LSU football’s once-promising run game has become a major concern for the team entering week 4 against a downtrodden Big Ten opponent, with multiple factors contributing to its struggles. Despite losing key players and facing challenges with run blocking, head coach Brian Kelly takes responsibility for the team’s lackluster performance.
“We gotta coach better, and that is on me,” Kelly admitted in a press conference this week.
The Tigers’ offense was expected to rely heavily on their talented running back room and strong offensive line this season. However, they have ranked near the bottom nationally in rushing success rate and have faced difficulties converting short yardage situations into first downs.
“Ultimately, it has been all three – the players, the coaching and the play calling,” Kelly stated.
After an ACL tear ended starting running back John Emery’s season early on, sophomore Kaleb Jackson and sixth-year senior Josh Williams were unable to fill the void effectively. That is, until freshman Caden Durham emerged as a potential solution.
Durham’s impressive performance against South Carolina, where he averaged 8.9 yards per carry and forced seven missed tackles, has given LSU hope for their struggling run game.
“He did a really good job of showing himself today and setting a standard of what we need at the running back position,” Kelly praised Durham.
An effective ground game is crucial for any offense, providing explosiveness, security in short-yard situations, goal-line dominance, and unpredictability. With Durham’s emergence and improving run blocking, LSU may finally be finding their footing on the ground.
Look for LSU’s running game to take a step in the right direction against UCLA on Saturday.
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