LSU Football: 5 Surprises from Kentucky; Will They Carry On?

It's a long and bruising season in the SEC, and teams need a lot of players to come through at key times if they are to be successful.

LSU got some nice surprises in last Saturday's 35-7 victory over Kentucky. Some newer players blossomed. Some vets returned. And all provided valuable contributions as the Tigers managed to win easily—despite a somewhat sluggish overall effort.

The question becomes: Can they keep it up? Here are five players who will be looking to parlay their success against Kentucky into a larger role on the team.

Out of the Blue

Alfred Blue had carried the ball just 18 times in LSU's first four games. But on Saturday, Spencer Ware got hurt and Michael Ford juggled a pitch—which, if you play for Les Miles, means you get the rest of the day off. So Blue took over and had 72 yards and a touchdown on 16 carries.Ware and Ford are expected back against Florida, but Blue made his mark. "It was his best game yet," said LSU Coach Les Miles. "He's a valuable addition to our team."

Unfortunately, not all the news is good for Blue. His family home, where his mother, grandmother and three siblings live, was destroyed by fire earlier this week.

Chris Faulk Gets Back in Line

John Madden said he used to argue with Al Davis about which was the most important position in football. Davis said cornerback, then left tackle. Madden said left tackle, then cornerback.

That's why LSU fans gulped when Chris Faulk went down with what looked like a serious injury early in the West Virginia game. But he was back on Saturday to lead the Tiger offensive line, which has allowed only three sacks all season and has enabled LSU to control the ball more than 33 minutes per game.

Hey Dude, Where's My Redshirt?

Jermauria Rasco was not expected to even play this season. Most LSU followers had the LB/DE from Shreveport penciled in for an almost certain redshirt in 2011. He signed late and didn't manage to make it on to any of the preseason lists of prospects to watch.

But, as 2011 wears on, Rasco has begun to wear out opposing offenses. Linebacker was the most fluid position for LSU in camp, and Rasco has won some time there. He had his biggest game to date against Kentucky, with three tackles, including a half-sack. He had two tackles against West Virginia and was rewarded with even more playing time last Saturday.

He's Baaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaack!!

LSU fans booed Jordan Jefferson when he took the field for the first time last Saturday against Kentucky. He had put them through four weeks of unnecessary angst with his Aug. 19 arrest and subsequent suspension from the team for his involvement in a bar fight.

The Tigers already had a murderous early schedule to deal with—against Oregon in Dallas, at Mississippi State and at West Virginia. And Jarret Lee had delivered in his absence, passing for 793 yards and seven touchdowns against one interception and leading LSU to 4-0 start. But Jefferson soon won over the faithful, rushing for 29 yards and a touchdown on the first of his seven carries. Les Miles has said Lee will continue to start—which sits well with Tiger fans—and Jefferson will continue to come in when LSU wants to spread the field on offense. The combination may change, but Tiger fans are hoping the results won't.

Russell Shepard Regaining Form

Technically, Russell Shepard returned in Week 4 against West Virginia.

But he caught just one pass in that game and seemed to be trying to readjust to game speed. But against Kentucky, he looked much more like his old self, catching two passes for 35 yards and gaining 13 yards on one carry. I'll bet we can look for more from Shepard this week and going forward.