Scooter Hobbs column: Soccer was enjoyable once more for LSU

BATON ROUGE — At final, the soccer planets aligned. Finally, LSU received within the pink zone, and this time NOT scoring was the best reply.

Yoo-hoo! The Tigers actually know that drill. They can ever extra play that recreation. Been training all of it season.

So, Harlem Berry, a freshman no much less, broke free and juked to sunlight however then slid to the turf of his personal accord, self-stopping 10 yards shy of the Arkansas finish zone with nothing however inexperienced grass left to discourage him.

Wisdom past his years. This time it was the prudent transfer.

The Hogs’ solely hope of successful was for the Tigers to attain and provides them an unlikely shot at an 8-point scoring drive.

So, LSU 23, Arkansas 22.

It ought to all the time be so easy.

Who is aware of what all of it means?

Arkansas could also be one of many higher groups to ever lose eight consecutive video games, however the Razorbacks, properly, they’ve now misplaced eight consecutive video games.

Probably for a cause.

LSU appeared sympathetic for a lot of the sport, however in the long run the Tigers evidently determined their very own (comparatively modest) three-game dropping streak wanted addressing much more.

It was interim coach Frank Wilson’s first LSU victory in backup quarterback Michael Van Buren’s first begin as a Tiger, and whereas it wasn’t all the time the smoothest manufacturing a sparse crowd has ever seen, it received the job achieved.

Victory, it was.

And — what the hey — it didn’t lack for leisure worth.

Let the playoff contenders fear about precision and artistry in pursuit of that elusive excellent recreation.

Arkansas, particularly, and LSU as soon as it determined to heed the early wake-up name, appeared like they had been having soccer enjoyable.

Maybe this was interim soccer, the place the video games return, and life and demise is taken out of the equation.

And interim coaches aren’t anxious about getting fired.

Fortunately for the Tigers, they stop worrying about fashion factors in regards to the time the state and faculty hierarchy began hogging the headlines over the past month.

It was nearly as entertaining as these hijinks.

For comedian aid you had LSU’s particular groups, which started with a blocked punt — two onrushing Razorbacks may have flipped a coin for the respect of stuffing it — however Wyatt Simmons blocked it and Ark Wooden did the honors on the scoop-and-score 7-0 Arkansas lead.

The Tigers additionally shanked their second punt, duck-hooked two kickoffs OB and allowed a 26-yard punt return for no cause.

Maybe you needed to be there.

The Tigers did handle a 50-yard subject purpose from Damian Ramos, lucky because it’s historically LSU’s solely risk to the scoreboard.

Van Buren overcame a rugged begin at quarterback and was ok directing LSU’s offense to win instead of reinjured Garrett Nussmeier.

LSU’s protection wants geography classes on the place that impartial zone begins — that DMZ they preserve lining up in.

The Tigers’ protection was extra opportunistic than dominant in holding interim Hog coach Bobby Petrino’s offensive play-calling wizardry to its lowest complete within the 5 video games since he joined the interim teaching parade.

Arkansas is kicking itself over the 2 dangerous interceptions, one within the LSU finish zone, to not point out the opening drive misplaced fumble deep in Tiger territory.

Oh, and there was the goal-line stand inches from the LSU finish zone.

Arkansas is marketed because the SEC’s worst protection, and it in all probability is. But it could possibly at the very least say that it tackles higher than LSU’s a lot larger rated bunch.

Wrapping up is turning into increasingly more of a misplaced artwork with each passing week.

But I’m beginning to consider you might put an novice curling staff of widget salesmen reverse the LSU offense, and the Tigers would rating someplace between 20 and 24 factors.

That appears to be the ceiling.

After falling behind 14-0 that offense lastly received its bearings and chipped away — one irritating subject purpose at a time, for probably the most half.

But LSU saved the perfect for the fourth quarter.

Maybe that is what interim coaches are allowed to do.

But immediately, trailing by six and observing 92 yards to do something about it, LSU unloaded each trick within the toolbox.

It was nearly like a coach received  sick of listening to about predictable play-calling and began emptying all of the stuff they apply however by no means use.

Well, right here it’s — all of them, one after one other, identical drive —  is that this what you need to see?

It was a prank-you-very-much drive of ball performs crammed with pleasure buzzers, whoopee cushions and exploding cigars. And a complete lot of backwards passes

Those 92 yards — such an excruciating battle for this offense a lot of the 12 months — took 12 performs with at the very least six of them involving critical enjoyable.

Yes, enjoyable. What an idea, huh.

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Scooter Hobbs covers LSU athletics for the American Press. Contact him at scooter.hobbs@americanpress.com