LSU's offense vs. Texas A&M's defense
AggieYell.com's look at the matchup between No. 14 Texas A&M (8-3, 4-3 SEC) and LSU (5-6, 2-5 SEC) continues with a breakdown of the LSU offense against the Aggie defense.
The scene
Location: Tiger Stadium, Baton Rouge, La.
Time: 6 p.m. central time, Saturday, Nov. 27
TV: ESPN
Weather: Temperatures in the 50s with a chance of rain
LSU depth chart
QB: #14, Max Johnson; So.; 6-5, 218
#5, Garrett Nussmeier; RS-Fr.; 6-1, 190
RB: #3, Tyrion Davis-Price; Jr.; 6-1, 223
#21, Corey Kiner; Fr.; 5-10, 213 OR
Armoni Goodwin; Fr.; 5-9, 185
#27, Josh Williams; So.; 5-9, 194
#26, Tre Bradford; So.; 6, 200
WR: #11, Brian Thomas Jr.; Fr.; 6-5, 198
#16, Devonta Lee; Jr.; 6-2, 215
WR: #33, Trey Palmer; Jr.; 6-1, 187 OR
#13, Jontre Kirklin; Sr.; 5-11, 186
WR: #10, Jaray Jenkins; Jr.; 6-3, 198 OR
#8, Malik Nabers; Fr.; 6-1, 188 OR
#6, Deion Smith; Fr.; 6-3, 198
#17, Chris Hilton; Fr.; 6, 178
TE: #80, Jack Bech; Fr.; 6-2, 207
#82, Jack Mashburn; So.; 6-3, 224
#87, Kole taylor; So.; 6-7, 247
LT: #61, Cameron Wire; Jr.; 6-6, 307
#72, Garrett Dellinger; Fr.; 6-5, 303
#71, Xavier Hill; RS-Fr.; 6-4, 306
LG: #70, Ed Ingram; Sr.; 6-4, 320
#77, Marlon Martinez; So.; 6-5, 316
C: #56, Liam Shanahan; Sr.; 6-5, 300
#69, Charles Turner; So.; 6-6, 284
#71, Xavier Hill; RS-Fr.; 6-4, 306
RG: #57, Chasen Hines; Sr.; 6-3, 350
#77, Marlon Martinez; So.; 6-5, 316
#58, Kardell Thomas; So.; 6-5, 326
RT: #76, Austin Deculus; Gr.; 6-7, 325
#74, Marcus Dumervil; Fr.; 6-6, 289
Texas A&M depth chart
DE: #3, Tyree Johnson; RS-Sr.; 6-4, 240
#18, Donnell Harris; RS-Fr.; 6-3, 220
#37, Jahzion Harris; Fr.; 6-3, 220
DT: #8, DeMarvin Leal; Jr; 6-4, 290
#35, McKinnley Jackson; So.; 6-2, 325
#6, Adarious Jones; RS-So.; 6-4, 315 OR
#93, Dallas Walker; RS-Fr.; 6-3, 325
DT: #92, Jayden Peevy; Sr.; 6-6, 310
#34, Isaiah Raikes; So.; 6-1, 330
#5, Shemar Turner; Fr.; 6-4, 285
DE: #2, Micheal Clemons; RS-Sr.; 6-5, 270
#10, Fadil Diggs; RS-Fr.; 6-5, 260
WLB: #1, Aaron Hansford; RS-Sr.; 6-3, 240
#45, Edgerrin Cooper; RS-Fr.; 6-2, 215 OR
#24, Chris Russell, Jr.; 6-2, 240
MLB: #32, Andre White; Jr.; 6-3, 225
#45, Edgerrin Cooper; RS-Fr. OR
#23, Tarian Lee; RS-So.; 6-2, 245
CB# 7, Tyreek Chappell; Fr.; 5-11, 185
#11, Deuce Harmon; Fr.; 5-10, 200
CB: #17, Jaylon Jones; So.; 6-2, 205;
#31, Dreyden Norwood; Fr.; 6, 180
S: #9, Leon O’Neal; Sr.; 6-1, 210
#13, Brian Williams; Jr.; 6-1, 215
S: #26 Demani Richardson, Jr.; 6-1. 215
#14, Keldrick Carper; Gr.; 6-2, 200,
#20, Jardin Gilbert; Fr.; 6-1, 185
Nickel: #27, Antonio Johnson; So.; 6-3, 200
#4 Erick Young, Jr.; 6-1, 205
#11, Deuce Harmon; Fr.; 5-10, 200
Injury update
LSU: LT Cameron Wire (undisclosed), WR Keyshon Boutte (knee), RG Chasen Hines (undisclosed), WR Chris Hilton (undisclosed) are all out; WR Brian Thomas and RB Armoni Goodwin are doubtful; WRs Chris Hilton and Deion Smith and TE Jack Bech are questionable.
Texas A&M: CBs Myles Jones and Brian George and Safeties Keldrick Carper and Brian Williams are out. DE Tunmise Adeleye is also out.
LSU statistical leaders
Rushing: Davis-Price, 192 carries, 919 yards (4.8 YPC), 6 TD
Kiner, 62 carries, 255 yards (4.1 YPC), 2 TD
Passing: Johnson, 203-335 (60.5%), 2,509 yards, 24 TD, 6 INT
Nussmeier, 29-57 (50.8%), 259 yards, 2 TD, 2 INT
Receiving: Boutte, 38 catches, 509 yards (13.4 YPC), 9 TD
Bech, 42 catches, 478 yards (11.4 YPC), 3 TD
Nabers, 20 catches, 348 yards (17.4 YPC), 3 TD
Texas A&M statistical leaders
Tackles: Hansford, 81
Antonio Johnson, 70
Richardson, 58
Tackles for loss: Leal, 11.5
Three players with 8.5
Sacks: Tyree Johnson, 8
Leal, 7.5
Clemons, 3.5
Interceptions: O'Neal and Jones, 2
Six players with 1
Forced fumbles: Six players with 1
Fumble recoveries: Hansford, 2
Three players with 1
Category | LSU | Texas A&M |
---|---|---|
Total offense/defense |
370 YPG (90th) |
319.8 YPG (16th) |
Scoring offense/defense |
27.1 (74th) |
14.9 PPG (2nd) |
Rushing offense/defense |
109.6 YPG (117th) |
137.5 YPG (48th) |
Passing offense/defense |
260.4 YPG (39th) |
182.4 YPG (11th) |
3rd down conversion percentage/conversion defense |
38.2% (78th) |
33.1% (21st) |
Red zone offense/defense |
81.8% (81st) |
71% (10th) |
Tackles for loss allowed/tackles for loss |
5.27/game (60th) |
6.2/game (43rd) |
Sacks allowed/sacks |
32 (110th) |
33 (20th) |
Time of possession |
29:36 (74th) |
30:16 (52nd) |
Turnovers/turnovers forced |
14 (54th) |
16 (50th) |
Turnover +/- |
-1 (78th) |
+1 (57th) |
What LSU wants to do
Be able to run the football, hit big plays in the passing game and control the clock.
More realistically, they'd like to find a way to consistently move the football and keep their quarterback upright. Things are not good for LSU on offense right now.
Take a look at the injuries: Two of their starting offensive linemen and their best receiver by far are out. They were down to two scholarship running backs against ULM. Their top tight end at the moment is a true freshman tight end who weighs less than 210 pounds and missed Wednesday's practice with injuries himself. His backup was in a non-contact jersey. Three wideouts still technically "available" also missed practice.
It's gone from Garrett Nussmeier's father calling the LSU staff three weeks ago demanding playing time to him being sat for the remainder of the year to preserve his redshirt. So Max Johnson gets to take the abuse.
Johnson hasn't been bad by any stretch, but he's in a difficult situation. He's got a true freshman at left tackle and three veterans who have been disappointing at best in front of him. The offensive line has been consistently beaten by opponents all year and just don't block well in any phase of the game. Johnson has been under a lot of pressure all year, but particularly down the stretch. Alabama picked up 5 sacks, Arkansas 3 and ULM 3 -- and that was with a healthier line than LSU has now.
If the Tigers are to have balance, Davis-Price will have to be a big part of the gameplan. He's a tough, physical back who has had some big games this season, but LSU's running game as a whole has been pretty awful -- 117th in the country. Against ULM, the 117th-ranked defense in the nation, LSU averaged 2.4 yards a carry and racked up less than 100 yards on the ground.
LSU's troubles are best shown by the fact that Boutte remains their top receiver in terms of catches and yards and he hasn't played in two months. That doesn't mean they don't have weapons; Nabers went over 100 yards receiving in the first half last week against ULM and is one of several players who can stretch the field. That's one thing the Tigers will have to do against A&M -- find a way to protect Johnson and take some shots down the field. Dumping the ball off to Bech isn't going to get the job done. They need to take some risks.
Outside of the 49 points they scored on Florida -- a team we now know is awful -- LSU has not scored more than 28 points in conference play. They haven't scored more than 27 on anyone since mid-October, and that was against a 2-8 ULM team from the Sun Belt. The Tigers need to find a way to keep Johnson upright and comfortable and find some ways to push the ball down the field. Otherwise, their scoring issues will continue.
How A&M wants to counter
Dominate up front and eliminate the threat of the big play by putting consistent pressure on Johnson. If they do that, life gets very difficult for LSU.
Unlike the Tigers, the A&M front line is healthy. Micheal Clemons was held out of the Prairie View game for the most part but should be ready to go this week, so the Aggies will have their front group of Clemons, DeMarvin Leal, Jayden Peevy and Tyree Johnson. Johnson, who has 8 sacks and has been the SEC Defensive Lineman of the Week twice, will get a lot of snaps opposite true freshman Garrett Dellinger.
A&M's first objective will be to shut down Davis-Price. He didn't have a ton of success against ULM (21 carries, 82 yards), but A&M still gave up 147 yards on 42 carries to Prairie View and you know that galls them. There must be increased attention paid to proper gap assignments and limiting missed tackles. Linebackers Edgerrin Cooper and Aaron Hansford may be up closer in the box than usual not only to stop the run but to attack the short passing game.
If the Aggies can limit the run, they can start to attack Johnson when LSU is in passing situations. You know the drill by now: A&M will show blitz looks from the linebackers and safeties and sometimes they'll come and sometimes they won't. But they'll give Johnson a lot of things to think about and find ways to make sure he has to get rid of the ball fast. A&M knows LSU has had trouble protecting their quarterback, and they will absolutely look to exploit it.