Game Notes From Last Night

Defense: Defense played a great game besides the obvious busts in coverage, but there were a few glaring weaknesses. Our linebackers NEVER cover the backs when they circle out of the backfield, whether in man or zone coverage. They do, however, cover them when they fake towards the line, and then square out towards the sidelines.

Whenever bama bunched their receivers, we blew assignments almost every time. Bunching receivers really tests the discipline of a defense, and if they're not completely confident in their assignments, it leads to some easy throws. Although i've seen us use this a couple of times, we should really implement more of this into our offense to help receivers get open and give quarterbacks better targets. If they'd had a better QB, the middle crossing routes were often wide open. Overall, however, defense played a great game and there were some excellent individual efforts all night.

Offense: After re-watching every play MULTIPLE times, i'm confident in saying that we ran a VERY elementary offense with some very poorly designed plays. The JJ dive from the shotgun with Copeland leading is disgusting, just to name one. Receiver routes are as simple as the ones I ran in high school (in an option offense). As good as our individual players are, this scheme does very little to help them get open. Bunching receivers and running some multiple routes, underneath drag routes, RB's out of the backfield would have done wonders in this game. An option pass would probably have gone for a touchdown if called.

That said, I love my LSU Tigers as much as anyone, and hope this formula can take us all the way!!!