NOTES… Sophomore running back Nick Brossette saw his first carries of the season for LSU late in the game, registering 5 carries for 40 yards.
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As it is, the LSU coaches don’t trust him to make hard throws (hence only four throws of 20-plus yards), and as long as he is just dumping off screens in the flat, the Tigers offense will remain one-dimensional. Not two days after the Alabama game.
Dominating time of possession in the first quarter 12:42 to LSU’s 2:18, the Gamecocks registered the first points of the game on a 30 yard field goal by Cade Stinnett to open the second quarter.
They weren’t alone on this night of firsts for the 2016 Tigers. Derrius Guice, making his first career start in place of the injured Leonard Fournette, toted the ball 19 for 155 yards and a touchdown.
“I just think we have a nice team”. Two plays later, Guice pounded the ball into the end zone from 4 yards out, stretching the LSU lead to 13-3 with 4:14 to play in the first half.
LSU’s offense was not exactly a juggernaut in the Wisconsin game, yet Heisman Trophy hopeful Leonard Fournette mustered 138 yards on 23 carries. “I just wanted to go out there and win the game for my team”.
“It’s about putting our kids in a position to do what they can do and for us, with our skillset right now, that’s going to give us an advantage”, Odom said. “They’re a good team, and they’re not a team to be taken lightly”.
‘Catch-22’: Miles was also asked about changes to the offense, suggesting LSU is trying to find a balance between the spread offense and pro-style sets.
Quarterback Danny Etling entered the game after two straight three-and-outs by Brandon Harris. The Bruins couldn’t slow down Aggies’ quarterback Trevor Knight, while their own pivot Josh Rosen completed just 26-of-46 pass attempts with one touchdown and three interceptions in the loss. Cornerbacks Sojourn Shelton (38 starts) and Derrick Tindal (25 games played) locked down the LSU receivers nicely with some physical play, and safeties Leo Musso and D’Cota Dixon played well on Saturday.
“I’m aware of what’s going on and what’s being said, etc.”, he said.
“(The motion) helped me identify the defense and narrow down my read to a high-low”, Etling said. “I’m happy with what we accomplished and I do believe we will get better”. The good news for Wisconsin is there is still room for improvement. Perhaps, in part, that’s why there was anything but a consensus when I posed the question at halftime Saturday night. Though he became a starter when fullback J.D. Moore tore his left ACL last season, he was used nearly inclusively as Fournette’s run blocker. He said he hoped that if backup Danny Etling takes the fields, it will be in mop-up duty on the heels of an better outing by Harris.
Fullback John David Moore said the Tigers made progress on the Monday after the game. “It took a lot of patience”. I don’t know what time that will be. “That is a chance to go make some plays”. That should create holes for Corey Clement, who managed 86 yards and a touchdown last week against LSU.
Unable to run out the clock, Jax State punted and Tre’Davious White made a scintillating 60-yard return for a score and a 27-10 halftime margin.
He’s more than willing to be the short-yardage back, he said. This is the first meeting between the schools.3.
“He’s got a long National Football League future ahead of him”.
With 35 career appearances, Smith has been a rare but effective commodity at times over his three previous season.
He obviously liked what he saw in Guice, who previous year rushed for 436 yards and averaged 8.5 yards per attempt in making the Southeastern Conference All-Freshman team. “Fortunately, we have some talented guys back there”.
Smith’s knee injury lingered in the offseason, and he wasn’t listed on the Week 1 or Week 2 depth charts.
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The Akron Zips have a tall task in the Wisconsin Badgers on the road in week number two.
