LSU Football Three Keys: Texas

LSU Three keys

LSU faces Texas on Saturday in Austin, TX. Here are your three keys to a LSU win over Texas.

By Matt Zemek

What a gigantic moment this is for LSU football. A few years ago, there was a distinct possibility that Tom Herman was going to become the Tigers’ next football coach. It wasn’t a likely outcome, but it was possible… and it didn’t happen. The man who got the LSU job is Ed Orgeron. He now gets to coach against Herman in a battle of college football brand names. People are wondering if LSU is ready to take on Alabama in the SEC West. Before doing that, the Tigers need to show they can handle a road trip to Austin for a night game against the fired-up Longhorns.

Key 1 – Make Texas Look Like A Big 12 Team

This applies mostly to the defensive side of the ball, but it can apply generally to the Longhorns. Texas got involved in several shootouts last season, which is a very Big 12-style characteristic for a football team in that conference. Texas often failed to impose its will on an opponent because its defense could not get off the field and couldn’t make game-defining plays against the best teams on its schedule. This game is likely to come down to which team keeps moving the chains on third down and three or fourth down and two. These teams are both capable of scoring at a high rate. LSU needs to own third and fourth down. If it can, it will turn Texas’s defense into a Big 12 unit which will doubt itself, get tired as the game goes on, and surrender a lot of points, enough for LSU to win. LSU’s offensive line needs to feast against Texas’s front seven. If it can do that, it is hard to see how Texas can prevail.

Key 2 – Don’t Hold Back

LSU and Orgeron brought in Joe Brady to the coaching staff to help Steve Ensminger develop the passing game. This is the latest plot twist in the LSU offense’s pursuit of a winning identity. Orgeron did not work well with former offensive coordinator Matt Canada. Coach O then wanted more spread concepts this season, and Brady became the point man for that plan. Against Texas, LSU has to let loose and not leave anything in the playbook. This is the first really huge test for Brady, given the responsibilities he has as the team’s passing game coordinator. The Tigers can’t pursue half-measures. They need to go all-out in attacking the Texas defense and forcing the Longhorns to make quality plays to beat them.

Key 3 – Contain Sam Ehlinger

Ehlinger is, much like Joe Burrow, an elusive runner who can be very creative and clever when he needs to be. The Tigers have a lot to account for on defense, but priority number one is to not let Ehlinger beat them with his legs and his scrambling ability. Shutting that off will make LSU’s defensive task a lot easier.

Saturday‘s game kicks off at 6:30 PM CT (7:30 PM ET). Watch on the ABC Network.

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