One could describe the LSU defense as lively Saturday night against TCU.
Throughout the course of the game, members of the Tigers’ defensive line and defensive backfield switched between the two roles, and it proved to be effective in a 37-27 LSU victory.
“They looked like an LSU defense to me,” said LSU coach Les Miles. “They flew around. Those guys … were issues for the [TCU] running and passing game.”
The Tigers’ defense is littered with a mix of talented freshmen and seasoned veterans. Tigers’ defensive coordinator John Chavis devised a game plan to incorporate all of the team’s skill sets into the defensive scheme.
Though TCU had only one drive in the first quarter, LSU showed early on that it wanted the defensive rotations to play a primary factor in the squad’s success.
Junior defensive end Justin Maclin, sophomore defensive end Danielle Hunter and freshman linebacker Kendell Beckwith all saw snaps on the Tigers’ first defensive drive of the season, holding the Horned Frogs to a field goal.
But in the second quarter, Chavis began to turn the substitutions up a notch.
Sophomore safety Micah Eugene came into the contest to play as the nickel cornerback, while the likes of Hunter and Beckwith became regular subs on the defensive line as junior starters Ego Ferguson and Anthony Johnson got early rest.
During the Horned Frogs’ two offensive possessions in the second quarter, LSU used four total substitutions, contributing to two TCU punts.
The second half brought more of the same from LSU’s defensive scheme.
When Ferguson needed a break in the third quarter, both sophomore defensive tackle Quentin Thomas and freshman defensive tackle Christian LaCouture saw time in the trenches.
In two third quarter drives, LSU used three defensive substitutions.
Hunter and Thomas both found themselves on the field in the fourth quarter, but it was the starters’ turns to make an impact and close the victory out for LSU. In total, LSU used more than 13 defensive substitutions on TCU drives that lasted four plays or more.
“Obviously, you saw a lot of hard work [from the young players], and we have a lot of work left to do coming back this week,” said junior defensive end Jordan Allen. “We’re going to get back in the workshop and sharpen our knife a little bit, and that goes for everybody, not just the young guys.”
Overall, Hunter, Beckwith, Eugene and freshman cornerback Dwayne Thomas recorded eight tackles, including 1.5 tackles for a loss and 0.5 of a sack.
The number of reps accumulated by the younger Tigers should continue in the next few weeks when the University of Alabama at Birmingham and Kent State travel to Baton Rouge. LSU will likely work a number of options to prepare for the squad’s first Southeastern Conference game against Auburn on Sept. 21.
But for now, senior safety Craig Loston liked what he saw from his younger teammates.
“For this to be their first game, I think they did great,” Loston said. “There were a couple of mistakes and things like that, but overall I think they came in and did a good job.”
“They looked like an LSU defense to me … they flew around. Those guys … were issues for the [TCU] running and passing game.”