FCU: LSU Tigers' Running Game

[Infield Infidel]

http://central.sonsofsamhorn.net/offense/lsu-tigers-inventive-running-game/

 
In LSU’s 10-7 home win over then-#3 Ole Miss on Saturday in Baton Rouge, the Tigers used an old-fashioned rushing attack to wear down the Rebels. The victors (ranked #24 in the AP poll heading into the game) ran the ball 55 times for 264 yards, often taking it right up the middle. When a team piles up that much real estate, and averages 4.8 yards per carry, they are doing something right.
Two aspects of LSU’s ground attack proved most impressive. First, they used a variety of runs between the tackles, mixing up handoffs through the interior (including fullback carries) and stretches to the outside with deceptive zone-read options and inside pitches. Personnel-wise, they used their big, talented offensive line to lead the way and rotated their running backs frequently.

 

 

[Kliq]

Excellent breakdown and very informative and direct. I said this in the game thread, but LSU does two things better than anybody else and that is churn out defensive backs, and physical downhill runners. In the last few years they have put several into the NFL (Ridley, Jeremy Hill and Alfred Blue) and always seem to just reload with a new rotation of backs. Les Miles doesn't get nearly enough credit for being a very creative playcaller, and his team desperately needs it to counteract a shaky passing game. Not only did they lose Mettenberger, but they lost their two best playmakers (Jarvis Landry and Odell Beckham) and any pass play for LSU requires a holding of the breath for fans. 

 

[JMDurron]

It will be interesting to see if Auburn can replicate LSU's success with the running game.  Auburn's OL isn't nearly as physical (to my amateur eye anyway, a FCU look at the Auburn offense would be football porn to me), but Cameron Artis-Payne isn't shy about running downhill and initiating contact, and obviously the zone read is a major part of the tool kit.  Playing in Oxford instead of at home like LSU was will also be an obviously significant factor.  I am not particularly optimistic.