So far so good for Matt Canada and LSU's new-look offense during spring practice
If what happened Saturday is any indication, then LSU offensive coordinator Matt Canada may indeed be the most important hire in the SEC.
According to an official release from the LSU football office, the Tigers racked up more than 600 yards of total offense — including 391 on the ground — during the program’s second scrimmage of spring practice.
Last year, defensive coordinator Dave Aranda arrived from Wisconsin and improved the Bayou Bengals from fifth to third in the conference in total defense and from 10th to second in scoring D. Now Canada, who was hired away from Pittsburgh, has to turn around an offense that was ninth in yards and 10th in points a season ago.
Even more impressive, the school’s 491-word release didn’t mention the SEC’s 2016 rushing champion, Derrius Guice.
That means rising senior quarterback Danny Etling must have had a pretty good day throwing the ball, plus the options beyond Guice — the last thing coach Ed Orgeron needs to worry about is Guice on the ground — ran it effectively, too.
While he only connected on 4-of-10 passes, Etling amassed 133 yards through the air and found receiver D.J Chark for his lone touchdown toss. As far as the running game is concerned, Darrel Williams had 93 yards and 3 TDs on 20 carries to lead the way. A pair of backups QBs and several reserve runners were statistically sound, as well.
Orgeron, always a beacon of positivity, walked away quite pleased with the performance, at least on the offensive side of the football.
“We had an excellent day today,” Orgeron said. “We challenged our guys on mindset, physical toughness and energy. If you want to put it all together, we wanted to have a game-type atmosphere out there, and we did it. I’m very proud of our football team and our coaching staff. We were very well prepared, and there was a lot of energy and great execution.”
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Canada has a track record of getting the most out of signal callers — some with ties to the best conference in America. Jaboby Brissett departed Florida and shined at N.C. State. Nathan Peterman bolted Tennessee and starred at Pitt.
We know LSU will be able to run the ball. Even after losing the incomparable Leonard Fournette, who is likely the most gifted back Baton Rouge has ever seen, Guice was every bit as productive as the featured ball carrier a year ago. He owns the Tigers’ single-game record for rushing yards (285), not Fournette.
However, this offense is in desperate need of balance. Halfway through spring ball, Canada appears to have the arrow pointed in the right direction.
“I thought our offense had a tremendous day,” Orgeron said. “It was an outstanding job. I thought Darrel Williams had a tremendous day and offensive line blocked well. Matt Canada and the offensive staff is doing a tremendous job. This the second scrimmage in a row that they have won.”
With Brandon Harris transferring — his destination is yet to be announced — and 4-star recruits Myles Brennan and Lowell Narcisse probable redshirt candidates, Etling is in line to get the full Canada treatment under center.
Not only is Fournette on his way to the NFL Draft, but so are leading wideouts Malachi Dupre and Travin Dural. The aforementioned Chark, who averaged an explosive 17.9 yards per catch last season, should be the focal point of the passing game. There is also a void at tight end, where Colin Jeter and DeSean Smith were seniors this past year.
So far so good for Canada and Co. That being said, they were facing a Tigers defense not operating at full strength.
“We have some work to do on defense,” Orgeron said. “Obviously, we have some injuries up front on defense. Some guys are not practicing, but we need to get better. The offense completed some deep balls on us today, and there are some things we need to fix.”
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Defensive end Arden Key — arguably the most feared returning pass rusher in the league for 2017 — has taken a leave of absence from the team, so his void is borderline irreplaceable for Aranda in the trenches.
The draft will also take a tremendous toll on Aranda’s depth chart. Defensive backs Jamal Adams, Dwayne Thomas and Tre’Davious White; linebackers Kendell Beckwith, Tashawn Bower and Duke Riley; and linemen Davon Godchaux and Lewis Neal have all exhausted their eligibility and hope to play on Sunday.
But this isn’t your older brother’s Bayou Bengals system. Canada has already modernized a scheme that had grown stale.
“Overall, I’m really pleased with where we are at this point in the spring on offense,” Orgeron said. “The motion and shifts and the diversion of the offense is great. We had very few penalties today with the referees out there. Our defense has to pick it up a little bit, but I know they will under Dave Aranda.”
In the end, it’s just a spring scrimmage. Every coach in the country is currently talking about how much better his players look right now.
Remember, LSU was shut out — at home, no less — by rival Alabama this past November. We know the Crimson Tide will be their typical brick wall defensively. Until the Tigers can score consistently, they can’t break through in the West.
Canada’s tenure seems to have gotten off on the right foot, though. During his three years at N.C. State from 2013-15, the Wolfpack went from 10th in the ACC in scoring up to eighth and then third. While he was only at Pittsburgh for one season in 2016, he took the Panthers from 28.2 points per game (ninth) to 40.9 (second).
An offense previously built around Student Body Right with Fournette didn’t get it done. Even the appearance of change feels like progress.
John Crist is the senior writer for Saturday Down South, a member of the FWAA and a voter for the Heisman Trophy. Send him an e-mail, like him on Facebook or follow him on Twitter.
