Know Your Enemy: Florida Gators vs. LSU Tigers Q&A
What the heck is going on in Baton Rouge? Who will start at quarterback for the Tigers on Saturday? How bad is LSU's pass defense?
In order to get some answers to all of these questions, and best preview Florida's regular-season finale against LSU, today we are joined by Glen West of Sports Illustrated's LSU Country. Let's get to know the enemy!
1. If there's one way to sum up what the heck has happened to LSU, how would you do it?
Glen West: How much time you got?
From the opening weekend loss to Mississippi State, the cracks in this program have started to show. Losing 19 players and two coordinators (Dave Aranda, Joe Brady) was enough damage already. LSU has had to play a number of inexperienced freshmen and sophomores who have just not played up to the standards set last year.
The hiring of Bo Pelini was questioned instantly and it’s proving to be a correct concern. The Tigers have looked lost on the defensive side of the ball for much of the season. Offensively the season started out well enough but you were facing two of the worst defenses in the conference.
Since the injury to Myles Brennan three games into the season, the offense hasn’t been able to find that consistency it had even when the defense was playing poorly. That’s why you’ve seen the 48-11 loss to Auburn, the 20-7 loss to Texas A&M, and 55-17 loss to Alabama this past weekend. This team just simply isn’t very good.
Those are just a few problems but there are many more.
2. The finger is easy to point at Joe Burrow, but besides him, which loss(es) hurt LSU the most this offseason, especially in hindsight as familiarity probably played a big factor in success this season nationally?
GW: I wouldn’t say any of the draft prospects they lost in April were all that surprising. The biggest losses came with players who were expected to be on the team in 2020. The Tigers have lost 16 players to opt-outs and transfers this season, an utterly astonishing number.
First it was Ja’Marr Chase, the Biletnikoff winner who would’ve been huge for this offense. Then you move to Tyler Shelvin and Kary Vincent, both key starters to last year’s team. The in-season losses of Terrace Marshall and most recently Arik Gilbert have been the latest smacks to the face.
This program, because of all the departures, is going to have a tough time getting back to 85 scholarships. It’s a truly remarkable downward spiral I can’t recall seeing in such a short time.
3. TJ Finley or Max Johnson this weekend? Is there anything LSU does offensively that you could see the Gators struggling with?
GW: I actually like Max Johnson this week. We’ve seen the highs and lows of TJ Finley but haven’t seen what Johnson can do in a starting role. If LSU hadn’t just lost its top two weapons (Marshall, Gilbert) for the rest of the season, I’d say the dynamic threat those two possess.
The truth is I have no idea what to expect from this offense this weekend. The run game has been inconsistent at best the offensive line has struggled with protection all season long. LSU has thrown for 19 touchdowns this season and a total of seven of those touchdowns are still on the roster, with nobody having more than one.
This honestly should be a great week for the Gator defense.
4. Which Florida receiving weapon scares you the most against the LSU secondary? Kyle Pitts is the easy but understandable answer but where do the Tigers struggle the most in their pass and all-around defense?
GW: This one is easy: Communication. Never have I seen an LSU defense struggle more with communication on defense. It’s become a ritual for this unit to give up multiple explosive plays every game, usually leading to touchdowns.
It’s quite literally been the worst defense in program history, allowing 600 yards twice, 500 yards twice and 400 yards of offense in all but two games this season. And it all comes down to a lack of communication in the back half of the defense.
The front four might present a few problems as BJ Ojulari and Ali Gaye have shown a knack for getting after the quarterback but that’s about it. The two Kyle’s should have one of their better performances of the season.
5. Prediction and some quick takes?
GW: I have another blowout loss somewhere in the range of 49-10. There’s just not much evidence to think LSU competes in this game whatsoever. The Tigers are limping to the finish line and just need this disaster of a season to be over with and turn focus to 2021.
You’ll see a lot of true freshmen this weekend as they’ve been the priority the last few weeks so maybe one or two like Kayshon Boutte, Elias Ricks or BJ Ojulari can make a few plays. Otherwise, this should be total dominance from the Gators.
