The Good and Bad from LSU Football's Week 2 Victory Over Nicholls

Garrett Nussmeier shines in Week 2, LSU offense continues handling business despite lack of rushing attack.

Kyren Lacy 2 runs the ball as the LSU Tigers take on the Nicholls Colonels at Tiger Stadium in Baton Rouge, LA. Saturday, Sept. 7, 2024. / SCOTT CLAUSE/USA TODAY Network / USA TODAY NETWORK

Brian Kelly and the LSU Tigers got back on track in the program's home opener on Saturday night after taking down Nicholls State 44-21 in Death Valley.

Kelly and Co. remain a work in progress despite the victory, but it's evident the offense has continuity in the passing game.

Here are three positives and three negatives from Saturday night in Death Valley:

The Good: Offense Handles Business

No. 1: The Garrett Nussmeier-Kyren Lacy Connection

If there was a consistent piece to the offense in Tiger Stadium it was LSU signal-caller Garrett Nussmeier. The redshirt-junior carried his momentum from Week 1 into Week 2 with a variation of impressive throws in his first start at home.

Nussmeier ended the day with 302 yards on 27-for-37 passing and six touchdowns for the Bayou Bengals. 

The gunslinger continues answering the call for Joe Sloan’s offense while airing it out to a number of receivers. On Saturday, he connected with eight different receivers with Kyren Lacy, CJ Daniels and Zavion Thomas leading the way after hauling in five receptions each.

Lacy ended the night with 65 yards while Daniels tallied 63 of his own. 

It’s evident the passing attack is clicking for the Tigers and Nussmeier is certainly showcasing his talents through two weeks.

No. 2: The Freshmen Impact

Kelly and Co. made it a point to get the true freshmen on the field on Saturday night with a myriad of youngsters making an impact for the Tigers.

It started with tight end Trey'Dez Green and running back Ju'Juan Johnson getting in the end zone and ended with cornerback PJ Woodland forcing a fumble in his first career start.

The LSU staff threw out a number of first-year Tigers with Jelani Watkins, Ahmad Breaux, Gabriel Reliford and more getting their first taste of Death Valley.

The main takeaway from the youngsters was safety Dashawn Spears and Woodland earning the start on Saturday. There is a need for change in the secondary and Kelly's staff made the move in Week 2. Now, it'll be intriguing to see if the move sticks in Week 3 when the Tigers travel to South Carolina.

No. 3: Red Zone Improvement

In Week 1, LSU was abysmal in the red zone after coming up with only six points after having three opportunities once inside the 20 yard line.

On Saturday against the Colonels, there was significant improvement from the Bayou Bengals after going 5-for-5 in the red zone with Kyren Lacy leading the way.

The five scores came from LSU signal-caller Garrett Nussmeier after connecting with freshman tight end Trey'Dez Green, freshman running back Ju'Juan Johnson, Kyren Lacy for a pair of scores and Zavion Thomas on a shuffle pass score.

The Tigers were creative in their ability to get in the end zone with all five scores from inside the red zone coming on well drawn up plays.

After struggles in Week 1, it was a bounce back from this group in Week 2 against the Colonels from inside the red zone.

The Bad: Defense Unable to Impress

No. 1: No Continuity

Kelly and Co. went with a myriad of combinations on defense on Saturday night in Tiger Stadium with a new group hitting the field on virtually every possession. It started with PJ Woodland and Ashton Stamps at the cornerbacks slot with the young duo making plays when needed.

If there was a bright spot on defense, it was Woodland handling business on the opposite side of Stamps where he forced a fumble in the third quarter. It was a momentum changing play for the Tigers to create separation after an abysmal first two and a half quarters. 

In Woodland’s first college start, he ended the night with four total tackles, one tackle for loss and a forced fumble. 

Despite a strong showing from the corners, it was a struggle in the trenches for the Tigers on Saturday night. Nicholls State running back Collin Guggenheim carved the LSU defense after tallying 145 yards and two touchdowns on 25 carries for the Colonels.

The Colonels offense made the most of its opportunities in Tiger Stadium while chewing time off the clock in the first half. Nicholls ran in a pair of touchdowns with both scores taking over seven minutes off of the clock to go into halftime down 23-14.

LSU’s secondary remains a question mark; mainly at the safety position. True freshman Dashawn Spears earned the start alongside redshirt-freshman Kylin Jackson, but the Tigers rotated in both Jordan Allen and Sage Ryan to find a consistent rotation.

In the trenches, LSU lost defensive tackle Jacobian Guillory to an ankle injury with the unit struggling to find production from the backups. 

It was a challenge for defensive coordinator Blake Baker’s unit on Saturday night after giving up 145 rushing yards and 152 yards through the air. 

No. 2: Third Down Defense

Nicholls started the game off converting on three of their first five third downs with the LSU defense unable to get off the field. It was a thorn in the program's side a season ago after being unable to make plays in order to get off of the field with it once again coming to light in Week 2.

The Colonels ended the game going 6-for-13 on third down with the LSU defense making plays in the second half, but once again a shaky start plagued the program.

No. 3: No Rushing Attack

There was no push in the trenches for Kelly’s offense after ending the night with only 64 rushing yards against an inferior in-state opponent. A game that should have allowed the youngsters to see significant volume, there was a lack of consistency on the ground.

LSU running back Josh Williams didn’t record a single rushing attempt in the first half while Kaleb Jackson struggled to find space early.

The bright spot in the backfield came from defensive back turned running back Ju’Juan Johnson after hauling in three receptions for 16 yards and a touchdown in the first half. 

For the offensive line, there’s work to be done. The heartbeat of the unit, Will Campell, recorded another false start penalty on the first drive of the game; halting any chance of getting started fast. It’s his third false start penalty of the year.

Williams ended the night with 19 yards while Jackson totaled 15 yards for the Tigers in another inefficient showing for the program on the ground. 

More LSU News:

Instant Takeaways: LSU Takes Down Nicholls State 44-21 in Week 2

Five-Star LSU Commit DJ Pickett Visits ACC Program in Week 2

Nick Saban Calls LSU Quarterback Garrett Nussmeier a "Sleeper" Ahead of 2024 Season

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