Scouting Notebook: #1 LSU @ Tennessee

During games periodically, I'll write down thoughts about games as they take place, and share them with you, the readers, to help break down major plays in the games, as well as familiarize you with the players you'll see all season and potentially on Sundays in the NFL.  All the thoughts are in chronological order.

LSU @ Tennessee:

-          LSU CB Tyrann Mathieu is one of the most explosive players in the country.  Every time he gets his hands on the ball, you think it’s going for a touchdown.  I wouldn’t be surprised to see him get a few touches on offense as the year goes on.  He’s impressive defensively too, he hits extremely hard for a 5’9”, 175 lb. corner, and leads LSU in tackles.

-          LSU’s getting dominated on the interior of their line, they’re really missing their starting center, who’s out for the game today.  And Tennessee blocks a field goal!  Until the field goal block is called off due to a delay of game penalty that should have blown the play dead.  Unfortunate for Tennessee, but LSU was clearly about five seconds late on the snap.

-          Tyrann Mathieu got burned, made up for it by jumping out of the building to tip the ball, and Tennessee’s RB Raijon Neal still made a tremendous catch.  The very next play Tennessee tests Morris Claiborne, the other star LSU cornerback deep, and he picks it off, returning it about 90 yards the other way down to the 5.  Wonder if QB Matt Simms and Tennessee learned their lesson yet.

-          LSU calls a HB screen at the perfect time, Spencer Ware runs in basically untouched for a TD.  14-0, and LSU looks like they’ve found their offensive groove.  Time for them to start pulling away.

-          Well, there’s the answer to if Matt Simms learned his lesson yet.  On a solid playaction fake, Matt Simms stares down the outside receiver and forces it into double coverage on a deep post, where safety Eric Reed picks it off for LSU.  Simms had a wide open receiver about 15 yards down the middle of the field.

-          Da’Rick Rogers with a 44 yard reception, one of the first big plays Tennessee has had today.

-          Tennessee’s interior offensive line is dominating the tackles of LSU, Tennessee’s putting together a solid drive. 

-          Great seal block by Tennessee’s right tackle and a solid block by the fullback help Tauren Poole punch it into the endzone.  14-7 LSU, do we have a game now?  I still think not, but Tennessee looks better than expected so far.

-          Freshman WR Odell Beckham Jr. may be every bit as fast as Tyrann Mathieu, Beckham Jr. hits his second gear very quickly.  WRs Odell Beckham, Reuben Randle, Russell Shepard and TE Deangelo Peterson quietly form a very formidable receiving corps.

-          Jordan Jefferson is in now, and is gashing Tennessee on the ground.  He runs a QB power for 10 yards and a first down, then a 6 yard QB power on the next play.

-          Jordan Jefferson has 12 carries for 73 yards, and Spencer Ware 15 carries for 60 yards.  Jefferson runs an option into the end zone to cap a 99-yard TD drive.  This seems like the group of QBs that Les Miles can manage to a national title, just like he did with Matt Flynn and Ryan Perriloux 4 years ago.

-          Great return by Tennessee’s  freshman RB Devrin Young.  That is, until Russell Shepard comes from nowhere and catches him.  Shepard, Beckham, Mathieu, and Claiborne are unreal athletes.  It’s amazing how many great athletes they have. 

-          Spencer Ware is insanely physical.  He seeks out contact, and delivers blows more often than he receives them, that’s how he holds up under the load of carries that LSU gives him and looks unfazed in the fourth quarter. 

-          LSU’s offensive sets aren’t flashy by any means, but they constantly sustain long drives and eat up the clock, which is exactly what they’re gunning for.  LSU wants no part of an offensive shootout where QBs Jarrett Lee and Jordan Jefferson are put in more difficult situations.

-          Great play call by LSU on a WR screen to Russell Shepard.  I predicted 38-7 would be the final score, and what do you know?  It looks like 38-7 will in fact be the final.  LSU’s defense gave up a couple big plays, but nothing all that consequential, and the offense was consistent, scoring on six possessions.  An overall dominant showing by LSU tonight, and just cements the fact that Alabama-LSU will be the de facto national championship game.