By KACE KIESCHNICK, Tiger Rag Staff Reporter
The Tigers played nearly spotless football on both sides of the ball in their 31-0 win over No. 16 Mississippi State on Saturday. Pro Football Focus rewarded LSU’s defensive dominance with one players’ highest rating since Week 1 and eight players who scored 70 or higher. On offense, though, the Tigers graded out surprisingly low, including a shocking mark for one of their most consistent starters.
Highest Graded Tigers
DE Jordan Ross – 92.9
QB Sam Leavitt – 81.4
WR Jackson Harris – 77.4
DT Dominick McKinley – 79.1
RB Dilin Jones – 73.8
*Min. 11 snaps
Ross was all over the field for the LSU defense. With sack leader Princewill Umanmielen out, the Tennessee transfer made six total tackles, had 2.5 tackles for loss, recorded one sack, broke up a pass and forced a fumble. His 92.9 grade is his highest since he received a 94.0 against Clemson.
Leavitt had maybe the best game of his career against the Bulldogs. He completed 31 of 38 passes for 289 yards and four touchdowns and threw zero interceptions for the first time this season.
Harris was three yards away from a hat trick before his game was ended early by an apparent left ankle injury. The Hawaii transfer led LSU with 85 receiving yards and two touchdowns on six catches. PFF did not officially credit him with a drop, but he did have a 53.4 drop grade after a deep touchdown pass from Leavitt on a free play bounced off his outstretched hands.
McKinley made an impact in just 21 defensive snaps. He made three tackles and had one sack, his second of the season.
Jones ran for 84 yards on 18 carries and caught eight passes for 58 yards. PFF reports that 58 of his rushing yards came after contact.
Lowest Graded Tigers
LT Jordan Seaton – 34.8
LG William Satterwhite – 48.5
TE Roman Mothershed – 49.1
WR Tre’ Brown – 53.3
TE Zach Grace – 54.5
*Min. 11 snaps
Seaton did not give up a sack, but he allowed three hurries and a quarterback hit. That earned LSU’s most consistent pass protector an abysmal 3.3 pass blocking grade. The Tigers also only averaged 2.6 yards a carry on rushes around the left end (outside an in-line tight end on Seaton’s side).
Seaton’s partner on the left side did not fare much better. Satterwhite allowed one QB hit and was called for one penalty. He received a 37.8 grade in the passing game and a 47.5 in the run game.
Piling on to the issues blocking on the edge, Mothershed had a team-low 45.8 run blocking grade while Grace received a 53.9. Mothershed caught his one target for 9 yards, and Grace was only able to haul in two of his four for 21 yards.
Brown was not targeted once in his 24 snaps and received a 59.9 rating as a run blocker.
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