re: If Mac Jones plays the whole game

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Would you run at LSU early, esp. wide, and run swings and bubble screens to look to soften them up more for the second half?

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Honestly, I expect us to get more run heavy in the 2nd half when the D gets worn down. In the first half, I expect us to be our normal explosive selves. LSU doesn't have much in the way of a pass rush, but statistically they are stout versus the run. Therefore, I'd expect us to pass more when they are fresh and run more when they are tired.

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My concern would be getting Tua, if the starter, out of rhythm, or not being prepared for a special pass defense while trying to execute 3rd and 6 or 8.

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My concern is not this, but LSU's blitz package. If I'm LSU, I blitz the run with the added benefit of hopefully getting pressure when it's a pass play. Granted, all this opens up the slant game a little more, but I expect LSU's DBs to play inside leverage all day and play physical. My guess is that this opens up the sluggo (slant and go) as well as the back shoulder throw.

What any viewer needs to key on is whether LSU is in 1-high or 2-high safeties. If they are in 2-high safeties, then LSU thinks they can stop our run game without adding a guy to the box, and we need to punish them for trying that. If they are in single high safety, they we need to pass on them, understanding that we'll likely do it in the face of some heat. But that's where the big plays come if the Oline/backs pick everyone up.

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How would you scheme to help our inexperienced middle linebackers?

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Get in 4-1-6 Dime whenever possible with Benton. Many here think Benton is bad, and it's false. He's our best coverage LB by a country mile. However, we can only do that on obvious/logical passing downs. On regular downs, just make sure Shane Lee has the least coverage responsibility possible, i.e the RB only or no one if feasible. Theoretically, we could go to more of a 3-3-5 look with Jennings giving a bit more of a ILB look, as we'd done of late, but I can't see us doing much of that unless we really bring the heat out of it, which I'd be fine with.

The simple point is limiting the distance Shane Lee has to pursue. If that can be accomplished and Harris knows who to cover every play, we'll actually be fine at ILB on regular downs. I'm just worried about Harris being unsure who to cover and Lee getting outrun east-west.