By Ryan Rogers
LSUsports.net
After wrapping up spring drills, the LSU offense is poised to achieve many objectives before its Sept. 1 game against Virginia Tech. With a new look on offense coordinator Jimbo Fisher is excited about the challenge ahead.
“We have a base package that will remain the same, but we have to adjust to our strengths in personnel,” said Fisher. “We may do the same things but just gear it toward different players. It”s always important to ask guys to do what they are capable of doing and not what you would like them to do.”
Last year, the Tiger’s offense was the most productive in school history.
The Tigers averaged 451 yards of total offense per game last fall en route to averaging 30.9 points per game. Even more astonishing was the balance the Tigers achieved, averaging 298.2 yards per game passing and 153.9 yards per game rushing.
LaBrandon Toefield was just eight yards short (992) of giving the Tigers a 1,000-yard rusher, a 3,000-yard passer (Rohan Davey), and a 1,500-yard receiver (Josh Reed).
Two of those three offensive stars have moved on to the NFL, leaving big shoes to fill in the LSU offense next season.
“You’ll never replace guys like that and you shouldn’t expect people to be guys like that,” said Fisher. “They did what they could do well. Now the next guys got to find what they can do well. And we can go from there. The production of offense will come from other parts. But that will come in time. I’m not worried about replacing those guys. We have lots of potential talent still on this offense.”
SEC Championship game hero Matt Mauck will be the likely successor at quarterback. His brilliance gave LSU its first SEC title since 1988.
“I think he is coming along really well,” added Fisher. “He struggled a little in the first scrimmage, he did great in the second scrimmage and then he was up and down in the spring game. Three of his interceptions were tipped balls and one of the interceptions the receiver ran the wrong route. He only made one bad decision that led to an interception in the spring game.”
Fisher emphasized how important it is to play well around a quarterback so that he can execute the offense.
“You have to play well around a quarterback in order for him to be successful,” said Fisher. “One of the keys for Rohan Davey last year was, as good as he was, we played extremely well around him, so he was able to function. That’s what we have to get our team to do now. We need to find our niche” and what everybody can do, eliminate missed assignments, learn to run routes right and learn to execute better.”
If the Tigers are going to be productive through the air, consistency will be more important than last year’s sporadic big play offensive style that the Tigers used so well.
“Creating the continuity and getting the timing and rhythm down is what we need to do,” said Fisher. ” It just takes time. The passing game doesn’t develop overnight. It’s going to take a lot of reps and a lot of hard work in the off-season to get it where we want it.”
Trying to create that continuity and timing will be a receiving corps full of experience and play makers. Returning senior veterans Jerel Myers and Reggie Robinson provide the Tigers with valued leadership, while freshmen sensation Michael Clayton returns for his sophomore year. Emerging speedster Bennie Brazell is a red shirt freshman to keep an eye on and running back converts Devery Henderson and Shyrone Carey also look to contribute at the position. With so many potential threats at receiver, LSU looks to utilize each one.
“There’s a role for all of them and they all need to find that role,” said Fisher. “Our guys are very unselfish so I think they will be able to do that. I think they will do what they are asked of. Our guys have been great over the few years of not fighting over the ball.”
In the backfield LSU has a stable of runners that is shaping up to be just as impressive as many running back corps in the past LSU has had.
LaBrandon Toeflield will return from his knee injury in the fall and Domanick Davis will be a senior in 2002. Emerging as a potential heavy contributor is red shirt freshmen Joseph Addai. He had a great spring campaign and displays a running style of both speed and power. Add to the list Ryan Gilbert and a pair of freshmen “Vincent’s”, Chris, whom participated in spring drills and ran well and Justin who arrives in the fall, and LSU is stacked at the position heading into next season.
“Domanick (Davis) is going to be Domanick. (LaBrandon) Toefield will be back in the fall,” said Fisher. Joseph (Addai) has emerged as a solid back. Ryan Gilbert has had some flashes of potential. We need him to be more consistent. Chris Vincent has come on strong the last week or so. he’s shown he’s a strong athletic guy and he really doesn’t know what he’s doing yet. I’m really encouraged with where we are at running back. I think we have more quality guys there than we’ve ever had before.”
With such an explosive backfield, LSU has a good-looking offensive line to clear the way for the runners. OT Rodney Reed, G Stephen Peterman, C Ben Wilkerson and G Rob Sale are all returning starters for 2002. The Tigers have many young prospects and have showed more depth than in recent years.
“I think we have more guys right now on the offensive line capable of playing in the game at this stage then we’ve had in the previous two years,” said Fisher. “Whether we’ll be more dominating, I don’t know. But as an overall group they have better continuity and are in better shape than we’ve have before as far as number of guys we’ve had play in games and can play in games.”
This combination could lead to a more aggressive ground attack for the Tigers in 2002.
“We have to build to our strengths,” said Fisher. “Definitely the running backs and o-line will be our strengths. We are going to have to be more patient next year. Maybe not as many quick strike scores, but some more longer time consuming scoring drives. We may even utilize Matt Mauck’s running skills as a quarterback let the quarterback position run a little more than we have in the past.”
Filling in at tight end for Robert Royal and Joe Domingeaux will be junior Eric Edwards. Edwards is a big player who has a knack for catching touchdowns. Last year he caught two TD passes on three receptions.
Despite the new faces on offense. Fisher is confident that this year’s unit can perform well and perhaps even reach its potential sooner than offense’s of the past.
“As crazy as it sounds, as good on offense as we’ve been, we haven’t really been able to find our niche” till the fourth or fifth game of the season,” said Fisher. “It was new quarterback every year, a few new wide outs every year, a new o-line every year. I think next year we’ll be able to lean on our offense a little sooner than we have in the past. I anticipate this group gelling a little sooner.”