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Many South-Louisians are familiar with hangover.
LSU # 4 (3-0) had the same kind of slow start before winning a 65-14 win over Northwestern State (0-3) on Saturday night at Tiger Stadium.
Of course, the memory of the party remains: the victories of 45 to 38 of LSU against no. 9 in Texas in Austin last week – but these warm feelings can fade quickly when a team without a FCS win makes it a half match.
The 51-point win will certainly shine as the college football playoff committee looks into the game as it votes for its first official poll on Nov. 5.
But buried under what has become a convincing victory, LSU still has to solve a major problem.
And this is not with the Tigers' offense.
Northwestern State led 7-3 at the end of the first quarter, and the Demons led 24-14 at half-time because quarterback Shelton Eppler traded haymakers with Joe Burrow, opponent of Heisman.
Burrow finally delivered the coup de grâce when LSU scored four touchdowns early in the second half and forced three in a row (3) (we'll get there); but in the half, Eppler managed 172 yards and two touchdowns.
Burrow had 231 yards, a touchdown and an interception at half-time. Burrow was overtaken by a team from Demons who lost 33-7 to Midwest Division II the week before.
Eppler was moving the ball against a secondary player whose Ed Orgeron, the LSU coach, said he was the best he had ever known as a coach.
Before diving into the problems, there are some important caveats: LSU played without starting at linebacker Michael Divinity (coach's decision), plus defensive starting defenses, Rashard Lawrence and Glen Logan (injured) and outside linebacker K Lavon Chaisson (injured).
Security, Todd Harris, then left the game in the second quarter with what the LSU radio had mentioned as a sprained knee.
The absences were notable, but Northwestern State's first-half results are indicative of LSU's defensive difficulties when they gave up 409 yards against Texas last week.
But in the second half? Whoo Boy, the problem has been solved: the Demons only scored 78 yards of offense and did not score again.
So what was the problem?
The LSU secondary coach struggled to play in the first-half zone cover, said Tigers coach Ed Orgeron, and when the defense opted for tighter coverage, the Tigers were able to stop the Demons pass game.
"The areas were not working," said Orgeron. "We played more men. We tightened our players in the men's blanket. You saw us break the ball a little faster, we almost had a few choices. I think it was the biggest adjustment. "
Yes, LSU almost had two selections: linebacker Micah Baskerville lost one in the first half, and starting cornerback Derek Stingley scored another early in the second half.
But when the Tigers were playing in a coverage area northwest of the state, Eppler was managing with LSU's defense.
Eppler of Northwestern State had 4 assists out of 7 and amassed 24 yards on a first order that lasted 11 games. He ran 40 yards and reached the LSU 35 before Eppler dropped the ball with an incomplete pass.
The Demons moved the ball just as easily in the second order. Eppler completed 12, 28 and 11-yard passes before creating a 17-yard touchdown pass at Quan Shorts in the left corner of the end zone. The score allowed Northwestern State to climb 7-3 with nine seconds in the first quarter.
Then, after Northwestern State made his third drive to make way for two SJM touchdowns, Eppler completed a 26-yard touchdown pass to David Fitzwater, who was completely open in what appeared to be a broken blanket in high school. LSU.
LSU's linebacker Travez Moore was supposed to follow Fitzwater on the road of the wheels, said Orgeron, but he left the receiver himself, apparently waiting to get some help behind him.
Suddenly, LSU led 17-14, while it was only 5:29 in the first period.
The Tigers' attack continued to hum, Clyde Edwards-Helaire's scoring midfielder was eager to score 3 points to give LSU a 24-14 lead. But after Burrow was intercepted for the second time this season by Demons cornerback Dylan Wilson at LSU 15, it appeared Northwestern State had a chance to come back with a single score.
Enter the green team.
The third blitz program organized by LSU defensive coordinator Dave Aranda ended the Demon attack. The Green Team places the top four batters on the line of scrimmage, regardless of position, and is intended to put additional pressure on the quarterback.
On Saturday, the squad included linebackers Damone Clark, Andre Anthony, Ray Thornton and defensive wing Jarell Cherry. Internal linebacker Patrick Queen was also placed directly over the center and was controlled.
The look forced Northwestern State to lend a helping hand to its first second-quarter record, and LSU quickly took a two-point lead. Then, in the third and tenths of the LSU 17, less than a minute into the first half, the green team forced Eppler to make another incomplete pass.
Demons kicker Scotty Roblow missed a 34-yard field goal in the next game. Northwestern State would not score yet.
The green team was again deployed in third and fifth place to start the second half, forcing the pass that Stingley blew up, which was almost a choice of six.
The additional pressure from the LSU's green team and men's coverage allowed Eppler to control the rest of the game. But the Tigers will certainly have to play in certain areas when they start playing in the South East Conference next week.
"We can not always play the man," Orgeron said. "We had to play a few areas and we worked hard this week, we need more work."
The Demons quarterback finished 21 of 38 goals for 225 yards and one touchdown, while the team hit five times and returned the ball in their second half trials.
LSU plays at Vanderbilt (0-2) at 11am next Saturday.
The Tigers offensive is in full swing.
As for the LSU defense?
"We still have not really had a game this year where the defense let the game be happy, proud of what we recorded and what we did," said LSU as linebacker Jacob Phillips. Still a lot of mistakes this week We are still at the beginning of the season. We have a lot to learn and a lot to adapt. "
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