What In The World Happened To Danny Etling?

Heading into Saturday’s game against the Crimson Tide, everyone and their momma knew that Leonard Fournette was going to be limited against the Alabama run defense. No one expected him to be shutdown to the degree that he was, but nonetheless it was obvious that LSU was going to need a big game from quarterback Danny Etling.

I, for one, was fairly confident that he would be able to get it done. The coaches had been doing a great job at getting him easy opportunities to throw the ball on short routes to open receivers, and with two weeks to prepare, I figured Etling would at least have an decent night. I could not have been more wrong, as the Tiger quarterback threw for just 92 yards on 11-for-24 passing.

Led by Etling, the LSU offense managed to put up zero points, and somehow they managed to look even worse than the stat sheet would indicate.

Anytime you play against Alabama, you expect to play one of the best defensive units in all of college football. This year’s Crimson Tide team has arguably the best defense Nick Saban has ever had during his time in Tuscaloosa, so expecting the LSU offense to go out and have a good night against them was unreasonable to say the least.

Derick E. Hingle-USA TODAY Sports

Many of us expected a defensive battle, and like I said, did not think that the Tigers would have a particularly effective night moving the football. But, the team still found a way to undermine those expectations. Many want to place the blame on Leonard Fournette, who once again was completely shutdown by the Alabama defense, but I think this performance rests largely on the shoulders of Danny Etling.

We saw Etling make great improvement each week since Ed Orgeron took over for Les Miles. Coach O and his staff had made it a point to get him prepared for every opponent and to put him in positions to succeed, and he had proven that he could handle the responsibilities that come with quarterbacking this team.

But as the action unfolded against Alabama, Etling’s composure and ability to execute the game plan seemed to disappear in a flash. He was missing wide open receivers, throwing the ball into coverage, stepping into pressure, and wasting timeouts due to an inability to communicate with the sideline and in the huddle.

What we needed to see was the Danny Etling who took what the defense gave him against Ole Miss, Missouri, and Southern Miss. I know that Alabama is on an entirely different level, but Etling looked nothing like he did in those three games. He felt the pressure of the situation, and he choked. It’s really that simple.

As the Tigers finish the season with three SEC games, they desperatly need Etling to forget what happened on Saturday night and continue to get better. He still has the ability to be a productive player for this team, but he has to continue to improve.