4 Reasons LSU Couldn’t Keep Up With Alabama
By Scotty Nola
2) Diminishing Returns From Leonard Fournette’s Blockers
The group of blockers that lined up for the first half of the Mississippi State game was a very different looking group from the ones we saw in Tuscaloosa Saturday Night.
Dillon Gordon who at 6’5″ 305 lbs. is the best blocking Tight End in the country was lost to a season ending achilles injury.
Outstanding first year starting fullback JD Moore aggravated a knee injury and missed virtually the entire game.
Original starting Right Guard Josh Boutte was described by many as the most dominant player of the Tigers offseason program. In the first game he was demoted due to mental errors.
Replacing them were freshmen at guard and fullback and an inexperienced transfer student at tight end. All talented players, but physically all downgrades, and it showed.
Bry’Keithon Mouton looks to be a future stud at fullback but the freshman lacks experience and that showed.
Colin Jeter is a very good tight end but he simply doesn’t have the power of a Dillon Gordon and against the very large, very aggressive Alabama front this showed.
Perhaps the biggest issue was the demotion of Josh Boutte. You can’t fault the coaches for replacing him, his mistakes were apparent and Maea Teuhama is an exceptionally talented freshman.
Talent aside the Alabam front was too big and too powerful for the Tigers to handle. Boutte is more mistake prone, but he is also a physical specimen who would have matched up better against the sheer size of the Alabama defenders.
Boutte’s regression and injuries to outstanding blockers Moore and Gordon really hurt the Tigers Saturday night.
One good thing here: Young players tend to develop quickly. The Tigers have had to shuffle some players in and out of the lineup but they have the opportunity to get better every game with a spot in the playoffs still on the table.
Next: Coming Up Short