By Hunt Palmer
Brian Kelly’s primary goal in the offseason was revamping a defense that grossly underperformed in 2023.
That process continues.
LSU committed eight figures in salary and buyout money to completely turn the defensive coaching staff over. The personnel on the field remained largely the same. Through three weeks of play, 10 of LSU’s top 11 tacklers are holdovers from last season’s unit.
Despite the fact that the 2024 group is allowing more yards per play, 6.3, than last year, 6.14, Kelly insisted Monday that LSU is close to tightening things up.
“If we make the two plays we should make (against South Carolina), just being fundamentally sound, the two run plays, we’re going to give up less than 250 yards of total offense,” Kelly said.
Through three games, LSU has given up more running plays of 30 or more yards, three, than any team in the SEC.
There are positive statistical trends, though. Last season the Tigers allowed opponents to convert 45 percent of third downs, second worst in the SEC. Through three games, that number has dipped to 35 percent.
LSU made nine tackles for loss against South Carolina and registered five sacks. Senior edge rusher Bradyn Swinson was responsible for three of those and echoed Kelly’s sentiments.
“You look at the third quarter of that game (against South Carolina), they gained one yard,” Swinson said. “When you see that from last year, if we keep growing game by game, everything is just getting better and better. The rushes are getting home more. (Defensive backs) putting hands on everybody. They’re everywhere. Everyone is flying all over the field.”
New defensive coordinator Blake Baker routinely talks about creating “havoc”. His defense is designed to disrupt opposing backfields and create negative plays. LSU accomplished that Saturday in South Carolina.
The big plays allowed, two rushing touchdowns that accounted for more than 60 yards each, detracted from the effort. When the game ended, South Carolina had amassed 33 points on 398 yards.
“As a defense, there were ups and downs,” said sophomore cornerback Ashton Stamps. “When it came to the downs, we weren’t yelling at each other or fussing at each other. We were picking each other up. That helps bring that energy. We stick together. We’re having fun.”
That exuberance was a theme amongst players postgame on Saturday and even into the week leading up to UCLA.
Swinson was all smiles Tuesday evening after being named SEC Defensive Player of the Week.
“It’s just speaking positive words and manifesting,” Swinson said. “I’m real big on manifesting things. Manifesting the life I want to have. Manifesting the team we want to be because the mental part is a huge thing for our team.”
Baker has urged his team to play more freely and more aggressively. The prevailing thought is that LSU defense played reactionary football in 2023. The first-year coordinator is attempting to break that mindset with the returning players.
“That was a big emphasis we had last week, just don’t be scared to make a mistake,” Swinson said. “Just go out there and just go. I feel like we told ourselves, ‘hey, we’re going to make mistakes, but after that just keep on pushing.’ After that, we went down 17-0, nobody hung their heads. Nobody is barking at each other. We said, ‘hey, let’s go get this stop.’”
The defense was able to force three turnovers and get enough stops to win.
Kelly often talks about that complementary football. The offense needs to help the defense with ball control and point production. The defense needs to get the ball back to the offense as quickly as possible.
The Tigers are still searching for that marriage that never came together in 2023, but Swinson insists progress is being made and the bond between units is strong.
“As a team, we came together on offense and defense,” he said. “Late in the game, when the offense was up, the defense was right with them. When the defense was up, the offense was up there with us. It was a connected thing. We’re a real connected team. Everything is starting to come together piece by piece. When things get bad, we don’t flinch. We just come out there and attack.”
