A look back on what went right and what went wrong in No. 6 LSU’s 23-21 win against then No. 3 South Carolina Saturday night in Tiger Stadium.
Three Up
Jeremy Hill: Another season, another freshman running back steps up. It’s becoming an annual rite of passage for the LSU backs. With Alfred Blue out for the foreseeable future, Kenny Hilliard underperforming and Michael Ford not getting many touches, Jeremy Hill stepped up and took his turn in the spotlight with 124 yards and two touchdowns against the Gamecocks.
Debut of the Warecat: For one of the first times this season, The Mad Hatter didn’t shy away from having some fun, running Spencer Ware behind center on Saturday. It was only a couple of plays, but they were successful. Ware is a weapon that shouldn’t be underutilized. When he lines up at quarterback, defenses have to prepare for him to drop back and throw a pass, run the option, or take it on a quarterback keeper. It doesn’t have to be on display all the time, but throwing a wrench in the usual offense worked well against one of the best defenses in the SEC.
Time is on LSU’s side: A week after getting dominated on the clock by the Gators in Gainesville, the Tigers turned the tables on the Gamecocks. LSU controlled the clock for nearly 37 minutes, including 18 minutes in the second half. This is LSU coach Les Miles’ brand of football, and if LSU plans on making another BCS Championship run, it needs to continue winning this battle.
Three Down
Oh my god, who killed Kenny?: Sophomore running back Kenny Hilliard struggled to find a crease for the fourth straight game, gaining just 33 yards on 10 carries. It was his fourth consecutive ineffective game toting the football for the LSU offense, as he has combined for only 112 rushing yards on 33 carries in the Tigers’ last four games. Here are his stat lines in those games: 33 yards on 10 carries against South Carolina, 16 yards on five carries against Florida, 23 yards on six carries against Towson and 40 yards on 10 carries against Auburn. This is all after Hilliard burst onto the scene with 303 rushing yards and six touchdowns in the Tigers first three games.
Conversion factor: The LSU defense stiffened on third downs, allowing the Gamecocks to pick up just 3-of-13 attempts. But South Carolina was 2-for-2 on fourth down conversions, including one late in the contest that kept them in the game. Leading 23-14, the Tigers allowed Connor Shaw to complete a 16-yard pass on 4th and 12, putting the Gamecocks in business at the LSU 1-yard line. South Carolina would score on the next play, cutting the Tigers’ lead to two with 1:41 remaining.
Clipped Wing: Last season at this time, fans were in love with the punter from Down Under. The man with the swag was redefining the status quo for his position, while ranking among the top punters in the nation. Wing hasn’t been all bad this season, but his outing against South Carolina was a far cry from the Wing most LSU fans know. Four punts for 134 yards (a 33.5 yard average), none inside the 20 yard line and one for a touchback just won’t cut it for the Aussie, who tweeted after the game, “Shittest performance I have ever given. Lucky my team played their hearts out tonight. Great win.” As long as LSU’s offense is having trouble, Wing will play a pivotal role in keeping the Tigers in tight games. LSU can’t afford any more off nights from Wing.
Who’s up next?: The Tigers get No. 18 Texas A&M (5-1) this Saturday in College Station, Texas. The Aggies held on 59-57 against Louisiana Tech in Shreveport last week thanks to freshman quarterback Johnny Manziel’s 576 total yards and six total touchdowns.
