Since October, offensive coordinator Matt Canada’s diverse offense has come alive and given a variety of players a chance to make big plays.
From senior receiver Russell Gage rushing for 202 yards on the season, to senior running back Darrel Williams having 100 receiving and rushing yards in one game, and tight ends having more catches than receivers occasionally, Canada’s offense is ever changing.
“It’s definitely different from what we used to do,” junior center Will Clapp said. “I think it’s a great asset for us. In the past it’s been kind of one-dimensional, but now you never know what you’re going to get. Coach Canada brings multiple dimensions to this offense that nobody can ever predict what’s coming.”
LSU coach Ed Orgeron said one of the reasons he hired Canada in the first place was to give opposing teams, especially Alabama, problems. The motions and shifts are an integral part of Canada’s offensive game plans that make it difficult for teams to keep up.
In LSU’s 24-10 loss to Alabama, the Tigers offense was nowhere near what it had been in previous years. LSU had 306 total offensive yards compared to just 125 yards in 2016.
“I think coach Canada put together a really good game plan,” Clapp said. “I went upstairs to his office — like [I] appreciate you — I thought that game plan was great. I think our offense ended up having a pretty solid night.”
But just a solid night is not what LSU is looking for. While LSU fought hard, Orgeron affirmed that there’s not room for moral victories and that they need to identify what needs to fixed and move on from there.
“There’s things to improve on, we gave up some sacks late, but we had some good rushing stats,” Clapp said. “We were able to get consistent drives going. I think that was the best thing to see, and realize that our offense is improving and putting up good drives and putting good numbers on a really good defense like that.”
LSU’s thin offensive line, which was starting two freshmen, stepped up against Alabama and helped open up holes for big plays that allowed the Tigers to stay in it.
The biggest play of the game was a 54 yard run by Williams in a wildcat formation to set LSU up inside the 54-yard line that resulted in a touchdown. The wildcat snap to Williams was not originally part of Canada’s playbook, and he added it during the bye week as a wrinkle against Alabama.
Williams’ ability to read the defense well, combined with the blocking of the offensive line made it a perfect momentum shifting play for the Tigers.
“I’m proud of them,” Orgeron said at his media luncheon on Monday. “You know, we faced a lot of growing pains at beginning of the year and in camp, and we could not scrimmage like we wanted to. We weren’t too deep in a lot of positions. But those guys have gotten better, and I’m proud of them. I’m proud of Saahdiq [Charles] and Ed Ingram and the older guys.”
The way the offense has come together as the season has gone on shows how the team has bought into Canada’s vision and begun to execute it to the fullest.
“It gives confidence, obviously,” Orgeron said. “[Canada] had more yards than they had against us, and that was evident with his game plan. The shifts and motions were very hard. Although they stopped some plays, the things that they stopped, he was able to do something else. He had options. I think that he had a great play call in the first down, play-action pass.
“I think the more and more time coach Canada has with us and we have with him, the better we’re going to get,” Clapp said.