In the first six games of 2013, the LSU offense became a productive passing machine — a notion that seemed impossible only a year ago. Gone were the days of running down teams’ throats, and here to stay was a pass attack led by senior quarterback Zach Mettenberger and junior wide receivers Odell Beckham Jr. and Jarvis Landry.
What a difference a week makes.
The Tigers (6-1, 3-1 Southeastern Conference) won in a style more common in the Les Miles era Saturday with a 17-6 victory against the Florida Gators (4-2, 3-1 SEC) at Tiger Stadium.
Sophomore running back Jeremy Hill led the Tigers with 121 yards on 19 carries. The performance became Hill’s fourth 100-yard game of the season, and his 7.3-yards-per-carry average leads all FBS running backs with more than 90 carries.
“Jeremy is just one of those incredible guys to watch,” said senior fullback J.C. Copeland. “Just to see him do his thing and hurdle over people is crazy. … I’m still shocked about some of the things he does.”
LSU’s 175 rushing yards were the most Florida’s defense has allowed in nearly two years, and the Tigers’ 71 rushing yards in the fourth quarter were more than Florida allowed in four of its first five games this season.
The run game shined brightest in one of the most pivotal drives of the game. After a Florida field goal put the Gators within a possession of tying the game, LSU answered with a 61-yard drive to set up a Colby Delahoussaye field goal — 49 of those yards on the ground.
“When you are going against a tough defense like Florida has, you are going to have to grind it out,” Hill said. “Nothing is going to come easy, and that is just kind of what we practiced.”
The LSU running backs made their presence felt not only on the offense, but through special teams as well. Although getting just one carry in the game, senior running back Alfred Blue made his mark on the first punt of the game.
Blue flew down the field and delivered a big hit to Florida returner Marcus Roberson, but an illegal formation penalty called the play back. Unfazed, Blue made an almost identical hit at an almost identical place on the field during the very next play.
“It is just the mentality [Blue] has,” Hill said. “No matter what his job is and his coaches ask him to do, he is going to go out there and do it full speed.”
Through the air, Mettenberger struggled to make the plays that have turned him into a Heisman candidate, throwing for a season-low 152 yards. Mettenberger pointed out that a few pass interference penalties affected those numbers, but he also missed some throws he’s completed most of this season.
The complement of the run after winning so many games through passing the ball made for good relief, Mettenberger said.
“It’s funny because past weeks, teams have done a good job of stopping the run and left holes in the secondary, so we were able to execute in the passing game,” Mettenberger said. “But today, we really didn’t need to throw the ball too much, just because we were running the ball so well.”
The Tigers may look to their run game again next Saturday in Oxford against Ole Miss, a team that currently ranks No. 12 in the SEC in rush defense.
“[The game] showed that we are more versatile than people thought,” said sophomore right guard Trai Turner. “Maybe they thought, ‘Oh, now they’re more pass dominant,’ or ‘Now they’re more run dominant.’ I think we showed that we can pass and run it … and now they have to prepare for that.”