Everyone was left scratching their heads as starting defensive end Bradyn Swinson and safety Sage Ryan were held back from the first quarter of the LSU vs Florida matchup.
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Swinson’s absence was especially perplexing as he leads the teams in the number of sacks, and his absence left a mark as Gators QB DJ Lagway had a ton of time to throw. The drama started even before the game, as it was announced that the two were suspended from the first quarter for “not meeting team standards.”
Wanna know what went down for HC Brian Kelly to take such a costly step? Well, he’s not gonna tell us. Speaking at the post-game presser, Kelly clarified that while it was his decision to hold back the two, he didn’t “care to elaborate” exactly why.
Some of the decisions taken by Kelly during the game are already questionable, now the decisions he took even before the game started are under the scanner.
Sage Ryan’s absence from the game also proved equally costly for the Gators. Ryan typically plays a significant role in the secondary, contributing to both coverage and run support. His replacement, Major Burns, had to adjust to a different position, which may have impacted the overall defensive cohesion.
In his absence, Dahvon Keys, who stepped into the slot position, dropped an interception that was within his grasp. Florida capitalized on this, executing four consecutive plays 80 yards for a touchdown.
LSU’s loss to the Gators, a team with a worse record than them, after their two straight losses before this, is not a good look for Kelly. On top of that, it seems there is some internal discord within the team.
