BATON RED, Louisiana (AP) – The sixth LSU begins its defense of the national name with a game with many new faces on both margins.
The Tigers have Myles Brennan succeed the quarterback of Trophy winner Heisman Joe Burrow, while Mississippi State has a new coach at Mike Leach, whose reputation for high-flying offenses precedes him.
None of the teams with the new look received the smooth opening as opposed to a planned points-decreasing festival. The COVID-19 pandemic led the SEC to delay the start of the season on Saturday and limit all member groups to a list of 10 games reserved for the League.
Although the Tigers have had a good reputation in the polls, they are by no means favorites to repeat after seeing 14 2019 players decided in the NFL draft. LSU suffered another coup last August when Ja’Marr Chase, the country’s most important sensible recipient, withdrew from his junior season.
“I don’t need to put too much pressure on this football team because there are a lot of young players,” LSU coach Ed Orgeron said. “We have a freshman quarterback. I don’t forget when Joe was a freshman quarterback. Not everything went very well and I don’t think everything’s going to be the best. “
Orgeron had to upgrade defensive coordinator Dave Aranda after taking over as chief manager at Baylor and passing game coordinator Joe Brady after joining the NFL as Carolina. Came Bo Pelini offensive coordinator for Aranda and Scott Linehan for Brady.
But while Orgeron admits there is uncertainty, he is also excited to do so.
“I love it. You know, I call it internal fuel. I’m digesting it. It makes me need to paint harder,” Orgeron said. You know, there are questions. You know, “Hey, they lost Joe Brady. They lost Joe Burrow. They lost Ja’Marr Chase. ‘You hear everything. We know what’s going on here. . . We in ourselves.
Leach says the program update and a first game in LSU’s Death Valley, at 25% of its capacity, forced it to adjust its technique to install its “Air Raid” attack. He recomposed the volume of the playbook and experimentation.
“Less trial and error,” Leach said, “We want to fine-tune things and check to deliver what we do best. “
Leach also noted that all the rotation in the list and LSU has confusing fixes for opening the game in some respects.
“The hard part about them is, you know, there’s going to be adjustments to some of what they do on both sides of the ball,” Leach said. “They also have new faces, and I hope those new faces are worse than the boys. “who’s gone, okay?
CURIEUX QB
The state of Mississippi also has a new quarterback, Leach brought the move from Stanford K. J. Costello, who pretends to be a football nerd.
Costello said he enjoyed watching the old game of Leach’s past stops at Washington State and Texas Tech.
Costello said he had seen all of Gardner Minshew’s former Leach quarterbacks from Wahshew State move on to Graham Harrell of Tech because he “wanted to see who was most productive in the system. “
Costello had 6,151 yards and 49 touchdowns in 3 seasons at Stanford, two as a starter.
RESISTANT COVERAGE
Orgeron did not hesitate to excite Arik Gilbert, who is one of the most productive recruits in the country. Orgeron says Gilbert has the skills of an elite receiver to pass with his body of 6 feet 5 inches and 249 pounds.
“I didn’t have a tight ending like him in my training career,” Orgeron said. “I don’t compare it to Calvin Johnson. No I need to put too much into it, however, he’s that kind of football player,” he said. has that kind of framework and can do that sort of thing. “
EARTH GAMES
Expect either of you to depend on your race halves.
Kylin Hill, a senior student, is the most productive returning offensive player in Mississippi State and this season may have more off-field receiver opportunities on leach’s offensive.
While LSU Clyde Edwards-Helaire in the NFL, three much-loved runners are back: Chris Curry, Tyrion Davis-Price and John Emmory.
Curry’s versatility would be one of the strengths of LSU’s ball-carrying corps.
“We have speed, power, we have vision, ” said Curry. ” We’re everywhere. “
DIFFERENT VIBE
The fit day surroundings around Death Valley will be much less festive with the COVID-19 protocols. -Seat Tiger Stadium can accommodate. But LSU Acting President Tom Galligan said the university was “on high alert” and will enforce policies that prohibit the wearing of heels on campus and require the wearing of a mask during play.
“If we have to go beyond persuasion and kindness, we will,” Galligan said this week. “Everyone loves to travel on a tailgate, but this year. “
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