With a 20-9 loss to Alabama, LSU’s first game under interim coach Frank Wilson hardly looked like a fresh start. This was the Tigers’ fourth loss in five games. The offense struggled despite some adjustments, wasting four red-zone chances and hurting itself with expensive penalties, a crucial drop, and two turnovers. Ultimately, the Tigers’ slips overshadowed, and HC Wilson didn’t sugarcoat it when he was asked what went wrong.

In a recent post on X, AYS Sports wrote, “On SEC Teleconference Frank Wilson, when asked why things have ‘gone sideways’ for him. Frank says that it has been an entire offensive issue. At every position, “QB included.” And it’s pretty clear to see why. In Tuscaloosa, the running game was an absolute disaster. With a pitiful 2.3 yards per carry, LSU carried the ball 26 times for only 59 yards, which tells you everything about their lack of offensive rhythm.

Fans briefly felt optimistic after Harlem Berry’s spectacular 37-yard rush, but after that, he only managed 29 yards on 11 other carries. Michael Van Buren Jr. and Caden Durham combined for just five yards, adding hardly anything. LSU was forced to deal with long third downs all night because every run felt like it was running into a wall. No SEC team, especially Alabama, will be defeated by five conversions out of 14 tries.

Then there is Garrett Nussmeier, who used to be the golden guy with preseason Heisman rumors but is currently struggling to save his position. On paper, his 18-of-21 completions versus Alabama seemed impressive, but when you consider that those throws only went for 121 yards and no touchdowns, the efficiency turns useless. Recently, there has been a trend of safe throws, minimal spark, and no finish. In the third quarter, Wilson benched him in the hopes that Michael Van Buren would bring in some energy. But even that attempt failed, with only five completions for 52 yards and no chance of scoring.

“We need to take care of the ball a lot better than we did,” Frank Wilson said later. “Three (fumbles) on the ground, two of them picked up by the opponent. And that was the difference in the game for us. So I told the team, ‘Pick your heads up. You fought. You competed.’ There’s no moral victory, but there is a lot to be said for how we played the game.” Wilson stated that his players had not given up, saying, “This wasn’t a team that was submissive or not willing to fight back.”

This was true, though. LSU fought. And it may be the most challenging reality for a team under an interim coach.

New Coach, Same Chaos at LSU

Alex Atkins might have been the one who unintentionally drilled fresh holes in the hull when Frank Wilson was attempting to stabilize a team in a mess. Fans screamed at every third-down call in the terrible debut of LSU’s new interim offensive coordinator. The Tigers even marched to the Alabama 14 on their first drive, so it got off to a decent start. But the rhythm disappeared following a failed field goal. Every time LSU appeared to have a chance, something went wrong, such as a turnover, a game delay, or a play call that was two beats too slow. And the Tigers had only gained three points by the end of the first half.

Beyond execution, the problems were also with the directions. The play scheme failed to get receivers beyond the sticks on third and nine from the Alabama 20. Later, an excellent goal-line opportunity turned into a self-inflicted disaster due to a delayed play call that resulted in a sack and a game delay. The LSU offense seemed lifeless and predictable. Atkins’ play-calling seemed to be caught between hesitation and optimism, and the calls became safer each time LSU approached striking distance. Even with an 11-point deficit in the fourth quarter, LSU was unable to find the right button to press, which resulted in extra sacks and penalties.

After Brian Kelly and Joe Sloan were fired, it’s tough to blame Frank Wilson for fighting to keep things together.LSU fans were expecting that the coaching shakeup would spark a turnaround. Rather, it appeared to be the same broken machine driven by a different person this time. Ever the motivator, Wilson made an effort to boost morale following the game. He said, “We’re all in to finish what we started.” Atkins wanted this to be his chance to show off his ability to call plays at the SEC level. But it turned into a prime example of how LSU’s problems extend beyond the head coach’s position.