Three observations about LSU football's Week 5 win over South Alabama

No. 14 LSU handled business in Week 5 after defeating the South Alabama Jaguars 42-10 on Saturday night in Death Valley behind a complete performance from Brian Kelly's team.

The Bayou Bengals were fired up early after Caden Durham showed off his elite athleticism by going all out in all four quarters.

Now LSU enters the open date on a four-game winning streak, with the core of the SEC schedule in Week 7, led by Ole Miss, getting closer.

No. 1: Complete performance, “complementary” football on display

Brian Kelly and the LSU staff were hoping for a complete performance from the Bayou Bengals heading into Week 5 against South Alabama. A program that put things together in the second half, the coaching staff wanted a four-quarter performance.

Fast forward to Saturday night and the coaching staff got exactly that: a complete game.

LSU started the game perfectly with a one-play touchdown drive led by freshman running back Caden Durham. The youngster did everything for the Tigers by rejuvenating the offense with Durham as the lead back.

Offensively, it was a near-perfect performance, with Durham and Garrett Nussmeier leading the way in Death Valley. Nussmeier threw for a career-high 409 yards while connecting with countless pass catchers.

A key factor for the Tigers was efficiency in the red zone and on third downs. Offensive coordinator Joe Sloan put together a top-notch game plan and the players took care of the rest to hold South Alabama to 42 points.

But the Tigers needed a strong defensive performance without Harold Perkins. It was the program's first game without its defensive superstar, and all attention turned to Whit Weeks, who would take over alongside Greg Penn III.

In Week 5, Weeks delivered, recording nine total tackles, one tackle for loss and one pass breakup for the LSU defensive back.

He's taking on a larger role on the second level, and with LSU opting to go back to the 4-2-5 defense, Weeks will need to continue to be fundamentally more solid and consistent for the Tigers.

Weeks, along with Penn, lived up to expectations Saturday night, finishing the game with a team-high 14 tackles of his own.

All told, the defense held a top-10 offense in America to just 10 points and fewer than 3.5 yards per carry. The defense of a Jaguars team that entered the game averaging over 45 points per game and over seven yards per carry held firm on Saturday night.

It was the “complementary football” that Kelly and Co. were looking for, as the Bayou Bengals now enter the open date with a positive mood.

No. 2: Caden Durham proves RB1 status

LSU true freshman running back Caden Durham was shot out of a cannon to set up Saturday night's showdown against South Alabama. The youngster from Texas took control as the leader in Week 5 and did not disappoint.

On the first play, LSU quarterback Garrett Nussmeier connected with Durham on a screen pass, with route speed on full display after the reception.

Durham converted down the field for a 71-yard touchdown, giving the Tigers the fast start they've been eyeing all season.

But it didn't stop there for the Lone Star State native and former top 10 running back in America.

On the following drive, Durham's number was called again, and offensive coordinator Joe Sloan dialed a run up the middle. The true freshman weaved his way through the defense and ran 86 yards to the one-yard line, and Nussmeier hit him on the ensuing play.

Durham's historic first half had the talk of the town after he finished the first two quarters with three receptions for 89 yards and a touchdown, but his performance on the ground is what has LSU excited about what happens next week in the SEC game will happen.

He managed 128 rushing yards on just seven attempts with an average of 18.3 yards per carry. Durham once again provided a spark in the backfield after totaling 217 yards with two scores in the first half.

#3: Red zone efficiency, dynamic play

One glaring takeaway from the first few weeks of the season was that the Bayou Bengals were lackluster in the red zone, but Saturday's efficiency changed the story pretty quickly.

LSU offensive coordinator Joe Sloan reached deep into his bag of tricks all night to get the field and then kept it simple to get the Tigers into the end zone.

The Tigers took a 4-5 lead inside the 20-yard line, with Garrett Nussmeier making the most of his opportunities with two rushing touchdowns. He finished the night going 26-for-39 for 409 yards, four total touchdowns and two interceptions.

On third down, it was an efficient day at the office for LSU to keep South Alabama on the field and weaken the defense.

The Tigers used a heavy dose of Nussmeier to attack Aaron Anderson on meaningful plays, with the redshirt sophomore finishing the day with 73 yards and a touchdown on six receptions alongside Kyren Lacy.

Lacy managed 107 yards on five balls, with Nussmeier using him as a clear vertical figure. Against the Jaguars, he averaged 21.4 yards per catch.

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Follow Zack Nagy on Twitter: @znagy20 and LSU Tigers on SI: @LSUTigersSI for all coverage surrounding the LSU program.