Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
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GAME PREVIEW: LSU BY LOU SOMOGYI PHYSICAL FITNESS During Notre Dame's preparations two years ago for the BCS National Championship showdown versus Al‑ abama, the Irish took a cautious ap‑ proach in the practices leading up to the game. With approximately only seven healthy players along the offensive line — sophomores Nick Martin and Conor Hanratty were the top backups at both tackle and guard slots — head coach Brian Kelly was averse to doing too much hitting for fear of losing needed performers on both sides of the ball. The lack of the physical approach, almost no tackling and some rust from 44 days between the regular‑season fi‑ nale and the bowl showed. The deeper and more physical Crimson Tide took control from the outset in their 42‑14 win. Notre Dame uncharacteristically missed numerous tackles and the game essentially was over by halftime when Alabama roared to a 28‑0 lead. That lesson resonates with Kelly, who will be facing another ultra‑physical SEC team in LSU in this year's Music City Bowl. The Tigers are one of the worst passing teams in the country — 114th out of 125 Football Bowl Subdivi‑ sion teams in passing yards — so they rely heavily on a physical ground at‑ tack headlined by 6‑1, 230‑pound fresh‑ man Leonard Fournette, last year 's No. 1 recruit according to 247Sports. LSU is ranked 27th nationally in rushing offense with an attack that av‑ erages 219.5 yards per game and 4.52 yards per carry. Conversely, Notre Dame yielded 43.4 points and 244.2 yards rushing per contest in its five November games. There is not much finesse to the LSU offense and overall operation, which took a 13‑10 lead versus current No. 1 Alabama with 55 seconds left in the game before losing in overtime, and also defeated then‑No. 3 Ole Miss 10‑7. The Tigers have an identity as a downhill running team on offense and a fierce‑hitting, ball‑hawking unit on TOP STOrylineS Sophomore quarterback Anthony Jennings has struggled this year, connecting on just 48.8 per- cent of his passes for a pedestrian 1,460 yards. PHOTO COURTESY LSU