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Notebook: LSU Coach Ed Orgeron Previews Ole Miss, Approaching High Powered Rebel Offense

With Matt Corral's status uncertain, how does LSU plan to prepare for Ole Miss quarterback room

The relationship between Ed Orgeron and Lane Kiffin is like no other when it comes to head coaches in the SEC. Achieving success together at USC and now preparing to battle it out in Oxford on opposite sidelines, the two understand each other’s game plans like the back of their hand.

With Ole Miss being led by Heisman front-runner Matt Corral and a high-powered offense, this Tigers defense will be put to the ultimate test Saturday afternoon.

Orgeron spoke on the Rebels dynamic offense headlined by Corral, his relationship with Coach Kiffin and what he hopes to see out of his players come Saturday.

The Matt Corral Effect

Simply put, Matt Corral is that guy on the gridiron. His scrambling ability is like no other in the college game and Orgeron understands the problems he causes opponents defenses.

“Matt Corral is one of the top players in the country,” Orgeron said. “He’s very fast, can run the football, can throw the football. You can see Matt Corral plays with heart. He plays with character. He’s very tough.”

As news broke Monday that Corral got banged up against Tennessee last Saturday, his status against the Tigers is up in the air right now. Orgeron was quick to shut down those reports during his Monday press conference, assuming Corral suits up against LSU.

“I’ve been looking at Matt Corral all morning,” Orgeron said. “We’re expecting him to play, but we’re going to study the second team quarterback [too]. Knowing Coach Kiffin, he’s throwing me a smoke screen.”

On the chance that Corral is not able to give it a go against the Tigers this weekend, Luke Altmyer and Kinkead Dent figure to be in line to compete for the starting job.  

Approach Against Such a Dominant Offense

The firepower of the Rebels offense is no secret. Led by Matt Corral, it’s difficult to stop such a true dual-threat quarterback, but playing keep away isn’t necessarily the answer. Controlling the clock and capitalizing on all offensive opportunities is what can put the Tigers in position to win.

“If you play keep away you might not score as many points you need,” Orgeron said. “That’s got to come into play. There’s going to have to be some ball control. He [Corral] goes fast every down and our defense is going to have to substitute. If he’s scoring at a high rate, there’s going to have to be some ball control to give our defense a break.”

Yes, the Tigers came out on top against Florida last weekend, but it wasn’t pretty. Giving up a tremendous number of second half points and allowing 42 points in total won’t cut it, especially against a team as fast-paced as Ole Miss. Orgeron harped on the need to win the turnover battle and limit their chances.

In last year’s season finale, the Tigers and Rebels faced off in a dog fight. Running up the score, it was a matter of who got the ball last in order to win the game. This year, that cannot be the game plan coming in with Corral playing at such a high level.

“I do believe they’re going to present a challenge,” Orgeron said. “We have to play better defense than we did last year, but the interceptions and the turnovers that we had last year helped us.”

Players Stepping Up When Tigers Need Them Most

With a roster so thin due to injuries, Orgeron has been pleased with players stepping up to fill the void of his stars. Offensively, wide receiver Jaray Jenkins showed what he is capable of in their victory over Florida with freshman safety Sage Ryan making his presence felt on defense.

“Very proud of Jaray,” Orgeron said. “Several times I’ve named him team captain, he’s a leader for us. He’s an excellent young man. Made some big plays in a big-time game, I’m proud of him. I’m glad that he stuck with it. There was some times where some freshmen were maybe getting some more balls than he was, he never said nothing, he kept on working. Ultimate team player.”

For Ryan, he showcased his ability to make adjustments on the field. Displaying a tremendous football IQ in his first start, the young safety proved he has the chance to be up next in a talented LSU secondary.

“I really liked his ability to adjust, he’s very smart,” Orgeron said. “In practice there were some things we had to adjust with and it took him a couple of reps, but once he gets it, he gets it. He has the physical attributes of a safety and has the footspeed of a corner. He’s a perfect nickel for us and he’s a great competitor.”