ARLINGTON, Texas — After LSU’s 37-27 win against TCU Saturday, I put together three high points and three low points of the Tiger victory.
Three Up:
Zach Mettenberger:
Simply put, the senior quarterback was outstanding against TCU. He looked a shell of his former self and took Tiger fans back to his heroic performance against Alabama in Tiger Stadium last season.
He consistently looked off safeties and cornerbacks in coverage, was a more than effective game manager and definitively showed he is the unquestioned leader of the Tiger offense. And for LSU to be successful as the season progresses, that’s all coach Les Miles can ask for.
Jordan Allen:
After the game, Allen told me he felt his starting defensive end spot had been “taken from him” in 2012.
If Saturday’s play had anything to do with it, no one is taking Allen’s role in 2013.
The West Monroe junior was unblockable for most of the evening, terrorizing on TCU quarterback Casey Pachall in the first half while disrupting any run attack the Horned Frogs attempted to launch.
In a battle with heralded freshman Danielle Hunter, Allen clearly separated himself Saturday night. And after the game, he promised there would be more to come.
“Now,” Allen said. “We have to get back in our workshop and sharpen our tools.”
Terrence Magee:
With Jeremy Hill’s status wildly in limbo, most assumed Alfred Blue and Kenny Hilliard would share the load for the LSU running attack Saturday.
But, much like Hill did last year against Idaho, an unfamiliar name had a coming out party in the second half.
Junior Terrence Magee finally found daylight against an airtight Horned Frog run defense in the third quarter, springing free for a 52 yard touchdown and following with a three yard plunge 11 minutes later.
Totaling 95 yards on just 13 carries, Magee was the clear No. 1 runner for the Tigers as Blue struggled to find space and Hilliard was virtually nonexistent. His pounding style and unexpected speed made him a threat to crack the starting lineup, even when Hill is no longer “withheld from play.”
Three Down:
Redzone Offense:
For a fleeting second on Saturday, it appeared the 2012 Tigers were back.
Three promising opportunities stalled inside the Horned Frog 20 yard line in the first half, including two back-to-back possessions to start the game. Instead of a 14-0 cushion before the Horned Frog offense could touch the ball, the Tigers clung to a 6-0 lead after incompletions and negative gains impeded progress.
There’s no cure-all for the problems. Zach Mettenberger maintained the same demeanor inside the 20 as he did for the entire game and the TCU run defense was just as stout.
It boils down to execution, which is where things derailed Saturday. Mettenberger’s few mistakes came in the redone as he tried to force a ball to DeSean Smith and overthrew Dillon Gordon on the first possession. Incompletions to Jarvis Landry and Travin Dural marred the second.
It’s been said ad nauseum in the past, but if the Tigers are to win games against marquee Southeastern Conference opponents, field goals may not stand up in the long run.
Linebackers:
Senior safety Craig Loston was blunt in his assessment of some defensive counterparts Saturday night.
“It was kind of an off night for our linebackers,” Loston said. “Our linebackers didn’t get together a lot of action.”
Loston attributed the ineffectiveness to the constant spread and five wide receiver sets TCU showed. But, as a whole, the corps couldn’t mask their shortcomings.
Junior DJ Welter was ineffective for most of the evening as he got bad angles on tackles, was sometimes too slow to the action and even whiffed on a few easy stops.
Welter wasn’t alone as he, Kwon Alexander and Lamin Barrow combined for only seven tackles on the evening, a far cry from the gaudy numbers Tiger fans grew accustomed to with former middle linebacker Kevin Minter.
Kenny Hilliard:
What in the world has happened to Kenny Hilliard?
Looking trimmer and more agile in camp, Hilliard was barely a blip on the Tiger radar Saturday as he managed only four carries for eight yards.
Consider this is the same player who had eight rushing touchdowns during his freshman campaign, earning him a spot on the All-Southeastern Conference Freshman team. Then, he opened the 2012 season with a 141 yard, two touchdown performance against North Texas.
Then, the spiral began as playing time decreased and other runners surged ahead.
Whether it’s Les Miles’ decision or whether it’s a talent gap, Hilliard’s absence becomes more noticeable by the week. And, with Terrence Magee’s breakout performance and Jeremy Hill’s inevitable return, Saturday may have driven home that Tiger fans will see less and less of their former freshman phenom.