Good, bad or both, what has surprised you the most about LSU football so far this season?
On the bad side, I’m really surprised that LSU head coach Lane Kiffin punted on fourth-and-one at Kentucky. And I’m surprised that Kentucky’s offense had 400 yards and 35 points on LSU’s defense. Every other outcome this year has been fairly predictable. Those two facts contributed to the loss that has LSU off schedule now, and they surprised me.
Positively, I’m surprised Landen Clark has won the backup quarterback role. It looked like Husan Longstreet had surged ahead in fall camp, but Clark is clearly the guy now.
It’s obvious LSU has struggled with running QB’s. So, why are the (Vegas) odds so favorable for an LSU victory over AU?
This is a narrative that was created early in Blake Baker’s time here, and it’s reasonable to view it this way. However, LSU has thrown the breaks on some mobile quarterbacks in Baker’s two-plus seasons.
Texas A&M’s Marcel Reed gained 32 yards in Tiger Stadium. With sacks included, his rushing total was minus-13 yards. Ole Miss’ Trinidad Chambliss beat LSU with his arm, not his two net rushing yards. And, yes, I’m aware of the game-winning touchdown coming on the ground.
Last year, it took South Carolina’s LaNorris Sellers 22 carries to gain 74 yards. He was sacked five times and finished with 19 rushing yards and the Gamecocks scored 10 points. Cade Klubnik of Clemson ran for one yard in 2025.
In 2024, Vanderbilt’s Deigo Pavia ran for 46 yards, and the Commodores scored 17 points in Tiger Stadium. Earlier that year, Taylen Green was held to minus-10 yards., and Arkansas scored 10 points.
So, not every mobile quarterback has torched LSU. Alabama’s Jalen Milroe did. Reed has and Pavia did it once. Truth be told, mobile quarterbacks give most teams trouble from time to time. That why quarterbacks don’t play like Dan Marino or Zach Mettenberger anymore.
Vegas favors LSU because the Tigers rank seventh nationally in total offense, third in total defense and have played good football all year. Their two losses are hardly ugly. Ole Miss and Kentucky are currently top 12 teams with one loss each.
Can Michael Ruzic keep up this level of exhibition production in SEC play?
My first thought is that hopefully he doesn’t have to. Ruzic is really LSU’s only eligible true post player. Will Wade’s roster desperately needs Brice Dessert to be eligible to provide another mature frontcourt option.
But Ruzic looks the part of an exciting young player. Keith Hornsby played for LSU, played overseas and coached at LSU last year. He mentioned on X that Ruzic has played 85 professional games in Spain. That doesn’t make you good enough to play with the best in the SEC, but it means you’ve been exposed to it.
I think Ruzic is a six-point, nine-rebound player. His minute totals will determine whether or not those numbers go up. He’s got the physical size to rebound and he will. The scoring is a work in progress and may take some adjusting to the size and length of the league.
But he’s a good find by Wade.
Anything cool out at The Box?
That’s rather open-ended. I like it.
Dominic Santerelli is among the most physically impressive freshmen I’ve ever seen at LSU. I talked to head coach Jay Johnson about him on air the other day, and Johnson sarcastically said he was making sure Blake Baker doesn’t see him. Santarelli is listed at 6-foot-1 and 237 pounds. None if it looks like bad weight.
On Sunday, he hit a 111-mile an hour ball to the opposite field – a line drive home run off the back of the left-center bleachers. It was an absolute screamer. That’s not normal for a freshman. So, yeah, it was cool.
