Kyren Lacy – Page 3 – Syndication Server

5 stats that defined LSU’s Week 3 win over South Carolina

These five stats defined LSU’s hard-fought win over South Carolina.

LSU went on the road in week three and squeaked out a win in South Carolina. It wasn’t a smooth ride, but playing on the road in this conference is tough. Look no further than No. 1 Georgia struggled at Kentucky for more evidence of that.

The Tigers are now 2-1 on the year and 1-0 in conference play. A loss would have all but ended LSU’s playoff hopes. Now, LSU gets to return home for a couple of weeks before the schedule heats up again.

LSU gets UCLA in Week 4 followed by South Alabama in Week 5. The Tigers should be heavy favorites in both contests. That’s a relief for a team still figuring some things out.

LSU looked to be a sinking ship early on against South Carolina. The Gamecocks led 17-0 early in the first quarter, but LSU weathered the storm and took control of momentum heading into halftime.

It was a game full of mistakes, but it’s hard to be displeased with LSU fighting to get a close win.

Here are five stats that tell the story of LSU’s win over South Carolina.

South Carolina’s -0.49 EPA/drop back

The passing game isn’t South Carolina’s strong suit. But at points over the last two years, LSU’s secondary was just what a struggling air attack wanted to see.

That wasn’t the case on Saturday as LSU took care of business on the back end. Whether it was LaNorris Sellers or Robby Ashford, neither Gamecock QB threatened with their arm.

South Carolina completed 11 passes for 114 yards on the day. Sellers and Ashford both posted negative EPA totals, according to GameOnPaper.com.

It was a win for LSU’s young secondary.

LSU’s explosive play rate: 10%

LSU’s offense was efficient the first two weeks, but it lacked an explosiveness element. The Tigers took a step forward in that department on Saturday.

LSU posted an explosive play rate of 10% against South Carolina, putting the Tigers in the 70th percentile.

It was a balanced attack with four big plays through the air and three on the ground.

LSU’s 48% success rate on passing downs

Every offense will encounter situations where the defense knows it’s a passing situation. How those downs are handled goes a long way toward determining a football game.

LSU excelled in those spots on Saturday. On passing downs, LSU posted a success rate of 48%.

That was well above the mark of 26% put up by South Carolina. This is a positive indicator for LSU’s improving passing attack.

11 havoc plays

South Carolina was ripping LSU apart on the ground. The defense needed some big plays to make up for it.

LSU got them, coming up with 11 havoc plays for a havoc rate of 18%. That put LSU in the 91st percentile.

The LSU defense generated nine tackles for loss and five sacks. LSU DE Bradyn Swinson led the charge and was a factor in the backfield all day.

Early in the game, cornerback Zy Alexander came up with a key interception that helped slow the Gamecock momentum.

Caden Durham: 7 forced missed tackles

LSU running back Caden Durham forced seven missed tackles on just 11 carries. That mark ranked third among SEC rushers in week three. The only two players with more both carried it 20+ times.

Durham injected life into a struggling LSU rushing attack. Four of those 11 carries were 10+ yards and Durham averaged 8.9 yards per carry. When giving Durham the game ball, Brian Kelly said “You gotta break some tackles.”

Durham did just that and averaged 4.55 yards after contact per carry.

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Aaron Anderson emerging as key piece of LSU’s offense

LSU receiver Aaron Anderson is emerging as one of the SEC’s best.

LSU head coach [autotag]Brian Kelly[/autotag] said it after the loss to USC: Wide receiver [autotag]Aaron Anderson[/autotag] had a breakout game.

Anderson’s season-opening performance wasn’t a one-hit wonder. The redshirt sophomore is LSU’s leading receiver after three games with 15 catches for 223 yards.

With four catches for 20+ yards, Anderson is LSU’s top big play rate. That mark is below [autotag]Malik Nabers[/autotag]’ rate from last year, but Anderson still ranks 33rd nationally in 20+ yard catches.

Kyren Lacy entered the year as LSU’s certified WR1 — and he still is. Lacy can’t do it alone, though. LSU needed someone else in the receiver room to emerge as an impact player. Anderson found that role.

Anderson’s 96 yards against South Carolina were a career high. His three games this season are the three highest receiving totals of his career.

According to PFF, Anderson owns the fourth-best receiving grade in the SEC after Week 3. Anderson is yet to drop a ball and his 3.6 yards per route run is one of the most efficient marks in the conference.

https://twitter.com/FF_TravisM/status/1835023557270917613

This shouldn’t be a surprise. Anderson was a five-star in the class of 2022 and began his career at Alabama. An injury forced a redshirt his freshman year and he was buried on the depth chart at LSU in 2023. Now with a real opportunity, he’s making the most of it.

Anderson’s strength is his speed. Last year, LSU tried to get the ball in his hands underneath and let him make a play. In 2024, Anderson is threatening defenses all over the field. He’s working deep over the middle and down the sideline.

Nussmeier’s trust in No. 1 is evident.

For this LSU offense to reach its ceiling, Anderson needs to continue on this pace. If defenses manage to take LSU’s top target in Lacy away, Nussmeier needs to have a reliable option elsewhere.

[autotag]Mason Taylor[/autotag] has proved to be that guy in some cases, but he can’t stretch the field like Anderson can.

Lacy, Anderson and Taylor have emerged as a formidable receiver trio for LSU. That should have fans feeling good about this passing attack moving forward.

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5 takeaways from LSU’s thrilling win over South Carolina

Here are five takeaways from LSU’s thrilling win over South Carolina as the Tigers move to 1-0 in SEC play.

LSU did its best to give every Tiger fan a heart attack, but came out of South Carolina with a 36-33 win to start 1-0 in SEC play.

It was a rough first quarter and change with the Gamecocks jumping out to a 17-0 lead. That run was capped after South Carolina blocked a punt to set up a one-play touchdown drive.

LSU managed to settle down after that and respond with a score of its own. The Tigers seized momentum and went into halftime down eight. LSU’s defense pitched a shutout in the third quarter and allowed LSU to take a lead early in the fourth.

But South Carolina wasn’t done. The Gamecocks took the lead back as the LSU offense sputtered. Eventually, Nussmeier and crew got it together to lead a go-ahead drive in the final minutes of the fourth quarter.

This one was stressful but it’s not easy to play on the road in the SEC. LSU showed resilience and got the win. Here are five takeaways from LSU’s three-point win.

Caden Durham injects life into the run game

LSU struggled to run the ball the first two weeks of the season and early today, the story began to repeat. Then LSU got Caden Durham involved.

Durham, a true-freshman, was one of the top running back recruits in the class. We just didn’t know when LSU would start to feature Durham in the offense, but with LSU needing a shot of life on the ground, the Tigers turned to the youngster.

A 26-yard burst from Durham put LSU on the board in the first half. It was the type of explosive play LSU’s been searching for all year.

Durham continued to rip off chunks on the ground and finished with 11 carries for 98 yards and two scores.

Expect Durham to be a central part of this offense moving forward.

Nussmeier overcomes mistake

With a chance to take the lead in the fourth quarter, LSU QB Garrett Nussmeier threw a pick. It was a rare mistake in an otherwise clean season for LSU’s QB1.

When LSU got the ball back, Nussmeier responded. A shot to [autotag]Kyren Lacy[/autotag] set LSU up to take the lead.

Nussmeier was far from perfect on Saturday, but he made enough plays to get LSU the win. He finished 24 of 40 for 261 yards and two scores.

Bradyn Swinson has a day

LSU needed a playmaker to step up on defense. Today, that was veteran defensive end [autotag]Bradyn Swinson[/autotag].

Swinson finished with three sacks and a forced fumble. He was a problem for South Carolina’s offensive line all game.

Big things were expected from Swinson after he emerged late in 2023. LSU’s defense is inconsistent, which means the Tigers need havoc plays of their own to balance it out. Swinson provided that havoc on Saturday.

LSU defense makes the most of passing downs

It wasn’t a pretty day for the LSU defense. South Carolina was efficient on the ground and averaged over seven yards per play, but LSU took advantage when it pinned the Gamecocks in obvious passing downs.

South Carolina’s success rate on passing downs was just 26%. It’s unfair to expect this defense to be perfect from down to down. DC [autotag]Blake Baker[/autotag] is still figuring it out with a slew of young players, but LSU needs to make the most of advantageous situations.

LSU can threaten defenses all over the field

We’ve been waiting for LSU to find an explosive element in the passing game and it appeared on Saturday.

Nussmeier showed a willingness to push the ball down the field, allowing [autotag]Aaron Anderson[/autotag] and Lacy to make some big plays.

LSU misses Malik Nabers and Brian Thomas Jr, but it remains with a talented group of receivers. Anderson, Lacy, [autotag]Mason Taylor[/autotag] and [autotag]CJ Daniels[/autotag] all crossed 50 yards receiving with Lacy and Taylor scoring.

LSU’s depth at WR makes this offense tough to defend. No matter how defenses elect to cover LSU, there’s a mismatch somewhere.

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Instant Analysis: LSU comes back to avoid upset against South Carolina

The Tigers overcame a 17-0 deficit against the Gamecocks, but Saturday’s win certainly raised questions.

For most of Saturday’s game at South Carolina, it looked like LSU was heading for one of the worst losses of the [autotag]Brian Kelly[/autotag] era.

The Tigers found themselves in a three-score deficit, but a hot close to the first half and start to the second fueled a comeback. LSU held on to win 36-33 and avoid the upset after South Carolina missed a 49-yard field goal that would have sent the game to overtime as the clock expired.

The Tigers fell behind early, dropping into a 17-0 hole in the first half in part thanks to a blocked punt that set up an easy Gamecocks touchdown. LSU fought back before half, leading three consecutive scoring drives to end the second quarter including a touchdown to cut it to one score with 1:20 to play.

The extra point was botched after a bad hold, however, and the Tigers went to the locker room down eight.

The offensive momentum continued out of the gate, with LSU driving down to set up a first and goal from the two on its opening possession of the second half. Though it was held out of the end zone with a fourth down stop, it scored a touchdown on its ensuing drive from true freshman running back [autotag]Caden Durham[/autotag] — his second of the game — but failed to convert the game-tying two-pointer.

After forcing a quick stop, the Tigers didn’t squander another goal-to-go opportunity as [autotag]Garrett Nussmeier[/autotag] found [autotag]Mason Taylor[/autotag] for a go-ahead touchdown pass on the first play of the fourth quarter.

That lead wouldn’t last long, however. On the following possession, South Carolina’s Raheim Sanders broke a 66-yard touchdown run, and while the Gamecocks missed their two-point try to go up three, they still recaptured a slim 30-29 lead.

LSU tried to answer, but things went from bad to worse when a miscommunication led to a mistimed snap and turnover in its own territory, allowing South Carolina to stretch the lead to four with a field goal.

The Tigers were gifted a massive opportunity when a fumble from Robby Ashford, who entered for an injured LaNorris Sellers, gave them the ball in the red zone. But the opportunity was again wasted as [autotag]Garrett Nussmeier[/autotag] threw a bad interception at the goal line that was returned 100 yards the opposite way.

A penalty called back what would have been a dagger pick-six, but the Gamecocks still took over with less than six minutes to play.

After the South Carolina offense continued to struggle to move the ball, LSU got something going in the final minutes set up by an impressive sideline catch from [autotag]Kyren Lacy[/autotag], and [autotag]Josh Williams[/autotag] capped it off with a two-yard go-ahead touchdown with just 1:12 to play.

South Carolina managed to get the ball down to the LSU 31, but the game-tying quick sailed just left.

Despite earning the win, there were plenty of concerns for the Tigers, especially on defense, where they allowed 243 yards and four touchdowns on the ground. They struggled to contain Sellers, who had 88 yards and two scores with his legs before he left the game with an injury. Sellers struggled through the air, and Ashford did after replacing him, as well.

Offensively, there were some bright spots. Durham emerged as the team’s leading rusher, finishing with 98 yards and two scores on 11 carries, while Nussmeier made some big plays but struggled with efficiency and made some questionable decisions.

Still, he finished with 285 yards and two touchdowns through the air, along with one interception.

LSU has quite a bit to work on, and it will get a break from SEC play next week as it hosts UCLA in a matchup against a Big Ten opponent in Baton Rouge.

LSU vs South Carolina: What to watch for as Tigers open SEC play

Can LSU get it going on the ground? How does LSU manage personnel on defense? Here’s what to watch for when LSU faces South Carolina.

2024 continues to be a mirror image of 2023 for the LSU Tigers football team.

Both years opened with a neutral site loss on Sunday night to a big-name opponent. Both seasons followed that up with a Week 2 win over a Louisiana FCS school. Now, Week 3 features an SEC road trip against a team projected to finish near the bottom of the SEC.

Last year it was Mississippi State. This year, LSU travels further east to face South Carolina.

According to BetMGM, LSU is a seven-point favorite. A smaller line than the double-digit look-ahead spread posted in the summer. The loss to USC and first-half struggles against Nicholls brought the skeptics out, but head coach [autotag]Brian Kelly[/autotag] reiterated his confidence in this team.

South Carolina shouldn’t be a measuring stick for LSU, but the Tigers need to show they can take care of business on the road against a less talented squad.

Here’s what to watch for when LSU and South Carolina kick off on Saturday.

When LSU has the ball

When LSU’s on offense, I’ll be looking for two things:

Can LSU run the ball?
Can LSU generate explosive plays?

The fact that we have to ask the first question is a surprise. LSU’s offensive line was projected to be one of the nation’s best, and while it has held up in pass protection, LSU is yet to get a consistent push on the ground.

LSU ranks 112th nationally in rushing success rate and 89th with 3.93 yards per carry. Both marks are below the gaudy numbers posted last year and short of what’s expected of a team with this much talent.

The Tigers miss [autotag]Jayden Daniels[/autotag]’ dual-threat ability and lack a feature running back, but with two first-round tackles and veteran guards, the offensive line should be creating lanes.

South Carolina’s defensive front is strong, but it’s better at rushing the passer than it is at stopping the run. The Gamecocks stuff rate is in the 23rd percentile and their EPA/rush allowed is slightly above average.

If LSU can’t run the ball on Saturday, it signals concern for the remainder of 2024.

As for the second question, LSU needs to be more explosive. The Tigers are one or two more explosive plays from being 2-0. LSU struggled in the red zone vs. USC and the easiest way to fix that is scoring before you even get there.

LSU’s offense made its living on deep shots to [autotag]Malik Nabers[/autotag] and [autotag]Brian Thomas Jr.[/autotag] in 2023. I understand the personnel is different, but Nussmeier has the arm to push it down the field.

With a defense that’s still finding its way, LSU needs to be explosive enough to keep up in a potential shootout.

Following the USC loss, Kelly said LSU needs to keep [autotag]Kyren Lacy[/autotag] involved throughout the game. We’ll see if OC [autotag]Joe Sloan[/autotag] dials anything up for his top receiver on Saturday.

When South Carolina has the ball

That Week 3 game against Mississippi State was LSU’s best defensive performance in 2023. The Tigers took advantage of a defense that wasn’t as talented.

It didn’t mean much the rest of the year as the unit regressed back to what it was in the Week 1 loss to Florida State, but it showed LSU had the pieces to bully a less talented team.

LSU hopes for a similar result tomorrow.

South Carolina’s offense struggled last year and then lost Spencer Rattler and Xavier Leggette — its top two players. Rebuilding a unit is hard, especially when you lose the stars.

LaNorris Sellers took over for Rattler and is yet to show anything particularly impressive. The offensive line is improved, but they didn’t have to do much to cross the low bar set in 2023. When it comes to the pass catchers, South Carolina is still searching for the next WR1 after Leggette’s departure.

This is the rare opportunity for the LSU defense to face an SEC offense with an equal amount of questions and concerns.

I’ll be keeping an eye on how LSU manages its personnel. Kelly said that linebacker [autotag]Whit Weeks[/autotag] is too good to keep off the field and we could see [autotag]Major Burns[/autotag] play some safety, allowing LSU to get three backers on the field.

On the backend, [autotag]Sage Ryan[/autotag] is expected to play safety, opening time for [autotag]Zy Alexander[/autotag] and [autotag]PJ Woodland[/autotag] at corner.

LSU needs to ensure this isn’t the game South Carolina figures it out. The Tigers have the talent and speed to get stops here.

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Stock Up, Stock Down: LSU wins first game of the season against Nicholls

Let’s look at who saw their stock rise and who saw their stock fall in the win over the Colonels.

Let me say this upfront, this team has some issues. I have no idea what the Tigers coaching staff needs to do to fix those issues either. Just like last year’s team, this team can not run the football. LSU has two of the top offensive tackles in the country and some solid starting linemen but can’t provide the push it needs to run the ball.

It’s not like LSU was taking on an SEC opponent or USC again, this is Nicholls State. If there is a team you would think you can impose your will on, it would be these guys. Yet the Tigers were only able to run the ball 21 times for 64 yards. Three yards per carry against a non-Division I team is atrocious. Sure, [autotag]Garrett Nussmeier[/autotag] and the LSU passing game are good, but they need the run game to help open up the passing game.

Let’s look at who saw their stock rise and who saw their stock fall in this game.

Stock Down: The Run Game

LSU has to find a way to run the football. This was a huge problem in 2023 but [autotag]Jayden Daniels[/autotag] was able to pick up a lot of that slack. The Tigers need to run the ball with their actual running backs instead of their quarterbacks.

Stock Up: Kyren Lacy

For the second week in a row, [autotag]Kyren Lacy[/autotag] had a great game. He finished the night with five receptions for 65 yards and three touchdowns.

Stock Up: Greg Penn III

[autotag]Greg Penn III[/autotag] was all over the field for the Tigers’ defense. He finished the night with the most tackles on the team as he had nine tackles.

Stock Up: Garrett Nussmeier

Another great night for Nussmeier as he was nearly perfect. He finished the game after going 27-for-37 for 302 yards and six touchdowns. He definitely did not get “outplayed” this week.

Stock Down: Injuries

The last thing this team needs is to have a lot of injuries. [autotag]Jacobian Guillory[/autotag] left the game with an injury and did not return. He was later seen in a wheelchair with a cast on his leg. Nussmeier and Lacy also exited the game with injuries for moments as well. LSU needs to stay healthy.

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5 takeaways from LSU’s win over Nicholls State in Week 2

LSU is in the win column in 2024. Here are five takeaways from the Tigers win over Nicholls.

LSU football got its first win of the 2024 campaign as the Tigers returned home to host Nicholls State on Saturday night. Brian Kelly’s group took some time to find their footing, but LSU pulled away in the second half for a final score of 44-21.

It was the opening night for Tiger Stadium’s 100th anniversary season and Tiger fans were treated to a brand new video board, new LED lights, and an improved sound system.

On the field, LSU QB [autotag]Garrett Nussmeier[/autotag] led the way with six touchdowns. Three of those went to WR [autotag]Kyren Lacy[/autotag], who paired the scores with five catches for 65 yards.

LSU is still waiting for its run game to wake up, with [autotag]Josh Williams[/autotag] and [autotag]Kaleb Jackson[/autotag] pacing the team with just 19 yards apiece.

It was a thrilling day around the sport, but luckily for Tiger fans, LSU avoided the chaos.

The win should help stabilize LSU as it opens conference play against South Carolina next week. Here are five takeaways from LSU’s win over Nicholls State.

Sloppy start for the Tigers

LSU expects to have its way with an FCS opponent. That’s not what happened in the first half and it was another sloppy start for the Tigers.

LSU picked up a first down but failed to score on the first drive. The offense eventually picked it up, but it wasn’t smooth sailing the first two quarters.

The bigger concern was on the defensive side of the ball. Nicholls was more physical than LSU up front, methodically moving down the field and controlling the football.

Nicholls didn’t throw a single incompletion in the first half and LSU didn’t do much to make the Colonels uncomfortable.

The first half was capped with a special teams error as [autotag]Damian Ramos[/autotag] pushed a field goal right.

A few injury scares

You want to exit these buy games healthy, but LSU had a few scares on Saturday night.

Nussmeier and Lacy both left the game to receive attention from the trainers. Both players returned, but seeing two key pieces on the sideline wasn’t a welcome sight for LSU fans.

The bigger concern is defensive tackle [autotag]Jacobian Guillory[/autotag], who left the game and was later seen in a cast and wheelchair.

LSU is already thin at defensive tackle and Guillory is the only proven DT on the roster. If LSU is without Guillory for an extended period of time, it changes the outlook for LSU up front.

Ju’Juan Johnson makes his RB debut

[autotag]Ju’Juan Johnson[/autotag] has played running back for just a few days, but you wouldn’t know that if you saw him on the field Saturday.

Johnson was a QB in high school and recruited as a DB, but with LSU’s RB growing thin, the Tigers are giving Johnson a shot. He was involved early on Saturday night, getting his first touch on LSU’s second drive.

Later in the half, Johnson caught a pass and made a few defenders miss. Not long after that, Nussmeier found Johnson for a score.

Johnson is no stranger to having the ball in his hands. He was a star quarterback at the high school level, after all.

We’ll get a better idea of LSU’s plans for Johnson next week. Were the Tigers just using an FCS opponent to get him some reps or does he factor into LSU’s rotation in conference play?

Aaron Anderson continues to emerge

We knew Lacy, [autotag]CJ Daniels[/autotag] and [autotag]Mason Taylor[/autotag] would factor into this offense, but there was suspense surrounding LSU’s fourth receiver.

[autotag]Chris Hilton Jr.[/autotag] was the obvious candidate, but he’s missed the first two games with an injury. In Hilton’s absence, [autotag]Aaron Anderson[/autotag] has stepped up,

[autotag]Brian Kelly[/autotag] said the redshirt sophomore had a breakout game last week and Anderson produced again on Saturday night. The numbers weren’t gaudy, but Anderson caught five passes for 63 yards.

LSU doesn’t need Anderson to be a gamebreaker, but he’s on pace for a 762 yard season after two games. That’ll do.

Questions remain entering conference play

LSU got it together in the second half, but there will be anxiety entering conference play. LSU’s SEC schedule gets underway with a road trip to South Carolina next week. The Gamecocks impressed on Saturday with an emphatic win over Kentucky.

If South Carolina repeats that performance and LSU comes out flat again, LSU won’t like the result next week.

LSU should feel good about its passing game, but health at receiver is a minor concern. The run game is the biggest question on LSU’s offense. The depth at RB is worth monitoring and LSU’s offensive line will be tested again next week after it struggled against USC.

On defense, LSU is still working out its rotation in the secondary. LSU likes what it has with [autotag]Ashton Stamps[/autotag] and [autotag]PJ Woodland[/autotag] at corner, but both are young and mistakes are inevitable.

Up front, the Guillory injury complicates things even further.

LSU’s ceiling is still the College Football Playoff, but its impossible not to ask a few questions after LSU’s 1-1 start.

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LSU pulls away in second half to beat Nicholls in home opener

It was closer than the Tigers would have hoped, but they earned their first win of the season with a 44-21 victory over Nicholls.

It was certainly closer at times than LSU would have liked, but coach Brian Kelly’s team pulled away in the second half to beat Nicholls State 44-21 in its Week 2 home opener on Saturday night. The Tigers move to 1-1 heading into its SEC opener on the road against South Carolina, which will host College GameDay next week.

Nicholls, a ranked FCS opponent facing LSU for the first time in program history, held its own for a while. The Colonels trailed just 23-14 at halftime and cut the Tigers lead to just two early in the third, but some offensive explosion was enough for them to avoid a much scarier conclusion.

[autotag]Garrett Nussmeier[/autotag] was strong in this game, completing 27 of 37 passes for 302 yards and six touchdowns. It was a good thing he was that productive because the ground game was non-existent.

The Tigers managed just 64 yards on 21 carries, with no back exceeding 19 yards individually. That’s a concern, especially with the season-ending injury to [autotag]John Emery Jr.[/autotag]

Freshman defensive back [autotag]Ju’Juan Johnson[/autotag], who moved to running back this week, helped bridge that gap and caught a touchdown pass out of the backfield. [autotag]Kyren Lacy[/autotag], who was injured in the first half but returned, caught three touchdown passes and totaled 65 yards in the receiving game.

After giving up a big day to USC, LSU’s defensive concerns were far from alleviated in this game. While it held Nicholls under 300 yards — just barely — quarterback Pat McQuaide was efficient and avoided turnovers while Collin Guggenheim went off for 145 yards and two touchdowns on the ground.

While Lacy was able to return, LSU didn’t escape the game entirely unscathed from an injury perspective. Veteran defensive tackle [autotag]Jacobian Guillory[/autotag] exited the game, didn’t return and was later spotted on the sideline in a wheelchair with his leg in a cast.

That would be a major loss if it proves to be for a significant period.

It wasn’t exactly the performance the Tigers were hoping for, but it gave them their first win and something to build on with a South Carolina matchup looming that suddenly seems tougher than expected.

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5 things LSU can fix when it faces Nicholls in Week 2

LSU football is set to face Nicholls in Week 2. Here are five things the Tigers can improve on following the USC loss.

LSU football’s recent Week 1 losses have been followed by a familiar theme in Week 2. A “get right” game against an FCS opponent. 2024 will mark the fourth straight schedule LSU’s faced an in-state FCS foe after opening the year — and losing — to a big-name power conference opponent.

It’s not just the opponent, but this serves as a chance for LSU to get back in front of its home crowd as it makes its 2024 Tiger Stadium debut.

LSU should be able to handle Nicholls, even if the Tigers don’t bring their best. But ideally, Saturday is a chance for LSU to work out some of the kinks that led to the USC loss.

Here, we’ll look at five things to watch for when LSU takes on Nicholls. Games like this aren’t about matchups; they’re about LSU establishing an identity and executing it. If you can’t win with your bread and butter against a lesser opponent, you’re in for a long year.

1. Get a downhill running game going

LSU struggled to run the ball vs. USC. The prevailing thought was LSU would be able to show up and run it all over the Trojans. The Tigers offensive line was supposedly the best in the country and the USC defense was abysmal in 2023.

But that’s not what happened. Outside of a couple of explosive plays from John Emery, LSU struggled to establish much of anything on the ground. LSU averaged 4.5 yards per carry while 42% of its runs were stuffed for two yards or less.

Nicholls shouldn’t be much of a test at all for LSU up front, so we may not learn much. But this is a chance for LSU to figure out what it wants to be in the ground game. Without Jayden Daniels, LSU is searching for a new identity.

When it’s 3rd and 1 and they need a yard, what’s Joe Sloan’s go-to run call?

2. Does LSU scheme up ways to get Kyren Lacy the ball?

Again, Lacy won’t be tested here. He’s good enough to win one-on-one matchups with any Nicholls CB, but we might see LSU try out some ways of getting him the ball.

Lacy didn’t touch it once in the second half vs USC. That’s something Brian Kelly says can’t happen.

When Lacy isn’t getting targets in the straight drop-back passing game, is LSU innovative enough to get the ball in his hands?

That doesn’t mean just turn around and run a reverse or throw a quick screen. LSU needs to ensure it has plays that set Lacy up to be open downfield. Saturday is a good time to try some out.

3. What does the cornerback rotation look like?

In the secondary, we know [autotag]Ashton Stamps[/autotag] is CB1. Outside of that, there are questions. [autotag]Sage Ryan[/autotag] started opposite of Stamps, but Kelly has said a move back to safety may be in the fold.

If LSU does move Ryan, true freshman PJ Woodland will see more action at corner. Woodland played just nine snaps and was called for a PI, but he didn’t allow a catch and recorded a PBU.

Saturday is a big opportunity for Woodland. He should play more than nine snaps and LSU will hope to see some consistency out of the young corner.

Veteran [autotag]Zy Alexander[/autotag] is set to return soon, but LSU’s been hesitant to ramp him up to full speed as he recovers from a torn ACL.

LSU’s defense is already better than it was last year, but the size of that jump is dependent on the growth seen from the cornerbacks.

4. Who steps up at wide receiver?

LSU is expected to be without [autotag]Chris Hilton Jr.[/autotag] and [autotag]Kyle Parker[/autotag] on Saturday. That’s no different than the situation LSU found itself in last week’s second half.

Brian Kelly said receiver [autotag]Aaron Anderson[/autotag] had a breakout game vs, USC, catching five balls for 64 yards and a score. If Anderson keeps that up, he’ll be a central part of this offense moving forward.

But without Hilton, LSU needs someone who can make plays on the outside. Perhaps that’s [autotag]Shelton Sampson Jr.[/autotag]

Sampson was a five-star recruit in 2023 and Kelly said LSU needs to get him on the field. This is a good opportunity to work Sampson in before conference play starts in week three.

5. How does LSU finish drives?

Kelly’s talked about it every chance he’s gotten this week, but LSU needs to be better at finishing drives. LSU put itself in position to score touchdowns against USC but came up short.

LSU needs to look sharp in the red zone against Nicholls. This is a chance for LSU to show those red zone struggles have more to do with week one than the offense.

With a veteran QB like Nussmeier and an elite offensive line, LSU should excel when it approaches the end zone.

We talked about LSU establishing the run game and getting the ball to Lacy. Both of those would help in this area too.

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Brian Kelly says LSU needs to get Kyren Lacy more involved on offense

Here’s what LSU coach Brian Kelly said about keeping Kyren Lacy involved in the game.

LSU wide receiver [autotag]Kyren Lacy[/autotag] entered the year expecting to be LSU’s next great pass catcher. In the first half against USC, he was living up to the hype, catching seven passes for 94 yards and a score over the first two quarters.

But it was a different story in the second half as LSU failed to keep Lacy involved in the game. He was targeted just once and didn’t record a catch in the second half.

On Monday, [autotag]Brian Kelly[/autotag] discussed Lacy’s lack of production down the stretch.

“That’s clearly something Joe (Sloan) and I talked about,” Kelly said, “We need to get our best players the ball when it means the most.”

When LSU’s offense was at its best in the first half, [autotag]Garrett Nussmeier[/autotag] was in rhythm was Lacy, racking up first downs. When Lacy wasn’t as involved, the LSU offense stalled in the third quarter and the Tigers failed to put USC away when they had the lead.

https://twitter.com/SECNetwork/status/1830408391023313228

Going forward, it sounds like LSU will be ensuring Lacy is a focal point of the game plan throughout the contest.

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