Pro Football Focus Grades LSU vs. Nicholls

By Hunt Palmer

Every week we’ll lean on the folks over at Pro Football Focus to give you the highest and lowest grades from LSU’s performance. Saturday night’s home opener was highlighted by an efficient passing game and sullied by an ineffective ground game and a defense that had trouble stopping an FCS opponent.

This week’s grades reflect that. And they back up LSU’s performance in the season opening in Las Vegas. In both contests, LSU has thrown the ball well and struggled to run it. In both contests the defense has had its issues creating incompletions and stopping drives.

Players needed to play at least 19 offensive or defensive snaps to qualify for the list.

Let’s dive into the grades.

TOP 5

1. CB Zy Alexander – 82.3
2. DE Bradyn Swinson – 82.2
3. QB Garrett Nussmeier – 82
4. LB Greg Penn – 81.2
5. DE Gabriel Reliford – 76.1

Zy Alexander made his return to the lineup Saturday night. After the game he called himself 100 percent recovered from the ACL tear that ended his 2023 season. LSU has to do a better job defending the pass than it has in the first two games. Alexander figures to help there as his snap count increases. He played 34.

Swinson flashed late last season and was in the backfield some against USC. Saturday night, he had one of LSU’s two tackles for loss. If unspectacular, Swinson provides a steady presence on LSU’s front seven.

Nussmeier has been very good through three career starts dating back to last season’s Reliaquest Bowl. In those three starts, he’s completing 74 percent of his throws for 335 yards per game. He’s thrown 11 touchdowns and two interceptions, one of those being the last offensive play against USC which was going to be a lateral prayer. No longer is Nussmeier a gun-slinging risk taker. He’s been remarkably efficient.

Greg Penn graded 83.3 on his tackling in the game. That’s his role. Penn isn’t the biggest or the fastest, but he needs to be reliable. He was on Saturday. The group directly in front of him is the concern. More on that to come.

And Gabe Reliford’s name may show up more and more as the season progresses. The former four-star recruit out of Shreveport had a strong fall camp and shows great promise at the defensive end spot. It’s possible, if not likely, that Paris Shand will play more defensive tackle now that Jacobian Guillory is done for the year. That may mean more reps for Reliford right behind Da’Shawn Womack, Swinson and Sai’vion Jones. Reliford made six tackles against Nicholls.

BOTTOM 5

1. LB Harold Perkins – 53.4
2. WR Shelton Sampson – 53.8
3. RB Kaleb Jackson – 54.9
4. CB Ashton Stamps – 55.7
5. DT Jay’viar Suggs – 57.9

Perkins at the top here is extremely puzzling. At this point, it’s well understood that this is not an ability issue. It’s a usage issue. Trying to find a spot for a 6-foot, 215 lbs., speedy edge rusher is not simple. It has to be done, though. Perkins did lead LSU in tackles in the opener, but he only made one impact play, LSU’s first third down stop of the game. Saturday night he was nearly invisible. His tackling grade was 77.6, but his run defense grade was a paltry 53.7. That’s too much catching blocks and getting caught in the wash for a player that dynamic.

Brian Kelly said earlier in the week that Shelton Sampson needed to play more. He played early on Saturday, and LSU targeted him deep on two occasions. Both fell out of his reach. Sampson has a lot of physical ability. He’s long and rangy. But he’s clearly behind his classmate Kyle Parker and the older players on the roster. Right now, it feels like it’s unlikely he makes a big impact in his second season.

Kaleb Jackson is built for an offensive line that opens up holes he can power through with a head of steam. Those don’t exist for LSU right now. Without that head of steam, he’s far easier to get to the ground. He’s carried the ball for 33 yards on 14 carries in two weeks. It’s hard to lower your shoulder and level a defender if that defender hits you on your third step right at the line of scrimmage.

Stamps’s grade against FCS wide receivers is disappointing. The sophomore made a few plays against USC. He also gave up a couple. But that’s life at the position against a high-level offense. Nicholls doesn’t qualify. Stamps graded 53.5 in coverage against the Colonels, and he’s LSU’s top cover corner. That must improve.

Now to perhaps the most concerning number. Suggs was pushed around by Nicholls after Guillory exited. LSU looked long and hard for defensive tackles in the transfer portal. Kelly admitted the search wasn’t as successful as he’d have liked early in the portal window. LSU was able to add the Grand Valley State transfer, but he’s still a work in progress. Jalen Lee also graded out under 50 but didn’t meet the snap count threshold. Shone Washington graded a 59.1. Nicholls is the worst offensive line LSU will see this season, so the depth pieces at tackle are going to have to take strides if LSU wants to hold up as the season progresses. That position is far and away LSU’s biggest concern moving forward.