Three LSU Football Players to Watch Against South Carolina in Week 3 Showdown

Harold Perkins looks to lead the defense against the Gamecocks, take strides in the right direction to open SEC play.

Brian Kelly and the LSU Tigers reeled in their first victory of the season in Week 2 after taking down in-state foe Nicholls State 44-21 on Saturday night.

Now, Week 3 will present a different challenge with the Bayou Bengals heading to Columbia to take on the South Carolina Gamecocks.

Kelly and Co. know the clock is ticking to piece it all together with the beginning of SEC play providing an opportunity to do so.

“I think you have to look at the bits and pieces of it,” Brian Kelly said. “Putting a consistent performance together is what we’re looking for and we haven’t done that yet, but it’s early in the season. Look, you’ve got to go on the road against a South Carolina team that’s going to have a lot of momentum coming off a great win against Kentucky. So, the clock’s ticking, right?”

Who must step up in Week 3 for the Tigers to come out victorious?

Three Tigers to Know: Week 3 Edition

Zy Alexander: Cornerback

LSU cornerback Zy Alexander is back on the field for the Bayou Bengals after taking significant snaps last Saturday night against Nicholls State. After suffering a torn ACL last season, Alexander is back in the cornerback rotation after working his way into the two-deep depth chart.

Now, with the veteran back in the mix, it provides a level of comfort for Kelly and the coaching staff. In his first game back against Nicholls State, Alexander was the most impactful member of the secondary after logging a pair of pass breakups and a handful of tackles.

Heading into Week 3 against South Carolina, look for Alexander to continue taking meaningful snaps and be a key piece to the secondary.

“We really just have to stop the run. We have to be physical. We’re in their crib, so we have to stop the run and we’ll be okay," Alexander said on Tuesday. "We like playing on the road. To get a win on the road means everything. We’ve put ourselves in a position where we have to go 1-0, so that’s our mindset right now.”

Harold Perkins: Linebacker

LSU linebacker Harold Perkins will be a key player to keep tabs on in Week 3 against the South Carolina Gamecocks with the versatile weapon looking to be unleashed.

Perkins, who's rotated around the defense during his time in Baton Rouge, will look to find his bread and butter in Columbia on Saturday.

"We go back and forth in terms of Harold (Perkins') production and wanting to get him involved as much as we can. Part of it is setting him up for success. That always becomes the conversation of getting guys in the right place at the right time. Part of it is the players have to make the plays as well," Kelly said this week.

"So, we're continuing to look at are we better suited in nickel personnel? Are we better suited in three linebacker sets? So, I think in answering the question honestly, I think it's a continuous search of trying to get him in a position of where he can impact our defense the most. I think we'll continue to work on that this week and see where we end up on Saturday."

Perkins has 11 tackles through two games with the Bayou Bengals hoping to get more production from the coveted defensive piece in Week 3.

Will Campbell: Offensive Tackle

LSU offensive tackle Will Campbell is the heartbeat of the Tigers' offense, but after two games, it's been a struggle for the offense to get in a groove on the ground.

Yes, Campbell has been exceptional as a pass protector, but the offensive line as a whole must click in the run game this week.

The junior offensive tackle will play a key role in this unit hitting its stride in the rushing attack and allowing the LSU offense to diversify the play-calling and allowing the ground game to develop.

“The grit,” Campbell said of what stood out about LSU this year. “I’d say that the grit and the toughness this offseason you know, we had probably one of our best offseasons we’ve had since I’ve been here. Just from a work standpoint, pushing ourselves, guys pushing each other, competing every day and you know, everybody here wants to win. This is Year 3, it’s time for us to do something instead of just winning 10 games.

“I mean 10 games is cool for other schools. Not here … 10 games gets people fired, people replaced, so it’s time for us to do something a little different and you know, win a national championship.”

Look for Campbell to hit his stride in Week 3 and allow the LSU offense to find its groove with a more balanced attack in both the passing and rushing attack.

More LSU News:

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