To win their season opener against LSU the Miami Hurricanes defense needs to focus on stopping the run. Tigers tight end Foster Moreau is the only returning skill position player on offense.
LSU’s path to success has always been on the ground. Since 1950 they have thrown more passes than rushing attempts in only one season. That was 1999. If the Miami Hurricanes are going to stop the LSU offense they have to make the Tigers beat them through the air.
LSU ran an average of 43.3 times per game in 2017 and threw an average of 23.1 passes. Steve Emsminger regains his title of Offensive Coordinator after Matt Canada was let go following the 2017 season. Ensminger was the Coordinator in 2016 after Les Miles was fired.
With Ensminger running the offense LSU ran the ball 40.125 times per game in 2016. The Tigers passed 23.875 times per game in the final eight games of 2016.
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LSU was nearly the same offense under Canada in 2017 as they were with Ensminger in 2016. The difference was basically an average of three fewer plays overall under Ensminger. That translated into three less running plays. LSU was 6-2 with Ensminger as their Offensive Coordinator.
The 2016 Tigers also had Leonard Fournette and Darrius Guice leading the rushing attack. LSU lost their four leading rushers from last season including Guice. Even without a lot of experience returning at running back, stopping the run will be the priority of the Miami Hurricanes defense.
Miami Defensive Coordinator Manny Diaz spoke to the Palm Beach Post about the game plan for the LSU offense. He confirmed their goal to take away the ground game.
"“Ultimately, whoever plays quarterback, as a defense your job is still to make his job as hard as possible and that’s to take away his best friend, which is the run game.So any time, no matter who’s quarterbacking LSU, you still have a great challenge of stopping their physical rushing attack. That’s still, no matter who the quarterback is, will be first and foremost on our minds.”"
The Hurricanes want to make new LSU starting quarterback Joe Burrow beat them. Burrow is a Graduate Transfer from Ohio State in his first season with the Tigers.
"“Coach’s kid, so you know he’s smart and you know he’s been raised by the game. And a defensive coach’s kid, so I’ll leave that for interpretation.But what you saw in the limited film that we have of him, he’s a guy that will go through the reads, he’ll stand in the pocket. To me, he can make the throws and he can anticipate the throws, which I think comes back to being raised in the game where he doesn’t have to see a guy get open.He can feel a guy get open before he gets open. We have a lot of respect for who he is.”"
The running back to watch for LSU is Clyde Edwards-Helaire. He only had nine carries for 31 yards last season, but he’s also a threat as a receiver. Edwards-Helaire caught three passes for 46 yards in 2017. LSU lists him as the second string running back behind Senior Nick Brosette.
Brosette is LSU’s leading returning rusher. He had 19 carries for 96 yards last season with no receptions. LSU hasn’t settled on a primary back yet without much experience behind Burrow. Brosette and Edwards-Hilare are expected to share the carries.
The Tigers wide receivers are also new. Burrow is likely to look for Moreau often throughout the night. It will be tough to get him the ball with Safeties Jaquan Johnson and Sheldrick Redwine patrolling the middle. Romeo Finley will also see playing time behind Zach McCloud at striker.
Striker is the new position created by Diaz in the Spring. It was designed as a hybrid between safety and linebacker. The goal is to get more help in pass defense. If Finley plays a lot that means that the Hurricanes game plan is working.
Without a running game, LSU will have to face the fierce Miami pass rush. If Joe Jackson, Jonathan Garvin and company know the Tigers have to throw the football that’s when turnovers usually happen.
Miami was at it’s best last season during a four-game stretch when they forced four turnovers in each game. That stretch followed when the Hurricanes forced three in a comeback win over Virginia. Miami was able to force only four turnovers total in the three-game losing streak to end 2017.