Who will lead LSU baseball at the plate this season? What’s holding the Tigers back in the red zone? And which LSU football players face the toughest NFL Draft decisions? This week’s mailbag tackles those questions, plus whether Will Wade’s basketball team has what it takes to reach the NCAA Tournament.
Who is the best hitter on the LSU baseball team TODAY as it stands? When I say best, I mean who do YOU trust for the best statistical season overall?
He’s only played one weekend, but I’m going to go with Bino Watters. The coaching staff absolutely loves his approach at the plate. He drew three walks in his first scrimmage of the fall. Sunday night, he delivered the walk-off opposite-field single.
He’s going to hit for power, too. He’s the total package. Don’t get me wrong. Three or four other names could have gone in this spot, but I’ll take Watters.
What’s the biggest problem in the red zone?
I’m compiling some stats on this, but the short answer is the running game. LSU is seventh in the SEC in yards per carry, but that drops to 11th in the SEC in the red zone. When the field shrinks, LSU isn’t efficient enough.
Yes, Leavitt has thrown some red-zone interceptions. He did that against Louisiana Tech and Ole Miss. But those are outliers. The root of the issue is an inability to get the ground game blocked in tight quarters. It is why you see LSU go to the direct-snap game to try to get a numbers advantage.
What players will have the toughest NFL Draft decisions coming up?
Sam Leavitt is the first name that comes to mind. SEC quarterbacks are paid very, very well. Is he comfortable playing another college season for seven figures, or does he try to start his NFL clock searching for that huge second contract?
Jackson Harris has emerged as a star. This is his fourth season in college, and I’d imagine him flying up NFL draft boards with his big-play ability and ability to make defenders miss.
Jordan Ross has finally started to realize his five-star potential in his third college season. He’s got NFL size.
PJ Woodland and Dashawn Spears also have decisions to make, and they’re framed very differently. Woodland has a ton of production and has played a lot of snaps. Spears has a ton of talent but limited reps. I’d suggest both would come back, but they’ll have options.
There are others, but those come to mind first.
Call your shot. Is LSU basketball an NCAA Tournament team?
Ahh, it must be November. The truth is that I don’t know. I’ve watched every dribble of their three games, but that doesn’t tell me much.
If forced to answer, I’ll say yes. The backcourt proved to be an NCAA Tournament duo. Saliou Niang feels like an impact defender. I like Michael Ruzic more every time I see him.
Saturday will obviously tell the mid-November story. If LSU is in a tight game with five or six minutes to play in Spokane against Gonzaga, you have to feel good about where the team is.
