A few thoughts of mine, first:
*I think it was VERY apparent from the first two drives offensively and defensively that Tech was simply outmatched, especially in the trenches. I thought Tech's OL would have some trouble with the Tigers' front, but I don't think they'd get pushed around most of the night. That shocked me.
*But I think that has more to do with how talented LSU is in the front seven. Arden Key is the best defensive lineman I saw play in person in 2015, and his teammates were all bigger and faster than what you were putting out to oppose them. Just a mismatch.
*And what do you do at that point? You can't keep Mahomes clean on a consistent basis, can't get playmakers other than Grant the ball in space, and your defense was gonna wear down eventually. Nothing more Tech could've done really, IMO.
*Speed, speed, speed. LSU is the fastest team Tech played this year. Not even close. Their closing speed on defense was incredible, and it's a big reason Tech stalled when they've found holes in open spaces against other teams.
*Most talented teams Tech played this year: LSU, OU, and Baylor (when healthy) in that order. I don't think it's a coincidence that those were the lopsided losses this fall.
*Jakeem Grant proved to me tonight what kind of talent he really is. He made LSU's defenders look silly and sluggish at times, and NO ONE does that. The freak.
*Also: Pat Mahomes. Patty Magic, y'all. Holy crap. Dude is so special, and he's just tapping into what he can become.
*Warm wishes to all the seniors that have played their final games at Tech, but especially in regards to Grant, Washington, Kaster, and Clark. That's a great group of leaders, both on and off the field. Loved getting to interact with those guys ever since they were seniors in high school, and they'll be missed. Hope nothing but success for them.
Now, some notes from the post game presser:
Kliff Kingsbury
On if he saw anything different than what he expected from film on LSU:
“Nothing, they were fast and athletic and physical and played a good game defensively."
Thoughts on Tech's OL play:
“It could have been better obviously. I thought they fought hard. LSU is a very talented team. That was a different level of pass rush than we’ve seen I’d say this year. Pat (QB Patrick Mahomes) was under some duress, but I thought they fought hard.”
On going to the pass, not running much:
“We weren’t really running the ball. When we would, it wasn’t getting the yards we needed to, so we started throwing it more. I guess, we had a bunch of sacks, which obviously hurt the totals.”
On Pat Mahomes' play:
“He competed hard. Made a bunch of plays running around for his life. I think he’s just going to get better, but that was a different level of speed I think than we have seen this year. It took a little while for him to adjust to it.”
On this season, improvement from 2014:
“We got better. Like I said, I think offensively, that type output is what I expect. I think we will continue to get better there as Pat (Patrick Mahomes) develops and some of those younger receivers get better. We have to continue to improve in turnover margins, still wasn’t great, and then defensively we’ve got a ways to go. Coach Gibbs has done a great job. We have to get some guys in here, coaching wise, that will fit and then kind of improve talent on that side of the ball.”
On where the program is heading into the spring:
“We have a bunch of the offensive skill coming back, we have to replace some lineman, but I think I got to get some coaches hired and we just have to continue to improve. It was a big improvement from the year before. I thought offensively, I guess we have the school record for the most points, so headed in the right direction there and defensively, we have got to get a lot better.”
Jakeem Grant/DeAndre Washington
Washington on the game in general:
"I think first of all, you’ve got to give credit to LSU. It was a solid bunch, especially up front, fast, fast group, so just give credit to those guys and I think some of the plays when we had some opportunities, we just didn’t capitalize.”
Washington on being limited running the ball:
"Yeah, I think we were pretty much, we didn’t lead at any point in the game, so that kind of dictated why I didn’t get as many carries, but like I said, a lot of that credit goes to LSU. They did a good job.”
Washington on his time at Tech, final game:
It’s been special, man. It’s been a hell of a ride. Through the ups, through the downs, the relationships I’ve created with these guys are some I’ll never forget. I would have liked to go out with a win, but it was a special night for me.”
Grant on his game:
“LSU definitely did a good job of covering me up. I made a few plays on them, and they made a few plays on me. I take my hat off to (LSU FS) Jalen Mills. He’s a great defensive back and I knew from the first beginning that I was going to be matched up with him, and he got me on a few times and I got him on a few times, and like I said, he’s a great back. I could see him going in the top of the draft.”
Thoughts on where the program is right now, where it's headed:
Washington - “I definitely think things are on the up and up, I mean they got some great guys coming in, they’ve got some great young leaders already here, so it’s definitely going to be a lot of work to put in this offseason, but I think leader-wise, they have that, so they’ll be in good shape.”
Grant - “Just basically going off of what Deandre said, I think this program is a great program. I think those prospects seeing myself, like Deandre, myself, (LT) Le’Raven (Clark), all those guys you see us making big plays in this conference, and that’s just going to bring in more prospects like us, so I feel like this program is going to go up.”
Grant on Mahomes:
“I’ve seen Pat grow a lot. He took on the leadership as a quarterback, nothing runs without the center and the quarterback, and Pat he took on that leadership and he’d get on to us about not getting our depths, dropping balls and all that type of stuff. I felt like looking forward into the future, he’s just going to continue to increase that leadership and he’s going to get those receivers right. Never know, he might win the Heisman one day.”
*I think it was VERY apparent from the first two drives offensively and defensively that Tech was simply outmatched, especially in the trenches. I thought Tech's OL would have some trouble with the Tigers' front, but I don't think they'd get pushed around most of the night. That shocked me.
*But I think that has more to do with how talented LSU is in the front seven. Arden Key is the best defensive lineman I saw play in person in 2015, and his teammates were all bigger and faster than what you were putting out to oppose them. Just a mismatch.
*And what do you do at that point? You can't keep Mahomes clean on a consistent basis, can't get playmakers other than Grant the ball in space, and your defense was gonna wear down eventually. Nothing more Tech could've done really, IMO.
*Speed, speed, speed. LSU is the fastest team Tech played this year. Not even close. Their closing speed on defense was incredible, and it's a big reason Tech stalled when they've found holes in open spaces against other teams.
*Most talented teams Tech played this year: LSU, OU, and Baylor (when healthy) in that order. I don't think it's a coincidence that those were the lopsided losses this fall.
*Jakeem Grant proved to me tonight what kind of talent he really is. He made LSU's defenders look silly and sluggish at times, and NO ONE does that. The freak.
*Also: Pat Mahomes. Patty Magic, y'all. Holy crap. Dude is so special, and he's just tapping into what he can become.
*Warm wishes to all the seniors that have played their final games at Tech, but especially in regards to Grant, Washington, Kaster, and Clark. That's a great group of leaders, both on and off the field. Loved getting to interact with those guys ever since they were seniors in high school, and they'll be missed. Hope nothing but success for them.
Now, some notes from the post game presser:
Kliff Kingsbury
On if he saw anything different than what he expected from film on LSU:
“Nothing, they were fast and athletic and physical and played a good game defensively."
Thoughts on Tech's OL play:
“It could have been better obviously. I thought they fought hard. LSU is a very talented team. That was a different level of pass rush than we’ve seen I’d say this year. Pat (QB Patrick Mahomes) was under some duress, but I thought they fought hard.”
On going to the pass, not running much:
“We weren’t really running the ball. When we would, it wasn’t getting the yards we needed to, so we started throwing it more. I guess, we had a bunch of sacks, which obviously hurt the totals.”
On Pat Mahomes' play:
“He competed hard. Made a bunch of plays running around for his life. I think he’s just going to get better, but that was a different level of speed I think than we have seen this year. It took a little while for him to adjust to it.”
On this season, improvement from 2014:
“We got better. Like I said, I think offensively, that type output is what I expect. I think we will continue to get better there as Pat (Patrick Mahomes) develops and some of those younger receivers get better. We have to continue to improve in turnover margins, still wasn’t great, and then defensively we’ve got a ways to go. Coach Gibbs has done a great job. We have to get some guys in here, coaching wise, that will fit and then kind of improve talent on that side of the ball.”
On where the program is heading into the spring:
“We have a bunch of the offensive skill coming back, we have to replace some lineman, but I think I got to get some coaches hired and we just have to continue to improve. It was a big improvement from the year before. I thought offensively, I guess we have the school record for the most points, so headed in the right direction there and defensively, we have got to get a lot better.”
Jakeem Grant/DeAndre Washington
Washington on the game in general:
"I think first of all, you’ve got to give credit to LSU. It was a solid bunch, especially up front, fast, fast group, so just give credit to those guys and I think some of the plays when we had some opportunities, we just didn’t capitalize.”
Washington on being limited running the ball:
"Yeah, I think we were pretty much, we didn’t lead at any point in the game, so that kind of dictated why I didn’t get as many carries, but like I said, a lot of that credit goes to LSU. They did a good job.”
Washington on his time at Tech, final game:
It’s been special, man. It’s been a hell of a ride. Through the ups, through the downs, the relationships I’ve created with these guys are some I’ll never forget. I would have liked to go out with a win, but it was a special night for me.”
Grant on his game:
“LSU definitely did a good job of covering me up. I made a few plays on them, and they made a few plays on me. I take my hat off to (LSU FS) Jalen Mills. He’s a great defensive back and I knew from the first beginning that I was going to be matched up with him, and he got me on a few times and I got him on a few times, and like I said, he’s a great back. I could see him going in the top of the draft.”
Thoughts on where the program is right now, where it's headed:
Washington - “I definitely think things are on the up and up, I mean they got some great guys coming in, they’ve got some great young leaders already here, so it’s definitely going to be a lot of work to put in this offseason, but I think leader-wise, they have that, so they’ll be in good shape.”
Grant - “Just basically going off of what Deandre said, I think this program is a great program. I think those prospects seeing myself, like Deandre, myself, (LT) Le’Raven (Clark), all those guys you see us making big plays in this conference, and that’s just going to bring in more prospects like us, so I feel like this program is going to go up.”
Grant on Mahomes:
“I’ve seen Pat grow a lot. He took on the leadership as a quarterback, nothing runs without the center and the quarterback, and Pat he took on that leadership and he’d get on to us about not getting our depths, dropping balls and all that type of stuff. I felt like looking forward into the future, he’s just going to continue to increase that leadership and he’s going to get those receivers right. Never know, he might win the Heisman one day.”
