Next Men Up: The Queen and Harris Sit on a Bench for Tigers – LSUsports.net

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Cody Worsham

Cody Worsham
Digital multimedia reporter

Next Men Up

With an All-American as linebacker and a senior security guard, LSU's defense needed its reserves to compete against number one in Alabama on Saturday night.

The 29-0 defeat will last until Monday, but the Tigers will find comfort in the game of two substitutes who have played as starters against the top-ranked team in the country.

Patrick Queen and Todd Harris each set career highs for tackling the tide, helping to lead the defense for a defense that offered a lot of resistance against the most successful attack in college football.

Queen discovered this week that he would start with Devin White, who missed the first half as he was serving a suspension for a targeting penalty against Mississippi State. The second year received a clear message from White all week, including Friday night, when they shared their room together for the first time this season in order to better prepare Queen for the task at accomplish.

"You came here for a reason," says Queen, repeating White's encouragement. "Just go there and play your best game."

That's exactly what he did when he signed nine tackles – eight in the first period – including two for one loss. That's more than double his previous career high of four, and he's also added the haste of the quarterback.

"Patrick played well," said junior defensive lineman Rashard Lawrence. "He played hard. He played a hell of a football match. It's difficult when you have to replace Devin like that. "

One of those shots against the loss smothered Alabama's first practice. On the first and 10 of the Tiger 14, Queen overturned Jerry Jeudy for an eight-yard loss. Two penalties later and another tackled for defeat later, the tide had to kick.

It was the first of two red zone clashes with LSU's defense, which kept the game tight at 9-0 before the last half-half drive.

"We fought, man," said Orgeron. "They played a few pieces, but we stopped them in the red zone. We were fighting in line. "

Queen took advantage of the opportunity, especially against The Tide, for whom he grew up watching LSU play every year. He stated that his relationship with White was essential to prepare him for the present moment.

"By entering as a freshman, I wanted to start," he said. "He was there, he knew his stuff, not me. He made a ball, became an All-American. I look at him, knowing that I have skills similar to those that he has. He is smarter in the game, so he can teach me things by being around him. It goes a long way. "

Harris also got ready as a starter all week as Battle's lining and was called early. The battle took place at the first command of Alabama, but Harris did not miss to beat, recording 12 saves.

He also became the first player to intercept Tua Tagovailoa all season. The first and the 10th of Alabama 40, Jacob Phillips pushed Tagavailoa in a deep throw. Harris read his keys and set up for the ride.

"I cycled to the back and saw Tua," Harris said. "He likes to fend for himself. He threw the ball in the air and I thought to myself: "It's my chance to get caught." I snuck in as planned and intercepted. "

Phillips said his faith had never faltered, whether it was White and Battle or Queen and Harris.

"Todd had a good game," he said. "The last game he played was Ole Miss, and he also played that game."

For Queen, it was all about being mentally ready for the moment, a factor in which his teammates played an important role.

"We played with confidence," he said. "Everyone rallied behind me, prepared me. All the others were excited, prepared. We had an excellent mentality in the game. "

"We are resilient"

Losing a match of Saturday's magnitude – the No. 1 in the college football play-off standings against No. 3, with SEC West and the hopes of play-offs in balance – could cripple many programs.

But LSU is determined to come out of defeat by ensuring that it is a learning opportunity, not a dilated defeat.

"I've already been to previous teams where I'm losing against Alabama, and that's a bitter taste in the mouth," Lawrence said. "It's true, but we have to move on. This team is different. We are resilient. We have to attack next week, go to Arkansas and do business. "

Orgeron focused on everything LSU played for, even though he said improvements would be needed to achieve these goals.

"We have to move forward," he said. "We have a chance to spend an incredible season, go to a big bowl. That's what I look forward to. "

This process begins on Monday when the Tigers go, in Orgeron's words, to "digest" the defeat and determine what needs to be resolved before Saturday's trip to Arkansas.

Senior coach Foster Moreau has been sidelined on the most important thing to do Monday so that a defeat does not turn into two.

"Looking at you in the mirror," he said. "Search from man to man. Accept responsibility for mistakes and losses, and be able to advance, be honest and indebted, for you and your teammates.

"And have a handy practice."

It's all about protection

Orgeron could not have said more clearly about what affected an LSU offense that only managed 196 yards against the tide.

"Our offensive line was beaten one-on-one," he said. "We had maximum protection. These guys were beating us. We tried everything we could, four maximum and wide protections. We have just been beaten. "

Justin Jefferson, who collected 81 yards on a 81-yard receiving pass, felt the Tigers had a good game plan, but dropped by inconsistent execution.

"We played a few pieces, but we did not manage to keep them going," he said.

Quarterback Joe Burrow completed 18 of 35 passes for a total of 184 yards, but Alabama had five platelets and 10 tackles for a loss. Orgeron said his problems were not related to the call of offensive coordinator Steve Ensminger, who, he said, had been handcuffed by insufficient protection.

"Listen, man, he was trying everything he had," said Orgeron. "We wanted to take pictures, but shoot did not have time, Joe, and then Joe started looking at the rush, it was not a good night."

For his part, Burrow echoed the feelings of his coach and teammates. The loss hurts, but the Tigers can not let that affect the rest of the season.

"Obviously, every time you lose, like what we did tonight, it stings," he said. "But we can not allow this to be deflated for us because we have a long season ahead of us, we will have to get up, dust off and get back to work."

Number to know

129.5: Marking of Tua Tagovaloa against LSU. When entering the game, his pass for the season was 238.85 and his game diary was as follows:

This does not want to coat the drug. He still threw for 295 yards and two goals, and he added another on the field. But LSU may have been successful against a quarterback about which no other defense can say as much.

"We have sometimes made good coverage at the back," Lawrence said. "We followed it a bit – not enough, of course."

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