Enemy Lines: LSU's Strength Matched Up Against Razorbacks' Biggest Weakness

Tigers' secondary provides hope for offense if Arkansas line figures things out

Author:
Daniel Shi
Publish date:
Sep 22, 2023 4:00 PM EDT

In this story:

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — The task doesn't get any easier this week for an Arkansas offensive line that is still trying to piece it together. As Devon Manuel's status is once again up in the air, this unit will now be tasked with going against one of the strongest fronts in the SEC while playing the line shuffle game once more.

This week I chatted with Peter Rauterkus, sports editor of "The Reveille," LSU's student newspaper, for a deeper look at LSU. Note: This interview has been edited for clarity

Daniel Shi: LSU just beat Mississippi State on the road 41-14. What was the most impressive part of that performance?

Peter Rauterkus: The play of Jayden Daniels and Malik Nabers. Everybody knows both of those talents. Nabers is one of the most talented receivers in the SEC. Daniels had a good year last year, but the question around him was whether or not he could stretch the field and keep defenses on their toes. He and Malik Nabers had that connection down the field multiple times, which was really good to see for LSU.

DS: Both quarterbacks have been around for a long time, how do you see that matchup playing out?

PR: I think that's really the most interesting part of this game. You have arguably the two best, definitely the two most experienced quarterbacks, in the SEC. You've got two guys who are similar, both dual-threat quarterbacks. Daniels doesn't have just the size and power, that KJ Jefferson does, but both are similar in the fact that they can hurt you in multiple ways. It's gonna be really interesting to see if the constant desire to stretch the field continues in this game. I think if it does, it makes this LSU offense, which has already been really good through the first three games, really hard to stop.

DS: It's Kelly's second year there, do you think the coaching staff is getting used to using Daniels in a way that makes sense for this offense?

PR: Anytime there's a whole new coaching staff and a player who's adjusting to a new system, there are going to be those growing pains. OC Mike Denbrock has done a good job of designing and tailoring the offense in a way that suits his strengths and makes sense for him. You see more designed quarterback runs. You're seeing him be able to make plays and getting him out of the pocket is the final element being unlocked.

DS: Assuming Daniels doesn't go 30-for-34 for 361 yards, how does the running attack look for LSU?

PR: Logan Diggs has really emerged as the guy in that backfield ... He's a guy who's really versatile and catches the ball out of the backfield. He is a really good pass blocker, and he's really solidified himself as just LSU's most consistent three-down running back ... You also look at LSU's running back room, they have a lot of depth. Diggs has solidified himself as the top guy, but John Emery came back from being unavailable for the first couple of weeks last week. Josh Williams, who was the main running back last year is still in that mix. True freshman Caleb Jackson has emerged as well. He went viral on Twitter (X) for running over a Mississippi State player near the sideline last week. Brian Kelly's been adamant. They don't want to rush him into things. They still have a lot of things he has to learn in terms of pass blocking and routes, but he's someone who obviously brings an element to the backfield that you might not get with anybody else, which is his speed and power.

DS: If Malik Nabers has another historic day, Arkansas is toast. As someone who was there, what allowed for that type of performance?

PR: Seeing different ways he can hurt defenses. I think it's something that's really culminated throughout his career. We've really seen him become a guy who can also stretch the field. We're seeing him making contested catches. We're seeing him beating guys in man coverage to the end zone. We're seeing him really develop as someone who can just really do it all at the WR1 position, and his chemistry with Daniels has really that's something that's impressed me a lot this year. I've really been impressed with just the timing them two have. They've really been on the same page. You try not to make comparisons to 2019 when you're talking about the offense, but the chemistry that you're seeing between Daniels and Nabers does remind you of how big of a deal it was in the 2019 season for Joe Burrow to be on that same page with Justin Jefferson and Jamarr Chase. This is the first time since then, from a chemistry standpoint, I've seen that with the LSU offense.

DS: On the other side of the ball, how has Harold Perkins emerged as the captain of the defense and a potential first-round pick?

PR: He had a huge freshman year last year with his biggest game of the year coming against Arkansas. He had four sacks and two forced fumbles and really won that game for LSU. Coming into this year, the plan was they wanted him inside, more of a true middle linebacker role, and he did so against Florida State. He didn't really impact the game much at all, which was one of the big things a lot of people were upset about after that game. Over the last two games, they moved him around. (They've) played him on the outside, played him on the inside, used him as a pass rusher, used him as a spy, played him in coverage a little bit. Last week, you really see them starting to find that medium with him. He finished with four tackles against Mississippi State, had two tackles for loss, one sack and had a pass break-up in the end zone. So when you get him into a role where he can just do everything and show potential, that's where he's best.

DS: So will LSU drop Perkins into coverage and cover the Hogs WR1?

PR: The secondary still feels all up in the air at LSU. That was the biggest question coming into this season. Those questions remained after they gave up a huge game against Florida State. There have been two that have really emerged, though, on the outside, and that's Denver Harris and Zy Alexander, both transfers. Alexander is a player with a lot of experience, but not necessarily at this level. He transferred from Southeast Louisiana and was an FCS All-American. He is very talented but is still adjusting to this level of college football. We saw that against Florida State for sure, but he's a guy that's really starting to adjust better and fill that role.

DS: Arkansas' offensive line has not been good, and the defensive line for LSU is their strength. There's no other way to put it. Is the front seven just licking their chops?

PR: I think a game like this does suit the LSU defense to where they do have that advantage at the line of scrimmage, similar to how Mississippi State tried to run the ball and struggled. The rush will get there for LSU; the difference is, can they stop KJ Jefferson from getting out of the pocket and hurting the LSU secondary?

DS: A quick word on the Greg Brooks situation before we go?

PR: First and foremost, the biggest concern at LSU right now is just with his health and hoping that he can recover as quickly as possible. From a football standpoint, he probably is LSU's best defensive back. He's a guy who's been around for a while and done it all at two schools in the SEC. He's versatile and could play both the nickel and the more traditional safety role. Losing him is a huge loss for probably LSU's weakest unit as well ... When you lose a guy to not just an injury, but a situation that's even more serious, it's never something that any team wants to deal with. LSU seemed to handle it pretty well on Saturday. There's a video of (Brian Kelly) giving Greg Brooks the game ball after the game.

The Hogs will take on LSU Saturday 6 p.m. in Baton Rouge La. The game can be streamed on ESPN and fuboTV.