The LSU football team’s receivers call third down the “money down,” but the Tigers’ wallets have been empty this season.
LSU (4-2, 0-2 Southeastern Conference) ranks 119th in the country in third down efficiency against Power 5 conference teams ahead of only Kent State, Miami (Ohio), Eastern Michigan and Temple.
This week the Tigers will get another chance to improve those numbers when they face Florida at 6:30 p.m. Saturday on the SEC Network.
Last season, LSU was the most efficient third down offense in college football with more than 57 percent conversion rate.
Offensive leaders, like quarterback Zach Mettenberger, running back Jeremy Hill and receivers Jarvis Landry and Odell Beckham Jr. moved on to the NFL, leaving the Tigers’ offense with a only a handful of experienced playmakers.
Fast-forward to the midway point of this season, and LSU is still searching for the recipe to keep the chains moving.
Quarterbacks Anthony Jennings and Brandon Harris each had their chance at running the offense, but neither has been able to get LSU back to last season’s the efficiency.
Against Power 5 conference opponents, the Jennings-led offense is 7-for-32, or about 22 percent on third down. With Harris leading the charge, the offense hasn’t converted a single third down on 11 attempts.
LSU coach Les Miles has yet to name a starter for Saturday’s game and said both players will see time on the field.
But the Tigers’ third down struggles don’t fall solely on the quarterbacks. LSU averages three yards per carry on 14 rushing attempts but has converted only four times
Sophomore offensive tackle Jerald Hawkins said the offensive line is on a mission to improve the rushing numbers on third down.
“As an offensive line, we take [the rushing totals] personally,” Hawkins said. “We’re up front. We take responsibility because we’re the big brothers of the team, and we’re just focused on making sure those numbers go higher.”
Florida (3-1, 2-1 SEC) is 80th in the country in defensive third down conversions, allowing opponents to convert about 47 percent of the time.
Florida’s third down rush defense looks strong from a yards allowed standpoint. The Gators have surrendered -19 yards on 22 carries, but that number is a bit misleading. On third and three or fewer, the Gators’ opponents have converted 10 of 12 times averaging about 2.5 yards per carry.
Setting up third and shorts will be important to keep the chains moving, which is something LSU did well against Auburn last week.
At his weekly press conference Monday, Miles pointed out that his team had success setting up second and short, but mistakes forced them into third and long.
“In the first and tens we were probably, without doing the arithmetic, averaging seven or eight yards,” Miles said. “Then simple opportunities to convert in short yardage, really went by with a mistake, and that mistake really cost that offense the opportunity to move the football.”
Those mistakes can be accredited to LSU’s host of freshmen making their first starts on the road. Jennings, who played the final quarter and a half last week at Auburn, tallied only one snap on the road last season on a quarterback keeper against Ole Miss.
Sophomore wide receiver Travin Dural said playing well on the road requires chemistry and a little experience. Unless the Tigers develop that chemistry, their third-down woes may continue against Florida.
“This year, you can tell that we’re not as comfortable with each other [as the offense was last year],” Dural said. “We’re not too successful on third down and that comes with growing and maturing.”
You can reach Brian Pellerin on Twitter @Pellerin_TDR.