When what the coaches are teaching stops working, you turn to something you can’t teach: speed.
That has been exactly what the LSU Tigers have had to resort to multiple times this year as the offense continues to look sluggish. Get the ball into somebody’s hands who can just make things happen.
Scoring 17 points in a slugfest on the road against the Clemson Tigers is one thing, but only being able to put up 23 points at home against the Louisiana Tech Bulldogs feels indefensible.
The Tigers have failed to find a rhythm in both the run game and in stretching the field. Multiple times, though, two players have emerged to provide production just by getting the ball into their hands: Barion Brown and Zavion Thomas.
Both are speedy wide receivers and return specialists. It’s not shocking that they are good after the catch or turning bad plays into good ones, but it feels as though it is the only thing working at times.
Brown transferred over from the Kentucky Wildcats this past offseason. Everyone knew he was fast, but it always felt like something was missing. He led the Wildcats in receiving with 628 yards as a freshman and then saw his production drop each year.
The 21-year-old had the second-best game of his career against the Bulldogs on Saturday. He picked up eight carries for 94 yards, broke off a 15-yard run and even had a 42-yard punt return.
“That’s Barion Brown. That’s what we expected from him and I was so happy for him,” said head coach Brian Kelly in his press conference after the game. “[In the walkthrough] you could tell he was ready.”
Kelly wants all of his players to play like Brown did on Saturday. He had confidence and then delivered on that confidence.
The former Kentucky star was quieter against the Tigers of Clemson, but did still have five catches for 25 yards. He’ll look to build upon his performance this weekend as LSU searches for more playmakers to break out.
Someone who stood out both weeks, though, is someone who has had a surprisingly large role in Thomas.
He transferred over from the Mississippi State Bulldogs last year as a return specialist and had just 23 catches for 218 yards along with 76 yards on nine carries.
Thomas has made the most of his touches this year. He has five catches for 54 yards and nine carries for 80 yards. When the Tigers have needed to move the ball, he has been there to do it.
It was a game in which LSU needed speed on the outside, and with nothing else working in the run game, the former Bulldog was able to provide a spark.