By Glenn Guilbeau
Tiger Rag Editor
When did it become such a monumental task to play defense at LSU, a program known for the art since back in the day and not that long ago either … like 2019?
Well, about 2020, to be exact. That season, first-year coordinator Bo Pelini, on his second stint with the Tigers, authored probably the worst defense in LSU history, bringing back memories of Mike Bugar and LSU’s Dark Ages in the early 1990s.
LSU finished the ’20 season 127th and dead last among the upper level programs (Football Bowl Subdivision-FBS) in passing yards allowed with 323 a game. In total defense, the Tigers finished No. 124 with 492 yards given up a game. And Pelini was fired.
Just three seasons later in 2023, second-year defensive coordinator Matt House’s LSU defense was nearly as bad, finishing No. 115 nationally against the pass (255.6 yards a game) and 105th in total yards allowed (416.6 a game). And he was fired.
Blake Baker Is In The Savior Role
Bring on Blake Baker, who became one of the hottest defensive coordinators in the nation at Missouri. LSU coach Brian Kelly seemed tired of talking about if his defense will be improved on Monday at his press conference heading into the season opener on Sunday.
The No. 13 Tigers play No. 23 USC in Las Vegas at 6:30 p.m. central time on ABC.
“Do your job,” Kelly said. “Look, this isn’t that hard.”
But LSU has done a superb job in two of its last four seasons at making it look extremely difficult – like eliminating COVID-19 and the flu forever.
“Our guys are excited about playing for Blake,” Kelly said. “I know that they get the scheme very well. There’s not a lot of busts. They’re physically strong enough.”
The talent and experience, though, is not there in abundance outside of junior linebacker Harold Perkins and fifth-year senior defensive tackle Jacobian Guillory. The secondary has experience with senior safety Major Burns and junior cornerback Sage Ryan, but it has not necessarily been very good experience.
“I expect them to play the level of football on defense that we’ve been accustomed to,” Kelly said in a blooper.
Most LSU fans got too “accustomed” to 2023 because of 2020. And say what you want about USC coach Lincoln Riley, but he knows how to run an offense and destroy a secondary like LSU’s.
LSU Defense Has Let Down A Proud Tradition
“We’re talented enough to get to our spots,” Kelly said in a comment that was not a ringing endorsement. I remember when LSU defensive coordinators like Dave Aranda and John Chavis and Pelini, the first time from 2004-07, and Will Muschamp talked about being talented enough to overwhelm and dominate offenses.
Kelly sounds like he would be happy if his defense just doesn’t embarrass him this season, which could be the winning formula as the Tigers should be excellent on offense again.
“Not trying to do things that are not in the scope of what your job description is,” Kelly said. “Let’s do our job up front. We’re talented at linebacker. We’re talented off the edges. We just need to do our jobs up front, and if we do that, and we’re one-eleventh of our defense with our tackles in particular, we’re going to be fine.”
Excuse me, “fine?”
Nick Saban, Muschamp, Pelini, Chavis and Aranda would have laughed at that. Fine? How about great? Maybe in 2026.
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