Three Observations from LSU Football's Week 1 Loss to the USC Trojans

Brian Kelly and Co. drop another season opener, Garrett Nussmeier shines in the loss.

Sep 1, 2024; Paradise, Nevada, USA; LSU Tigers quarterback Garrett Nussmeier (13) throws the ball in the first half against the Southern California Trojans at Allegiant Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports / Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

Brian Kelly and the LSU Tigers dropped their Week 1 showdown against No. 23 USC 27-20 in another Week 1 thriller for the program.

It's the Bayou Bengals' fifth consecutive season opening loss with Kelly's group remaining unable to win in Week 1 ever since his arrival to Baton Rouge.

What are the takeaways from Sunday?

Three Observations:

No. 1: Garrett Nussmeier Lives Up To Hype, Carves Defense

LSU redshirt-junior signal-caller Garrett Nussmeier was passed the torch this offseason after Heisman winner Jayden Daniels gave him the keys to the offense. On Sunday, he looked like the next great out of Baton Rouge.

Nussmeier ended the day going 29-for-38 through the air with 304 yards and two touchdowns in his second career start.

It was simply a surgical performance from the veteran quarterback. He's patiently waited his turn to showcase his talents with Week 1 against USC providing him the opportunity. Nussmeier took Sunday by storm after showcasing his growing decision making.

“He did some really good things. He did enough for us to win the football game, but when we needed a couple plays, I think he would’ve liked a couple back. He’s going to be really good for us, and he’ll get better from today," Kelly said following Sunday's loss.

He's been labeled a "gunslinger" at times, but the narrative quickly changed against the Trojans after proving his consistency is growing rapidly.

There was rapport between Nussmeier and Kyren Lacy from start to finish.

For Lacy, he broke his career-high of seven receptions in just the first half with Nussmeier going to his WR1 from the jump. He ended the day with seven catches for 94 yards and 1 touchdown.

Taylor proved he'd become a reliable weapon for Nussmeier during Fall Camp. The connection grew last month and it carried into Week 1 against USC after Taylor ended the day with seven receptions for 62 yards on Sunday.

All in all, it was a massive day for Nussmeier after carving the USC defense from start to finish and displaying why many believe he has next for the Bayou Bengals.

No. 2: Offense Disappears, Rushing Attack Nonexistent

There was significant hype heading into Week 1 with the Tigers looking to utilize its rushing attack early. Fast forward to Sunday and it was simply nonexistent at times.

Yes, the Tigers finished with 117 yards on the ground, but it came in spurts with John Emery breaking open a 30+ yard run in the third quarter.

All in all, it was a disaster for LSU on the ground with the program losing the battle in the trenches on Sunday.

"Look, we could sit here and we could go look at a million different things, but we had over 400 yards in total offense. We weren't able to put the ball in the end zone when we really needed to," Kelly said. "This is much more about being a much better and efficient offense in the red zone than it is the failings of the inability to run. We ran the ball well enough to set up the things we wanted to do. We ran the ball well enough to win this game, but you can't win games when you come away with nothing from the 3-yard line."

In the first half, it was the passing attack that led the Bayou Bengals down the field on their first few possessions. In the second half, the play calling was all over the place.

The Tigers abandoned the passing game, went with the rushing attack, and were unable to get yards on the ground despite Emery's 61 yards on 10 carries.

It was Kyren Lacy who hauled in seven receptions for 94 yards and a touchdown in the first half, but the second half was a different story. LSU went to its WR1 just two times with 0 catches.

No. 3: Defense Taking Strides, Shows Improvement in Week 1

It was a new-look defense that the Tigers were hoping to see in 2024. There were certainly hiccups along the way in the secondary, but there was improvement shown from Blake Baker's unit.

The blitz packages were on full display, but ultimately it was USC signal-caller Miller Moss who made the most of his chances and carved the defense. He was surgical with 381 yards through the air on 27-of-36 passing.

"I thought our defensive tackle play was much better. I thought our edge play was better. We tackled pretty good. We were competitive. Overall, it's connected better. It's a cohesive connected group that plays hard. They played really, really hard. They didn't execute at the end as well as we would've liked, but that's probably it."

There were hiccups from the defensive backs in Jardin Gilbert, PJ Woodland and Sage Ryan with the secondary inconsistent through four quarters. The Trojans averaged 7.6 yards per play with the Tigers defense unable to get comfortable enough to slow down Moss and Co.

No. 13 LSU will host Nicholls State in the home opener next Saturday with the program looking to bounce back against an inferior in-state opponent.

More LSU News:

LSU vs. USC: The Early Betting Lines for Week 1

LSU Inching Towards No. 1 Recruiting Class in America

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

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