’s runs went for 4+ yards. A&M’s mark was at 60%.

“We spent a lot of time on our run game. We should be better there,” [autotag]Brian Kelly[/autotag] said.

Garrett Nussmeier: Three interceptions

After Week 9, [autotag]Garrett Nussmeier[/autotag] leads the SEC with nine picks on the year. We knew Nussmeier was a “gunslinger” who would put the ball in jeopardy at times, but three picks on Saturday allowed the game to unravel for LSU.

Throwing three picks in a half isn’t a recipe for success. The turnovers came on LSU’s end of the field and set A&M up for a touchdown drive of eight yards and 26 yards. The third pick led to a field goal. Combined, A&M scored 17 points off the Nussmeier turnovers.

You could feel the momentum swing after the first interception. That’s where the game was lost for LSU. The Tigers weren’t able to settle down after that and the floodgates opened.

LSU special teams: -5.02 EPA

LSU’s field goal unit struggled on Saturday. A poor hold led to [autotag]Damian Ramos[/autotag] missing a field goal late in the first quarter. In the second, LSU missed another one.

Long snapper [autotag]Slade Roy[/autotag] and holder [autotag]Peyton Todd[/autotag] weren’t on the same page and it led to a bungled snap in the third quarter. That’s nine points left on the board.

With the way A&M controlled the game in the second half, it’s hard to say the nine points were the difference, but the second half looks different if LSU is playing with a bigger lead.

When you send the field goal unit out there three times, you don’t want to come away empty on all three attempts.

LSU’s EPA without explosive plays: -36.29

LSU’s offense had a few explosive plays on Saturday night, including a 76-yard catch and run from [autotag]Aaron Anderson[/autotag] and some third-down conversions to [autotag]Kyren Lacy[/autotag].

Outside of that, LSU struggled to get anything going on offense. Without the explosive plays, LSU’s EPA was -36.29. LSU’s worst mark of the year.

With the run game not providing anything, it was hard to establish down-to-down consistency. That allowed A&M to tee up blitzes on Nussmeier and showcase some disguised coverages.

Nussmeier was feeling the pressure and knew the only way LSU could score was a big play through the air. Kelly said LSU is putting too much on its quarterback and that was evident on Saturday.

Mason Taylor and Kyren Lacy: 8 catches on 16 targets

This stat may feel a little nitpicky, but LSU only completed half of its targets to its most reliable receivers.

LSU turns to Taylor and Lacy when it needs a conversion — they’re Nussmeier’s go-to guys.

This is related to LSU’s lack of down-to-down efficiency. Part of LSU becoming a better situational football team means consistently completing passes to the dependable pass catchers.

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Stock Up, Stock Down: A tale of 2 halves as LSU falls at Texas A&M

What looked like it could be a statement win for the Tigers turned into a disaster in the second half.

LSU took a trip to College Station, Texas, to take on the Texas A&M Aggies and their new head coach, Mike Elko. In the first half, LSU was on fire. They took a 17-7 lead into the break.

Unfortunately, that lead would not last. In the second half, LSU was outscored 31-6 as Nussmeier threw three interceptions and a new quarterback for A&M was unstoppable. Elko subbed in Marcel Reed in the second half for the Aggies and they scored on every drive he had. It was a rough loss for LSU as it suffered its first conference loss.

Let’s look at who saw their stock rise and who saw their stock fall in the Tigers’ loss to Texas A&M in Week 9.

Stock Down: Garrett Nussmeier

[autotag]Garrett Nussmeier[/autotag] picked a bad night to have his worst game of the season. Nussmeier looked great in the first half but in the second half, he got bullied by the Aggies defense. He finished the night with three interceptions, the most interceptions he has thrown in a single game in his career.

Stock Up: Aaron Anderson

[autotag]Aaron Anderson[/autotag] had another big game as he finished the night with three receptions for 126 yards and a touchdown. He led the Tigers in receiving yards with [autotag]Kyren Lacy[/autotag] right behind him.

Stock Down: Special Teams

[autotag]Damien Ramos[/autotag] had a rough night in College Station. He made his first field goal but he missed his last two field goal attempts as he doinked the first one and just missed the second one.

Stock Down: Abhorrent second half

After taking a 17-7 lead before halftime, LSU was outscored 31-6 in the second half. Nussmeier threw three interceptions and the defense had no answer for Marcel Reed. Every drive Reed started ended in points.

Stock Down: Running game

I have been harping on the LSU run game for two years in a row and I will continue to do it. Texas A&M outgained LSU on the ground 242-24. LSU finished the game with only 24 rushing yards. How do you plan on opening up the passing game if the other team does not have to respect your run game?

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Chiefs scouting report: LSU Tigers WR Kyren Lacy

LSU #Tigers wide receiver Kyren Lacy could develop into a star with the Kansas City #Chiefs if they select him in the 2025 NFL draft.

The Kansas City Chiefs recently traded for veteran wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins to patch up their wide receiver room. The Chiefs have five wide receivers, including Marquise ‘Hollywood’ Brown, Mecole Hardman, Hopkins, JuJu Smith-Schuster, and Justin Watson, who become unrestricted free agents at the end of the season.

The age and injury risk factors Brown, Hopkins, and Smith-Schuster carry suggest Kansas City will bypass re-signing their veteran wide receivers in favor of adding fresh faces in the NFL draft.

LSU Tigers wideout Kyren Lacy sports an impressive frame with good height, density, and arm length. He played in the slot and out wide at LSU and should see snaps in both roles at the next level. Lacy fires off the line and accelerates to his top speed quickly. He lacks elite vertical speed but stretches defenses downfield and creates some one-on-one opportunities on go routes.

Lacy creates problems for cornerbacks on post routes against two-high coverage shells. He stems his route outside and sells the defender on a corner route before breaking across their face into the open middle of the field. Lacy finds most of his success working the vertical elements of his route tree.

Lacy projects as a mid-Day 3 selection. He rounds his routes that require more complex cuts and generates average separation on curls and digs. He lacks the dynamic athleticism to elude defenders and create significant yardage after the catch.

LSU faces a tough challenge this week. The Tigers go on the road to play Texas A&M at College Station at 6:30 p.m. CST on October 26. Both programs are 6-0 after losing their season openers. Aggies cornerback Will Lee III is a potential top-100 selection. Matching up with Lee will be one of Lacy’s toughest tests this season.

Former LSU receivers continue to dominate the NFL

LSU continues to earn the title of WRU early in 2024.

For years, LSU was known as “DBU.”

The Tigers were synonymous with sending star defensive backs to the NFL. In recent years, former LSU defensive backs have continued to produce, but LSU has claimed the mantle at another position — wide receiver.

Three of the NFL’s six leading receivers are LSU products. [autotag]Ja’Marr Chase[/autotag] leads the NFL with 620 yards. [autotag]Justin Jefferson[/autotag] and [autotag]Brian Thomas Jr.[/autotag] rank fifth and sixth with 531 and 513 yards, respectively.

Further down the leaderboard, [autotag]Malik Nabers[/autotag] ranks 14th with 427 yards. He sits eight in catches, despite only playing five games and getting rough quarterback play.

LSU put receivers in the NFL throughout the 2000s and 2010s. [autotag]Dwayne Bowe[/autotag] and [autotag]Brandon LaFell[/autotag] eventually gave way to [autotag]Odell Beckham Jr.[/autotag] and [autotag]Jarvis Landry[/autotag]. But the group in the league now is deeper and more talented.

Its a young group too, and its set up to lead the NFL for some time. Thomas and Nabers are rookies while Chase and Jefferson are just getting around to their second contracts.

Ohio State has a claim to “WRU” too with Garrett Wilson, Chris Olave and Marvin Harrison Jr. in the league. But that core doesn’t stack up with LSU’s at the moment.

LSU has another promising group of receivers on campus now. [autotag]Kyren Lacy[/autotag] and [autotag]Aaron Anderson[/autotag] both rank in the top 10 in the SEC in receiving yards and will aim to be LSU’s next difference makers at the next level.

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Stock Up, Stock Down: LSU gets a big win over Arkansas

The Tigers impressed on the road, taking care of business against Arkansas in Week 8.

LSU took a trip to Fayetteville, Arkansas, to take on the Arkansas Razorbacks in a game where a lot of analysts picked the Hogs to win. Unfortunately for them, that was not the case.

[autotag]CJ Daniels[/autotag] came back for the Tigers in this one and [autotag]Caden Durham[/autotag] also had a great game as LSU ran away with a 34-10 victory. The only real negative I could find from this game is that LSU had more penalties than Arkansas.

Let’s look at who saw their stock rise and who saw their stock fall in the Tigers’ win over the Razorbacks in Week 8.

Stock Up: CJ Daniels

[autotag]CJ Daniels[/autotag] had seven catches for 86 yards in his first game back from injury. He provided a spark for the offense and got some heat off of [autotag]Kyren Lacy[/autotag].

Stock Up: Caden Durham

Once again, [autotag]Caden Durham[/autotag] served as the bell cow for the Tigers as he carried the ball 21 times for 101 yards and three touchdowns. He was a breath of fresh air for the Tigers offense.

Stock Up: Whit Weeks

[autotag]Whit Weeks[/autotag] led the team in tackles for the second game in a row. He finished the night with nine tackles and an interception for the Tigers.

Stock Down: Penalties

LSU finished with more penalties than Arkansas with 11 to the Hogs seven. I had to look for a downside to the win tonight so here it is.

Stock Up: Big win on the road

LSU went into hostile territory in Fayetteville and came out with a big 34-10 win over the Hogs. The Tigers move to 6-1 and could move up in the standings after a loss by Alabama and either Texas or Georgia.

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4 things we’ve learned about LSU in 2024

LSU is halfway through its regular season. Here’s four things we’ve learned about the Tigers.

We’re already halfway through the college football regular season. LSU has six games down with six more to go.

LSU’s first six games didn’t lack intrigue. LSU’s played four games against Power Four opponents and three came down to the wire. LSU came up short against USC in Week 1 but staged comebacks against South Carolina and Ole Miss to jump out to a 2-0 start in conference play.

After the Ole Miss upset, LSU is up to No. 8 in the AP Poll, five spots better than where it began the year at No. 13.

Given all that LSU lost after 2023, a 5-1 start is impressive. You can’t make the playoff in the first six games, but you can get knocked out of it. LSU did enough to stay alive and remain in the thick of the playoff race.

Here, we’ll look at five things we’ve learned about LSU in these last seven weeks. We had a lot of questions about this group entering the year and now with a good sample size to look at, many have been answered.

The receiver depth is even better than we thought

Receiver was somewhat of a question for LSU after losing [autotag]Malik Nabers[/autotag] and [autotag]Brian Thomas Jr.[/autotag] That type of production is hard to replace in one offseason, but LSU is managing just fine with a plethora of talented options.

[autotag]Kyren Lacy[/autotag] leads the way with 30 catches for 463 yards. His five-catch, 111-yard performance vs. Ole Miss made it back-to-back 100-yard games for the fifth-year senior.

[autotag]Aaron Anderson[/autotag] is enjoying a breakout year with 30 catches for 452 yards. Both marks rank in the top 10 among SEC receivers. Transfers [autotag]CJ Daniels[/autotag] and [autotag]Zavion Thomas[/autotag] are both making impacts too.

Along with the receivers, tight end [autotag]Mason Taylor[/autotag] leads all SEC tight ends with 33 receptions.

This group doesn’t have the same explosiveness element as last year’s, but it’s deep and dependable.

Defensive development is ahead of schedule

LSU brought in a new staff on the defensive side of the ball, hoping to accelerate the development and get the most out of its young talent. We’re seeing that so far.

Start at defensive tackle, where [autotag]Bo Davis[/autotag] continues to get competent production from its interior defensive line despite losing [autotag]Jacobian Guillory[/autotag]. True freshmen [autotag]Ahmad Breaux[/autotag] and [autotag]Dominick McKinley[/autotag] are both in the rotation while veteran transfer [autotag]Gio Paez[/autotag] is on track to set career highs in stops and pressures.

At linebacker, Blake Baker has sophomore Whit Weeks playing like a star. Greg Penn has shown progress too.

LSU hired Corey Raymond to rebuild the secondary, and we’re already seeing the impact for LSU’s corners. The Tigers look much more comfortable in man coverage and playing balls in the air. Zy Alexander leads all SEC CBs in PFF coverage grade after week seven.

The OC transition could have been smoother

LSU’s offense is good, but it’s still experiencing some hiccups as it figures out its identity. Mike Denbrock took the OC job at Notre Dame after leading the best offense in the country at LSU in 2023.

Brian Kelly didn’t have to look far for Denbrock’s replacement, promoting QB coach Joe Sloan and WR coach Cortez Hankton.

Sloan called plays before in his time at Louisiana Tech, but this is his first time doing it at this level.

LSU has struggled to recreate last year’s success on the ground. Regression was expected without Jayden Daniels’ legs, but the fall is significant. After leading the country in EPA/rush last year, LSU ranks 94th this year.

Nussmeier isn’t a threat with his legs and LSU is yet to find an adjustment that makes up for that.

The drop-back game is one of the best in the FBS, but consistency is an issue. Nussmeier was uncomfortable early against Ole Miss but eventually settled in. Expect Sloan to get his QB in rhythm early against Arkansas.

LSU shows poise under pressure

All offseason, Brian Kelly spoke about the maturity of this team. He said it was the most “player-led” group he’s had since arriving in Baton Rouge. That’s starting to show up on the field.

LSU hasn’t played many comfortable games this year. Outside of South Alabama, virtually every game was close at one point. That said, LSU found a way to be 5-1.

The Tigers came up short at the end vs. USC, but LSU hung in there to get big conference wins against South Carolina and Ole Miss. Both wins required big plays late in the game.

Ideally, you’d like to see LSU controlling more games than it is, but remaining cool under pressure isn’t a skill every team has. It’ll come in handy with more close games in the coming weeks.

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LSU to get 5-star freshman Trey’Dez Green more time at receiver

LSU will look to get five-star Trey’Dez Green on the field more, even if it means playing him at receiver.

LSU’s depth at wide receiver is being tested. [autotag]Chris Hilton Jr.[/autotag] is yet to return from injury and freshman [autotag]Kyle Parker[/autotag] is out for the year. On top of that, [autotag]CJ Daniels[/autotag] missed the Ole Miss game but is expected to be back this week.

LSU got another scare when [autotag]Kyren Lacy[/autotag] went down for a moment, holding his knee, but he was soon to return.

Still, LSU is looking at options to build out its pass-catching depth. LSU head coach [autotag]Brian Kelly[/autotag] said five-star freshman tight end [autotag]Trey’Dez Green[/autotag] will see more time at receiver.

LSU wants Green on the field and Kelly said LSU can remove the complexities of the tight end position by putting Green out wide.

“He’s a talented player. We saw him on the touchdown, how easy it is for him to flash his hands and catch the football,” Kelly said, “He just gives us more versatility.”

Green is 6-7 and was a five-star recruit in the 2024 class. He played just three snaps in LSU’s win over Ole Miss but had a 12-yard touchdown to put LSU on the board. On the year, Green has three catches for 22 yards and a score.

The talent is undeniable and as LSU progresses further into the year, more depth is needed. Green can provide that on offense.

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Ranking LSU’s 5 most impactful players at the midway point of the 2024 season

At the midway point, which five players have been most critical to LSU’s success?

With six games in the books, LSU is 5-1 at the midway point of its regular season. LSU is one win away from bowl eligibility, but the Tigers have much bigger goals than that.

LSU notched its biggest win of the year on Saturday, upsetting No. 9 Ole Miss in front of a packed Tiger Stadium crowd. The win jolted LSU back into the playoff discussion while delivering a blow to the Rebels’ title odds.

Here, we’ll take a look at LSU’s five most impactful players through the first six games. A few names on this list are playing as expected. We knew a guy like [autotag]Will Campbell[/autotag] would have a big year. But we’ll also look at the defensive side of the ball, where stars have emerged.

If LSU wants to make the playoff and compete for the SEC, it will need these five players to continue to play like stars.

1. QB Garrett Nussmeier

Nussmeier had big shoes to fill stepping in for Heisman winner [autotag]Jayden Daniels[/autotag], but he’s delivered so far.

Nussmeier is nearing 2,000 yards on the year and surpassed 300 yards in five of six starts. Nussmeier’s thrown 18 touchdowns and ran for two more.

The play isn’t perfect and Nussmeier lacks the rushing ability Daniels had, but Nussmeier’s best moments are brilliant.

He makes NFL throws, showcasing arm strength, accuracy, and anticipation. Nussmeier struggled early against Ole Miss but was flawless late in the fourth quarter and in overtime. LSU has a QB that can the plays to will its team to a win.

2. EDGE Bradyn Swinson

LSU needed a star to emerge in its front seven and that’s exactly what Bradyn Swinson’s done in 2024.

Swinson is tied for the SEC lead with 25 pressures and leads the conference with seven sacks. He’s strong against the run too, notching 16 stops.

Swinson’s best moments come right when LSU needs them. He did it against South Carolina and he did it again vs. Ole Miss, shooting the gap to make a stop on fourth and one and force a turnover.

Ole Miss QB Jaxson Dart was under pressure all night and Swinson’s efforts deserve most of the credit.

If LSU keeps getting this level of play from Swinson, the defense will continue its upward trend.

3. WR Kyren Lacy

Kyren Lacy isn’t putting up the numbers Malik Nabers did last year, but he’s giving LSU what it needs from a No. 1 receiver.

Lacy went over the 100-yard mark in each of his last two games. His biggest moment of the year came in overtime against Ole Miss, where Lacy won a one-on-one battle with an Ole Miss DB to secure the game-winning touchdown.

On the year, Lacy ranks fifth in the SEC with 463 receiving yards. His six touchdowns are tied for the most in the conference.

4. LT Will Campbell

Campbell is LSU’s best player and should be one of the first players off the board in the 2025 NFL Draft. He’s in his third year as a starter after winning the left tackle job as a true freshman.

Campbell is in the midst of another all-conference campaign. Campbell is yet to allow a sack and his PFF pass-blocking grade of 84.9 is one of the best in the SEC.

Few QBs are kept as clean as Garrett Nussmeier and Campbell plays a large part in that.

5. LB Whit Weeks

LSU’s linebackers struggled last year. When DC [autotag]Blake Baker[/autotag] arrived at LSU this year, there wasn’t just excitement about what he’d do with the defense, but also the impact he’d make on the linebacker room.

Baker developed Damone Clark into one of the SEC’s best linebackers at LSU in 2021 and now Weeks is making a similar jump in 2024.

Weeks’ 32 stops lead all SEC linebackers and his 10 pressures are tied for second among the same group. LSU knew Weeks was talented, but a breakout campaign of this magnitude, this soon, is a pleasant surprise.

Few players were as critical to LSU’s success in the Ole Miss win than Weeks.

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3 LSU players earn weekly honors from SEC after big-time win over Ole Miss

Three LSU players received weekly SEC awards, including Offensive Player of the Week Garrett Nussmeier.

In the biggest game of the week on the SEC schedule in Week 7, LSU emerged victorious over Ole Miss.

It wasn’t a perfect game for the Tigers, who battled offensive inefficiency all night and never led until the final whistle. But they hung around to get the game to overtime, and after giving up a field goal, [autotag]Garrett Nussmeier[/autotag] ended the game with a touchdown pass to [autotag]Kyren Lacy[/autotag].

As a result, Tigers players headline the SEC Players of the Week. In total, three LSU stars were honored.

Nussmeier has been named the SEC Offensive Player of the Week after throwing for 337 yards and three touchdowns. He had a pair of interceptions and completed just 22 of 51 passes, but he made the big plays when it mattered late in the game.

Meanwhile, [autotag]Whit Weeks[/autotag] is the SEC Defensive Player of the Week after totaling a career-high 18 tackles, two of which were for loss, and a sack. [autotag]Bradyn Swinson[/autotag] is the Defensive Lineman of the Week totaling eight tackles (also a career-high for him) with 2.5 for loss and a pair of sacks.

The Tigers are continuing to improve and now find themselves back in the College Football Playoff race. They’ll look to keep things rolling when they travel to face Arkansas in Week 8 on Saturday night.

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LSU climbs into top 10 in AP Top 25 after upset win over Ole Miss

The Tigers are now a consensus top-10 team after their overtime win over the Rebels.

LSU kept its College Football Playoff hopes alive with one of the most significant wins of the [autotag]Brian Kelly[/autotag] era on Saturday night against Ole Miss.

In a game they never led until it was over, the Tigers hung around and managed to make enough timely plays to get the game to overtime despite offensive inefficiency. After forcing a field goal, [autotag]Garrett Nussmeier[/autotag] won the game with a 25-yard passing touchdown to [autotag]Kyren Lacy[/autotag].

With the win, LSU is the biggest climber in the AP Top 25 after Week 7, moving up five spots into the top 10 and coming in at No. 8. The Tigers also rank No. 8 in the US LBM Coaches Poll, though they entered the week ranked in the top 10.

The Tigers will be a consensus top-10 team when they hit the road to face Arkansas in Week 8. Here’s the full AP Top 25 after Week 7.

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