Blue, Magee seize new opportunity

While LSU sophomore running back Alfred Blue may not have been running on Kentucky's blue turf, he spent much of Saturday running over the blue-clad Kentucky defenders.

Blue produced his career-best performance in LSU's 35-7 defeat of the Wildcats. His 16 carries for 72 yards and a score was part of a balanced LSU ground game that wore the Wildcats down despite losing sophomore running back Spencer Ware to an apparent hamstring injury early in the game.

The carry and yardage totals were both career highs for Blue, who played sparingly as a freshman.

"I anticipated playing a lot [Saturday], so I just knew I had to seize the moment," Blue said.

Blue has now scored a touchdown in the last three games he has received carries.

The Boutte native was part of a touted three-horse stable of backs coming into the season, but he spent much of the first four games in limited action behind fellow sophomores Ware and Michael Ford, tallying just 18 rushes.

But that could change — at least in the immediate future — as Ware's status remains uncertain and Blue is a physical runner, similar to Ware.

"I do feel like the coaches are starting to like me out there a little bit more," Blue said. "I think I am versatile because I have a little speed and a lot of power."

Joining Blue to fill Ware's punishing shoes was freshman Terrence Magee, who burned his redshirt with his first career appearance in a Tiger uniform.

The Franklinton native and former high school quarterback spent much of the offseason in coach Les Miles' high esteem. Magee backed up some of the hype, charging his way up the middle throughout Saturday's contest to finish with 12 carries and 38 yards and his first collegiate touchdown.

"We think Magee is going to be a heck of a player and we wanted to get his career started," Miles said. "We've been talking about it for the past couple of weeks, to be honest with you. With Ware going down, it just seemed like the right time."

Junior wide receiver Russell Shepard said he has seen a rare versatility from Magee as a young player.

"He's a patient runner with good hands out of the backfield," said Shepard, who spent time at running back during his freshman season. "Usually, with a lot of fresh backs, they're not too good with the stuff outside of running. But [Magee] can block, knows the calls pretty well. He's got a                             complete game."

With the LSU passing game working only sporadically against the Wildcats, Blue and Magee, along with returning senior quarterback Jordan Jefferson, were charged with carrying an erratic Tiger attack in the second half.

The trio spurred LSU to 102 second-half yards on the ground, and accounted for three of the Tigers' four offensive touchdowns in the contest.

Junior offensive lineman P.J. Lonergan said the offensive linemen don't block differently for specific running backs.

"There's not one particular thing that you can point out as a specialty with those guys," the center said. "Our blocking style doesn't change, because we feel they can do it all."

Senior tight end Deangelo Peterson said Blue and Magee's ability to pick up the slack for an injured Ware makes the offense proud.

"We recruit the best players who are always ready," he said. "One goes down, we expect the next guy to pick it up. And I think you saw that on Saturday."

While players stopped short of calling it "running back by committee," Shepard said the Tigers often can't tell the backs apart.

"Half the time, we really don't know who's in because we call them ‘the stable,'" Shepard said. "They'll all run with that LSU mentality that's hard-nosed and unselfish."

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Contact Chris Abshire at cabshire@lsureveille.com