LSU coach Brian Kelly was not happy about first down.
The Tigers had just lost to Texas A&M, blowing a 10-point halftime lead in its second loss of the season. Redshirt junior quarterback Garrett Nussmeier threw three interceptions as LSU scored only six points in the second half.
But instead of dwelling on Nussmeier's performance as the main culprit behind the loss, Kelly wanted to talk about the situations that made life harder for LSU to move the ball, especially in the second half.
"Here's the problem: First down was not very good for us," Kelly said. "And when first downs are open downs for you, where you're not getting much production on first down, we put ourselves in very predictable situations."
LSU gained no yards or lost yardage on 20 of 34 first-down plays against the Aggies. The Tigers gained more than a yard on only four first downs in the second half.
It's an area of the game LSU will have to improve in this Saturday against Alabama, where a loss to the Crimson Tide essentially would eliminate the Tigers from making the 12-team College Football Playoff.
"We've got to be more consistent across the board," Kelly said during his weekly news conference on Monday.
LSU, despite its early-down struggles, still converted 8 of 17 third-down attempts two Saturdays ago. In fact, the Tigers have been one of the best offenses in the nation on third down, having converted on 49.1% of their attempts this season, good enough for 10th in the nation.
But, as the loss to Texas A&M illustrated, having the offense rely on converting third down and longs is not sustainable. It nearly cost LSU its win over Ole Miss, and against the Aggies it created an environment where Nussmeier felt that he needed to make a big play on every down.
The Tigers have to be better on early downs to avoid those third-and-long situations.
"We need to build some balance so Garrett is not out there trying to make a play every flipping down," Kelly said after the loss.
The most direct solution to a better first-down offense is a strong rushing attack.
At times, the Tigers have shown they can run the ball effectively. They averaged more than 4 yards per carry against Arkansas and South Carolina, and freshman running back Caden Durham has emerged as a playmaker.
But against Texas A&M, their run game struggled, averaging only 1.9 yards per rush (not including lost yardage from sacks). And running the ball won't be easy this week without starting left guard Garrett Dellinger, who underwent tightrope surgery and will be out against Alabama.
According to Pro Football Focus, LSU has averaged 6.4 yards per carry this season when it runs the ball toward Dellinger's spot on the line. It has averaged no less than 5.1 yards on runs in between junior left tackle Will Campbell and redshirt freshman center DJ Chester.
"We've got to block better. And I don't mean just the five guys," Kelly said Monday. "I mean the receivers and the tight end(s), and the running backs have got to do a better job of seeing things and getting to the second level and making people miss. So it's an all in thing when we say that."
Nussmeier also could throw more short passes to stay ahead of the sticks. He hasn't thrown the ball underneath much this season; the average depth of target on his throws has been 10.4 yards, per PFF.
LSU has the personnel to throw more quick passes. Redshirt sophomore wide receiver Aaron Anderson and junior tight end Mason Taylor are both strong candidates as weapons underneath.
But among Tigers receivers with at least 17 receptions, Taylor is the only one whose average depth of target is under 10 yards, per PFF. Anderson's average depth of target is 12.2 yards, according to PFF, despite having played more than 94% of his snaps this season in the slot.
Nussmeier tends to go for the big throw down field, and for the most part, that's been successful. Nussmeier is 12th in the country in points responsible for per game.
But a quick passing attack could be a deterrent against the Crimson Tide defense, especially if the Tigers' rushing attack struggles again.
The LSU offense has been good enough to win games this season. Despite its poor showing against the Aggies, the Tigers still have the ninth-best offense in the country, according to ESPN's College Football Power Index.
But its efficiency on early downs, particularly against stronger defenses, has been a problem. It's something the Tigers will have to clean up to score points against Alabama.