Three Observations From LSU Football's Week 5 Victory Over South Alabama

Brian Kelly and Co. head into the open date riding a four-game win streak, Garrett Nussmeier propels the Tigers once again.

No. 14 LSU handled business in Week 5 after taking down the South Alabama Jaguars 42-10 in Death Valley on Saturday night behind a complete performance from Brian Kelly's group.

The Bayou Bengals were shot out of a cannon to start after Caden Durham showcased his elite athleticism with the program keep its foot on the gas for all four quarters.

Now, LSU heads into the open date riding a four-game win streak with the meat of the SEC schedule inching closer headlined by Ole Miss in Week 7.

Three Observations: Week 5 Edition

No. 1: Complete Performance, "Complementary" Football on Display

Brian Kelly and the LSU staff were eyeing a complete performance from the Bayou Bengals heading into Week 5 against South Alabama. A program that has pieced things together in the second half, the coaching staff wanted a four-quarter performance.

Fast forward to Saturday night and the coaching staff received just that: A complete game.

LSU started the game off to perfection with a one-play touchdown drive led by true freshman running back Caden Durham. The youngster did it all for the Tigers with the offense rejuvenated with Durham as the lead back.

Offensively, it was a near perfect performance with Durham and Garrett Nussmeier leading the way in Death Valley. Nussmeier tossed for a career-high 409 yards while connecting with a myriad of pass catchers.

A key piece for the Tigers was efficiency in the red zone and on third down. Offensive coordinator Joe Sloan dialed up a masterclass game plan and the players took care of the rest to unload 42 points on South Alabama.

But the Tigers needed a strong showing from the defense without Harold Perkins. It was the first game the program would play without the defensive superstar and all attention shifted to Whit Weeks who would be taking over alongside Greg Penn III.

In Week 5, Weeks delivered after tallying nine total tackles, a tackle for loss and a pass breakup for the LSU defensee.

He's taking on a bigger role at the second-level, and with LSU opting to fall back to the 4-2-5 defense once again, Weeks will need to continue being more fundamentally sound and consistent for the Tigers.

Weeks lived up to the expectations on Saturday night alongside Penn, who finished with a team-high 14 tackles of his own.

All in all, the defense held a Top 10 offense in America to just 10 points and less than 3.5 yards per carry. A Jaguars team that came into the matchup averaging over 45 points per game with over seven yards per carry, the defense held up their end on Saturday night.

It was the "complementary football" Kelly and Co. have been searching for with the Bayou Bengals now heading into the open date on a positive note.

No. 2: Caden Durham Proves RB1 Status

LSU true freshman running back Caden Durham was shot out of a cannon to start Saturday night’s showdown against South Alabama. The youngster out of Texas took control as the lead back in Week 5 and didn’t disappoint. 

On the first play of the game, LSU quarterback Garrett Nussmeier connected with Durham on a screen pass with the track speed on full display after the reception. 

Durham turned it up field for a 71-yard touchdown to get the Tigers off to the fast start they have been eyeing all season.

But it didn’t stop there for the Lone Star State native and former Top 10 running back in America.

On the following drive, Durham’s number was called once again with offensive coordinator Joe Sloan dialing up a run up the middle. The true freshman slithered through the defense for an 86-yard run to the one-yard line with Nussmeier punching it in on the following play.

Durham’s historic first half was the talk of the town after ending the first two quarters with three receptions for 89 yards and one touchdown, but his production on the ground is what has LSU intrigued at what’s to come in SEC play next week. 

He tallied 128 rushing yards on just seven attempts with an average of 18.3 yards per carry. Durham provided a spark in the backfield once again after logging 217 total yards in the first half with a pair of scores. 

No. 3: Red Zone Efficiency, Dynamic Playcalling

A glaring takeaway from the Bayou Bengals’ first few weeks of the season was lackluster play when inside the red-zone, but Saturday’s efficiency changed the narrative rather quickly.

LSU offensive coordinator Joe Sloan went deep into his bag of tricks all night to get down the field then kept it simple to get the Tigers in the end-zone. 

The Tigers went 4-for-5 from inside the 20-yard line with Garrett Nussmeier making the most of his chances with a pair of rushing touchdowns. He ended the night going 26-for-39 with 409 passing yards, four total touchdowns and two interceptions. 

On third down, it was an efficient day at the office for LSU in order to keep South Alabama on the field and wear out the defense.

The Tigers went with a heavy dose of Nussmeier to Aaron Anderson on meaningful plays with the redshirt-sophomore ending the day with 73 yards and a touchdown on six receptions alongside Kyren Lacy.

Lacy tallied 107 yards on five receptions with Nussmeier utilizing him as the clearcut vertical piece. He averaged 21.4 yards per catch against the Jaguars. 

More LSU News:

LSU Dishes Out Offer to No. 1 Quarterback in America

What's Next for LSU Without Harold Perkins?

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

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