Five key questions for LSU’s defense entering fall camp
We’re just days away from the start of fall camp for LSU and just over a month away from the Tigers taking on USC in Las Vegas to begin the season. We’ve talked a lot about the offense recently, with the expectations for LSU to continue lighting up scoreboards in the SEC, but now we turn our attention to the defense. It’s a year with a completely new coaching staff and plenty of questions about the personnel, but the hope remains that the Tigers can be competitive on that side of the ball.
Here are my five biggest questions about the defense as LSU begins fall camp.
1. How much will freshmen contribute?
This is a persisting question entering every season and usually there’s one or two that emerge. Last year that was Whit Weeks and Ashton Stamps and entering 2024 the two frontrunners in that department are likely PJ Woodland and Dashawn Spears and while those two players proved themselves during the spring, their importance is also born out of necessity. The secondary is not only questionable at the top, but lacks any proven depth, forcing Woodland and Spears to be ready whether they are starters or not.
Dominick McKinley should also see some time at defensive tackle as a five-star prospect. Another name to watch for is Gabriel Reliford, a freshman defensive end who was awesome in the spring game. Whether Woodland, Spears and McKinley are ready or not, they’re going to get on the field. We’ll learn how much LSU needs them in the coming month of fall then they’ll immediately be tested against USC.
2. Can the safeties help stop the run?
Nov 4, 2023; Tuscaloosa, Alabama, USA; Alabama Crimson Tide tight end CJ Dippre (81) get tackled by LSU Tigers safety Sage Ryan (15) during the first quarter at Bryant-Denny Stadium. Mandatory Credit: John David Mercer-USA TODAY Sports
Part of the benefit of Major Burns at the STAR position is to help take pressure off of the safeties in the run game because, frankly, that’s not their strength. Jardin Gilbert and Sage Ryan both are good athletes and have a lot of experience in coverage, but for now the task of them crashing down to fill a gap in the run game seems to be a major question mark. We don’t have to rehash the spring game, but it was a poor showing in that regard and now puts more pressure on the front seven (including the STAR) to keep the run game bottled up and not allow those big creases that safeties will have to fill. With several more months of preparation since the spring game, I expect these two to be better than they were in March, but ultimately, it still will be a weakness Blake Baker will have to gameplan around at times.
3. How aggressive can Corey Raymond be with his corners?
A lot of the excitement for bringing Corey Raymond back and pairing him with Blake Baker who is an extremely aggressive defensive coordinator was the hope that LSU’s cornerbacks can get back to playing aggressive, in-your-face style of ball on the outside. The problem is, that also requires a ton of talent and experience, which LSU just doesn’t have right now.
Woodland and Stamps have the mentality and physicality to be aggressive, but they’re a long ways away from just sticking them on an island against good SEC teams. Then Zy Alexander, Jyaire Brown, and others aren’t suited for that type of style consistently. Raymond and the defensive staff will certainly mix up coverages and try to help the cornerbacks in this defensive scheme, but I question how aggressive LSU can really be on the perimeter.
4. What will the DT depth chart look like?
I think most people have penciled in Jacobian Guillory and Gio Paez as the starters entering the year based on experience, which is fine, but LSU will still need to find some depth this season. Dominick McKinley is the highly touted freshman, but is he ready? Then you have Kimo Makane’ole, Jay’Viar Suggs, Jalen Lee, and Shone Washington and I think you just need one or two of them to become serviceable this year. The fall could tell us as much about the defensive tackle position as any single unit on this roster.
5. How aggressively will Baker use different personnel packages?
Harold Perkins LSU
With ample questions on defense, Baker has a lot of chances to be creative, depending on the down and distance. He can put in a pass-rushing group on the defensive line and even deploy Harold Perkins off the edge. He can sub out the STAR position with Whit Weeks and go to a 4-3 look. He can change out the STAR with a better coverage option or an extra cornerback. The Dime packages could include Dashawn Spears or Kylin Jackson in place of Greg Penn.
Any way you look at it, this defense is not talented enough to be stagnant. Outside of Perkins, I’m not sure there’s a player that needs to be on the field every snap. Baker will look to be malleable and shift depending on the situation and I think that will help the Tigers in a lot of situations.
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