GLENN GUILBEAU, Tiger Rag Editor
COLLEGE STATION, Texas – The game was still two nights away when LSU coach Brian Kelly addressed the media Thursday night after practice. But he was already in game mode.
He didn’t pound his fist on the table as after that loss to USC in the season opener, but he had that same edge. The No. 8 Tigers (6-1, 3-0 Southeastern Conference) have not lost since going into their key league game at No. 14 Texas A&M (6-1, 4-0 SEC) on Saturday (6:30 p.m., ABC) at sold-out, 102,733-seat Kyle Field.
“You’ve got to go to Texas A&M,” Kelly began. “You’ve got to go to that stadium with 127 million fans, and you’ve got to take something from them.”
Not that many, but the place can sound almost like that, particularly at night.
“And they’re not going to give it to you. You’ve got to go take it,” Kelly said.
No LSU team has won at Kyle Field since a 54-39 win in 2016. There have been three straight losses there by the Tigers.
BRIAN KELLY STARTED SOUNDING BOSTON TOUGH
With his voice rising, Kelly’s native Boston area accent started seeping out.
“And that requires an incredible desire and a want to,” he said. “And you don’t want to be sitting around next week without a game to play with regrets. You have to have no regrets. So, you’ve got to lay it on the table.”
Then he searched for the right words.
“Come back bloodied, or come back on your shield,” he said like something out of the “Gladiator” film with Russell Crowe. “You’ve got to lay on the line. This is one of those games.”
The winner will be the last team standing at undefeated in SEC games and with a clear advantage toward the new 12-team College Football Playoff that starts on Dec. 20.
Kelly explained how his team has grown since that loss to USC.
“We’ve established much more of an identity, clearly on defense,” he said. “We’re creating a difficult time for quarterbacks with our edge pressure. Both ends (Bradyn Swinson and Sai’vion Jones) are playing really well.”
LSU is eighth in the nation with 24 sacks, and the Tigers have improved across the board on defense under first-year coordinator Blake Baker.
“Our linebackers are extremely active,” Kelly said. “We’ve gotten great plays form the safety and cornerback position. Defensively, we’re getting off the field. That’s clearly the identity of our defense and keeping points down, eliminating the big plays and getting turnovers. So, clearly our identity is driven by the defense.”
The offense goes through quarterback Garrett Nussmeier, who is No. 7 in the nation in passing yards with 2,222 and in touchdown passes with 18.
“You’ve got a playmaker at quarterback,” Kelly said. “I mean, he’s a playmaker. You’ve got receivers who are difficult to defend because you’ve got a number of them (Kyren Lacy, Aaron Anderson, CJ Daniels), including a tight end (Mason Taylor).”
Lacy and Taylor each lead the Tigers with 36 catches – Lacy for 512 yards and six touchdowns and Taylor for 348 yards and a TD. Anderson has 33 catches for 488 yards and three TDs. Daniels has 27 receptions for 325 yards.
And they just got another one as LSU’s best deep threat – junior Chris Hilton Jr., – is expected to play after missing the entire season so far with an ankle/leg injury.
“And then you have an emerging back in Caden Durham, who’s really helped our running game,” Kelly said.
Durham leads the Tigers with 382 yards on 62 carries for a 6.2-yard per carry average with six touchdowns. He has also caught 10 passes for 148 yards and two touchdowns.
“Those pieces are kind of coming together at the right time as we work our way through the season,” Kelly said. “We’re playing with a bit of a swagger now.”
They’ll need that at Kyle Field.
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