Regardless of the opponent, it is difficult for a team to win when it continues to give up the ball and miss scoring opportunities. Fortunately for the Tigers, the LSU defense prevented the Western Illinois offense from converting on the numerous opportunities it was given Saturday night.
The LSU offense and special teams lost the ball seven times combined, many of which came in an unsettling streak at the end of the first half.
“We obviously made some mistakes that were critical,” LSU coach Nick Saban said at the post-game press conference. “Fumbling twice going into the red area, missing two field goals, having a bad snap on a PAT, having a bad snap on a punt, not having good kickoff coverage, letting them get an onside kick; it was as poorly as we have played on special teams in a long time.”
The turnover woes began when sophomore running back Joseph Addai fumbled the ball on the Leatherneck four-yard line with only three minutes remaining in the first quarter. The Tigers defense responded and forced a quick punt.
Junior free safety Travis Daniels followed with the first punt block for LSU since 1999 and gave the offense good starting position at the Western Illinois 11 yard-line.
Another miscue followed. Addai fumbled again on the next play giving the ball right back to the Leathernecks offense. The LSU defense held and Western Illinois punted after only four plays.
LSU’s offense then stalled and attempted to punt. The ball flew over senior punter Donnie Jones’s head giving him time only to fall on the ball at the LSU 15 turning the ball over to Western Illinois. Only leading, 6-0 the Tigers defense came up with a big play. After forcing the Leathernecks to go three and out, senior defensive tackle Chad Lavalais broke through the line and blocked the field goal attempt.
“All in all I think Chad Lavalais played possessed out there, blocked that field goal and did an outstanding job,” Saban said.
Lavalais’s blocked field goal attempt was the first for a LSU Tiger since Arnold Miller blocked an attempt by a Notre Dame kicker in South Bend back in 1998.
“Usually when you line up for field goal protection, you want to get real tight,” Lavalais said. “They were a pretty good width, you know, they had a big gap right there and I was like, ‘Are they going to step out and is this a fake?’ I just thought, you know, we are going to get this one. I’m glad we got it when we did.”
The Tigers offense then drove into Western Illinois territory, but stalled and freshman place kicker Ryan Gaudet missed on a 45-yard field goal attempt. The Tiger defense answered with an interception from junior cornerback Corey Webster.
The offense stalled again in Leatherneck territory and freshman place kicker Chris Jackson missed LSU’s second field goal attempt of the night from 34 yards out. Once again, the Tigers defense stopped the Leatherneck offense in its tracks on three straight plays and gave LSU’s offense another chance to put points on the board.
This time junior running back Shyrone Carey and the LSU offense converted giving the Tigers a 13-0 lead and Carey his first touchdown of the game just before the first half ended.
“That was our mentality on defense,” Lavalais said. “Let’s just keep feeding the offense the ball. They are going to get in a rhythm sooner or later.”
The second half did not begin much better for LSU’s special teams unit. Catching the Tigers off guard, the Leathernecks successfully attempted an onside kick recovering the ball near midfield. LSU’s defense failed to stop the Leathernecks’ offense on the ensuing drive allowing them to score their only points of the game.
Once again the Tigers offense committed a critical error and surrendered the ball when senior wide receiver Devery Henderson fumbled the ball after catching a 12-yard pass. LSU’s defense returned to good form on the very next play as Webster intercepted his second ball of the game and the ninth of his career.
“It’s our job to go on the field no matter what the situation is and just stop them,” Webster said. “That’s how we go out there every day. It doesn’t matter what the offense does. We want to be known as a stingy defense and that’s how we look at it.”