What does LSU need to do to Get Back On Track?

LSU is the most talented team in the country hands down. This fact is so well known, LSU fired their head coach because he lost his second game of the season. Well, if LSU is so talented then how are they loosing ball games? Simple, LSU has been running the Power I formation which allows defenders to stack the box with eight or nine defenders. This puts a lot of pressure on QB’s and running backs since there are only two receivers generally on the field. All LSU needs to do is remove the fullback and replace him with a receiver on the edge. LSU is five deep at wide receiver so by adding one ore two receivers on the field takes defenders out of the box. This in turn takes pressure off of the QB and RB.

As you can see by these few spread formations, you have to respect the slot receiver on defense or a QB will have an open target. By doing this you put one on one coverage on the best player in college football, Leonard Fournette. Say that the defenders don’t take guys out of the box and they play a shallow zone coverage, well LSU has Malachi Dupre, Travin Dural, D.J. Chark, Jazz Ferguson, and Derrick Dillon any of whom can catch a short pass and take it the distance. LSU has too many weapons for any defense to handle. Before you say QB, both of LSU’s QBs are talented enough to get the ball out and beat teams. All the QB has to read is the slot receiver and the safety. If the slot is open, then he throws a quick pass to him, if the slot is covered and there is only one safety deep, then the deep pass is open, if the slot is covered and there are two safeties, then give the ball to Fournette for a run up the middle.

Why didn’t Les do this? Well Les do do this when he wanted to score really quickly. Les was old school type of coach who loved to play power football and see who could outlast who. The only problem is that every school now has a Tommy Moffit (LSU’s Strength and Conditioning Coach).

This was one of Les Miles favorite plays in his playbook. One game I counted that Les ran this play 65% of the time. He won that ball game by just wearing out the opposing team.

So, LSU can win the next eight games and get back into contention for a major bowl bid, an SEC bid, or maybe even the playoffs. All LSU would need to do is open up the field, get Fournette into a one to one situation with a linebacker and they can change their fate.