During LSU’s turbulent 2016 football season that included the firings of head coach Les Miles and offensive coordinator Cam Cameron and the eventual naming of defensive line coach Ed Orgeron to guide the program, the Tigers possessed a passing game that ranked 101st nationally.
LSU now ranks among the top five in that category, having torched Texas for 471 aerial yards in last Saturday night’s 45-38 triumph in Austin.
“This is the vision I always had when I took over, and we finally got there,” Orgeron said in a news conference moments after LSU notched its first-ever nonconference road win against an Associated Press top-10 team. “It took a couple of miscues, but we have the coaches to do it and the receivers to do it and the quarterback to do it – and we’re going to keep getting better in this system.”
Senior quarterback Joe Burrow, a graduate transfer from Ohio State in his second season as the LSU starter, completed 31 of 39 passes, tallied four touchdowns and had the second-highest passing output in program history. The Tigers also had three receivers surpass 100 yards in the same game for the first time ever.
LSU wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase (1) catches a pass over Texas defensive back Jalen Green (3) during the second half of an NCAA college football game Saturday, Sept. 7, 2019, in Austin, Texas. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)LSU’s aerial assault overshadowed its running game, but junior running back Clyde Edwards-Helaire rushed 15 times for 87 yards to average 5.8 yards a carry.