Sometimes numbers can be deceiving. Other times, numbers give more context to the story.
For the LSU special teams units, ugly numbers support what’s been seen on the field.
Out of 127 spots listed in kickoff return defense, the No. 6 Tigers (5-0, 3-0 Southeastern Conference) are ranked 110th in the country, giving up 25.08 yards per return. In punt returns defense, LSU is last, allowing 23 yards per attempt.
For the struggling special teams units, it can look forward to is the statistically run-of-the-mill return groups for No. 8 Florida.
Even though his team holds an undefeated record heading into the biggest game to date, LSU coach Les Miles said he realizes the difference between good and great teams will be a part of the game that is sometimes overlooked.
“We’re really going to bring it to the team because the team’s got to get it fixed,” Miles said. “If they want to be something special, if they want to play in more significant games than — and very much like this Saturday’s game — then they’re going to have to correct it.”
Miles said he wants to make personnel changes to solve the coverage problems, but it might involve multiple moving parts.
For starters, LSU still hasn’t solidified a kickoff man, using both junior placekicker Trent Domingue and sophomore placekicker Cameron Gamble on Saturday against the University of South Carolina. While Domingue, who is a perfect 7-for-7 on field goals, booted five of the seven kickoffs, his opening kick was a shank that landed out of bounds.
Following Domingue’s miscue to open the game, Miles went to Gamble. He promptly drove a ball into the endzone, where it was knelt for the Tigers’ only touchback. But on the ensuing Tiger kickoff, Gamble kicked the ball to the four-yard line and, Gamecock freshman cornerback Rashad Fenton took it the distance for a 96-yard score on his first career touch.
Not only did Fenton score on his first collegiate opportunity, but he notched the first South Carolina kickoff return for a score in more than a decade. With equally young Tiger coverage men losing leverage, Fenton’s job became that much easier, sprinting to paydirt untouched.
Senior linebacker Lamar Louis, who is on every coverage unit, said the problem is not just the freshman special teamers. He said the corrections shouldn’t be difficult, nor does he think the scheme will change.
“We got a couple guys, who are starters, who need a little break sometimes,” Louis said. “We got a couple of young guys who need to work a little bit more in it as far as having the right leverage and different things. Couple little technical things we got to work on. … They’re easy fixes.”
After the scoring kickoff return, LSU, with Domingue back in, squibbed it on three of the final four kickoffs. The Tiger Stadium crowd even cheered when freshman running back Derrius Guice tackled Fenton at the Gamecock 25-yard line on the final LSU kickoff of the game.
Miles, however, still is confident in his two kickers, saying the issues can be both with the kicker and the coverage.
“Sometimes it’s both, but most of the time, you have to deal with personnel and make sure that your personnel understands what we’re trying to get accomplished,” Miles said. “I think, in this particular instance, it was some scheme, and then we’re going to change personnel as well.”
Senior linebacker Deion Jones, who mostly played on special teams for the first three years of his LSU career, said the all of the special teamers are capable.
“Me being a guy who had special teams for the first three years, that’s a punch to the gut,” Jones said. “That’s like the worst feeling. I can’t have that again, so we’re going to have to get that together.”