LSU is having trouble getting its run game going, and they are ranked last in the Southeastern Conference averaging 91 yards a game. But Coach Brian Kelly is not concerned, despite the Tigers only rushing for 68 yards on 21 carries against Nicholls State, an FCS school.
"When I met with the staff, I realized that more good things happened on Saturday than I was able to articulate after the game,” Kelly said.
"I don't think Nicholls was more physical or that our offensive line was overpowered in the run game. We were not going to run into 7- and 8-man fronts. We are going to do tactically and technically the most appropriate thing to do. That’s why Garrett Nussmeier leads the county in touchdown passes right now,” Kelly said.
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Nussmeier has eight touchdown passes and he’s averaging 305 yards passing in two games. That’s great, but it’s hard not to look at Kaleb Jackson’s 42 yards rushing yards on 13 carries and say that’s not good regardless of the defense LSU is facing.
The newest addition to the running back room, Ju’Juan Johnson, did not get a carry against Nicholls, but caught three passes for 16 yards and a touchdown.
Kelly is eager to get him more involved.
“He picks up things fast, he’s a quick study, the game comes easy to him, give him as much as he can handle, he’s not a guy that will shy away from any of it, I’m excited, I just want to continue to give him more and more see where it goes,” Kelly said.
Johnson was a standout quarterback at Lafayette Christian, electric with the football, and it will be interesting to see what he can do when taking handoffs.
Another former Lafayette Christian alum is also making a position change. Kelly said Sage Ryan will move back to safety now that Zy Alexander has shown signs he’s ready to take on more of a workload at cornerback after suffering an ACL tear last year.
But Kelly said he plans to play four cornerbacks and four to five safeties as they don’t have anyone who can play 65-70 snaps a game.
Harold Perkins ranked poorly by PFF
LSU linebacker Harold Perkins was a nonfactor in the Nicholls game. He recorded only three tackles, and Perkins had the lowest grade of any LSU player with 19 snaps or more against Nicholls.
“Are we better suited in nickel personnel, we better suited in three linebacker sets, it’s a continues search to try and get him in a position where he can impact our defense the most,” Kelly said.
LSU has Perkins playing the off ball linebacker position this year after trying it for one game last year. Perkins wants to show he’s a three-down linebacker, but his biggest games came his freshman season when he was used primarily as a pass rusher.