LSU offense looks to establish ground game against veteran Mississippi State defense

When LSU visits Mississippi State for the SEC opener Saturday, it will evoke a special but recent memory for offensive lineman Emery Jones.

The first-team Freshman All-SEC performer in 2022 spent most of that season as LSU’s starting right tackle. His first collegiate start came in Tiger Stadim against Mississippi State on September 17 last season.

“That game was my breakout game,” the 6-foot-6, 315-pound sophomore explained. “A lot of things opened up for me after that game. It gave me a whole lot of confidence. It’s going to be exciting to face them again.”

LSU won last year’s encounter, 31-26. The Tigers lead the all time series, 74-36-3 including 21 wins in the previous 25 meetings. The Bulldogs have won only once out of the past 10 games played in Starkville. In 2017, Ed Orgeron’s first season, the Tigers were ranked 12th but hammered by unranked State, 37-7.

Rivalry aside, the first conference game brings added importance.

“Everything matters, everything,” Jones said. “Little things like being on the line of scrimmage, not jumping offside. When you’re on the road, it’s hard, the crowd is against you. It’s just you and your teammates. It’s just 11 guys. You’ve got to play as one and get the job done.”

Evenw with an 11 a.m. kickoff, Jones is anticipating a hostile atmosphere. “I’m excited. I never got to experience cowbells. It’s going to be exciting to be in that environment.”

The Bulldogs are led by first-year head coach Zach Arnett, a defensive-minded coach. Matt Brock, the linebackers coach since 2020, is the new defensive coordinator replacing Arnett in that role.

Some of the key players defensively in the Bulldogs’ 3-3-5 alignment include middle linebacker Nathaniel Watson (6-2, 245, senior), the second leading tackler in the SEC in 2022 with 113 stops. He has 22.5 tackles for loss and 12.5 sacks for his career. Watso recorded 10 tackles against Arizona last week. He will walk up from his linebacker spot and become a pass rusher.

Will linebacker Jett Johnson (6-2, 230, senior) is another experienced hand with 223 career tackles. He had 11 stops against Arizona last week along with an interception. Very intelligent, Johnson can play any linebacker spot.

Upfront, nose tackle Nathan Pickering (6-4, 305, senior) has 11 career sacks. This week will mark his 42nd career start.

Safety Shawn Preston (6-0, 205, senior), a product of St. James High School, has 157 career tackles. This will be his 45th career appearance. He had 10 stops, 2 tackles for loss and an interception against Arizona.

“They don’t have star players, they move guys around a lot,” Jones said. “Every down, they’re moving guys around, making you respond to their movement. I feel like we’ll do well blocking that movement and bust some runs.”

The Bulldogs boast a solid special team unit as well.

Lideatrick “Tulu” Griffin (5-10, 180, senior) led that nation in kick return average last season at 32.3, second best for a single season in SEC history. He also has nine grabs for 116 yards and 2 scores as a receiver.

Freshman place kicker Kyle Ferrie has converted three field goals this season, including a 49-yarder in a 48-7 win over Southeastern Louisiana.

Zavion Thomas is a John Ehret product who earned freshman All American recognition as a punt returner last season averaging 13.4 yards per return. He had a 63-yard return for a score against Georgia.

Jones has divided his game reps between right tackle and right guard, occasionally moving inside when true freshman Lance Heard enters the game. Jones is a powerful blocker, very fluid with outstanding footwork.

Heard is a 6-foot-6, 340-pound mauler, also with great feet and quick, sudden movement. He was originally a defensive lineman at Neville, moving to offense as a junior in 2021. Jones has served as a mentor and tutor for his young linemate.

“I remember the questions that I had last year, and I had a lot of questions,” Jones explained. “I’m helping Lance think and look for the right things. Gap zone, you need to start with your eyes outside. Make sure you assist the edge. Little things like that get him in the right spot to play. He’s been doing a great job picking up the little things.”

Some may reject helping someone who can potentially take their position but Jones welcomes the opportunity to display his diversity, playing either at tackle or guard.

“It’s been fun. Coach (Brad) Davis wants us to be able to play across the board, so I have a general idea of what I need to do along the O-line. It’s been a fun transition. I get to show my flexibility, which will be a great thing in the future.”

Jones is excited about the potential of the running game. After a rough opener, the Tigers had 48 carries for 305 yards versus grambling last week, featuring two newcomers – junior Logan Diggs and true freshman Kaleb Jackson.

Diggs, a transfer from Notre Dame, had 821 rushing yards with a 5.0 yard average and four scores last season. He gobbled up 115 yards on the ground with an impressive 7.7 yards average in his LSU debut Satruday. His first touch was a 12-yard burst through the line of scrimmage. The Archbishop Rummel product tacked on runs of 16, 18 and 21 yards, including a three-yard scoring run.

“Electricity, watching Logan Diggs breaking tackles, jumping over people. It’s electrifying to see that,” Jones declared. “It gives us a lot of hope. He brings that electricity and that spark that we need.”

Jackson, a 6-foot, 225-pound product of Liberty Magnet in Baton Rouge,e totaled 2,031 yards as a junior in 2021 but was shelved his senior campaign after suffering an injury in the season opener. Jackson had an impressive debut with 62 yards on 11 carries against Grambling, including an explosive 21 yard jaunt. He also returned three kickoffs for 72 yards.

“That’s a big powerful back. Seeing him on kickoff returns and those 20-30 yard runs. It’s fun watching those guys,” said an excited Jones.

The offense will need to tap into a successful running attack to have a successful push towards another trip to Atlanta and the SEC title game. Their performance this weekend against a tough Mississippi State defense could tell us just how far the LSU running game has come.