While Garrett Nussmeier was throwing for more than 4,000 yards last season, the Tigers running game struggled to keep that kind of pace.
In 13 games last season, LSU rushed for 1,513 yards, averaging 4.1 yards a carry and 116 yards a game.
The Tigers ranked 107th in the country in rushing offense. That’s hard to believe considering the offensive line had four players selected in the NFL draft.
But was there a desire to run the football, despite Will Campbell’s claims before the season opener against USC that the Tigers were going to run the ball?
When the season ended, LSU threw the ball 534 times to 373 rushes. That means the Tigers threw the ball nearly 59% of the time. Usually, you are looking for the run-pass ratio to be closer to 50-50, which it was when Mike Denbrock was the offensive coordinator during head coach Brian Kelly’s first two seasons at LSU.
In fact, LSU ran the ball more than they threw it in 2023 and 2022. Now some of that was Jayden Daniels running out of the pocket to evade the rush or scramble out of the pocket. But still the run-pass ratio was much closer to 50-50.
With Joe Sloan entering his second season as the Tigers offensive coordinator, I expect the run-pass ratio to be closer to 50-50.
“It’s like anything else, you have to trust it and be confident in it and trust and confidence can’t be built, if you don’t’ do it,” said Kelly. “And so, you have to be committed to it. I think that’s what we are going into this season with this mindset of there’s gonna be times that you know that we’re running the ball, and we have to impose our will on you.”
Injuries at the running back position didn’t help last season. John Emery suffering a season-ending injury after one game was a big glow. Caden Durham dislocating two toes during the season also didn’t help.
If Durham stays healthy this season, he should rush for more than 1,000 yards and the coaching staff is hoping Kaleb Jackson can be a solid complementary back.
Sophomore Ju’Juan Johnson is getting more reps at running back and could make an impact along with freshman Harlem Berry.
But what about that offensive line? Is this new unit ready to impose its will in the running game? Kelly has all the confidence in the world with this group, because he says the talent is there.
Related
“Look I’ve coached for a long time, I have had a lot of guys in the NFL, a lot of first round draft picks, I think I got a pretty good eye for what an offensive line looks like, this group is going to be really good,” Kelly said. “We don’t have a Will Campbell, he was the fifth pick in the draft, but we have five guys who play well together.”
We are less than two weeks away from the season opener against Clemson.
LSU’s offensive line is the biggest question mark. If Kelly’s statement is accurate that this is a really good offensive line then LSU will have a really good season.