LSU Enters a New Offensive Era Under Kragthorpe

Big changes were made to LSU's offensive coaching staff this off-season with the exit of coordinator Gary Crowton to Maryland and the arrival of Steve Kragthorpe to replace him.  Crowton, who favored wide-open, multi-formation, multi-personnel, passing offenses, never seemed to "click" with head coach Les Miles' more conservative philosophy.  This philosophical difference of opinion resulted in the Tigers' offense suffering from multiple personality disorder.  Were they a physical running team?  A four and five wide receiver passing team?  Something else?  Something in between?  LSU, particularly last season, was never able to figure that out.  In fact, I believe LSU was trying to be both a physical running team and a sophisticated passing team and in the effort to be both, was neither.

Watching the LSU offense last season was often times a sick and guilty pleasure - as long as you weren't cheering for the Tigers - with the team's lack of execution, puzzling inability to move the ball for long stretches, and premier athletic talent across the board making for one of the most unpredictable watches in the nation.

Most Tiger fans were not unhappy to see Crowton leave town and I don't blame them. Gary Crowton's offense was needlessly complex.  All those formations, all those personnel groups, and all those plays were unnecessary with all that talent.  LSU has top-5 talent in the nation and simplicity would have served that talent better.  It was obvious even to laymen that the Tigers were trying to do too much - too many different sets, too many personalities - and as result had no identity and confusion.  LSU needs to decide what it wants to be, either a physical running team or sophisticated passing team, and be it.  And only it.  Throw in some wildcat, use your big fast wide receivers down the field, beat people up with a physical offensive line and deep stable of running backs, and book your trip to Atlanta.

Now Steve Kragthorpe takes over after a failed tenure as the head coach at Louisville.  How will the offense look with Kragthorpe in charge?  Mark Ennis, who knows Louisville football inside and out and should be followed by all college football fans on Twitter @Mengus22, saw every play of the Kragthorpe era with the Cardinals up close.  He tells me that Kragthrope favors multiple formations utilizing the same personnel.  I-formation, single back, shotgun, etc., all without substituting players.  This should take advantage of LSU's incredible wealth of offensive talent and versatility while exploiting defenses who won't have the chance to make substitutions.  While the Tigers utilize various various formations with the same personnel looking for mismatches, their opponents figure to struggle trying to match those formations without substituting personnel.  Keeping the same players on the field will also hopefully prevent the Tiger's manic "chicken with its head cut off" appearance in 2010 frantically substituting multiple players in and out of the game between plays.

Ennis adds that while Kragthorpe has a passing reputation, he does like to run the ball, use the tight end in the passing game, and feature play-action, all traits a former University of Michigan offensive lineman raised under Bo Schembechler like Miles should appreciate.  Expect a steady diet of short passes with deep shots interspersed.  That seems to jibe with reports out of spring practice in Baton Rouge where the receivers talked of a more aggressive passing game developing.

In the near-term, Kragthorpe should have three objectives in directing the Tigers:

1. K.I.S.S.  Keep it Simple Stupid.  It's a tired business cliche and has total relevance for LSU.  LSU is loaded with blue-chip, future NFL athletes.  Don't bog down their thought processes with too much information.  Do a few basic things, do them well, and let their brilliant ability shine through.  More than anywhere else, this is where Crowton failed.

2. Pick a quarterback.  Jordan Jefferson has worlds of experience, dazzled in the Cotton Bowl and put in a good spring.  While no one doubs his talent, his decision making at times is lacking and his performance during the Tigers' spring game was uneven at best.  With JUCO transfer Zach Mettenberger now on the scene and carrying perhaps the best arm strength in the SEC with him, Jefferson should not simply inherit the starting position because that's were he ended last season.  LSU was adequate quarterback play away from challenging for a national championship last season and should be at the top of the polls this season with the right man under center.

3. Use Russell Sheppard.  Sheppard has shown flashes of brilliance during his tenure on the Bayou and then disappears for long stretches.  Crowton's inability to find more touches for this extraordinary play-maker was another shortcoming.  Even in the loaded SEC, Sheppard's talent stands out and the Tigers must find a way to more fully incorporate his unique abilities into the offense.

I expect more cohesion on offense for the Tigers under Kragthorpe, but the bar is high at LSU and nothing short of a national championship will be seen as a success.

For my thoughts on how LSU replaces Patrick Peterson, click here: http://dev.chuckoliver.net/2011/04/wanted-the-next-nick-fairley-patrick-peterson/

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