Steve Roberts-Imagn Images
By Hunt Palmer
Vanderbilt took it to LSU on Saturday.
The Commodore offense carved up the Tiger defense for more than three quarters, and the LSU offense couldn’t muster anything in crunch time. The result was a 31-24 loss.
Pro Football Focus’s grades once again aligned with the eye test in real time. LSU’s defensive front didn’t crack the top five, and the bottom five includes the offensive line as well as a pair of defenders in charge of tackling and contain.
This film will not be kind to LSU across the board, so let’s look at the numbers from a deflating loss in Music City.
HIGHEST GRADES
- Trey’Dez Green, TE – 84.3
- Garrett Nussmeier, QB – 76.2
- Mansoor Delane, CB – 72.5
- Harlem Berry, RB – 72.0
- DJ Pickett, CB – 71.8
Trey’Dez Green picked up where he left against South Carolina with the 24-yard catch and run for LSU’s first score. He led the Tigers with five catches and 75 yards. Sixty-four of those came after the catch. His run blocking grade was only 55.3, but he’s out there to make catches. He did.
Nussmeier generally grades out well on Pro Football Focus. He is just getting smoked weekly behind a weak offensive line. The touchdown pass to Zavion Thomas was Herculean on his part. He made two “Big Time Throws”, and LSU was dinged for two drops. This hasn’t been the season Nussmeier hoped for, but he’s not among LSU’s biggest issues.
Delane is the best player on the team. He was the highest graded player on a defense that was gashed. Vanderbilt only targeted him once, and he broke it up. His coverage grade was 77.9. He did miss a tackle which hurt his overall grade a bit, but as long as No. 4 is out there one side of the field seems to be closed off.
That’s what makes the fifth highest grade important. DJ Pickett played a good game on Saturday. His tackling grade was 78.5. He was targeted twice and only allowed one catch for five yards. The more reps the former five-star gets, the better he plays.
Speaking of five-stars. Harlem Berry got 18 snaps including 11 carries for 55 yards, He showed some really good vision and cutting ability. He also decleated a defensive lineman in pass protection. Berry’s role in the offense will continue to grow as the season continues.
LOWEST GRADES
- Bauer Sharp, TE – 40.2
- Harold Perkins, LB – 41.4
- Nic Anderson, WR – 46.4
- DJ Chester, LT – 49.9
- Tamarcus Cooley, S – 53.1
Bauer Sharp’s run blocking grade was 36.6, and he took the wrong man on a quick screen that got blown up at the line of scrimmage. He also got a holding penalty that brought back a 21-yard gain by Ju’Juan Johnson.
Perkins felt two steps behind all day. He lost contain on multiple occasions and missed a tackle. His coverage score was 38.4. In a game where it felt like he would be an X factor limiting Pavia’s running, that wasn’t the case.
Nic Anderson’s run blocking was 30.8. He made one catch that didn’t gain a yard. The Oklahoma transfer’s impact on the offense has been minimal so far aside from a tipped touchdown in Oxford.
Chester is playing out of position when he’s asked to play tackle. His pass blocking grade was a 37.6 and included a pancaking that led to a crucial fourth quarter sack. Weston Davis on the other side was 23.7. That’s just not an acceptable level of play. I’ve been looking at these grades for two years and don’t recall one lower than 23.7.
Cooley missed a tackle and allowed receptions on three of his four targets. Those went for 43 yards. No one on LSU’s defense had a great day, and Cooley is in that number.
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