LSU Center Braelin Moore Says Tigers Offensive Line Has to Be More Physical

By ANDRE CHAMPAGNE, TIGER RAG Staff Reporter

LSU’s offensive line has been one of the most disappointing parts of the offense through five games. Junior center Braelin Moore knows the unit has to be better, specifically with the running game.

“Obviously we’re disappointed in ourselves because everything’s fixable. We’re just lacking detail, lacking fundamentals. So, that’s what we’re focusing on throughout this week,” Moore said.

The Tigers have struggled to get any sort of push until late in the 24-19 loss at Ole Miss. LSU only rushed for 57 total yards against the No. 121 rush defense at the time. Brad Davis’s unit even struggled to get positive yardage against three-man fronts. Moore says the offensive line hasn’t been able to play as one in unison.

“There’s plays where guys don’t get to where we need to be. As a center, I’m going to take responsibility for that. I got to be better,” Moore said.

After the loss to Ole Miss, a few of LSU’s offensive position groups got together to talk about its issues.

“We actually sat in as a running backs, tight ends and O-line together and just watched each run play of Ole Miss and we talked through what each position needs from each other and how that’ll help the play in the end,” Moore said. 

Moving forward, Moore and his group are set on improving one thing. Like Sandra Bullcok famously said in The Blind Side, the Tigers are trying to “RUN THE DAMN BALL,” and become more of a balanced offense.

“We weren’t able to run the ball good at all so, that’s definitely what needs to be improved. We need to run the ball and open everything else up,” Moore said.

Running the ball effectively begins with offensive linemen being physically superior against the opponent lined up across from them. Moore says that his group has to be better at establishing dominance at the line of scrimmage by being more physical.

“You have to have pride that when you step on that field, you have to be the toughest dude out there and you’re not going to let people throw you around, so you be the person that throws people around,” Moore said. “So, that’s the mindset we got to have going forward.”

The Tigers know that the running game won’t improve overnight, but it starts with the small things.

“Just homing in with details, hitting landmarks, understanding what we need from each play and then executing with details,” Moore said.

South Carolina is tied for 22^nd in the nation in team sacks, totaling 14 through five games. With a talented Gamecocks defensive line coming to town that features top edge rusher Dylan Stewart, the emphasis for LSU this week is to keep quarterback Garrett Nussmeier clean.

“We got to protect him. We got to give him time to let the routes develop and give them enough time and comfortability be able to make those reads and make those passes,” Moore said.