By ANDRE CHAMPAGNE, TIGER RAG Staff Writer
When LSU starting junior center Braelin Moore went down after falling awkwardly on the first play of the game against Louisiana Tech, Tiger Stadium was dead silent.
LSU turned to a familiar face in sophomore DJ Chester to finish the game for the Tigers at center. Chester, who started all 13 games at center for the Tigers last season, had an up and down game, but head coach Brian Kelly liked what he saw from the experienced center.
“We’re very comfortable with him. I thought he did a nice job,” Kelly said.
Chester ranked sixth overall offensively for LSU in PFF grades this week, with an impressive 82.5 pass block rating. Even though many were quick to say that Chester was to blame for LSU’s inability to execute on offense, he received one of the highest PFF grades on the offensive line.
Kelly said that Chester’s experience was evident against Louisiana Tech.
“To have a guy like him is invaluable. He didn’t take a ton of snaps the last couple weeks at center. We had him out at left-tackle He’s played guard. He’s so valuable and he went in there and did a heck of a job,” Kelly said.
Kelly also credited Chester for staying ready in a game where he didn’t start, which can be extremely difficult.
“For him to come in on the second play and be mentally ready to do it, I think that’s a really big thing,” Kelly said. “Some guys mentally have a hard time not starting and not being in the game and then when you put them in, it’s hard for them to be in that performance mindset. They’ve been sitting around. He’s unique in that way. He’s mature, he can step in.”
The offensive line as a collective did not do a good enough job of keeping the offense balanced against the Bulldogs. LSU rushed for 128 yards, but if you take away the Harlem Berry 43-yard rush and 48-yard Zavion Thomas rush, the Tigers were very quiet in the running game.
LSU was able to win the line of scrimmage against Clemson, specifically with chunk plays in the run game – totaling 108 yards on the ground.
Kelly knows that LSU’s offensive line will have to execute better when it runs the ball, especially facing an elite Florida defensive line that features senior Tyreak Sapp, sophomore Brendan Bett, senior George Gumbs Jr. and senior Brien Taylor Jr.
“There’s some things we can address relative to the fundamentals and teaching and technique. I think we can be technically better. We want to be better. We want to improve and be critical in our analysis,” Kelly said.
If Moore cannot play against Florida, Kelly has full belief in the true sophomore to go out and give LSU production.
“We’re just fortunate that we have another player that can step in and do a really good job for us,” Kelly said.
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