Why LSU Football Will Need to Score in Bunches in Order to Salvage 2020 Season
The SEC, the league where the NFL comes to find its defensive linemen, the place where games are won in the trenches, and defense wins championships. Not anymore. The defensive trend has changed to offensive firepower.
When you discuss the top programs in the SEC, defense usually comes up quickly in the conversation. Rightfully so. The long list of defensive stalwarts from the SEC is a who’s who list of college and NFL greats.
Reggie White (DL - Tennessee), Glenn Dorsey (DL - LSU), Derrick Thomas (LB - Alabama), Jadaveon Clowney (DL - South Carolina), Patrick Willis (LB - Ole Miss), and Nick Fairley (DL - Auburn) are just a few of the big-time front seven defenders that played football in the SEC and also play or played at a high level in the NFL. Those defensive linemen and linebackers are now being overshadowed by wide-open passing attacks throughout the SEC.
That brings up the question, what in the world is going on? Consider Saturday’s final SEC scores.
Alabama 63 Ole Miss 48
Georgia 44 Tennessee 21
Missouri 45 LSU 41
Texas A&M 41 38
Auburn 30 Arkansas 28
South Carolina 41 Vanderbilt 7
Kentucky 24 Mississippi State 2
From seven games, Kentucky was the only winner that finished with fewer than 30 points, as the Wilcats scored 24. For one program, it’s a trend that’s been going on for at least three years, but this season is a full-on offensive slugfest across the league. To begin, take a look at Alabama’s points per game average during the past three seasons
2020 Alabama: 51.0
2019 Alabama: 47.2
2018 Alabama: 45.6
Everyone knows that coach Nick Saban is a defensive-minded coach. He really began to take a different look at offense once Clemson gashed his vaunted defense during the college football playoffs. Other programs, LSU in particular, changed as well.
The Tigers provided one of college football’s all-time most explosive offenses last season. For 2020, even with a new signal caller in Myles Brennan, LSU is still an explosive offense.
2020 LSU: 38.7
2019 LSU: 48.4
2018 LSU: 32.4
What does all this mean? LSU needs to score to win, just like every other SEC program. The days of winning SEC games 17-14 are over. Almost every team can throw the football and make plays in space. A look at LSU’s future 2020 opponents shows just how powerful the SEC offenses can be.
Keep in mind, these offensive points per game averages are against all SEC opponents.
Oct. 17 Florida: 42.3
Oct. 24 South Carolina: 30.7
Oct. 31 Auburn: 21.7
Nov. 7 Alabama: 51.0
Nov. 15 Arkansas: 19.7
Nov. 22 Texas A&M: 27.3
Even the game against Arkansas, a team nobody really expected much from, could be dangerous if LSU comes out flat. Remember, that’s an offensive staff in its first year. They are still installing the offense. Obviously the trip to the Swamp to play Florida this next Saturday looms large. LSU must execute its offense from start to finish to win.
Can LSU defeat a team like Florida on the road? Alabama at home? The real difference in salvaging this 2020 season starts with finding any sort of answers on the defensive side of the ball. Through three games LSU has allowed 96 points, the most in program history through three games.
But LSU must stay the course and continue to improve its powerful passing game as well. It’s part of the maturation process for Brennan and the offense as a whole.
As Brennan and the LSU receivers, tight ends and running backs gain more and more experience with one another, look for LSU to go over 40 points more often than not. The Tigers will need to score big to win the SEC, a league full of offensive firepower.
