By RON HIGGINS, Journal Sports
BATON ROUGE – A member of the Texas A&M media contingent tried earlier this week to sugarcoat a question for Aggies’ second-year head football coach Mike Elko.
“A&M has had a tough time beating LSU on the road since it has been in the SEC,” the questioner said. “I’m just curious…”
“By tough time, you mean we’ve never done it,” Elko said with wry acknowledgment.
Indeed, heading into Saturday night’s 6:45 SEC game in Tiger Stadium between the No. 3 Aggies (7-0 overall, 4-0 SEC) and No. 20 LSU (5-2, 2-2 SEC), A&M has lost six straight times in Baton Rouge since joining the league in 2012.
Starting with a Tiger Stadium win over A&M and Heisman Trophy-winning QB Johnny Manziel in 2013, LSU has won in 2015, 2017, 2019, 2021, and 2023.
As A&M’s defensive coordinator, Elko was part of the Aggies’ BR losses in 2021 (27-24) and 2019 (50-7) when Tigers’ quarterback Joe Burrow revealed his “Burreaux” jersey, and then threw for 352 yards and three TDs on LSU’s Senior Night.
“When you saw some of the early games (vs. LSU after A&M joined the SEC),” Elko said, “it was always like `OK, this is what the SEC looks like.’
“For a large period of time, we didn’t go down there physically and stand up to the challenge. My first experience playing there was against the 2019 (national championship) team. That wasn’t a lot of fun, but that was historically one of the best teams in college football history.
“When we went down there in ’21, it was obviously a much more competitive game from a physical standpoint. And I think that’s the gap that we’ve tried to close as a program.”
In Elko’s first season as A&M’s head coach last year, the then-No. 14-ranked Aggies outscored then-No. 8 LSU 31-7 in the second half for a 38-21 victory in College Station.
A&M dominated line play on both sides of the ball, outrushing LSU 242 yards to 24, when then-freshman quarterback Marcel Reed came off the bench to produce 132 yards, including 62 rushing yards and three TDs.
Which is why considering the way this season has transpired with the Aggies sporting one of the best offensive lines in college football and LSU one of the worst, it’s puzzling that A&M is just a 2-½ point favorite.
The Tigers, on a two-game losing streak, have a predictable, plodding offense ranked 81st in total offense (366.6 ypg) and 85th in scoring offense (25.6 ppg).
LSU fourth-year head coach Brian Kelly and offensive coordinator Joe Sloan’s idea has reduced the playbook, hoping to find a rhythm.
“We needed to shorten this inventory and be better at the things that have been highly efficient for us,” Kelly said. “So, we went into that process about three weeks ago through the bye week, and I think it’s proved to be effective for us.”
But not good enough to mask LSU’s continued red zone failures. Kelly also said he’s not stepping into a play-caller role.
“Play calling is an art and a science,” Kelly said. “If you start getting involved in that too much, it’s not the best thing. Now, I can veto things, and I do have suggestions, and I’m involved in pregame planning. Those are things that I’ll continue. From my perspective, that’s the best place for me.”
As good as A&M’s defense has been pressuring quarterbacks – the Aggies rank sixth nationally in sacks with 3.6 per game and have 12 players with 0.5-plus sacks this season – they are susceptible to giving up long plays.
Last Saturday, A&M held off Arkansas 45-42 in a wild road win in Fayetteville. The Aggies won despite their defense allowing 19 “big” plays, including nine pass plays of 15 or more yards and 10 run plays of 10 yards or more.
That’s because, unlike LSU, the Hogs have a dual-threat QB Tayllen Green, wh had 342 total offense yards and five TDs (three pass, two runs).
The biggest reason A&M was able to survive was that Reed completed 23-of-32 passes (a career-best 71.5 percent) for 280 yards and three scores. He added 55 rushing yards for 335 total offense yards.
“This year has been a lot easier just knowing I’m the guy and it’s going to be on me to lead this team,” Reed said. “I’ve got to do everything in my power to do it the best way possible.”
Last season, Reed said LSU’s defense “never adjusted” when he faked handoffs and got nice gains on nifty RPO keepers.
“The issue was we didn’t trust our eyes,” LSU defensive tackle Ahmad Breaux said. “I feel like this time around, we have guys who trust their eyes and their ability more. I think we’ll get the job done.”
Kelly said late Thursday afternoon that starting left offensive tackle Tyree Adams may be out for the rest of the season after undergoing tightrope ankle surgery on Tuesday.
True freshman Carius Curne will replace Adams.
Also, starting inside linebacker Whit Weeks (bone bruise on foot/ankle) is listed as doubtful while starting defensive tackle Bernard Gooden (bruised collarbone) has been ungraded to probable.
Whoever lines up for the Tigers will need to be prepared to play their most physical game of the season.
“We got to go hit people in the mouth and be much more physical,” Kelly said. “We’ve got to play this game with a different demeanor and a different mindset.”
GO FIGURE
1: Sack allowed by Texas A&M’s starting offensive line this season
6: Straight games for Texas A&M with 400 total offense yards
13: Catches in the last two games by LSU tight end Trey’Dez Green
20-1: LSU’s home night game record under Brian Kelly
24: Sacks by Texas A&M in its last four games
38: Passes defended (eight interceptions, 30 pass breakups) by LSU, first in the SEC
Contact Ron at ronhigginsmedia@gmail.com