Second half offense vs UNC

I heard the announcers say during the second half of the game that LSU couldn't afford to get complacent or conservative on offense. I went back and watched every LSU possession in the third and fourth quarters to see if that happened or not (also as penance for my sins).

The first drive of the third quarter began at the UNC 45 after a 50 yard return by Ron Brooks.

Shotgun: Play Action (PA) to M. Joseph for 21 yards
Shotgun: S. Ridley 9 yard run
I formation: Ridley (from FB position) runs for a 1st down and fumbles

Conservative? YES, on 3rd down. It's a play designed to get a 1st down and nothing more. It is hardly a give-up, scaredy-cat play.

2nd Drive -- LSU 46

Shotgun: Shepard runs 3 yds to the right
Shotgun: Murphy runs 1 yd to the right
Shotgun: Pass to Toliver for 4 yds

Conservative? YES on 3rd down; needed 6 yards, threw a 4 yd pass

3rd Drive -- LSU 40

Under Center: Toss left Ridley 3 yds
Shotgun: Long pass to the end zone for Toliver, inc.
Shogtun: Ridley run up the middle for loss

Conservative? YES. Total give-up play on 3rd and long

4th Drive -- LSU 31

Shotgun: Option right, J. Jefferson 4 yds
Shotgun: Run called, false start
Shotgun: Shepard run left for 6 yds. FALLS DOWN without being touched, likely would have been 3rd and short or a 1st down. (Apparently the coaches have to teach him how to run without falling down)
Shotgun: Pass left to Toliver for 7yds, 1st down
Shotgun: JJ scramble 3 yds. Called pass
I formation: Ridley left 12 yds
Shotgun: Ridley run middle, loss of 2 yds. Zone read, JJ should have kept it
Shotgun: JJ left for 8yds. Zone read, kept it
Shotgun: Pass to Randle for 10 yds on 3rd & 4
Shotgun: Pass incomplete to Ridley on middle screen
Shotgun: JJ fake to Shepard, 5 yds middle
I formation: Ridley run right, TD called back for holding
Shotgun: Pass. JJ runs backwards, keeps running backwards, throws ball away. Grounding, 22 yd loss

Conservative? NO. 13 plays, no points.

5th Drive -- LSU 27, LSU up 30-17

I formation: Pass to Shepard quick out, 5 yds
Shotgun: Ridley run 8 yds, negated by HOLDING
Shotgun: JJ Scramble 7yds. Called pass
Shotgun: 12 men in huddle
Shotgun: Pass Randle 3 yds

Conservative? YES, on 3rd down. 3rd and 10, 3 yd pass

6th Drive -- UNC 39, LSU up 30-24

I formation: Ridley run middle 5 yds
I formation: Ridley run middle no gain
I formation: quick handoff, Ridley up the middle

Let me deviate from my standard format for this one. This should be the end of the game. Stevan Ridley crosses the 1st down line with 1:15 left in the game. UNC has zero timeouts. Had LSU simply taken a knee twice on 3rd and 4th downs, UNC would have gotten the ball at their own 34 with about 40 seconds left and no timeouts, needing a touchdown. If Ridley holds on to the ball, LSU goes victory formation the rest of the way.

Instead, he gets the first down but is running in traffic with ONE hand on the ball. He loses it and the world goes crazy. LSU's defense is forced back on the field after facing 17 straight UNC offensive plays due to the onside kick.

Conservative? YES, and rightfully so. All you have to do is run it up the middle and not fumble, and the game is over.

Conclusion

I count five "conservative" plays, which I define as third down plays that intentionally go for short yardage or time-consuming purposes. Two of these plays were reasonable calls given the situation, and both of them ended with Ridley putting the ball on the ground.

Two of the "bad" conservative plays were short passes that were thrown short of 1st down yardage. I do not know if this was a result of Gary Crowton telling JJ to play it safe or if he just didn't look downfield.

One was a run up the middle on 3rd and 7, a give-up play that's completely on Crowton.

I think there were three occasions the offense could have been more aggressive, but I would hardly say that the offense went into a shell.