A Breakdown of LSU Football's Kayshon Boutte Historic Receiving Night
The SEC has a new single-game receiving yardage record holder, and it’s LSU freshman wide receiver Kayshon Boutte.
While LSU’s passing game proved to be quite good for most of the year, the Tigers tended to spread the football around. Against Ole Miss, that trend ended. Kayshon Boutte’s performance was inspiring.
The true freshman recorded 14 receptions for 308 yards and three touchdowns. One player, one game, SEC record. It's such an impressive accomplishment for Boutte and a tip of the cap to those around him that made it happen, especially the LSU offensive line that provided LSU quarterback Max Johnson seemingly all day to complete his passes. Do consider the following individual points about Boutte’s performance as well.
This young man breaks tackles. Lots of them. When someone looks at Boutte, it’s not likely they will consider him a powerful wide receiver that breaks tackles and darts into the end zone. Tell that to Ole Miss defenders, however.
During the game-winning touchdown catch and run, Boutte ran yet another dig route, the same route he destroyed Ole Miss’ secondary all game long. Right after the reception, a Rebel defender appeared to have Boutte dead to rights.
Boutte spun out of the tackle and it even propelled him and he quickly hit his stride again. Boutte turned the corner to go down the sidelines and into the end zone, out running every Ole Miss defender. That play meant an LSU lead and eventual victory, but it also showed a couple of other traits that one does not automatically assume about a thin freshman wide receiver.
No question Boutte’s effort is tremendous. That play showed him completely out-matching a defender one-on-one, and he immediately wanted to score. That will, that attitude, it’s infectious.
It also showed his wiry strength. Imagine Boutte after he goes through LSU’s strength program this off season. He’s going to be even more difficult to tackle come the fall of 2021. Now back to the game, and a look at the coordination of what Boutte and the Tigers were able to do to Ole Miss.
When a player proves he’s better than the opponent, that’s when a team typically goes back to the same play over and over. That’s a microcosm of LSU running the crossing route to Boutte. Ole Miss could not stop that play.
"He catches the go route about as good as anybody I've seen," coach Ed Orgeron said. "He's learned our offense, he runs good routes and he catches all the balls we're throwing to him. I think he's gonna be one of the great players we have here at LSU."
How in the world did Boutte continuously run that crossing route (dig route or “six” route for you football junkies) and Ole Miss fail to stop it? For one, honestly, Boutte is really fast. Football fast, most importantly.
He accelerated right when he needed to avoid contact. That situation played itself out several times during the evening. The second part Boutte should be thankful for, and that’s the passing of Johnson.
When Johnson continually hit Boutte with accurate passes it allowed Boutte to run with the ball, in stride, after the catch. He’s obviously lethal once the football is in his hands. The freshman signal caller deserves his due.
Johnson threw for 435 yards, three touchdowns and one interception. Now the two freshmen have something working as we go into the off season.
Boutte went over 100 yards receiving in each of the last three games. Eight receptions for 111 yards (Alabama), five receptions for 108 yards (Florida), and now the record-breaking performance against Ole Miss with 14 receptions for 308 yards. Overall, Boutte’s style of play could be defined as reminiscent of Justin Jefferson, the now Minnesota Viking that played and starred for the 2019 LSU national championship team.
Silky smooth with the football, excellent hands, a desire to find his way to the end zone, and makes clutch catches in the fourth quarter (remember Jefferson’s play versus Texas?). While it’s not yet accurate to say Boutte reached Jefferson’s level, he’s certainly a player that college football teams will need to deal with for the rest of his time in an LSU uniform.
LSU found its next star at wide receiver. He’s a home-grown talent from New Iberia (La.) Westgate. The 6-0, 185-pound Boutte will be a central piece to LSU’s offense moving forward.
