Football: Miles mulls missed opportunities

With several days to review and digest Saturday's 13-3 loss to Florida, the main point LSU coach Les Miles kept returning to Tuesday was missed opportunities.


"Florida was certainly very talented and played very well and certainly deserved to win," Miles said. "But we felt like we could play better."


The Tigers' offense was held to 162 total yards, converted just 11 percent of its third downs and held the ball for just 23 minutes and 30 seconds on a night when LSU was held to its lowest point total since 2006.


"I'd much rather have a free-swinging game that there were successes on both sides of the ball and victory was decided at the whim of great fortune, but it didn't happen that way," Miles said.


The Gators' No. 1 defense sacked sophomore quarterback Jordan Jefferson five times and prevented the Tigers from jump-starting an offense fans have been clamoring to see production from.


"We were so looking forward to the Florida game, in the second half, had we got the offense going," Miles said. "There were some really great ways to attack that team, and we never could get to those plays."


Miles said a chief reason the offense was unable to spread the ball around was its inability to keep itself in manageable situations.


"What happens is, there are series that put you behind in down and distance. It doesn't allow you to feel the same about those carries," he said. "Suddenly it's second and five, no it's second and 10, and then no, now it's second and 15, or we step back in the pocket and it's third and 18. So the opportunities to do the things we set out to do in the series were taken away from us by the situation."


Miles also said the Tigers' many long-yardage situations reflected negatively on an LSU offensive line which allowed Jefferson to be sacked 11 times in its past two games, although he added not every sack is the beleaguered unit's fault.


"If we don't have penalties that put us behind the chains, if we don't get the very obvious passing situations ... then the offensive line doesn't appear to reflect that poorly," Miles said. "Rather than spend the time in the pocket looking to get out when [Jefferson] is hemmed in, throw it away."


The Tigers begin fully preparing for Oct. 24's Auburn game Thursday in hopes of repairing the offense.


After further review
Miles said LSU has submitted Florida's lone touchdown play to the Southeastern
Conference for review. Many fans have complained that Gator receiver Riley Cooper tugged on senior cornerback Chris Hawkins to gain position on an easy scoring pass.


"We sent that in," Miles said. "I'm savoring the opportunity to call in there, sometime tomorrow I guess. Maybe late tonight."

   



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Contact David Helman at dhelman@lsureveille.com