TOP 5 TIGERS VS USC

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By LONN PHILLIPS SULLIVAN

@LonnPhillips

It wasn't all bad vs USC on Sunday night...here's LSUOdyssey's Top 5 Tiger performers vs the Trojans:

5. ASHTON STAMPS

5 TACKLES

3 PBUs

2 FORCED INCOMPLETIONS

5 TARGETS

2 CATCHES ALLOWED

1 TD ALLOWED

45 YARDS ALLOWED (LONG OF 28)

Of course the young sophomore, starting his 5th ever collegiate game, suffered a mistake or two, but still made enough plays in Corey Raymond's secondary to impress this author beyond any doubt.

Ashton Stamps is already on track to become a great at LSU, breaking up 3 passes (including an unbelievable, last second, diving recovery which poked out a near touchdown) which means he is now just the 2nd LSU defensive back since 2020 to record 3 PBUs in one game.

Stamps displayed solid coverage all night until the 4th quarter touchdown, a harsh play right over the top of his outstretched hand in the corner of the end zone...a moment he'll no doubt rebound from and agonize over.

Expect Stamps to pick off a few passes in the games ahead....he's already made it a habit through Fall Camp and continues to repeatedly get his hands on the ball.

4. KYREN LACY

94 YARDS

9 TARGETS

7 CATCHES

1 TD

Receiving just two incomplete targets his way all 2nd half after nailing 94 yards, 7 catches and 1 TD to his stat sheet during the first half, combined with his unsportsmanlike conduct penalty following a brilliant, spinning mid-air touchdown, the performance from Kyren Lacy somehow ended with mixed results on Sunday, and yet there should be no real doubts about the Thibodaux native's aerial prowess.

Catching the first four targets his way for 41 yards, clinching 6 first downs through 7 total grabs, if Lacy can harness his emotions much like Malik Nabers was able to before him, Lacy will be the next great NFLSU representative from the Tigers.

3. GARRETT NUSSMEIER

304 PASSING YARDS

30/39

2 TDs

1 INT

During his second ever start, LSU QB Garrett Nussmeier was impressive throwing the football for 99% of the game, just missing on an all important, near TD toss out wide for Aaron Anderson, racking up 304 yards from 30/39 attempts and 2 touchdown passes, one each to Kyren Lacy and Aaron Anderson.

Nuss showed poise, command, killer intent....he wanted this game....only for conservative play calling, predicated on telegraphed, Denbrockian runs up the A gaps, and his own few errors unraveling what was a strong offensive start into a dismal showing by the end of 4 quarters....the legs of John Emery Jr paving the way all 2nd half and little else.

Garrett will learn from the errors, hopefully ironing out some of the miscommunication false start penalties at the line of scrimmage between himself and his O-line, but in totality, LSU have an incendiary talent on their hands at quarterback....a young man who was ready to go win the game....if only our coaching staff allowed him to.

2. SAIVION JONES

43 SNAPS

6 PRESSURES

5 TACKLES

2 SACKS

2 TFLs

1 PBU

1 FF

Destroying USC's backfield for 6 pressures, sacking their QB Miller Moss twice & harassing him sideline to sideline as he racked up single game career high production, batting a pass which was nearly picked off by Whit Weeks & also forcing a fumble while he was at it, LSU's fourth year veteran DE Saivion Jones had a lot of high expectations ahead of the 2024 campaign, and he more than delivered thus far.

Jones was an all world beast of burden for USC's offensive line to deal with, as he threw blockers out of his way, used his size, length, powerful presence, and underrated athleticism to the peak of their powers, rolling back the clock to his one of a kind, historic 2019 season at St James.

Whether he continues his spellbound brilliance throughout the fall, we'll have to see and I would bet on him to succeed, however, one thing is a bonafide fact:

Jones played like a 1st Round pick in Vegas on Sunday.

1. WHIT WEEKS

21 SNAPS

6 TACKLES

1.5 TFLs

1 PBU (Uncredited near INT)

1 QB PRESSURE

The best Tiger vs USC only featured across 21 snaps, and yet you felt his presence as if he appeared in every play.....it was a pleasure to witness Whit Weeks wreck the Trojans in such a manner, he kept LSU in the game, and his tackling / big plays on 3rd downs consistently held USC for most of the time he was on the field.

Of course, LSU lost the game, allowing 2 second half touchdowns when Weeks wasn't on the field....unthinkably benched for critical moments at the end of a must win game he was dictating from the linebacker position.

The frustration must be incredible....whenever Whit has succeeded at LSU, leading the team in tackles on his starting debut, on the road in the SEC no less, he was benched for little to no reason soon after.

Regardless, he hasn't shown that frustration, only working harder to prove to LSU's staff what the fanbase already know: Whit Weeks must start.

I expect Blake Baker to feature Weeks from the start from here on out, given his abilities aren't just undeniable at this point.....Whit Weeks made LSU a better team vs USC, just as he did vs Miss State, Arkansas and Missouri last year....not a coincidence all three ended in victory for the Tigers.

Wreaking havoc, flying around with calculated abandon, stuffing runners in the backfield, plugging Lincoln Riley's screen game with his side to side pace (speed which frees up Harold Perkins and unleashes #7), nearly intercepting a batted pass by Saivion Jones, I thought Weeks played at least 45 snaps....until I read the impossible, bizarre, and downright ugly stat line of just 21....

No wonder LSU lost this game....once again, the Tigers ignored their best players on the day, Kyren Lacy as the offense's best weapon & Whit Weeks on defense.....and their shelving directly cost LSU the game vs USC as much as anything else.

By LONN PHILLIPS SULLIVAN

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