Some parts of Baton Rouge remained without power following Hurricane Isaac, but sophomore wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr.’s electrifying punt returns were enough to keep the lights on over Death Valley as the Tigers rolled to a 41-14 win against North Texas on Saturday.
The dismissal of Tyrann Mathieu left many concerned about a potential decrease in production in the return game. Beckham did his best to put those fears to bed as he notched his career-first punt return touchdown in LSU’s first game since Mathieu’s departure.
Beckham, who averaged 18.8 yards on four returns, gave credit to the rest of the punt return squad and cited the unit’s rhythm as a reason for his success.
“The punt return team was blocking tremendously tonight,” Beckham said. “I’m running up the field, and I see blocks left and right, people getting laid out. It’s a good feeling. It’s a secure feeling to be back there and know that that’s how it’s going to be.”
The sophomore wide receiver first showed off his big play ability in the return game following a 38-yard touchdown run by sophomore running back Kenny Hilliard. Beckham scampered 76 yards to the end zone, only to look back and see yellow flags indicating a block in the back by sophomore wide receiver Jarvis Landry.
“It’s a split-second decision that’s hard to make, whether you take the shot at him or you let him go,” Beckham said. “But we’re going to watch film on it and work on it, and we’ll be better next week.”
Beckham was granted a second chance just minutes later, and he made the most of it with a 70-yard touchdown return when he broke a tackle and hurdled over a Mean Green player.
Beckham’s returns didn’t come at dramatic or pivotal moments in the game, but they served as standout moments in a game that LSU coach Les Miles described as “sloppy, but dominant at times.”
The Tigers wore the old hat against North Texas with a punishing running game and relentless defensive play. LSU leaned heavily on Hilliard and junior running back Alfred Blue in a ground attack that produced 316 yards, and the defense had a strong showing as it allowed only 219 total yards. The defense also showed its depth with 22 different players recording tackles.
Junior quarterback Zach Mettenberger made his debut as a starter for the Tigers, going 19 of 26 for 192 yards while throwing one touchdown and one interception. The Tigers did not show much of a vertical passing game, mostly sticking to screens and intermediate patterns.
After roaring out to a 24-0 first-half lead, the Tigers seemed to sputter and began making mistakes as the pace of the game approached a crawl. A missed field goal, an interception in the red zone and a slew of 10 penalties marred what was otherwise a fairly dominating performance.
“It was kind of like offense, defense and special teams had an opportunity to play dominant at times, but really had some sloppy plays,” Miles said.
After the game, Miles called Beckham a “very talented returner.”
Even though Mathieu is no longer a part of the team, his impact can still be felt. Beckham said that Mathieu played a pivotal role in his development as a punt returner.
“I’ve just got to give thanks to him,” Beckham said. “He taught me so many things [about] the punt return game. … I’ve just got to take those tips and use them.”
Junior linebacker Kevin Minter said Beckham is only scratching at the surface of his potential.
“Odell, he’s a special player,” Minter said. “He just showed y’all a little glimpse of it. You can expect a lot from him for the rest of the season.”
