Another week. Another spirited defensive performance. Another disappointing letdown from the LSU offense in a perfect situation.
This time it was Garrett Nussmeier faltering down the stretch, with an interception in the end zone setting up Arkansas for a 16-13 win in overtime at Tiger Stadium. LSU falls to 4-6 (2-5 SEC) and Arkansas climbs to 7-3 (3-4 SEC).
LSU remains two games shy of bowl eligibility with only two games left to play.
With all that in mind, here are my three quick takeaways following yet another close loss.
━━━━
LSU HAS A DECISION TO MAKE
The quarterback change went the way Ed Orgeron said it would. Max Johnson started the game, and Garrett Nussmeier took over after a few series.
Whichever QB played better would get the rest of the game, and LSU's coach was quick to pin the freshman to that responsibility as he came off the field at halftime. But the spark brought by the QB change fizzled after a drive for a field goal and a highlight touchdown to Jack Bech. The play-calling gets some credit for that. Another promising drive ended on a wildcat play with Ty Davis-Price failing to handle a wild snap behind center.
But Nussmeier was largely ineffective after those scoring drives. Cade York missed a long field goal, but was true on the game-tying kick later on. That was all of the scoring for the Tigers the rest of the way. Nussmeier had his good moments and bad moments, even in overtime. He took a bad sack to set up a 3rd and 20, then converted for a first down with a 24-yard pass to Malik Nabers. But that drive ended with a poorly thrown fade that was intercepted, setting up Arkansas' kick for the win.
If Nussmeier had definitively won the job, Orgeron said he'd have no issue making the young QB the starter for the final two games. But the performance didn't feel definitive. Nussmeier is now at the limit of games he can appear in before losing his ability to redshirt.
Related
Orgeron isn't worried about how many years the young QB can play in college. Nussmeier himself wants to play. One person that might not want him to play? LSU's next head coach, whomever that is.
It could go either way, and the Tigers still have work to do to gain bowl eligibility. It's a decision that could make or break that mission over the final two games.
━━━━
DEFENSE WASTED, NOT FORGOTTEN
There are a lot of ways you can choose to look at this season. It's a failure at countless levels. It's the end of a coaching era. It's disappointing result after disappointing result.
But while their performances the last two weeks have ultimately been wasted, this has been a legendary two-game performance from an undermanned and undermotivated Tigers defense.
This group is playing for nothing but pride and positive game tape. Getting to a bowl won't rank highly on the memories of many outside the program, even if it's an important goal for a roster that's been ravaged by injuries and internal turmoil. But their performances in a narrow loss to Alabama in Tuscaloosa, and against Arkansas a week later, have been nothing short of remarkable.
Arkansas' vaunted rushing attack was held in check, with running backs accounting for only 103 yards. A large chunk of that came on a meaningless run before halftime. Led by veterans Damone Clark and Micah Baskerville, LSU held the Razorbacks to just 3 points in the first half. After that field goal allowed to open the game, the defense shut down eight consecutive Razorbacks possessions, six of those punts came after four or fewer offensive plays.
Do your job? The defense has done that and more. It's time for the offense to step up.
━━━━
SOMEBODY HIT SOMEBODY
We saw it happen against Auburn's Bo Nix and Kentucky's Will Levis. When the quarterback extended the play, particularly outside the pocket, LSU's defense would get completely shredded.
But then came matchups with Florida's Emory Jones and Anthony Richardson, Ole Miss and Matt Corral, Alabama and Bryce Young. It appeared the Tigers had finally ironed out their issues containing quarterbacks outside the pocket.
That idea was shattered Saturday night in Death Valley, with Arkansas quarterback KJ Jefferson extending, extending and putting daggers into the LSU defense at inopportune moments throughout the second half. The Razorbacks were still limited to just 13 points well into the fourth quarter, but LSU's inability to take down the QB is what prevented a complete lockdown performance.
Even star LSU linebacker Damone Clark was a guilty party. He appeared to have Jefferson dead to rights on a blitz, but the Arkansas QB spun out. With all the pressure, he was able to loft a ball up to running back Dominique Johnson -- WIDE OPEN -- for a long touchdown that tied the score. In overtime, with a pair of chances for stops in the backfield to make a potential game-winning field goal a bit longer, Jefferson picked his way for positive gains.
There are a lot of things that went wrong this season. Not containing QBs is pretty low on the list of concerns. But it's a problem that hasn't been corrected, nonetheless.