(Photo: ESPN)
Saturday Spotlight
(7) LSU Tigers at (8) Ole Miss Rebels
LSU (2-0):
I remember after watching their Week 1 game against the Clemson Tigers, I was a little hesitant at first because Sam Leavitt turned the football over on their first drive, and I remember saying that he could be nervous early on. After that, I saw the in-game adjustments they made, and they never looked back! This is what the game is all about: being able to turn the page after the ugly plays take place, and they absolutely dominated that game against Clemson in Lane Kiffin’s head coaching debut in Baton Rouge. Days later, when I recorded the first episode of Monday Evening Quarterback for the season, my biggest takeaway after watching them was the energy they had on display. To be honest, I saw more all-around effort from LSU in that one game alone under Lane than I did during the entire Brian Kelly tenure, which tells me they didn’t want to play for him anymore. I also mentioned that this was the most energy I’ve seen from them since 2019, when they won the national championship. What’s stood out to me after two games is how dominant they’ve been on both sides of the football, with the passing attack averaging 358 yards per game, which happens to be the best in the SEC at the moment. On the other side of the ball, the defense has boasted an elite run defense, and the pass rush is getting home to the quarterback. They are No. 3 in total offense and No. 1 in total defense, but most importantly, I see a team that has bought into their new head coach. I see a football team that believes they can win, no matter who’s on the schedule, and now that I think about it, the coaching change was needed. Tonight, the Tigers will begin conference play in Oxford.
Ole Miss (2-0):
I believe they like being under the radar, especially in the conference they play in with Georgia, Texas, Alabama, Texas A&M, Oklahoma, and LSU. I mean, look at everyone I just listed, and once again, this is another stacked conference. The best move they made was removing the interim title from Pete Golding’s job and naming him the next head coach. It made no sense to look around and make your next hire, especially after what he did with this team last season following a certain someone leaving. He impressed me, and they were a game away from advancing to the national championship. A group of players being familiar with a coach is so important, and I just noticed how this roster gravitated to Pete. I saw my share of Trinidad Chambliss last season, and I can’t wait to see more of him this year. If he’s as consistent as I know he can be, he will get an invite to New York City for the Heisman Trophy Presentation. So far, they have gotten off to a strong start with dynamic play from Chambliss. The running game has been solid with Kewan Lacy, and can I just add that this is such a big year for wide receivers in our sport? There’s Jeremiah Smith at Ohio State and Malachi Toney in Miami for the Hurricanes. The Ole Miss Rebels have their own star receiver who I can see playing at the next level in the NFL, and he goes by the name of Deuce Alexander. He’s not the biggest guy, but he plays with a lot of heart and passion and has provided the quarterback with a true No. 1 option. The concern for me is their defense, but it’s still early, so I won’t panic just yet. They did give up 38 points to the Louisville Cardinals in Week 1, but last week against Charlotte, they held them to nine points. Tonight, they welcome a familiar face back to town.
LSU X-Factor: Princewill Umanmielen
This is one of the many players Lane brought with him to Baton Rouge from Oxford last season, and what an impact he’s had on this Tigers defense. Princewill is a 6’4″ EDGE rusher who gets after the quarterback and plays the run exceptionally well. With Ole Miss last season, he recorded nine sacks, and so far for LSU, he already has five sacks on the year. Tonight, Princewill must win his pass-rush matchups and, most importantly, stay disciplined against Kewan Lacy and the run. He also has to stay disciplined against Chambliss, which means turning pressures into sacks, quarterback hits, and forced throws.
Ole Miss X-Factor: Kewan Lacy
He’s such a big part of what this Rebels offense wants to do and is just as important as, say, Trinidad Chambliss and Deuce Alexander. In their first game against Louisville, Kewan didn’t necessarily look the healthiest, but in the second game last week, I saw that burst, and he looked quicker in the win against Charlotte. I say Kewan is key because I know LSU will look to tee off on Trinidad with their pass rush. The running game can slow down that pass rush, and if the Rebels are able to create positive runs tonight, it makes the life of Chambliss much easier.
Final Thoughts:
Lane Kiffin took the job in Oxford, Mississippi, on December 6, 2019, and spent six seasons in Oxford. Over the years, he accumulated a record of 55-19, and last season was his best season with the program. On November 30 of last year, Lane accepted the job with the LSU Tigers, and for the first time tonight, he returns to Oxford to face the Ole Miss Rebels. I know he will get a lovely reception (sarcasm). When I saw this game on the schedule during the spring, I knew I’d be previewing it, and months later, here we are! Honestly, the most important matchup isn’t taking place on the field tonight. I feel the biggest story to watch is Lane Kiffin against Pete Golding, as both coaches know each other so well. Pete was Lane’s defensive coordinator during his time with the Rebels, and this adds another layer to the matchup. LSU must cut down on these turnovers. Sam Leavitt has been so risky with the ball and ends up giving it to the other team. If he doesn’t take care of the football, Ole Miss will capitalize with a short field. LSU must also stop Lacy early on and win the line of scrimmage without letting Chambliss escape. Ole Miss must get Deuce Alexander the ball as early and often as possible, keep Chambliss protected against this vaunted Tigers pass rush, and not allow LSU any short-field opportunities. This will be absolute mayhem tonight in Oxford.
