Miss St-LSU Observations

The only game of consequence on college football’s opening night was an SEC matchup featuring LSU and Miss. St…..some thoughts on the game are offered below:

-The outcome of the LSU game turned out to be more or less what everyone had expected, at least from a standpoint of final score. The LSU offense wasn’t exactly dominant and is going to have to improve and become more opportunistic in the future in order for the Tigers to remain unbeaten. The LSU defense was, as expected, exceptional. The secondary nabbed seven picks and the front seven outmatched their opponents throughout the whole night.

-Quarterback Matt Flynn’s performance can’t be characterized as anything more than “slightly above average”. With that said, I’m already a big fan. He displayed outstanding feet in the pocket and excellent scrambling ability when things broke down. I love the general athleticism with which he plays the position, and he certainly has plenty of arm to make all of the throws. His decision making stands to improve, but I think that will work itself out soon enough. He seemed to have a slight case of the “first start jitters”.

-Early Doucet is going to be a top 15 pick come April. It’s a wonder (or, perhaps more accurately, a testament to LSU’s incredible talent year in, year out) that he hasn’t had the opportunity to start until now. The 6 foot, 207 pounder displayed exceptional feet, quick and decisive cutting abilities, soft hands, nice ball skills and concentration, and very good straight-line speed. His stat line (9 rec., 78 yards, TD) wasn’t especially gaudy, but that can be attributed to Flynn’s early struggles. If Flynn can improve his decision making and the offense can start clicking consistently, Doucet could be holding the Biletnikoff trophy in his hands come December.

-Glenn Dorsey looked every bit like the top 10 pick he is projected to be in the 2008 draft. He’s an exceptional athlete with rare ability to disrupt things inside, and he plays with a mean streak.

-Freshman Terrance Toliver may have only caught one ball, but he showed why he was one of the most prized recruits in the country last year. After catching Flynn’s pass on a standard out-route, he stopped on a dime, juked a defender, and showed a nice quick burst to finish out a 19 yard gain. He’s a physical specimen, standing 6′4 with a lanky, highly projectable frame.