LSU’s receiving core started as a rollercoaster this season with inexperienced players behind seniors DJ Chark and Russell Gage.
LSU coach Ed Orgeron said at the beginning of the season that they weren’t ready to go four-wide and it seems that they still haven’t gotten there yet.
Following LSU’s 27-23 win over Auburn, only Chark and Gage were among LSU’s top five pass catchers while the other three were either tight ends or running backs. Since then, other receivers have stepped into larger roles on the offense.
“They’ve done a really good job, especially Stephen [Sullivan],” said junior tight end Foster Moreau. “We knew we had DJ and Russell, Derrick [Dillon] was always reliable, but the other guys were kind of iffy. We had seen flashes of brilliance. They’re these big, physical, capable receivers, we just hadn’t seen that consistency, and I think that’s what we’ve started to see in games from them.”
Chark still leads the team with 718 receiving yards with senior running back Darrel Williams at 241 yards and Moreau at 190 yards. Gage only has 173 yards receiving, but has 220 total yards rushing.
As the season’s gone on, other receivers have found ways to make themselves known on the field. Sophomores Derrick Dillon, Drake Davis and Stephen Sullivan come in at 108, 134 and 186, respectively.
“We’d seen [Gage] make a couple of good catches [last season] against Texas A&M,” Moreau said. “We’d seen Stephen play really well, we’d seen Drake play really well. Derrick is always a consistent catcher. I think we’re going to really need those guys finishing off this year and especially into the following.”
Sullivan especially has taken advantage of the opportunities he has been given. In LSU’s 33-10 win over Arkansas, he had two catches for 40 yards and two catches for 44 yards against Alabama.
“It means a lot to keep the drive going,” Sullivan said. “I think that it was a third down call so every time coach gives me that opportunity, I’ve got to take advantage of it and make the catch, and that’s exactly what I did. No matter what down it is, I know wideouts are going to do whatever it takes to make the play.”
Dillon has fewer touches and yards than Sullivan, but he has shown his efficiency on the field. After dropping a big pass against Alabama, he came back against Arkansas and made the exact same catch in tighter coverage.
Even the veterans make mistakes, but what makes them different is their ability to shake it off and worry about the next play. Chark knows the importance of that and tries to instill that insight into the younger players.
“You’re going to make mistakes,” Chark said,” “But you can’t let those things get you down. I’m very avid on making plays throughout the whole 60 minute game. I’m blessed to be able to get another opportunity after I might mess up. No one wants to mess up, but if you do, you have to shake it off and worry about it after the game.”
The younger receivers coming in and making plays doesn’t automatically mean that the four-wide is a definite going forward. A lot more goes into the planning and playmaking that the talent of the receivers.
“There’s no definites really anywhere,” Moreau said. “If we can go four-wide, that’s incredible. To get some speed on the field to get different looks, you can run different concepts.
Obviously, I know my limitations and what my strengths and weaknesses are, but four-wide is definitely something we can put a package in for.”
It’s even more important going forward for those younger players like Sullivan and Dillon to step up and be a power on LSU’s offense.
Not only this season, but throughout the next few seasons, somebody in the receiving core will need to step into the position that Chark is in and be a threat to other teams.
“It’s incredibly important for them to step up, especially for their confidence and the speed of the game so that when DJ and Russell do leave for the NFL, we’ll be good at receiver,” Moreau said. “We’re bringing in a bunch of really good recruits, and I think that’ll be some good competition. Everybody’s trying to get on the field, so I think that’ll really drive the competition.”