Ed Orgeron: LSU offense looking forward to challenge vs. Alabama

The LSU offense has a daunting task in front of them, but their head coach believes they are prepared to fight. 

The Tigers head to Bryant-Denny Stadium on Saturday to take on No. 2 Alabama. 

“They’re excited about this game,” LSU head coach Ed Orgeron said. “They know they’re going against probably one of the best defensive fronts we’re going to see all year. They know it’s a challenge.”

The visit will be Orgeron’s final to Bryant-Denny Stadium in his current capacity, as his time at LSU comes to a close at the end of the 2021 season. The last time the Tigers were there, LSU topped Alabama on the way to a national championship, and Orgeron gave a legendary locker room speech following the victory. 

If the Tigers want to have any shot at pulling the upset this weekend, they will need to accomplish something with which they have struggled all season.

“We have to run the football,” Orgeron added. “We can’t be one-dimensional. This is going to be a physical game. This is a big man’s game that’s won in the trenches, and our guys are ready to go. A lot of these guys have experience playing Alabama, and they’re looking forward to this.”

LSU’s run game was dismal early this season. Through their first five games they averaged just 70.6 rushing yards and 2.8 yards per carry. The showing landed them 128th in the country in the latter statistic. 

They have been better in that area in their last three games, posting 181.7 yards per contest, including a 321 yard performance against Florida. Running back Tyrion Davis-Price was largely responsible for the ground-game explosion against the Gators with 287 yards and three touchdowns. 

Good news for Tigers fans: LSU will likely have the services of running back Armoni Goodwin for the first time in nearly a month. Goodwin suffered an ankle sprain and has not played since the Kentucky game on Oct. 9. 

Orgeron is excited about what Goodwin and fellow running back Tre Bradford can add to the run game.

“We ran some specific plays with both of those guys, they look very good,” Orgeron said, per Leah Vann. “They’ve got some fresh legs. We’re going to run some specific plays with them that’s going to help.”

If they play a pass-heavy game on Saturday, Alabama will likely shut it down. The Crimson Tide have easily handled the high-powered, pass-heavy offenses they have faced this year. Their only struggles came against teams with decent run games.

The visiting team has won four of the last five meetings between the two SEC West foes, but that outcome is unlikely Saturday. LSU is a 28.5-point underdog. The game kicks off at 6:00 p.m. CT on ESPN.