The LSU football team has been synonymous with hard-nosed defense in recent years, but this year’s squad has been a different story.
The Tigers have given up 100 or more rushing yards in every game this season except against Kent State. LSU allowed more than 200 yards rushing to both Auburn and Mississippi State, something the defense didn’t do all of last season.
The defensive line’s average weight is 273 pounds while the linebackers average only 217 pounds. In 2007, the average weight of a Tiger linebacker was 227 pounds, and the average weight for a defensive lineman was 278 pounds.
The Tigers are surrendering 4.25 yards per carry, while in the past six years opposing teams have only been able to rush for 3.25 yards per carry. In particular, the Tigers are allowing 5.04 yards per carry to
Southeastern Conference opponents, the previous high mark was 4.34 in 2008.
On standard downs — classified as first downs, second down and six yards or fewer and third downs of four yards or fewer — LSU is allowing 5.32 yards per carry. Standard downs are situations defenses are most prepared to stop the run, as an average college offense runs the ball 60 percent of the time on standard downs.
LSU has allowed seven rushing touchdowns in the red zone after giving up 13 rushing red zone touchdowns last season.
The trade off in bulk and strength has been the increased speed of the defense in recent years, something LSU has used to combat the influx of running quarterbacks.
In recent years, in games where a running quarterback was featured, LSU has clamped down on that position. Against Johnny Manziel, LSU limited the Heisman Trophy winner to 27 yards on 17 carries.
Alabama’s front seven, which consistently ranks at the top of the SEC in run defense, allowed Manziel to accumulate more than 200 yards on the ground in two meetings during 2012 and 2013. The Crimson Tide defensive line’s average weight is 287, while the linebackers average 245 pounds.
“I think it’s a real interest of defenses to have athletic guys in that spread. Those guys that can really chase around a quarterback that’s really mobile,” said LSU coach Les Miles. “I think there is a need to have that fast guy that might even be able to go underneath that offensive tackle into the back field.”
“I think it’s a real interest of defenses to have athletic guys in that spread. Those guys that can really chase around a quarterback that’s really mobile. I think there is a need, if you will, to have that fast guy that might even be able to go underneath that offensive tackle into the back field on the pass rush. So those two things probably have factored into the need to get a little bit more athletic guy at the loss, if you will, of size and range.”