By GLENN GUILBEAU Tiger Rag Editor
LSU junior linebacker Harold Perkins may play on the outside, inside or at the Star defensive back position Saturday when the No. 16 Tigers (1-1) play at South Carolina (2-0) at 11 a.m. central time on ABC.
“We have to be able to be creative with our defensive structure,” LSU coach Brian Kelly said after practice on Thursday when asked about Perkins’ potential move from the inside slot, where he has not been as impactful this season as on the outside the previous two seasons.
“That’s a good thing for us. We understand that we’ve got some position flexibility,” said Kelly, who didn’t make it clear where Perkins would start or play the most.
Sophomore Whit Weeks has played better as a backup to Perkins the last two games, and Kelly said that Weeks will no longer be platooned. So Perkins and Weeks could now be on the field at the same time either in two-linebacker sets or in three-linebacker sets along with senior starting linebacker Greg Penn III.
In the two previous games, Penn started at one outside linebacker spot, Perkins inside and senior safety Major Burns at the other outside spot at what is called the Star under that is a combination safety and outside linebacker under first-year defensive coordinator Blake Baker. Perkins has practiced at the Star position this week.
“Whit’s played some Mike linebacker (middle). Harold’s played Will (inside linebacker on the weak side). He’s played some Sam (outside linebacker on the strong side),” Kelly said. “So we’ve got great flexibility with both of those guys. We just feel like it’s important that the guys are playing their best get on the field. That keeps him (Perkins) on the field. Making sure we are not afraid to move people around to get your best players on the field.”
Asked if Perkins, Weeks and Penn could be on the field at the same time for the first time this season in a 4-3 defensive line-linebacker formation, Kelly said, “Oh sure.”
LSU has played more of a 4-2-5 alignment with a nickel secondary, which means five defensive backs, counting the Star slot as a defensive back.
“Especially against teams that are playing a much more of a run-first offense, where the quarterback is central to the run game,” Kelly said. “You’ll see a lot more three-linebacker sets because of the offenses that we’re seeing.”
Kelly and Baker have been working throughout the week on Perkins’ role.
“I think we’ll continue to work on that this week and see where we end up Saturday,” Kelly said. “We go back and forth in terms of Harold’s production and wanting to get him involved as much as we can.”
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