LSU first thoughts: Freshman wideouts thriving, front 7 continues to roll and why things still never seem to come easy – The Athletic

BATON ROUGE, La. Leading 17-0 from his own 39-yard line in a game against a team ranked No. 125 in the country by ESPNs SP+, Ed Orgeron said, Screw it.

It was fourth down in his own territory late in the first half. Nothing was really at risk. And Orgeron decided to call a fake punt pass designed to target a receiver who was covered. And the receiver slipped. And the pass was easily intercepted. And the UL Monroe defender returned it 23 yards.

One play later, ULMs Rhett Rodriguez threw a 28-yard touchdown to Boogie Knight yes thats his listed name on which he made two LSU defenders whiff to make it a 17-7 game at halftime.

LSU ended up beating UL Monroe, 27-14, and the outcome was never truly in question. But it was just one more night in which things could never come easy for the Tigers. It was the kind of night in which ULM missed two wide-open fourth down attempts at the goal line to save LSU from itself. Yes, its a depleted roster with double-digit starters out and little to play for, and yes, its a season thats been off the rails for months, but the same team that took Alabama and Arkansas down to the wire this month barely got by UL Monroe.

Thats this LSU season in a nutshell.

As Orgeron went into the locker room at the half, he told the ESPN sideline reporter, We took a gamble right there on the punt fake that didnt make it. My bad.

The rest is here:

LSU first thoughts: Freshman wideouts thriving, front 7 continues to roll and why things still never seem to come easy - The Athletic