It was an in-state matchup on Saturday night, where LSU defeated Southeastern Louisiana 56-10, improving to 4-0 on the season.
In a game where the Tigers were largely favored, it was the perfect opportunity for them to work out any kinks before they enter the teeth of SEC play.
While LSU dominated, showing improvements on both sides of the ball, there were still some mental errors that you would like to see corrected.
Mental errors showed early
The game was already out of reach in the first half as the Tigers led 35-0, but there were many mental errors and mistakes.
There were multiple drops in the first half from receivers on catchable passes. Nic Anderson had a drop on a wide-open touchdown, and Barion Brown dropped a short pass early in the first quarter as well.
Aaron Anderson had an opportunity to bring a pass, but it was jarred loose by a Southeastern defender, making the pass incomplete. It was a good play by Blayne Delahoussaye, but it’s a catch that you would like to see one of the best receivers on the team make.
The other mental errors we saw from the Tigers were penalties. Safety Dashwan Spears ran into the punter, giving the Lions an automatic first down on fourth down.
The next play came from defensive tackle Dominick McKinley, who got flagged for unnecessary roughness, taking a player’s helmet off during the play.
The Tigers accumulated a total of seven penalties in the game for 50 yards.
With a large victory that the Tigers had, the penalties weren’t costly, but for a team that was known for doing the same thing last year, it can’t become a habit for LSU.
Ju’Juan Johnson is a playmaker
When Ju’Juan Johnson committed to LSU, he was known for being a great athlete and playmaker.
He played quarterback and cornerback in high school, but last season he had to switch to running back due to the lack of depth at the position.
Head coach Brian Kelly told reporters that he was going to see the field and have an impact this season, and we saw it on Saturday against the Lions.
On eight rushing attempts, Johnson had a total of 43 yards and found the endzone twice. Johnson led the running backs in yards and yards per carry while also adding a reception that went for 14 yards.
“I just think he sees the game really well, ” Kelly said. “I think his natural instincts took over at that position, and I think we all saw the same things. Very impressed with the way he played, the way he ran, catches the football — he does a lot of really good things for us.”
For a guy who was recruited for multiple positions, it’s not easy to find a specific role, but he has now.
LSU won the short-yardage situations on both sides of the ball
In obvious short-yardage situations, the offense has to convert. It allows the offense to sustain drives, create momentum, and prove that you can be physical when necessary.
On LSU’s first scoring drive, the Tigers went under center three times, with two of them coming on third-and-2 and another on the goalline as quarterback Garrett Nussmeier snuck his way to the endzone.
“It’s just a whole different threat,” Nussmeier said. “I think we can do a lot of different things out of that. I thought Coach Sloan did an awesome job tonight putting us in different packages and different situations.”
Although Southeastern doesn’t have the most talent on its roster, it’s exactly what you want to see from your offensive line and running game.
For the defense, it’s a similar situation.
The Lions were one for nine on third-down situations, and while not all of them were in short-yardage situations, there were times when the Tigers overpowered them and eliminated the drive early.
As unusual as it may sound for LSU in recent years, the defense has not been a problem. They play with physicality, speed and aggression. It’s a hungry defense that has been making plays and continues to be the strength of the team.
