The good, the bad, and the ugly: LSU vs. Texas A&M

By Matt Flynn and Jacob Hester

Unless you’ve been living under a rock for the last 48 hours, you know that Brian Kelly has been relieved of his duties as LSU’s head coach. You also know that Joe Sloan has suffered the same fate.

We live in a results-oriented world, that’s a fact. Win or go home. It’s a reality that every team, coach and player eventually faces at some point in their career. I know that a lot of money is involved with these decisions, but try to remember that human beings and families are always affected when coaching changes happen.

Yes, as a fan base, we can be disappointed in what has been and excited or hopeful for what will be in the future. Just keep in mind that there are a lot of good people in that building who are not 100% certain of what their future holds.

Okay, that’s enough of that…we’ve still got some football to play!

The Tigers have a week off to rest, recover, get used to a new regime, and most importantly, watch film.

So, let’s dive into this week’s film study of the LSU vs. Texas A&M game.

THE GOOD

1. Attack the Middle!

LSU Offense
1st Quarter, 2nd and 8
LSU 7, TAMU 14

For most of this season, the offense has struggled to find its identity. Anybody with eyeballs can watch this team and see that this offense has been a shell of itself from a year ago. In my opinion, one of the biggest reasons for that is the lack of attacking the middle of the field.

It was no accident that Aaron Anderson was, at times, untouchable last year. He led the team in receptions, yards and touchdowns. He’s one of the best receivers in the country at attacking the middle, but that part of our vertical passing game has virtually disappeared this season.

On this play, LSU lines up in a 2×2 set initially, then motions the running back. This motion can do one of two things: help the QB identify man or zone, and/or stress defenders in their zone assignments.

We get a man-to-man read from the backer, with the backer completely abandoning the middle of the field. I can only imagine that Garrett Nussmeier was licking his chops when he saw this, because he’s got Aaron Anderson running a slant route right into that void. Full disclosure, I don’t know if it was a called slant or an option route, but it doesn’t really matter, Anderson is awesome.

Explosive play! LSU must attack the middle of the field more consistently if they want any chance to compete with Alabama. The Tigers have completed only one pass in each of the last two games that was beyond five yards and between the hashes.

The fastest way to the end zone is through the middle of the field.

2. CAT CAT CAT!

LSU Defense
2nd Quarter, 2nd and 12
LSU 15, TAMU 14

There was 1:26 left in the first half and TAMU is driving down the field, trying to take the lead before heading into the locker room for some bananas and Uncrustables.

LSU has been great at disguising and executing the corner blitz all season long. For those of you who want to nerd out a bit, a corner blitz is almost universally known as a “CAT” blitz. From a quarterback’s perspective, corner blitzes are really hard to see pre-snap, which creates a lot of confusion. That’s why a receiver is usually coached to yell “Cat! Cat! Cat!” when they see it coming from the corner covering them.

Mansoor Delane blitzes, and TAMU actually does a really nice job picking it up. Marcel Reed didn’t need to throw hot here, but a CAT blitz is great at creating confusion. Mansoor sees that he can’t get home (to the quarterback), so he stops his rush and tips the throw, which leads to a Harold Perkins interception.

In the words of some of the nastiest defenses I’ve ever been around: “TIPS AND OVERTHROWS, GOTTA GET THOSE!!!”

3. We Dig Out the Safety!!!

LSU Offense
1st Quarter, 2nd and 8
LSU 0, TAMU 0

I had to pinch myself two plays into the game. Sitting in the north end zone, I couldn’t believe what I was seeing. Was that a wide receiver blocking for a running play instead of running a meaningless route?

I thought I was dreaming when I saw us run the ball and the play-side wide receiver dig out and block the safety. It was a thing of beauty, and if you read last week’s breakdown, you’ll remember that was one of the things this LSU offense had been missing all season.

We’ve seen this formation what feels like a thousand times this year, and I’d bet we’ve thrown the wide receiver screen to the three-receiver bunch side 90% of the time. Not this time. It was clearly a point of emphasis for Nussmeier to count defenders this week in the RPO game instead of just reading backers.

LSU has three linemen to block three defenders on the left side. Trey’Dez Green is in a tight (or “nasty”) split with the run coming his way. His job: block the most dangerous man between the corner and the safety.

That’s as tough a look as a receiver can get, and Trey’Dez does an incredible job here, hustling and knocking this guy’s block off (yes, that’s the TAMU safety’s legs sticking straight up in the air after getting flat-backed). That block springs Harlem Berry to the third level and boom, explosive play.

I was so happy with LSU’s run game in the first half. They made a lot of necessary changes, and the team executed. Berry averaged seven yards per carry in the first half, which makes it maddening that he only had one carry in the second.

THE BAD

4. The ‘QB Draw’ Was Actually a Good Call

LSU Offense
2nd Quarter, 1st and 4
LSU 9, TAMU 14

Ah yes…Team OTB’s favorite formation, from the cinematic masterpiece Varsity Blues, the Oopty Oop.

Now typically, when LSU trots this out, it’s been about as predictable as water being wet…or insert your favorite dad-joke cliché here. It’s been the “throw it up to your 6’7” tight end, Trey’Dez Green” special. And on the rare occasion they try something else, it’s usually the Tigers’ other favorite, the wide receiver screen.

But this time? LSU actually changed up a tendency. Crazy concept, right?

They show the same look they scored on earlier in the game, but instead of the usual jump ball or quick screen, they go quarterback draw. Now, that might not sound revolutionary, but context matters, when you’ve been as predictable as LSU has been in this formation, and your quarterback is more “pocket passer” than “pocket dancer,” this call actually makes a ton of sense.

You’ve got leverage. You’ve got numbers. You’ve got the defense thinking they’ve seen this movie before. In other words, almost everything you want. Almost.

Because football, as we always preach, is the ultimate team game. Ten guys can execute perfectly, but if the eleventh goes rogue or whiffs on his assignment, the whole thing crumbles. And that’s exactly what happens here.

The right tackle throws a no-hitter like he’s prime Nolan Ryan. Unfortunately, this isn’t baseball. When you let your guy through untouched on a designed QB draw inside the five, that’s a recipe for disaster. The play call was good, the execution was bad. It wasn’t the scheme on this one; it was the follow-through. That’s the difference between six on the board and six points left on the field.

THE UGLY

5. R.P.NOOOOOOOOO

LSU Offense
3rd Quarter, 3rd & 7
LSU 18, TAMU 35

Here we go again. Another week, another brutal RPO design. This one comes in the third quarter with the game still very much in the balance.

I’ve watched a lot of football in my life, but this play was a first for me. LSU had some early success with the split-zone running play earlier in the game, and this time they decided to run an RPO with the same look. My brain is honestly in a blender wondering how this play made the final cut, and even more so, why they thought this was a good call on 3rd & 7!

They get a tough look here, as TAMU brings a cover-zero pressure. The tight end works across the ball and runs a flat route (he’s the only option in this particular RPO). Nussmeier is probably counting numbers in the box and sees a numbers disadvantage to running the ball. TAMU defenders aren’t fooled because the play stinks, Nussmeier throws to the tight end, and LSU loses three yards.

You could argue this call is okay if they’re planning to go for it on fourth down, but not from their own 28-yard line. No excuses. This was objectively a bad play call. Period.

While there were some much-needed adjustments and improvements to the RPO game against TAMU, this play needs to go the way of the great white buffalo.

6. Can’t Coach Effort

1st Quarter
2nd and 10
LSU 0, TAMU 0

Throughout football history, there has never been a player who played a perfect game. Football is hard, and mistakes occur on every single play. Some are mental, some are physical, and all are coachable.

But there’s one thing that isn’t coachable: effort. Effort is a choice. Effort is an attitude. Effort is a mindset. Effort is non-negotiable, no matter the talent.

On this play, TAMU’s QB Marcel Reed makes a great play. LSU plays man-to-man coverage on second down. Reed sprints to his left but can’t find anyone open because of solid coverage. He sees a giant void in the LSU front and exploits it, scrambling for a 41-yard touchdown.

Harold Perkins makes the mistake early that sets up the scramble. He’s most likely the QB spy, meaning he’s supposed to trail the quarterback and not let him run. West Weeks has the back on a rush-cover technique, blitz first, then pick up the back if he releases. It looks like Perkins gets confused on his assignment when Reed sprints left and both the back and tight end stay in to block. Mental mistake, coachable.

What happens next isn’t. The eye in the sky never lies, and the film shows Perkins giving up on the play. In the third frame, Perkins and Tamarcus Cooley are one yard apart in pursuit of Reed. Twenty-four yards later, Cooley is roughly five yards ahead and three yards closer to the sideline.

If Cooley runs a 4.5 forty, that means Perkins’ effort here equated to about a 5.75.

This lack of effort is really highlighted when Reed stops his momentum and cuts back to the middle of the field to score. Perkins would’ve had a real opportunity to stop him, if he’d given full effort.

Effort is free. Excuses are expensive.

Final Thoughts

There were far more positive takeaways from this game than I expected. Adjustments were made, but at the end of the day, LSU lost too many one-on-one battles.

I can’t wait to see how this team responds after the bye week. Every person in that building has a choice to make. Will they crumble, or will they stand up, and stand tall? I’m betting they choose the latter.

Let’s keep cheering, supporting, and, of course, watching more film.

Be a ball knower!