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LSU Football: 3 biggest surprises from Tigers’ 2019 season

By Dante Pryor

NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA - JANUARY 13: Head coach Ed Orgeron of the LSU Tigers celebrates after defeating the Clemson Tigers 42-25 in the College Football Playoff National Championship game at Mercedes Benz Superdome on January 13, 2020 in New Orleans, Louisiana. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA - JANUARY 13: Head coach Ed Orgeron of the LSU Tigers celebrates after defeating the Clemson Tigers 42-25 in the College Football Playoff National Championship game at Mercedes Benz Superdome on January 13, 2020 in New Orleans, Louisiana. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images) /
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NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – JANUARY 13: Clyde Edwards-Helaire #22 of the LSU Tigers runs the ball against the Clemson Tigers during the fourth quarter in the College Football Playoff National Championship game at Mercedes Benz Superdome on January 13, 2020, in New Orleans, Louisiana. (Photo by Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images)
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – JANUARY 13: Clyde Edwards-Helaire #22 of the LSU Tigers runs the ball against the Clemson Tigers during the fourth quarter in the College Football Playoff National Championship game at Mercedes Benz Superdome on January 13, 2020, in New Orleans, Louisiana. (Photo by Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images) /

2. Clyde Edwards-Helaire

If there’s anything the LSU Tigers have never been short on, it’s running backs. When you think of LSU, you think of Heisman Trophy winner Billy Cannon, All-American and Packer Hall of Famer Jimmy Taylor, Kevin Faulk, Dalton Hillard, Joseph Addai, Jeremy Hill and most recently Leonard Fournette. Well, you can add Clyde Edwards-Helaire to that list.

Edwards-Helaire was the unsung hero for the Tigers all season long. He was the unsolvable part of the RPO-equation for the LSU offense.

When defenses would attempt to take away the wide receiver duo of Jefferson and Chase, Edwards-Helaire would gash opponents with his aggressive, angry running style and force your hand at safety.

If defenses would bring pressure to attempt to sack Burrow, Edwards-Helaire would either pick up the blitz, slip out of the backfield at Burrow’s hot read, or a combination of both. He just seemed to make the key play. If the offense needed four on third down, Edwards-Helaire would catch a swing pass and get six. If the offense needed a couple of yards on third and short, he would pick them up. He was consistently the right guy at the right place at the right time.

What makes him such a pleasant surprise this season is he wasn’t highly-regarded out of high school. A three-star recruit from right in Baton Rouge, he was the 378th ranked running back and the 15th best running back in the state. Najee Harris and Cam Akers were the big-time running backs in his class and Travis Etienne was the top running back in the state that year.

Edwards-Helaire proved that hard work pays off. He had a banner year running for over 1,400 yards and over 400 yards receiving. Right place, right time.

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