In one week’s time, the LSU football team has gone from having major depth questions at tailback to all of the sudden having too many talented guys in the backfield with only one football to share.
Oh how quickly things change in a week.
I have to admit, I was one of those concerned about the LSU backfield after Joseph Addai joined tailback Shyrone Carey and safety Jack Hunt on the injured MCL list.
But those worries were wiped away clean Saturday against South Carolina thanks to Justin Vincent, Alley Broussard and Barrington Edwards – all true freshmen running backs.
Vincent got the start in place of Addai and went for 77 yards on 16 carries and scored two touchdowns.
Broussard, who had a case of the fumblies early in the season, had a game-high 108 yards on 19 carries. Edwards chipped in 37 yards on eight carries. That’s a total of 222 for the three. I bet Nick Saban would take that kind of performance any night.
The three freshmen also had this fine performance against one of the better rushing defenses in South Carolina. Coming into the game, the Gamecocks were giving up only 118.2 yards on the ground.
As good as LSU’s rushing offense was, its rushing defense may have been even more impressive.
The Tigers ended up holding the Gamecocks to zero net rushing yards, thanks in large part to a -26 yards from South Carolina quarterback Dondrial Pinkins. What about South Carolina’s freshman stud running back Demetris Summers? Eight carries for 16 yards and he was the Gamecocks’ leading rusher.
Pretty impressive on both sides of the ball. Now, if they can do the same next week against Auburn, I will really be impressed.
Offensively, the Tigers will have the difficult task of trying to run the ball against a powerful Auburn defensive line, led by DeMarco McNeil and linebackers Karlos Dansby and Dontarrious Thomas.
Defensively, Chad Lavalais and the boys have to stop “The Cadillac,” Carnell Williams, who scored six rushing touchdowns against Mississippi State on Saturday, and backup Ronnie Brown.
Sounds like a tall order at first for the Tigers, but it’s not impossible.
Just don’t expect Auburn to have zero net rushing yards or for LSU to run for 200 yards on the ground.
Freshmen tailbacks impress
October 19, 2003