Jrod’s Early Scouting Report on LSU
Yes, they’re fast. And big. And sometimes angry.
LSU this year looks much like Florida a year ago, but perhaps we were unable to see it in our incessant celebration of the unbeaten Buckeyes.
I had a chance Monday to look over a bunch of LSU highlights from the season, and their speed is impressive, especially along the defensive line. Everyone talks about Glenn Dorsey, and when healthy, he’s an absolute monster inside—able to blow up running plays and also get a pass rush.
But after studying the tape, perhaps the biggest challenge to OSU is #49 Kirston Pittman. He’s a senior defensive end and Louisiana native and is Vern Gholston-type scary. At 6’4’’ and 250 pounds he can run like a deer, which is exactly the problem Buckeye tackles Alex Boone and Kirk Barton faced against Florida last year. Pittman can fly around the edge and rush from either side, meaning both tackles should have their hands full.
The main reason for LSU’s struggles late in the season was the Tigers’ own health. Dorsey, QB Matt Flynn and several other key starters suffered significant injuries in the 2nd half of the season. Figuring a good 35 days rest for LSU, the Tigers should heal some of those wounds and feel as Les Miles put it Monday “a high level of freshness, so to speak.”
Of course, that layoff works to OSU’s benefit as well, namely Chris Wells. Now that OSU is out of school for the quarter, Wells and the other Bucks can spend as much time as possible in the training room, rehabbing and cold tubbing and all the other remedies.
Still 3 weeks from kickoff… argghhh.
