LSU Football 2011: 5 Things the Tigers Must Do Against Western Kentucky

The LSU Tigers are riding high off of their 9-6 overtime thriller against the Alabama Crimson Tide, but there are five things the Tigers must do against the Western Kentucky Hilltoppers.

It was a brutal affair last Saturday. A game that would make your grandfather proud, and a game that mirrored classic Pittsburgh Steelers/Baltimore Ravens’ games.

A game decided by defense and special teams is a game I want to watch, and if you care so much about scoring, you should go watch basketball.

And for those saying that game was boring, you need to stop watching SEC football right now and stick with the Big 12. Sorry, I had to get that off of my chest.

In the victory, the Tigers showcased their awesome defense, but they left some questions on the offensive side of the football.

It’s not like Western Kentucky has a chance in this game, but the Tigers need to re-establish their dominance on offense for future showdowns with Arkansas, possibly Georgia or dare I say the national championship. These are the five things LSU must do. 

Start Jordan Jefferson

I can’t believe I’m saying this, but the Tigers need to start Jordan Jefferson in this game as a reward for his play against Alabama.

He still holds the ball too long, stares his receivers down and has hardly any pocket presence, but you have to give the devil his due.

He made some key throws when needed, ran the ball with authority and took some brutal shots from Don’t’a Hightower but continued to get up.

I’m starting to believe Les Miles more and more when he says he needs both quarterbacks to win, and JJ proved that Saturday.

Get Jarrett Lee’s Confidence Back

It pained me to see Jarrett Lee throw two interceptions in a row last Saturday after having such a great season.

He rushed the first interception after a low snap, and the second was a result of Nick Saban confusing him by having Dre Kirkpatrick show blitz and then drop back into coverage.

To say Lee struggled would be putting it mildly, but don’t think for a second he’s done playing quarterback at LSU.

The Tigers need him, period. JJ presents a great threat with his feet and presents a different wrinkle to the offense, but Lee can get the ball down the field better.

Lee is not afraid to take shots down the field, and it has worked out for the Tigers more than it hasn’t this season.

Lee needs to get his swagger back in this game and build up his confidence for these big time games coming up.

Rest the Defense

This game should be a blowout, so I would play the starters on defense for a half at the max.

Let Sam Montgomery and Barkevious Mingo pick up a few sacks, and Mo Claiborne, Eric Reid and Tyrann Mathieu cause havoc in the secondary for a little while and call it a night.

The Tigers can’t afford any injuries against an opponent like the Hilltoppers, and they need to get some rest following that physical game that occurred on Nov. 5.

Get Jarvis Landry and James Wright Going

This isn’t huge, but it would be nice for the Tigers to get Jarvis Landry and James Wright some more experience with the football.

These are LSU’s future star wide receivers, and I’ve been waiting on these two to break out for a while.

Because of the seasons Ruben Randle and Odell Beckham are having, they really haven’t had to showcase their skills that often.

I expect these two to get the ball more late in this game, and I’m excited to see what these guys are all about.

Blow the Hilltoppers out

This one’s a no-brainer, but that doesn’t mean it shouldn’t be mentioned.

For all the reasons I mentioned earlier from resting players to getting more guys experience, it is important for the Tigers to win this one big.

Not to mention the Tigers are the top dogs, or should I say cats, in the nation, and they should be respected.

What better way to get respect than giving a big-time beat down on Western Kentucky following a victory over the second best team in the nation.