Akron’s starting quarterback junior Tommy Woodson threw for 407 yards and six touchdowns, and junior wide receiver Jerome Lane caught 10 receptions for 196 yards and two touchdowns. With the offense stuck in the mud around Harris again, Les Miles and offensive coordinator Cam Cameron made a decision to bench Harris and give Etling a shot, and the move paid immediate dividends.
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With an FCS opponent in the Jacksonville State Gamecocks visiting Death Valley in Baton Rouge, the Tigers hoped starting quarterback Brandon Harris could shake off a rough performance last week and settle into his job.
Of course, Harris needs to figure some things out.. He finished 6 of 14 for 100 yards with a 46-yard touchdown pass to tight end DeSean Smith and ran for a 2-yard touchdown. But there’s still no question that Etling provided a jolt to the offense and did some positive things for a unit lacking confidence. Even taking away the 76-yard meltdown, LSU gave up a bunch of passing yards to a pedestrian passing team. That’s a small sample size, but it’s a rating of 96, way off the 131 Harris put up a year ago and an altogether awful number.
On the flip side, it is now or never again for Harris in the LSU huddle. Shelton broke up one pass; Tindal intercepted a deep ball on the final play of the half.
Wisconsin: Houston. The senior had his moments against LSU but also threw two costly interceptions.
“We’ve just got to win a game”, he said. It’s the Tigers’ only tuneup before opening Southeastern Conference play vs. Mississippi State.
This high-powered air raid within the Zips’ (1-0) spread offense should be the greatest test for a Badgers defense that held then-No. Miles is not going to be someone he’s not in the middle of the season, regardless of the hot-seat talk. Why didn’t junior quarterback Brandon Harris appear to have improved during the offseason?
Following its impressive debut against LSU, Wisconsin’s secondary expects a different – and perhaps tougher – task against Akron’s talented receivers. It needs a quarterback who won’t panic in the pocket. He started seven games for the Boilers as a true freshman that year, and though his numbers weren’t much good on a bad team, at least he earned the job. Etling also had a 2 yard TD run. They are still getting the plays in to him too slowly, the lack of variety on offense makes it too predictable, and that predictability makes it harder for Leonard Fournette to get into rhythm. They combined for a nifty line of 8 carries for 64 yards. When the camera showed him crying on the sideline after throwing an interception in the 4th Quarter, America that should have given you a sign that he can’t handle the pressure of being a Quarterback in The Power 5 College Football League.
This is all, of course, in the wake of Harris’ struggles in LSU’s first two games. “It was nice to put ourselves in a position to succeed”.
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LSU’s Leonard Fournette (7) is helped off the field by teammate Foster Moreau after being injured on a play during the second half of an NCAA college football game against Wisconsin Saturday, Sept. 3, 2016, in Green Bay, Wis. Wisconsin won 16-14.
