The unexpected has become one of the greatest appeals to watching football. The chance that something different might happen lures fans in year after year.
At LSU, the unanticipated represents not just a possibility, but a probability. The Tigers have taught their fans to anticipate the unknown.
LSU heads into its first game at Tiger Stadium Saturday night as big favorites against UAB. While the result of the game may be a foregone conclusion, the journey to that result remains as good a guess as anyone’s.
One unknown to the game is which LSU running back will step up.
LSU coach Les Miles has given no indication to who might see more playing time among running backs Alfred Blue, Terrence Magee, Kenny Hilliard and Jeremy Hill.
It was Magee who made the biggest impact last Saturday. After spending 2012 in a limited role at wide receiver, Magee finally got his chance to show his talents.
Magee emerged from fourth on the depth chart to rush for 95 yards on only 13 carries, including touchdowns of 52 and three yards in the third quarter.
“[Running backs] coach Frank [Wilson] used to tell him in the meeting rooms, ‘Your time is coming, your time is coming, just be patient,” Blue said. “And we kind of all knew his time was coming by his play.”
While Magee shined, Hilliard saw limited play as a downward trend in carries that began last season continued into 2013.
Hilliard scored eight touchdowns in 2011 and rushed for 303 yards and six touchdowns through the first three games of 2012. In the 10 games since then, he’s only rushed for 169 yards and no touchdowns, including a
four-carry, eight-yard performance on Saturday.
The question of when Hill might see playing time again also looms over the Tigers. LSU’s leading rusher in 2012 never entered the game on Saturday and Miles remains cryptic on when Hill will come back.
LSU’s sporadic halfback carries display a testament to LSU’s legion of outstanding backs. Three different backs rushed for 100 yards in each of the last two seasons, and four different backs rushing for at least 300 yards in a season.
“I can’t really tell what might happen (Saturday),” Blue said. “Like oach Frank always says, ‘hot hand gonna get the ball.’ If you out there watching, and somebody break, most likely that’ll be the guy with the most carries.”
Whoever the ball goes to, success running the ball might come more easily against UAB. The Blazers ranked 81st in the nation in rush defense last year and allowed 178 yards on the ground against Troy last Saturday.
The Tigers’ unpredictability continued on the defensive side where a fairly experienced linebacker corps gave a less than stellar effort against TCU.
The linebackers, led by senior Lamin Barrow, produced only seven tackles against TCU and allowed the Horned Frogs’ running backs more than six yards per carry.
The group could see improvement with the return of senior linebacker Tahj Jones, who didn’t make the trip to Dallas because of an undisclosed injury. The versatility of Jones could help bring changes to the group’s performance Saturday, according to Barrow.
The entire defense will join in trying to stop UAB junior receiver Jamarcus Nelson, who established himself last week as UAB’s top threat on offense.
Nelson hauled 10 receptions for 199 yards and two touchdowns against Troy, while also taking a kickoff 97 yards for a touchdown.
LSU hopes to counter the Blazers’ passing attack with a defense that surrendered only 145 passing yards against TCU. The key will be letting go of simple mistakes made against the Horned Frogs and focusing on the game ahead, Barrow said.
“You set a standard for yourself heading into the first game and when you don’t reach that you’ve got to put it behind you,” said Barrow. “Its all bout tightening back up on your technique.”
Player to Watch
Jamarcus Nelson Quick hits
• Wide Receiver
• Junior
• 5’11”
• 160 pounds
• 367 All-Purpose yards
Blazers Stats 2013 Stats
Passing
• Austin Brown 19-29, 301 yards, 3 TDs, 0 INTs
• Jonathan Perry 2-6, 38 yards, 0 TDs, 0 INTs
Rushing
• Darrin Reaves 104 yards, 22 carries, 0 TDs
• Greg Franklin 14 yards, 4 carries, 0 TDs
Recieving
• Jamarcus Nelson 199 yards, 10 catches, 2 TDs
• Jamari Staples 103 yards, 6 catches, 1 TD
Team Stat Comparison 2013 Stats
Total and Scoring Offense
UAB: 31 points, 31.0 points per game
LSU: 37 points, 37.0 points per game
Rushing Offense
UAB: 108 yards, 108 yards a game, 0 TDs
LSU: 197 yards, 197 YPG, 3 TDs
Passing Offense
UAB: 339 yards, 339 YPG, 3 TDs
LSU: 251 yards, 251 YPG, 1 TD
Total and Scoring Defense
UAB: 34 points, 34.0 points per game
LSU: 27 points, 27.0 points per game
Rushing Defense
UAB: 178 yards, 178 YPG, 3 TDs
LSU: 114 yards, 114 YPG, 2 TDs
Passing Defense
UAB: 319 yards, 319 YPG, 1 TD
LSU: 145 yards, 145 YPG, 0 TDs

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Image courtesy of Steve Franz