LSU Country

Three Observations From LSU's Victory Over New Mexico

Tigers show signs of life in the run game, defensive success key to victory

Zack Nagy

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The Tigers showed what they’re all about in their final tune-up game ahead of a brutal SEC stretch that awaits. Handling business against the Lobos in a 38-0 victory, the Bayou Bengals dominated in all three phases of the game.

Most importantly, LSU showcased a balanced offensive attack. A piece of the scheme that has been relatively ineffective this season was the Tigers’ run game and Saturday night those questions appear to have been answered.

Here are three observations from the victory over New Mexico:

Jayden Daniels’ Poise

Daniels finished the night going 24-of-29 for 279 yards and 0 interceptions, but his efficiency wasn’t the main takeaway, it was how comfortable he was in the pocket. With an offensive line that protected him beautifully, we had the chance to see Daniels succeed when having time to operate.

Despite a lower back injury that sidelined him for the fourth quarter, it was the Daniels show for much of the night. One major piece that Brian Kelly hit on this week was wanting to see his signal-caller go through his progressions before tucking it and running it. He did just that Saturday night.

READ MORE: Defensive Dominance Catapults LSU to 38-0 Win Over New Mexico 

Daniels’ dual-threat ability was on full display against the Lobos who just couldn’t compete against the weapons this offense has. At halftime, Daniels had already connected with nine different players for receptions well on his way to a solid night at the office.

Success on the Ground

For much of the night, the Tigers ran a two-man system between both Armoni Goodwin and John Emery, but after Goodwin tweaked his hamstring, the Noah Cain performance stole the show.

Breaking away for a 49-yard touchdown run in the fourth, it was just one of two scores on the night for the Penn State transfer. Along with Cain, Goodwin also got in the end zone twice. Their success showed that this squad has the ability to have a balanced attack, looking to carry that success into SEC play.

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The Tigers finished the night with 219 rushing yards spread out between Daniels, Goodwin, Emery, Cain and Josh Williams. With success on the ground, it’s a surefire way to open up the passing attack in order for this receiving corps to continue getting involved.

Defensive Dominance

The Tigers’ effort on the defensive side of the ball propelled this unit to their first shutout of an opponent since 2018. Led by freshman Harold Perkins, who filled in the JACK role for an unavailable BJ Ojulari, this group was on another level.

Allowing just 88 total yards and two first downs, it was about as dominant of a performance as this program has seen in quite some time. Containing New Mexico quarterback Miles Kendrick paired with shutting down their rushing attack, it was a recipe for success Saturday night.

READ MORE: Keys to Victory - LSU vs New Mexico 

It was also the first time Tiger fans had the chance to see Ohio State transfer Sevyn Banks get into the rotation. The lockdown cornerback is slowly getting his feet underneath him, but put on display what he’s capable of Saturday night, helping this secondary make it happen.

Finally, Jarrick Bernard-Converse. Playing safety as a result of Major Burns being out due to injury, the selfless defensive back played a huge part in this team’s success against New Mexico. With three solo tackles, one that prevented a touchdown, the Oklahoma State transfer came up in a big way despite switching over to a different position for the night. 

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Zack Nagy
ZACK NAGY

Zack Nagy is the Managing Editor and Publisher of LSU Country, a Sports Illustrated Publication. Nagy has covered Tiger Football, Basketball, Baseball and Recruiting, looking to keep readers updated on anything and everything involving LSU athletics. 

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