Clyde Edwards-Helaire had a career night in LSU’s 56-20 win against Arkansas Saturday in Tiger Stadium.
The Doak Walker Award semifinalist needed just six carries to rush for a career-high 188 yards and three touchdowns. His final attempt of the night was an 89-yard sprint to the south end zone, the longest run of his career.
However, Edwards-Helaire almost wasn’t in on that play
“When that play went in I said ‘Hey guys don’t ya’ll think it’s time to get Clyde out?’’ Orgeron said. “They said ‘Just one more play coach.’ They felt like they were going to make a big play and that was that one play. So I’m glad we didn’t take him out.”
Edwards-Helaire had already become the 14th running back in LSU history to top the 1,000-yard mark earlier in the game, but the team lobbied for him to get that final snap as he was just a yard away from his sixth 100-yard rushing performance of the year.
“Went in and it was like ‘Get the yard, get out of bounds and we’ll shut it down for the game,’” Edwards-Helaire recalled. “But man, it parted like the Red Sea.
“I was like ‘I’m not about to take this one yard. We’re going to roll and see if we can make it happen.’”
He joked after the game that he showed his breakaway speed on the play. That was was just another example of the running back defying expectations.
All season long the running back, who Orgeron has often said plays like he’s 6-foot-4, and 270 pounds, has surprised. Even with LSU moving to the spread offense Edwards-Helaire still did things that caught even his coach off gaurd.
“I didn’t think at the beginning of the season he’d get 1,000 yards,” Orgeron said “Just give him the credit. Because he is a competitive cat man. I’m so glad for him.”
Edwards-Helaire has also been effective in the Tigers passing game. He finished Saturday’s win with a game-high seven catches for 65 yards. That gave him 39 receptions on the season giving him the second most in a season by an LSU running back.
Tigers quarterback Joe Burrow said that versatility is part of what make Edwards-Helaire so special.
“From the moment I got here, last year, Clyde was a special player and he was going to have a lot of success for us,” Burrow said. “And then I knew this offense fit him perfectly. We kind of use him like that guy over in New Orleans (Saints running back Alvin Kamara).”
Saturday night wasn’t the first time Edwards-Helaire drew comparisons to a prominent Saints ball carrier either. A couple weeks ago Saints quarterback Drew Brees said that Edwards-Helaire reminded him of a former New Orleans running back, Mark Ingram.
