“To be honest, after Leonard moved around (in the early warm-ups), I don’t think it was something he wanted to do”, LSU coach Les Miles said after his team rushed for 244 yards and averaged 6.6 yards per carry in Fournette’s absence.
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Harris was the team’s starter in 2015 when the team went 9-3 and finished the season ranked 17th in the Coaches poll. After throwing two interceptions in the loss to Wisconsin followed by a hard first two drives Saturday, Miles replaced his starter in Harris with Etling.
The 2014 win at LSU is still one of those moments when you step back and say, “did we really do that”? “We told Brandon, ‘Go on out and have fun, don’t look back, drive and win and don’t worry about it.’ But we were in position to make a change should we feel like he was not starting fast”.
As LSU’s offense established control, Etling’s more realistic threat of hurting the defense with the pass loosened up Jacksonville State’s defense for the Tigers’ running game.
Yes, we did. The Bulldogs went down to Baton Rouge on a Saturday night in the valley and beat up on the Tigers.
The LSU Tigers (1-1) outlasted Jacksonville State Gamecocks, 34-13, last week. “I thought the offensive line played better”, Miles said. Tre-Davious the closed LSU’s’ 27-point second quarter with a 60-yard punt return on which he retreated 20 yards to his own 20 before finding his way back up field for the score.
Fournette and Brandon Harris’ replacements both played well in the victory.
Mississippi State prediction and game preview.
Fournette accounted for 176 of LSU’s 257 total yards against Wisconsin, a season after leading the FBS in rushing yards per game (162.8). Most likely Danny will start against the Bulldogs. The Tigers and Cowboys had started that game and played briefly before lightning. LSU will play South Alabama on on November 19.
Did it also yield a new starting quarterback in Danny Etling? I remembered he wore No. 10 previous year, but didn’t think much more of it. Whether Miles gives Harris another chance remains to be seen.
“We need to allow him to show us that he can continue to do what he’s done”, Miles said when asked about how he prepares Etling this week. Gamecocks’ quarterback Eli Jenkins’ 76-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Krenwick Sanders cut LSU’s lead to 13-10 in the second quarter just after Etling had taken LSU to its second touchdown.
LSU: Barring an injury to Etling, Harris’ next snaps might come in mop-up duty.
While LSU’s first touchdown of the night and a stop by the defense got the nervous crowd going, Guice really got them into it when he started the next drive with a 32-yard burst to the Jacksonville State 47.
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Coverage of LSU and commentary by Glenn Guilbeau supported by Hebert’s Town & Country Auto Dealer in Shreveport located at 1155 East Bert Kouns Loop.
