We learned a lot during the latest Magnolia Bowl. Thanks to Lane Kiffin, we expected the stage in Mississippi to rank among the peak game backdrops in the sport, and it delivered. The raucous environment in Oxford, Mississippi, exposed the college football world to the raw energy of hatred and the passion that accompanies a true rivalry. But we also learned about two teams with high hopes and significant challenges ahead. The 32-24 LSU loss to Ole Miss revealed both positives and negatives for the Tigers moving forward.
LSU looked dominant in the trenches after the first two games of the season, especially on the defensive side of the ball. The Tigers came into Saturday’s contest with a top-three run defense and an exceptional pressure rate on passing plays. However, they struggled to create pressure with the front four against Ole Miss.
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Trinidad Chambliss looked like the best quarterback in the country while passing for 289 yards in the first half. But he was remarkably comfortable in the pocket with no pressure around him in most cases. The lack of one-on-one wins up front compelled Blake Baker to blitz to create pressure, which compromised LSU in coverage.
On the other side of the ball, the LSU offensive line did not protect well or consistently create running lanes. Sam Leavitt was under duress early, and it affected his patience in the pocket for the bulk of the game. Running back Dilin Jones was a bright spot for the Tigers, but the run game success wasn’t consistent enough to sustain drives in the first half. The Ole Miss defensive line dominated the LSU offensive line. And unlike last week, each lineman struggled on this night.
Leavitt wasn’t always protected well enough to run the offense effectively. However, he made things worse by escaping the pocket too early in several cases. There were times when the offensive line was holding up, but Leavitt was too impatient to remain in the pocket and go through his progressions. Whether it was the actual pressure on the field or the magnitude of the game, he was rattled.
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Leavitt’s happy feet led to open targets being ignored, and off-platform throws sailing incomplete. His stream of consciousness in the backfield seemed to go from checking his first read directly to pulling the ball down to scramble. The Tigers need the passing game to develop quickly, and they have the athletes to produce at a high level. It will not evolve without its quarterback slowing down, understanding what the defense is conceding, and executing.
At times, we saw what makes Leavitt special. He scrambled from one sideline to another to complete a pass to keep a scoring drive alive. Then there was a perfectly placed dime of a deep pass dropped over the shoulder of Winston Watkins in the end zone for a touchdown. When Leavitt is decisive and fundamentally sound as a passer, he can make rare throws. The LSU loss to Ole Miss showed he’ll need to grow in consistency and composure for this LSU offense to reach its potential.
Though a loss is never ideal, there were positives to draw from this game. The dominance displayed in the first half suggested that LSU didn’t even belong on the same field as Ole Miss. LSU did not appear to have any answers on either side of the ball. But the Tigers didn’t give in on the road. LSU proved it had the mental toughness to keep fighting and claw back to tie the game after a 24-7 halftime deficit.
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The coaching staff was another positive on Saturday. The Tigers didn’t get back into the game from effort alone. Baker was more creative with his looks in the second half, and the third-quarter interception shifted the momentum for LSU. Chambliss wasn’t as sure of what he was seeing, and the made LSU’s defensive pressure more impactful.
Charlie Weis, Jr. was able to get Leavitt into more of a comfort zone in the second half. The offense shifted from slower, developing downfield routes over the middle to quick passes with simple reads to the outside. LSU’s offense looked like a different unit in the second half, even though it couldn’t finish the last drive with a touchdown to tie the game. We haven’t seen effective coaching adjustments at LSU in years. It’s apparent that this staff can come up with answers when things look bleak.
The LSU loss to Ole Miss showed us that there’s still plenty of work to do on both sides of the ball for the Tigers to become a true threat in the playoffs. The defense isn’t the dominant unit that it appeared to be in the first two games. Impressions came from watching LSU feast on bad opponents. At the same time, Chambliss will make many defenses look vulnerable this year.
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The encouraging reality here for LSU is that it has pieces in place to improve. Offense is the bigger issue, and a proven, competent staff is on the sidelines. Leavitt can physically make the throws if he can get his processing to catch up to his legs. The Tiger run defense held an incredibly capable run game to 63 rushing yards. This team is talented; it’s improving, and it won’t face another Chambliss in the regular season.
Main Photo: Ayrton Breckenridge/Clarion Ledger / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
