Will Campbell stuck his neck out Tuesday.
The all-American declared his team’s intentions.
“We’re going to run the ball,” Campbell started. “That’s not something we’re trying to keep quiet. I’m telling everybody right now; we’re going to run the football.”
For a three-play stretch on Sunday night, LSU did.
Trailing, 13-10, in the third quarter, LSU embarked on a drive from its own 22 yard line. After a 15-yard throw and catch from Garrett Nussmeier to Mason Taylor, LSU running back John Emery Jr., busted a 39-yard run right through the heart of the USC defense. It was blocked beautifully by the Tiger front. Campbell climbed to the second level and sealed the hole.
2 impressive run plays on that last LSU scoring drive from Will Campbell. Works to the second level on the big counter run, then he worked out in space and sealed the edge rusher to pop another big run. https://t.co/eSc3mqFAg8 pic.twitter.com/x8Xxce05JO
— Devin Jackson (@RealD_Jackson) September 2, 2024
Two plays later, Emery darted for 10 more, and the sense was that LSU’s much-lauded offensive line was taking over.
It wasn’t. It didn’t.
Aside from those two Emery carries, LSU’s tailbacks ran the ball 23 times for 63 yards. That is good for 2.7 yards per carry.
So much for bailing on Caesar’s Palace for a fist fight.
To be clear, this doesn’t fall at Campbell’s feet. Far from it. He’s an exceptional player with a fantastic attitude and leadership qualities. There are myriad reasons why a running game doesn’t get going. Sometimes offensive linemen don’t handle an assignment. Sometimes defenders make great individual plays. Sometimes defensive coordinators load the box. Sometimes running backs miss a read.
What cannot be disputed is that LSU has often struggled mightily to get a “traditional” ground game going over the past two seasons.
Last season’s opening loss to Florida State produced eerily similar results. Josh Williams scampered 35 yards on a well-blocked run before halftime. Aside from that, the LSU running backs combined for 11 carries and 19 yards.
Fast forward two months to Bryant-Denny Stadium. Logan Diggs, Williams and Emery Jr., totaled 35 yards on 13 carries. Against Texas A&M? How about 36 yards on 15 tries.
This time Superman didn’t come out of the phone booth wearing No. 5 to save the day. Check the Commanders-Buccaneers game next weekend for his next appearance.
USC’s run defense was abysmal a season ago. Arizona ran for 201 yards on the Trojans. Utah, 247. California, 235. Washington piled up 315.
The Tigers found almost nothing Sunday night.
Kaleb Jackson, the supremely gifted sophomore, had a long of four yards on six carries. Williams averaged 3.7 yards per carry. Fifteen of the tailbacks’ 25 runs went for three or fewer yards. Just four went for eight or more.
Last season USC finished 115th of 133 teams in terms of runs of 10 or more yards allowed. Only 18 teams were worse. Many of the defenders on the Trojan front Sunday were on the field in 2023.
And when the Tigers absolutely had to have the running game, it wasn’t there.
Leading by three with just under seven and half minutes to play in the ballgame, LSU had a chance to grow the lead to two scores. On a second and 15, Nussmeier found Ka’Morreun Pimpton over the middle for 14 yards. LSU rushed to the line of scrimmage to try to quickly convert the third and one.
Nussmeier handed to Emery who was stonewalled in the backfield by Eric Gentry. The linebacker slipped by Pimpton on the edge and drilled Tiger ballcarrier.
LSU punted, and USC retook the lead three plays later.
Sure, you could point to the defense allowing the chunk plays in that drive. You could point to the coaching decision to go for an early fourth and goal from the three. Penalties came too often and at inopportune times.
LSU lost the game because of a bunch of moments throughout the 60-minute contest.
This isn’t a moment. It’s a season plus of the same group of consistently praised offensive linemen failing to take a game over on the ground.
The mock drafts aren’t wrong. Campbell and Emery Jones are first round talents. They’re big and agile. They protect the passer exceptionally well. Campbell has allowed two sacks in two years.
However, run blocking is not a strength for the line as a collective unit.
When the clock hit zeros Sunday night, LSU had mustered just 20 points on a night when Nussmeier completed 76 percent of his throws for north of 300 yards.
That’s because, despite the noise in the Baton Rouge press room earlier in the week, the running game was kept quiet.
