Running back
Showing great patience and a penchant for taking what the defense gives him, Nick Brossette followed up his performance against Miami with another quality performance. Brossette even showed his ability in the passing game early in the first quarter. Finishing with 137 yards, Brossette shows yet again that he’s the focal point of this offense.
He’s not overly aggressive, and he’s not going to do many flashy things. However, he’ll take what the defense gives him, and he did that time and time again by making quality cuts on zone runs that got that maximum out of each and every play.
Clyde Edwards-Helaire also got quite a few carries, and he continues to grow. Edwards-Helaire had a big run called back on a penalty, and showed some nice agility and vision on his cuts.
RB MVP: Nick Brossette
Receivers
I have to give props to Stephen Sullivan for going up and getting the Hail Mary at the end of the first half. His best role is winning 50/50 balls, and it’s great to see him performing well.
Ja’Marr Chase again performed well, and showed some nice moves after the catch on his touchdown catch to begin the scoring for the LSU football team. We also got a tight end sighting! Foster Moreau found weak spots in the zone on both his receptions. Moreau needs to be a larger part of this offense going forward.
Receiver MVP: Ja’Marr Chase
Offensive Line
Not only was this line missing a starter at right tackle in Adrian Magee, but they were also missing a suspended left tackle Saahdiq Charles. With two replacements in the starting lineup, this offensive line performed admirably; however, a holding penalty and a big chop block penalty held this offense back from reaching their full potential on the night.
Austin Deculus performed well stepping in for Saahdiq Charles. He showed a great ability to pick up stunts and had a solid performance in the run game. We saw some improvements on the interior, as well. Garrett Brumfield did well on stunts with Deculus, Lloyd Cushenberry had another solid game at center, and Damien Lewis seems to be improving with more playing time. Damien Lewis’ chop block penalty in the second half negated a big Edwards-Helaire run, and halted the offense’s best chance to score until late in the fourth quarter.
One player not improving with more time is Badara Traore. He’s the weak spot on this line, and the LSU football coaching staff knows this, as they consistently give him running back help on passing downs. Traore gave up pressure on a few passing plays, and halted two scoring drives with holding penalties. He must improve quickly, as the competition will be more fierce next week against Auburn.
Offensive Line MVP: Austin Deculus