Any time a team loses eight players who received regular playing time, replacing them is a scary proposition.
And any time those eight guys are on one side of the ball, it becomes nearly impossible.
LSU’s defense will be mostly inexperienced next year, but with incoming talent and players already in the program, the departures’ aftershock should be lessened.
The defensive line was the hardest hit position group.
Sam Montgomery, Barkevious Mingo, Bennie Logan, Lavar Edwards, Joshua Downs and Chancey Aghayere all departed for greener pastures, leaving a talented but young group behind.
For the defensive end spots, junior Jermauria Rasco has one side more or less locked down. Rasco saw significant time last year, spelling Mingo in certain situations.
But Rasco is a different rusher than Mingo. While Mingo relied on his long arms and a violent spin move, Rasco is somewhat of a hybrid of Montgomery and Edwards. Standing at 6-foot-3 and 255 pounds, Rasco has a good first-step and uses his leverage to push blockers back. If he can improve on his performances from last season, he should be a solid contributor.
The other end spot is up for grabs. Sophomore Danielle Hunter is probably the front-runner right now, and though he has the talent, he has never produced in an expanded role.
Most of Hunter’s playing time last year came on special teams. He certainly looks the part, with a lanky 6-foot-5 frame that is quite Mingo-esque, but whether he can become an every-down player is a different story.
Junior Jordan Allen is still recovering from a knee injury he suffered before the start of last season. In spring practices Allen showed very little, and although he has a solid motor, he doesn’t possess the natural talent that Hunter has.
One of the incoming freshmen may have a shot to step into the defensive-end rotation. All four — Lewis Neal, M.J. Patterson, Tashawn Bower and Frank Herron — were rated four stars or higher, depending on the recruiting site.
Bower has the most SEC-ready body — 6-foot-5, 241 pounds — and combines his physicality with a speedy 40-yard-dash time of 4.8. He could push Hunter and Allen for the starting spot after fall practices.
Herron, Patterson and Neal will contribute at some point, but I doubt any will see time at the start of the season.
The defensive tackle group is much more solid. Junior Anthony “Freak” Johnson returns to anchor the group, and barring any injury, should be taken in the first round.
Junior Ego Ferguson will have an expanded role this year, and if he can combine his immense physical tools with an improved in-game motor, he could surprise people and be the breakout star of the defensive line.
Freshman Christian LaCouture is waiting in the wings if Ferguson fails to improve his in-game effort. LaCouture is a mammoth posing as a man and was one of head coach Les Miles’ favorite players from this class.
LaCouture works hard and has a huge wingspan, which should lead to plenty of balls batted down at the line of scrimmage.
The linebackers should improve on a solid season from last year, even with the loss of Kevin Minter. Last year’s freshman class was one of the best in school history.
The criminally underrated Lamin Barrow will likely slide over to middle linebacker — don’t believe anything you hear about D.J. Welter — and he can provide the same type of sideline-to-sideline production that Minter offered.
Senior Tahj Jones will return to the team after being suspended last year for academic reasons, and while he is undersized, he makes up for it with his speed and hitting power.
The Daily Reveille polled players during the 2012 season on who was the hardest hitter, and Jones received a couple votes despite weighing just over 200 pounds.
The other outside linebacker spot will be sophomore Kwon Alexander’s to lose. Alexander was a stud as a freshman last year until he broke his ankle during the 14-6 loss to Florida.
In the secondary, the Jalens — Mills and Collins — provided solid coverage last year despite being true freshman with little pedigree.
Senior Craig Loston returns to man the strong safety position after playing through his first injury-free season, and his game is suited to the John Chavis style of defense. Loston’s coverage skills are lacking, but he makes up for it with vicious hits.
Junior Ronald Martin sat behind the departed safety Eric Reid all season, and Reid raved about his skills throughout the year. Martin is more natural in coverage and should cut down on some of the blown coverages that happened on the back end last year.
Despite all the new faces, the defense should continue the LSU tradition of being a force in the SEC. Chavis has proven in his time at LSU that, no matter who he loses, there will be young, hungry players waiting in the wings.