The Instant Takeaways: Jayden Daniels, LSU Take Down Army 62-0
Jayden Daniels and the No. 19 ranked LSU Tigers continue rolling after a 62-0 victory over Army on Saturday night in Tiger Stadium.
It was a complete performance from the Bayou Bengals with this program finding its groove in the final tune-up game before a challenging stretch of SEC foes.
The Instant Takeaways from Death Valley:
Tigers Handle Business
There was no question the LSU offense would step up to the plate against Saturday’s non-conference foe and this group rose to the occasion. The Bayou Bengals went into halftime with a 38-0 lead with big contributions from Jayden Daniels and Brian Thomas Jr.
Daniels’ Heisman-like season continued, and despite only playing in the first half, he made the most of his snaps through two quarters. The one-two punch of Malik Nabers and Thomas Jr. has been elevated to another level over the last handful of games with the Army secondary having no answer for the tandem.
Once the second half rolled around, it was the Garrett Nussmeier show. The third-year Tiger made the most of his reps, and on his first drive of the game, he dropped a 51-yard pass right into Nabers’ hands for a touchdown. He isn’t scared to take shots and proved that once again against the Black Knights.
The Tigers didn’t utilize their rushing attack at a significant rate through three quarters, but when LSU relied on it, Logan Diggs and John Emery carried most of the weight.
The Numbers from Saturday:
Jayden Daniels… 11/15 (73%), 279 passing yards, three touchdowns and one interception.
Garrett Nussmeier… 7/12 (58%), 90 yards and a touchdown.
Brian Thomas Jr… Three receptions, 122 yards and two touchdowns.
Malik Nabers… Four receptions, 121 yards and two touchdowns.
Rushing numbers… 33 rushing attempts for 201 yards and four touchdowns (seven rushers).
Brian Thomas Jr.’s Dominant Season Continues
The junior wideout has played a pivotal role in what this LSU offense has done in 2023. With Malik Nabers coming in with high expectations, and certainly living up to them, it’s allowed Thomas Jr. to add a new element to the offensive success.
The Nabers-Thomas Jr. tandem ranks among the best of them in America with the numbers supporting the claim. For Thomas, he leads the country in touchdown receptions (11) as he surges through the season.
On Saturday, it was much of the same. The ability to create space from defenders and get deep once again shined through with Thomas Jr. hauling in a pair of touchdown passes from Jayden Daniels.
As Daniels improves as a deep passer, it’s allowed his receivers to reap the benefits. Thomas has been a prime example. Despite Army’s passing defense being solid this season, the Tigers attacked it in Week 8 and made the most of their chances.
Thomas Jr.’s Season Numbers:
Week 1: 7 catches, 142 yards, 1 TD
Week 2: 6 catches, 78 yards, 2 TD
Week 3: 7 catches 60 yards
Week 4: 5 catches, 133 yards, 2 TD
Week 5: 8 catches, 124 yards, 3 TD
Week 6: 4 catches, 66 yards, 1 TD
Week 7: 2 catches, 7 yards
Saturday night: 3 catches, 122 yards, 2 TD.
Second-Level Success, Defensive Improvements
With Army’s unique offensive approach, LSU knew they would need to get production from the linebackers in order to slow down the triple option. On Saturday, the Bayou Bengals received that and then some.
Omar Speights, Harold Perkins and Greg Penn III handled business for this unit. Speights ended the night with nine tackles with Perkins tallying seven of his own. For Penn, he recorded four tackles and a tackle for loss to add to an impressive night for this group.
If there was an MVP on defense for LSU on Saturday night, it was safety Andre Sam. The first-year Tiger started the game shot out of a cannon and made the most of his chances. Sam ended the game with a pair of interceptions and a pass breakup. For a secondary that has struggled this season, it was a bright spot to see Sam shine.
Of note, LSU cornerback Zy Alexander did exit Saturday night’s contest with an ankle injury. The injury occurred on the final play of the first half and Alexander remained in the locker room for the rest of the game.
It was a productive night for the LSU defense, and despite facing an inferior opponent in the Black Knights, this group handled business on defense after allowing zero points scored.
No. 19 LSU will head into the bye week with their heads held high with their next showdown coming against the Alabama Crimson Tide in Tuscaloosa on Nov. 4.
