LSU football earned its first win of 2023 Saturday, beating Grambling State 72-10. The difference in talent was clear, but LSU did what it was supposed to despite some early defensive issues.
Here are three takeaways from LSU’s 62-point win.
Logan Diggs changes the rushing outlook
One of LSU’s main weaknesses against Florida State was its inability to run the ball. LSU’s running backs only ran for 49 yards in Week 1, and 35 of that came on one rush by Josh Williams.
Diggs didn’t play against Florida State, still limited in practice for much of fall camp by a hamstring injury. In his LSU debut, Diggs ran for 115 yards on 15 carries and was the leading rusher in a game where LSU ran for over 300 yards.
PLAY BY PLAY: LSU vs. Grambling State
Given the opponent, Diggs’ performance doesn’t answer all the questions regarding the LSU run game, but he is the first running back to stand out so far this season.
Another factor in that rushing success was the offensive line. The right side of LSU’s offensive line struggled against Florida State, but made adjustments against Grambling. Most notably, freshman Zalance Heard saw significant playing time at right tackle, replacing Miles Frazier and pushing Emory Jones to right guard.
Southeaster Conference play will be a bigger test for Diggs and the offensive line, but both showed flashes against Grambling. If Diggs can become LSU’s go-to option out of the backfield, it will likely open up the offense like it did Saturday.
The secondary raised more questions
Even against a worse opponent, LSU’s secondary was still its biggest weakness. It was evident from the first drive that the issues in the secondary were still present.
Grambling drove right down the field on a seven play, 83-yard drive with two big pass plays against man coverage. Denver Harris started at corner after not playing against Florida State, but gave up a touchdown catch in man coverage on the first drive.
Going into SEC play, the pass offenses will only get better. LSU faces an experienced Will Rogers who leads the Mississippi State offense, before playing Arkansas and Ole Miss who have two of the most proven pass offenses in the SEC.
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Harris, Zy Alexander, Duce Chestnut, Sage Ryan and Ashton Stamps have played the most at corner, in a rotation that still looks like a work in progress. Stamps showed promise, but as a true freshman could still be limited going into SEC play.
Chris Hilton Jr. can open up the offense
Chris Hilton Jr. was another player who made an impact versus Grambling who didn’t play against Florida State. Hilton was highly recruited when he came to LSU, but injuries limited his playing time in his first two seasons.
Ball security and route running also affected his playing time going into this season, including Week 1. He got a chance to play against Grambling, and showed the vertical threat he poses on a 47-yard touchdown catch.
Hilton’s speed is arguably his biggest strength, and that showed on the touchdown catch. With one of the criticisms of LSU’s offense being its inability to stretch the field, Hilton’s speed could help solve that problem.
LSU only used three receivers for most of the game against Florida State. Hilton’s skill set is unique compared to the rest of the receivers and can help balance the passing attack if he can consistently catch the ball.
