The SEC Needs to Take LSU and Auburn Seriously Again
Welcome back to the national conversation, LSU and Auburn.
Where have you been?
Oh, that's right. Auburn was mired in offensive ineptitude for the the better part of the 2015 season and the early stages of 2016, while LSU was busy stumbling out of the gates this year, firing its head coach, working through a midseason quarterback change and dealing with an injury to superstar running back Leonard Fournette.
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But it's time for the SEC to take LSU and Auburn seriously again, because both are lurking outside the Top 10, waiting to pounce on the College Football Playoff if chaos strikes elsewhere in November.
For LSU, it's all about interim head coach Ed Orgeron and the tweaks he made.
The offense has become less predictable, and the pro-style attack is utilizing more creative formations and keeping opposing coaches off balance. The new-look LSU offense is already making an impact in the conference. It was on display against Ole Miss Saturday night, when the Tigers won, 38-21.
"Balance," Ole Miss head coach Hugh Freeze said last week on the coaches teleconference. "Formationally, they're using the skill that they have at the wide receiver position very, very well.
"They force you into some difficult matchups because of their athletic ability and the ability of their offensive line and running backs. And the quarterback really understands what they're trying to get accomplished on every play."
That quarterback, Purdue transfer Danny Etling, has evolved into a perfect fit for Coach O's Tigers.
Despite not playing in the season opener against Wisconsin, not starting in Week 2 against Jacksonville State and getting an unscheduled bye week when the Florida game was postponed, Etling is currently tied for eighth in the conference with eight completions of 30 or more yards, according to CFBStats.com.
He has also completed 60.5 percent of his passes (89-for-147) on the year and thrown for a first down on 13 of his 24 passes on 3rd-and-medium (4-9 yards) situations, according to CFBStats.com.
While Derrius Guice is more than capable as a feature back, the return of Fournette on Saturday against the Rebels added another element to the evolving LSU offense. Fournette set a school record with 284 rushing yards, scored three times and had 25 receiving yards, signifying the completion of LSU's offensive puzzle.
"Confidence, be able to hit the home run and be able to run the game—run the football in the game," Orgeron said of the offense, according to LSU.
"We tried to put him and Guice in at the same time. Sometimes it worked; sometimes it didn't; we wanted to try it. We are best when we can hit the short throws, take deep shots, the ball to the tight ends on crossing routes, protect the quarterback and give Leonard the ball."
LSU has only one conference loss—the last-second thriller to Auburn in late September—with the other blemish coming in Week 1 against a solid Wisconsin program. If Orgeron can do the impossible and help LSU clear the Alabama hurdle for the first time since November 2011, everything LSU hoped for prior to the season could still be attainable.
But LSU would still need help, of course.
The Tigers would have to win at Arkansas and Texas A&M, win against Florida, and hope Auburn stumbled at some point to make the SEC Championship Game. It's a long shot, but it's not a "no shot."
If LSU ends up 10-2 with an SEC title after making philosophical changes under Orgeron, it would be an attractive resume for the selection committee—especially if chaos strikes elsewhere.
For Auburn, the path is far easier.
Since offensive coordinator Rhett Lashlee took over play-calling duties against LSU in Week 4, Auburn's once shaky quarterback situation has stabilized into a position of strength. Sean White has settled in, taken deep shots when they've been given to him, hasn't made mistakes (his one interception over that stretch bounced off receiver Tony Stevens' chest) and made smart decisions with the football.
The reason for the evolution is simple: Lashlee settled on an identity.
Instead of bouncing between a running quarterback and White, who is a more traditional pocket passer, the Tigers have emerged as a true two-back, power-rushing attack out of the spread, using a talented and versatile group of running backs that includes Kamryn Pettway, Kerryon Johnson, Stanton Truitt and even White, at times.
That identity has helped the offensive line progress to the point that Auburn didn't run one play which resulted in negative yards in the 56-3 thrashing of Arkansas on Saturday night.
"We were clicking," head coach Gus Malzahn said in quotes emailed by Auburn. "Rhett really had it going. He and [offensive line coach] Herb Hand had a good plan and got the tempo going.
"You guys have watched us before; when we get the tempo going, especially being able to tempo and downhill run, we are at our best. We had some big plays and the big pass play, which I thought was big, too. Sean White continues to improve. He really felt good tonight."
A sound, consistent offensive identity has been the final piece of the puzzle for a team which boasts one of the conference's best defenses and a kicking game that's second to none.
Plus, have you seen Auburn's stretch run?
This weekend, the Tigers play the same Ole Miss team that fell victim to Fournette last week. The Rebels now have to contend with an Auburn rushing attack that racked up 543 yards on the ground Saturday night against Arkansas.
Good luck with that.
Vanderbilt should be no problem and Georgia is a mess, which means the Iron Bowl is shaping up to be a critical game not just for the SEC, but perhaps on a national scale.
Auburn has one conference loss (to Texas A&M) and a season-opening defeat at the hands of Clemson that saw White launch a Hail Mary as time expired. It would have won the game if it had found the hands of an Auburn receiver.
Like Orgeron's new-look LSU team, Malzahn's Tigers have addressed their issues, positioned themselves to be in contention in November and are improving on a weekly basis.
On Separation Saturday in the SEC West, the two sets of Tigers reminded the rest of the conference and the college football world that it's now time to start paying attention to them again.
Better late than never.
Quotes obtained firsthand unless otherwise noted. Statistics courtesy of CFBStats.com unless otherwise noted. All recruiting information is courtesy of Scout. Odds provided by Odds Shark.
Barrett Sallee is the lead SEC college football writer and national college football video analyst for Bleacher Report as well as a host on Bleacher Report Radio on SiriusXM 83. Follow Barrett on Twitter: @BarrettSallee.
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