Uh oh, it’s happening again.
The LSU football season is always a chaotic one, with national championship expectations every time the season begins. The Tigers are one of the most iconic programs in college football history, and with that comes one of the most passionate fan bases.
This past Saturday, LSU traveled to face off against Ole Miss in another crucial Magnolia Bowl game. Unfortunately for the Tigers, they were left defeated after falling to the Rebels 24-19.
It was a disappointing loss for LSU and its faithful, as the team failed to capitalize on a solid defensive performance. The offense couldn’t generate any momentum to stay on the field during drives, which resulted in the defense being gassed, missing tackles and giving up chunk plays.
The ripple effect from this loss? The fans are not happy and rightfully so.
Not only did LSU lose a crucial conference game that could’ve separated itself with a big win, but it also lost to a rival team — a loss that’s always going to sting a little more.
Losing in general can cause fans to pull their hair out, but after reviewing all the mistakes and missed opportunities, they want this game back.
In many fan bases, there are usually two different reactions after a loss: one that believes this is nothing more than a bump in the road, while the other holds severe doubt about the team’s future.
After observing LSU over the first five weeks, I’ve gathered my own thoughts and concerns about what was learned and what it could mean for LSU’s future.
Undoubtedly, the biggest concern entering this season was the performance of quarterback Garrett Nussmeier. After watching him last year, I was divided on what type of quarterback he was, considering his ball placement, arm talent and, most importantly, his ability to have big games.
However, when things went south, his decision-making and mental toughness continued to cast doubt on his ability to enter the upper echelon of elite-caliber quarterbacks.
For an offense that didn’t have the playmakers it does now, Nussmeier played fairly well. However, after acquiring so much talent through the transfer portal, expectations for him and the offense were to take that next step.
During fall camp, he resembled the Nussmeier we saw last year, but with even more potential. He had patellar tendinitis, news that broke before the season started, which had many scared for his health, but it was later proven not to be serious.
As the team came together, LSU looked much better on both sides of the ball, except for the offensive line, but it was a tall task after losing four starters from the previous year.
LSU finally broke the streak of losing season openers, defeating Clemson 17-10. Overall, both sides played well. Obviously, the defense stole the show, but the offense had a couple of positive plays that showed a sliver of its potential.
The game against Louisiana Tech was definitely disappointing and raised flags regarding the offensive concerns. Nussmeier didn’t look right and missed throws that he’d usually make. Yet, a win is a win, and it was only the second game of the season, so let’s not hit the panic button yet.
The game against Florida was another great performance from the defense, which recorded five interceptions. However, once again, the offense lacked explosiveness and rhythm. Concerns started to rise, but it was revealed after the game that Nussmeier was dealing with a torso injury.
It started to make sense. He was not throwing the ball with 100% confidence as a result of an injury he was dealing with earlier in the fall.
The situation wasn’t serious when he played against Southeastern, throwing for over 270 yards and four touchdowns. He looked more comfortable. Yes, it was against an inferior opponent, but his rhythm, timing, accuracy, velocity and confidence looked to be improving.
Now, in the bye week, LSU is 4-1, but the overall feeling is one of discomfort. That’s not just because of Nussmeier, it’s about everyone.
The offensive playcalling hasn’t been the best. The trending play from last week was the two-point conversion play, where a slow-developing handoff was immediately shut down.
The offense has scored over 20 points only once this season, and that was against Southeastern. The O-line started strong but struggled immensely against Ole Miss to even block three defenders.
The run game has been nonexistent with or without running back Caden Durham; the defense still can’t stop a dual-threat quarterback, and Nussmeier still doesn’t look right.
Head coach Brian Kelly said that Nussmeier is healthy, even though the fifth-year quarterback refused to talk about his injury.
As of right now, LSU is not a championship team. That doesn’t mean it can’t get better or healthier, but given how this team is functioning and the schedule in front of them, it will likely slip up along the way if this continues.
The defense has been elite and made plays, and regardless of the outcome against Ole Miss, it forced turnovers, limited explosive plays and gave the offense opportunities throughout the game.
But the defense can’t be relied on to win games. With all the talent at the running back, wide receiver and tight end positions, the offense still can’t get the ball moving.
Fans are already talking about starting the backup quarterback, Michael Van Buren, as it seems Nussmeier has caused more harm than good.
However, the fact remains that until there is improvement from the offense that takes some of the stress off the defense, I can’t say I’m confident in this team making it to Hard Rock Stadium.
