By GLENN GUILBEAU
Tiger Rag Editor
Coaching is largely about putting your players in their best position, particularly if it makes the team better.
Junior linebacker Harold Perkins is best for himself, LSU and his NFL future as an edge rusher, also known as outside linebacker. Perhaps soon, LSU coach Brian Kelly and defensive coordinator Blake Baker will realize that before it’s too late.
The experiment that moved Perkins from the edge to inside linebacker in 2023 partly happened to help Perkins in the NFL. This was a bad idea from the start. It is not LSU’s job to get its players ready for the NFL by specific position.
The move did not work in the season opener against Florida State last year, and Perkins returned to the outside for the most part and found success again. Imagine that!
Perkins had become a national star in 2022 with 7.5 sacks and 13 stops for losses with four forced fumbles and an interception along with a team-high 72 tackles (39 solo) from the outside. He earned freshman All-America and first-team All-Southeastern Conference.
In 2023, Perkins collected 5.5 sacks, 13 tackles behind the line, forced three fumbles and intercepted a pass while leading the team again in tackles with 75 (43 solo) in 13 starts – 12 on the outside.
But Kelly and Baker strangely and ridiculously moved Perkins back inside during last spring practice, had him add weight and started him there for the first two games this season. It is not working again. And Kelly knows it.
“To answer the question honestly, I think it’s a continuous search of trying to get him in a position where he can impact the defense the most,” he said.
That is most likely running full blast at the quarterback or anyone else in the backfield from the edge. He has not been as successful as an inside linebacker forced to play in open space more.
You may see Perkins back on the edge where he belongs Saturday when the No. 16 Tigers (1-1) play at South Carolina (2-0) at 11 a.m. on ABC. Or he may be at the Star position, which is a combination of outside linebacker and strong safety and new to LSU as Baker brought it with him from Missouri. Or both.
Senior safety Major Burns played Star in the first two games this season, and not very well. He played safety last season, also not very well. Sophomore Whit Weeks, who leads LSU in tackles 12 this season (six solo) and has 1.5 tackles for losses, is expected to start at Perkins’ inside linebacker slot.
Former LSU linebacker Darry Beckwith, a three-year starter at middle linebacker from 2006-08 and national champion in the 2007 season, says keep Perkins on the edge, period.
Former LSU linebacker Darry Beckwith, who helped the Tigers win a national championship in 2007, has some strong opinions about where LSU LB Harold Perkins should be playing. (Photo courtesy of LSU).
“Right now, Harold Perkins is a pass rusher extraordinaire off the edge,” Beckwith said on Tiger Rag Radio Tuesday night. “With his speed and quickness, it’s hard for offensive tackles to block him. Lining up as an off the ball linebacker inside, I don’t think that’s working because he is not a great player in space. The inside linebacker experiment with Harold Perkins should end.”
And Beckwith does not like him at Star, either.
“At the Star position, you also have to be able to play in space, too,” he said. “If you get Harold Perkins one-on-one, and he has to tackle a back out of the backfield or on a swing pass, it’s hard for him. Last year, when he was out in space, he didn’t look too good. You keep Burns out there at Star or you find somebody else. Keep Harold Perkins in the box (on the edge), and let him rush off the edge and cause havoc.”
Perkins’ play against Nicholls State Saturday convinced Beckwith that the best place for Perkins is running around and away from blockers. Inside linebacker or the Star puts him head-to-head with too many.
“Against Nicholls State, when he gets blocked, he’s getting turned by offensive linemen,” Beckwith said. “There’s a difference between taking on a lineman and getting stuck on a block and not being able to get off. But at least you can stuff him in the hole. Harold’s actually getting turned by offensive linemen and creating alleys for the running back.”
So, what will larger offensive linemen at South Carolina, Ole Miss and Alabama do with Perkins in space at inside linebacker or Star?
“If he was getting turned by offensive linemen at Nicholls State who were 6-2, 270, I can only imagine an SEC guard that’s 6-5 and 300,” Beckwith said. “Harold Perkins is still a first-round draft pick. But they need to let the NFL figure out what they’re going to do with him. Harold Perkins right now for his sake and for the LSU defense’s sake needs to go back to doing what he is known for doing, and that’s disrupting the quarterback.”
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