LSU’s offense will take a new shape on Saturday.
Junior tight end Trey’Dez Green has been a focal point through three games. The explosive, and suddenly physical tight, end leads the Tigers in receiving yards. However, he’ll be on the shelf for an extended period with a knee injury suffered in last week’s 32-24 loss at Ole Miss.
LSU doesn’t have another 6-foot-7 former basketball player to fill that role. The production will have to come from a group of players on the outside.
“I feel like really everybody in the units of the tight end room, receiver room, we all can figure things out,” LSU’s leading receiver Winston Watkins, Jr. “Trey’Dez is 6-7. He’s a big guy. So, certain ways he would do it, is a little different…So, like the guys right behind him, and the receivers right behind him, could fill in his role. Just got to just do a little couple tweaks to make sure that we get it down the same way.”
Watkins and Eugene Wilson III are the only other receiving options who have made double-digit catches through three games. It’s been a slower start for Jayce Brown, Jackson Harris and the rest of the tight ends.
Watkins could see elite Aggies’ cover man Dezz Ricks for extended time on Saturday, and that could force the rest of the crew to step up.
Of course, it all starts with quarterback Sam Leavitt who struggled early in the Ole Miss game and missed a couple of crucial late throws in the loss.
“He’s our guy,” Watkins said of Leavitt. “(The loss) definitely took a toll on him because at the end of the day, he’s the quarterback, so most of the things are going to affect him the most.
“He came in just making sure that he talked to everybody and understood that at the end of the day we all got to come together and we’ve got to all do our jobs,” Leavitt said. “I trust and fully believe in Sam.”
Texas A&M allowed Arizona State to throw for 254 yards in a season-opening win, and busted some coverages in last week’s 31-21 loss to Kentucky. The Aggies have allowed 10 passing plays of 20-plus yards, the fourth most in the SEC.
LSU will undoubtedly lean on the ground game which has been productive. The emergence of secondary receiving options will be crucial to the Tigers’ offensive balance while Green is hurt.
