When Jake Peetz was hired as LSU’s new offensive coordinator this past offseason, he promised the return of the ‘Joe Brady offense’ and the excitement from the 2019 season, but through two games many people are still searching for that excitement.
When Ed Orgeron was looking for a new offensive coordinator following the 2020 season, he wanted to find someone who could bring back the explosive style offense that his team had in 2019. He consulted with former Passing Game Coordinator Joe Brady on the matter, who pointed him in the direction of the Carolina Panthers Quarterback’s Coach, Jake Peetz. Peetz had been a longtime assistant at both the NFL and college level, but had never been an offensive coordinator before, leading some to worry about his lack of experience. Despite the controversy, Orgeron hired Peetz as the offensive coordinator and brought in former LSU Offensive Analyst DJ Mangas as passing game coordinator.
Peetz and Mangas talked throughout the offseason about bringing back the scheme and concepts from the 2019 offense. Coming into the season many expected to see a lot of the versatility and explosiveness that was there in 2019, but through two matchups, it’s nowhere to be seen. The play calling has seemed very conservative and one-dimensional, the exact opposite of what it was in 2019.
One thing the 2019 offense relied heavily on was playmakers who could make plays in space, and there is no one better at that on LSU’s current team than Kayshon Boutte. Boutte was asked about the offense’s struggles after the McNeese State game, and he believes that it comes down to the players.
“Nothing is really slowing us down,” Boutte said. “I feel like us as players, we have to just execute the plays a little quicker and faster.”
One take away from Boutte’s answer is that the 2019 offense relied on personnel that is lacking right now. There is still plenty of time for this offense to grow, and for players to get more used to the system, but it is also possible that the NFL-caliber talent in 2019 is what made that offense what it was. Joe burrow, Ja’Marr Chase, Justin Jefferson and Clyde Edwards-Helaire are all once-in-a-generation players, so it’s hard to expect their kind of production from everyone. Time will tell whether or not the current squad will come close to past levels of productivity, but an improvement from the players is necessary for this offense to take the next step.
The other ‘X’ factor that is holding the offense back from the explosiveness that fans long for, is the lack of stability from the offensive line. LSU’s offensive line was a concern heading into the 2021 season, and so far, the unit has been the Achilles heel of the entire team. Due to the struggles from the o-line, the run game has been almost nonexistent, and it has been hard for Quarterback Max Johnson to find a rhythm in the passing game. The biggest factor that allowed the 2019 offense to be great was the offensive line. LSU was able to use empty sets and spread the field because of the offensive line. Every week they consistently gave Joe Burrow a clean pocket. They were also great for the run game, allowing LSU to be balanced and to keep defenses guessing at all times.
Despite the struggles on offense throughout the first two games, it is important to remember that it has only been two games. LSU still has plenty of time to fix these issues and the young team has the talent necessary to do so. It’s also important to remember that this is Jake Peetz’s first time being an offensive coordinator – there is plenty of room for improvement, and as a young coach there is reason to believe he will improve. The heights of the 2019 offense will likely never be reached again, so fans should lower their expectations, but there is still time for LSU to put together a very productive offense this season.
