Special Teams Woes Plague Tigers in Season Opener
The Tigers’ special teams woes were a major takeaway following the season opening loss to Florida State. Two muffed punts. A blocked field goal. A blocked extra point. There is no other way to put it other than this group didn’t show up Sunday night.
By no means did this one unit cost LSU the game, but there is tremendous room to grow with special teams coordinator Brian Polian’s squad.
For Malik Nabers, LSU’s return specialist, it was a night to forget very, very quickly. Dropping two punts that set up the Seminoles in great field position is something this team will have to put in the back of their minds.
READ MORE: Three Observations From LSU's Loss to Florida State
Head coach Brian Kelly harped on LSU’s challenges on special team, specifically the dropped punts by Nabers.
“You put a guy back there, a guy like Malik Nabers, you watch him, you evaluate him through four weeks of practice, and you feel comfortable with his elite skill set and his mindset that he's going to be able to do a great job, and that wasn't the case,” Kelly said. “That was a mistake that we made. He wants to do it, and we'll have to reevaluate that situation. He's a great kid. We didn't lose the game because he dropped those two punts.”
When it comes to the blocked field goal and extra point that ultimately sealed the deal for Florida State, Kelly was very transparent about the decision.
READ MORE: An Early Look at LSU's Matchup Against the Southern Jaguars
Many believed going for two was the smart decision, but this coaching staff believed in their in-game adjustments and felt kicking the extra point would set them up for success. Though it didn’t go their way, Kelly and this coaching staff showed their confidence will not waver in their players despite turbulence.
“As it relates to the field goal, it came from the same left side. We made an adjustment after the field goal and made a switch in personnel, and that didn't work either,” Kelly said. “That's on -- that's us. We have to do a better job coaching.”
Kelly and the Tigers now enter game week against the Southern Jaguars where they will surely look to shake back from a challenging season opener. For this special units group, they simply cannot afford to struggle for the remainder of the year. With Coach Polian at the helm of his unit, the Tigers are in a good position to recover given his extreme expertise.
