LSU’s Playoff Hopes Rest on Fixing Run Game Despite Top-3 Ranking

Brian Kelly didn’t get to enjoy No. 3 LSU’s 20-10 win over Florida as long as he might have hoped Saturday night.

The first question of his postgame press conference dragged him back down to Earth. Because it wasn’t about his defense’s stellar five-interception performance. Instead, the first question was about LSU’s (3-0) ongoing offensive struggles early this season.

Kelly did not appreciate the angle, causing a scene. He called LSU’s media pool spoiled and pointed out reasons why the offense hasn’t been some huge problem.

To be fair, maybe that shouldn’t have been the first question.

That’s one you sneak in near the end or you save for the next availability early the following week.

And to be fair, Kelly began his Monday press conference with an apology to Michael Cauble, the TV reporter who asked the question.

But neither of those things make it an incorrect question.

LSU might be garnering buzz as a real contender in the Southeastern Conference early this season, but there’s an undeniable issue that must be addressed.

The revamped defense under second-year coordinator Blake Baker looks incredible. The offense, expected to be an asset this season, looks decidedly pedestrian.

Although LSU is one of just nine top-25 teams that has played multiple Power Four opponents through Week 3, the defense’s six interceptions are tied for second-most nationally while the Tigers rank 10th in yards per rush allowed (2.27) and 11th in scoring defense (9.0 points per game).

Teams have reached the end zone just three times and scored three touchdowns in as many games against LSU’s defense. Clemson and Florida were both expected to have high-powered offenses entering the season, but both were held to 10 points by the Tigers.

It’s still early but LSU’s defense looks national-title good. The offense, on the other hand, still hasn’t kicked into gear.

Quarterback Garrett Nussmeier entered his second season with Heisman buzz and a boosted receiver room with three transfer additions. He’s averaging 229.7 yards per game, nearly 100 yards down from last year’s 311.7 ypg, early this season with three touchdowns to two interceptions.

Kelly said Monday Nussmeier is playing through a torso injury, which could explain some of those struggles. But it does not explain the real problem: LSU’s lack of a run game.

The Tigers enter this week’s game vs. Southeastern Louisiana 115th out of 136 FBS teams with 332 rushing yards. Only nine teams have less rushing TDs than their two.

It’s not a huge red flag that LSU struggled to run the ball effectively against Clemson and Florida, two stout and talented defensive fronts. But it sure looks like a major problem that the team managed just 128 yards on 34 carries (3.76 per rush) against Louisiana Tech.

If you can’t run the ball against Louisiana Tech, it’s hard for me to imagine you’ll be able to run the ball against SEC defenses.

We’ll find out soon enough if the Tigers can. Seven of their final eight games are against SEC competition, including five games against teams currently ranked in the top 20.

It’s hard to imagine the Tigers surviving that and making their first College Football Playoff appearance since 2019 if they can’t get the run game, and the offense as a whole, going.