With the emotional opener against East Carolina nestled safely in the win column, the eyes of Blacksburg turn to the Bayou, where Tech challenges LSU Saturday in what is likely the biggest non-conference clash in the nation this September. Read on for a full preview and analysis of the big clash:
LSU (1-0, 1-0 SEC)
Offense: I guess you could say the performance against Mississippi State last Saturday wasn’t impressive, and there’s some truth to that assessment. The Bayou Bengals only racked up 347 yards while drilling MSU 45-0, but any time you approach the half century mark against an SEC defense, you’ve done your job. New starting QB Matt Flynn was fairly pedestrian in the first game of his senior campaign, but he was efficient, going 12-19 for 128 yards and 2 scores. Concerns about Flynn’s acumen should dissipate quickly; throughout the 2006 season, most Tiger fans I know were convinced he was the best quarterback in Baton Rouge, despite the fact that he was second-string to eventual #1 draft pick Jamarcus Russell. Flynn has amassed 1,500+ yards over his career as backup, so he’s ready for the big stage.
On the ground, the Tigers will spread it out, as leading rusher Jacob Hester got just 14 carries against the Bulldogs. Remarkably, LSU handed out 50 carries to 7 different players and the effort, while unspectacular, was efficient. Hester will likely continue that kind of output. Over the last three years, he’s averaged 4.6, 4.7 and now (after one game) 4.9 yards per game. Expect consistency and toughness from Hester. Richard Murphy is a freshman with talent to burn. Murphy logged 35 yards, including a 21-yard burst in his first college game vs. Mississippi State. It will be interesting to see, as the season progresses, if the tailback by committee situation continues, or if the job is all Hester’s.
Early Doucet is the most familiar name on the LSU squad right now, and after no other receiver caught more than one ball vs. MSU, he’s likely to catch much of the Hokie focus. Doucet is coming off a 59 catch, 772 yard season that saw him catch 8 touchdowns as well. With a competent line returning, the weakest link on the Tiger offense at this point might be wearing a headset, not a helmet. New coordinator Gary Crowton will push for more quick outs and line reads, giving the quarterback more room to improvise. Flynn will take to the system fully in time, but if Tech can catch LSU in an adjustment period, you won’t hear Frank Beamer complaining.
Defense:
Good lord.
The Tigers always seem to boast monster defenses, finished 3rd in the nation the last two years in total D, and this year is no exception. In fact, this season might be the best of the bunch, including a fearsome defensive front that boasts sure-thing NFLers Glenn Dorsey and Tyson Jackson. Dorsey is probably the best defensive tackle in the nation, according to both LSU coach Les Miles and Auburn’s Tommy Tuberville, who saw his offensive line battered by Dorsey in a “Warren Sapp-like” performance last year. This is a front that can pressure without blitzing, providing plenty of chances for the d-backs. Craig Steltz is one of those backs and, despite filling in for first round pick LaRon Landry, snatched three errant Mississippi State passes, giving LSU great field position throughout the contest. LSU picked off six passes in all, and although that kind of turnover rate can’t possibly continue, expect a lot of turnover chances from this fast, physical, blinding defensive attack. The linebackers are pretty good too, although they’re likely the weakest of LSU’s three defensive units. Darren McFadden ripped off huge yardage against this unit last year, providing some measure of hope for Brandon Ore and Virginia Tech.
Prediction: Tech will surprise observers with how well it can run against LSU, but the passing game will be met with utter devastation, keeping the Hokies out of striking distance for most of the game. Tech can harass Matt Flynn into some mistakes, but he will manage the game well enough to lead LSU to a hard-fought, defensive win. LSU 19, Virginia Tech 7.
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