Sunday Morning Revelations

LSU was able to outlast Ole Miss last night, bringing their season record to 10-1. I have to admit, Ole Miss was a more game opponent then I thought they’d be. There were definitely moments in the contest where it seemed like The Rebels would pull off an upset in Death Valley. All Tiger fans should be happy that didn’t happen. A loss last night and LSU basically ruins their season. Dropping a home game against a hapless (yet talented) Ole Miss team and everyone forgets about the win at Alabama a couple of weeks before. Like I said, it didn’t happen. Actually, something much stranger happened, something that we really haven’t seen all year long; the offense won a game for LSU. That side of the ball racked up over 470 yards and answered every Rebel big play all night long.

It was a good thing that the offense showed up, because the Tigers vaunted defense certainly did not. Ole Miss was also over 400 yards of offense, finishing the game with 420.

The Tigers just looked lost on defense most of the game. That could be due to Ole Miss’ spread option attack, which was the same style offense that Auburn used to rack up video game numbers on LSU. With the spread becoming ever more popular in College Football, the LSU coaching staff had better get a clue on how to coach against it. In the SEC alone, you have elite programs like Florida and Auburn utilizing the spread, with dangerous teams like Mississippi State and Ole Miss employing it as well. That’s at least four times a year LSU will line up against it, and the Tigers might not always have the athletic advantage. Get a clue Chavis.

Beyond Ole Miss’ success on offense, there are a couple of interesting points about the game worth discussing.

De’Angelo Peterson needs to man up

I hate to bash a Tiger here, but this has to be said. Check out this play. That’s the much celebrated end around to Peterson that scored for set up a huge Stevan Ridley touchdown against Alabama. I love watching that play as much as the next Tiger fan, but every time I do its gets harder to understand how Peterson didn’t score. He did not end the play with a physical effort and instead tipped out of bounds. Against Ole Miss, he completely pulled up on what I thought was a well thrown ball by Jordan Jefferson at the end of the first half. To make matters worse, Peterson inexplicably jawed with a rebel defender after the play, costing LSU 15 yards. De’Angelo is a great football player with impressive physical tools, but if he doesn’t start playing with more desire, effort, and intensity, it’s my bet that his time on the field will dwindle.

Jordan Jefferson all grow’d up

The quarterback controversy at LSU is over. With the type of poise, decisiveness and intensity that Jefferson played with yesterday, he’s more than proved that he’s the guy. Anyone who thought the Alabama game was an aberration, Jefferson silenced them Saturday night. As the trigger man of a wide open playbook, Jordan ran the option to perfection, threw deep balls when he had the match ups, and even made a few touch passes. I have no idea what happened, but it didn’t even look like the same guy was playing quarterback. There was confidence, there was accuracy, and there was nerve. It was beautiful to watch. Although I’m still cautious about handing him the Heisman, I do think it’s safe to say that he’s put some distance between him and Jarrett Lee.