LSU took care of Vanderbilt Saturday night with a 41-7 victory over the Commodores. There were a lot of positives for the Tigers on this night, but there are also some concerns that showed up on tape. Here is a collection of my thoughts after the game.
Brennan looked a lot better:
Myles Brennan was far from looking sharp against Mississippi State, his first start since high school, but he bounced back against a decent Vanderbilt defense on Saturday. Brennan did a better job of reading coverages and recognizing blitzes pre-snap, and it resulted in a more efficient performance in only his second start. Brennan also showed more poise and pocket awareness, allowing him to avoid some pressure and find receivers down field. He did a great job of spreading the ball around and not settling on a receiver. If he continues to improve, the offense should be just fine down the road.
Offensive line responded:
The offensive line turned in a sub-par performance in week 1, drawing the ire of Ed Orgeron is interviews throughout the week, but the unit responded in both pass protection and in the running game against the Commodores. Ed Ingram and Chasen Hines were especially good on the interior, often paving the way for LSU backs on inside zone running plays. The unit deserves an "A" grade for this week's performance.
Emery emerges:
We have all been waiting for John Emery to step up and show signs of being the elite back LSU signed in the 2019 class. Emery ran decisively, showed explosiveness and a burst that no other LSU back possesses. He was also a weapon in the passing game. LSU will likely use a committee approach throughout the year, but expect Emery to get more and more touches if he continues to play like he did on Saturday night.
Slowly getting Arik Gilbert more involved:
It is obvious LSU is trying to feature Arik Gilbert, but the production has been somewhat limited through two weeks. Nevertheless, Gilbert has been a nice contributor and is giving defenses enough to think about moving forward. But LSU and Myles Brennan would be best served getting the dynamic freshman even more involved moving forward. Brennan desperately needs a security blanket in this offense, and Gilbert looks like he is starting to warm up.
Can we crown Ali Gaye already:
I know--B.J. Ojulari has the prince's crown, but Gaye has been the king in the first two weeks. The junior college defensive end has been a pleasant surprise in his first two games for LSU in both the running game and when rushing the passer. Gaye's emergence, along with the strong play of Andre Anthony gives LSU a solid duo of defensive ends--one of the positions with the most question marks when the season began.
Freshmen defensive linemen making an impact:
LSU head coach Ed Orgeron has to be ecstatic with the way his new defensive linemen are playing early in their careers. Gaye has been magnificent, but the play of freshman defensive end BJ Ojulari and freshman defensive tackle Jaquelin Roy against Vanderbilt can have a major impact on the longterm success of Orgeron's team. Roy did a good job of shedding blocks and being disruptive in run support, while Ojulair showed that he plays fast and possesses good play recognition, sniffing out a screen in the contest.
Stingley is now a weapon:
Derek Stingley returned to action on Saturday night, but he wasn't targeted much in the passing game. But Stingley impacted the game with a trio of good punt returns, one of which provided the fans with a glimpse of what the sophomore can do with the ball in his hands. Expect him to be tested more as the season progresses, and also expect to see more outstanding punt returns from the nation's top player. His ability in the return game could prove to be vital in future SEC clashes.
York is solid:
LSU has a kicker they can rely on in Cade York. The sophomore kicker has proven to be a weapon for this team that they can rely on when it counts. The Tigers have a history of solid special teams play and a good kicking game. York is the next great kicker in Baton Rouge and he's going to be here awhile.
18 needs to be more disciplined:
Starting middle linebacker Damone Clark has some issues to shore up for this defense to take the next step as a unit. Clark's eyes continue to get him in trouble and he is losing gap integrity way too often. He is still working his way into a new system as the starting middle linebacker, so it should come as no surprise that he is making some errors, but the Tigers don't have a ton of time to wait for him to put it all together.
Jabril Cox needs to be more stout:
Cox is a great athlete, often flashing his fluidity and sideline to sideline speed, but he has shown a weakness in his game that teams will exploit--a lack of physicality at the point of attack. Cox often avoids blockers and struggles with stonewalling ball carriers at the point of impact. It is obvious on film and others are likely to run at him until he shows that he can be more affective in filling his gap.
