ULM-LSU Preview with AndTheValleyShook

1. The narrative after the Wisconsin game seemed to be, "If Melvin Gordon just continued to get carries in the second half, the Badgers would have gotten a win." But what did LSU do to win that game, as opposed to Wisconsin losing it?

Well, LSU made some pretty good offensive adjustments to start moving the ball, that certainly had nothing to do with Gordon. But honestly, from the time Wisconsin pulled ahead 24-7, they really didn't have that many plays to run. LSU really dominated time of possession, and on at least one drive a Gordon carry for a loss was followed up by a Tanner McEvoy interception. So the Tigers did have a hand in limiting Gordon.

But really, more than anything, Wisconsin just seemed to panic once things got really tight. Players' eyes got big and you could really see the whole team start to press. LSU just stayed calm through it all and powered through.

2. Is Travin Dural the go-to passing threat for the Tigers now? How confident are you that Jennings will be able to get the ball to him consistently?

He's done a great job of it to date. Those two worked a lot this offseason on chemistry, and it really showed on the 80-yard TD versus Wisconsin, which came on a scramble play where Dural broke off his route and ran to the open space.

Dural was one of the players I was most sure about entering this season. He really has just about every tool you could want out of a receiver.

3. Who should Warhawks fans be more scared of, Kenny Hilliard or Leonard Fournette?

That's not as easy an answer as you think, because Hilliard has looked in the best shape of his life and is running really well. That said, Fournette is still finding his way a little, so he's likely to be the one to get more carries on Saturday.

4. The defense as a whole returned a bunch of talent almost everywhere and has looked impressive so far. How should ULM be attacking this LSU defense? Where are the weaknesses (schematically, personnel, or something else)?

I think if you're ULM you try to stay with what works for you -- the up-tempo spread offense. Try to get the ball out quickly and move quickly. LSU has some good depth for dealing with the number of plays run, but with an offense like this things get rolling down hill quickly. I think you do your best to set the pace and try to see if you can make those young defenders hesitate a bit.

5. What were your expectations of this team as a whole going into the season? Have they changed after two games?

I expected this team to win somewhere around the double-digit win mark, give or take a game or two, and compete for the SEC West title. Nothing I've really seen changes that one way or the other. That could translate to 9 wins or more, it's just going to come down to a handful of plays in the big games. That's kind of how it always is in this division. And either way, nobody's looked head-and-shoulders above the rest of the league yet. The SEC West race should be very tight.

Check out the the corresponding Q&A about the Warhawks here