The LSU Tigers dominated on Saturday, and several players had a day. There are a couple who deserve to be highlighted.
Let's start with DJ Pickett. After the departure of Mansoor Delane, who was drafted in the top 10 of the NFL Draft, the expectation was for Pickett to become the next lockdown cornerback for the Tigers, and he has done just that.
Against Auburn, Pickett allowed just one completion on five targets for a total gain of one yard. That's a completion percentage of 20%. Pickett is a vital reason why the defense is having the success it is having. When you can put a player on one half of the field and just let him handle it, it frees up the other 10 players to be as deceptive as they need to be to cause chaos and confusion for opposing quarterbacks.
The other player who has already received SEC recognition but needs to be highlighted some more is Sam Leavitt. Leavitt struggled to start the season, but over the last five weeks, he has been on a tear. He has completed over 70% of his passes in each game since the Texas A&M game. Because of this recent surge, he is now completing over 70% of his passes for the season, which would be the highest completion percentage of his career.
Leavitt is also turning the corner when it comes to giving the ball away. For the second week in a row, he finished the game without having a turnover show up on the stat sheet. QB1 for the Tigers is showcasing the skills to make the argument that he is one of the best quarterbacks in the SEC.
The game MVP is Jackson Harris. Harris is the WR1 for the Tigers, and his recent ascension has elevated the play of the entire offense. Without Harris emerging as a reliable pass-catching target for Leavitt, this offense would still be sputtering.
Since the A&M game, Harris has 31 receptions, 517 yards, and seven touchdowns. Against Auburn, he finished the game with nine catches, 178 yards, and two touchdowns. He was a toenail shy of having a third touchdown and pushing that yardage total closer to 200 yards.
Harris is rounding into form, and the deep-threat transfer from Hawaii is showing that his breakaway speed is translating to the SEC. So far this season, Harris is averaging 17.6 yards per catch. Elite.
Who is your game MVP? If you were Lane Kiffin, how would you approach the bye week to get ready for Alabama? Share your thoughts in the comments.
