The running game has been ON FIRE since November 27, 2014.

Rushing Yards and YPA

vs. Texas A&M - 384, 6.7

vs. Notre Dame - 285, 7.5

(The last two games of the 2014 season were the best for YPA. The A&M game followed a shutout loss to Arkansas in which LSU averaged 1.1 YPA. 2015 games below.)

vs. Mississippi State - 266, 5.7

vs. Auburn - 411, 8.6

vs. Syracuse - 268, 6.4

vs. Eastern Michigan - 391, 7.8

vs. South Carolina - 396, 7.3

Some of the success is certainly due to the level of competition. However, Fournette has clearly taken his game to a different level since the A&M game last year. Another significant factor here is that those two games at the end of the 2014 season were the best rushing games of the year for Travin Dural (vs. Texas A&M - 49, 12.3 and vs. Notre Dame - 61, 15.3). Dural's involvement in the running game has been through jet sweep plays that started becoming regularly run (along with jet sweep action) vs. Texas A&M last year. The inclusion of the misdirection, or fake misdirection (which is misdirection) is an important factor that was missing prior to the 2014 game vs. Texas A&M. In 2015, Dural (he had an 89-yard TD called back vs. Mississippi State) and Derrius Guice have been running those plays, and Donte Jackson also ran one vs. Auburn. Personally, I would have given Dural a few more carries this year. That's a good way to keep him involved when the passing game isn't clicking, and I don't think Dural has gotten enough touches through the first five games.

There was a play vs. South Carolina where Fournette lined up at a wingback-type position, then went in motion, and became the pitch man on an option fake while Darrel Williams (lined up at fullback) ran up the middle for a TD. That was awesome! Also, having that kind of stuff on film gives opposing Defenses cause for hesitation, and more to prepare for.

It will be very interesting going forward to see if the success continues against teams that have higher-level talent, and play the run better. Fournette has been averaging 23.8 carries per game in 2015. In my opinion, he has carried the ball a little too much through the first five games (especially when you consider all of the other good options on the LSU Offense), and there have been a few instances where he has come out of the game late with a little limp or some obvious discomfort. Some of the better Defenses will definitely key on him, and they will be fired up to stop him. If Fournette isn't as effective, the other options will become very important, and that's one of the main reasons why I think developing a rhythmic confidence for the other offensive options early in the season was important. The other offensive weapons didn't touch the ball as much as I would've liked. Now the level of competition is going to get stronger, so there won't be as many occasions to try things offensively with a sense of comfort relative to the outcome of the game.

Florida will be the best Rush Defense LSU has faced in 2015, and I expect them to be charged up (and probably somewhat vengeful because of last year).