Over the better part of the last decade, LSU’s linebacker play has flown under the radar.

Though LSU has deservedly been given the nickname “DBU” in reference to its lineage of great defensive backs, the Tigers have produced a number of elite linebackers over the past 10 years. From Kevin Minter in 2012, all the way to Damone Clark last season, just about every team since then has had a dominant, NFL-caliber signal caller on defense.

Going into 2022, LSU lost Clark to the NFL after he tallied 136 total tackles last season, which ranks him fourth in LSU history for a single season. His production will be missed, but LSU is looking to reload rather than rebuild.

After not playing much until the end of the season last year, Mike Jones Jr. has stepped into that leadership role at middle linebacker and seems poised for a breakout year at the position. He is not the only name to watch though, with the veteran Micah Baskerville alongside him, and young talent like Greg Penn III, Harold Perkins and Demario Tolan filling out the rotation.

When asked about taking on his new role, Jones talked about the players around him, and how they have affected the transition.

“It’s an awesome opportunity, I’m really appreciative of the guys I have around me though,” Jones said. “Whether it’s the first 11 guys on the field I go out with or even the guys who might not be getting a lot of reps. From the young guys to the older guys they really make it easy.”

LSU has a lot of new faces in the defense, so having a leader and being able to gel quickly is important. The linebacker spot does have some familiarity, which will be key when it comes to communication on the field.

Jones and Baskerville are the favorites for the two starting spots, and both have an abundance of college experience. Baskerville, entering his fifth season at LSU, ranked second on the team in tackles with a total of 82. 

He is still in competition with Penn. While Penn did not contribute as much during last season, he was one of the standouts during spring practice, where he displayed solid potential.

There is some exciting young talent too, particularly in freshman Harold Perkins. Perkins was someone who immediately stood out to many at practice last week as someone who more than looks the part as a freshman. At 6’2”, 220 pounds, he fills out the uniform already and has the physical tools to play right away.

He drew praise from Head Coach Brian Kelly as one of the freshmen who has already stood out to him.

“I was over here watching tackling drills today and he’s got a suddenness to him that is quite different than some of the other players,” Kelly said after practice Thursday.

Perkins was the consensus top-rated player in LSU’s 2022 recruiting class, and is someone many are excited to see suit up this season. Though he may not start right away, he is someone that will likely see the field and has the ability to make an instant impact.

Those four players are expected to round out LSU’s linebacker rotation in 2022. There is a mix of young talent and veteran leadership, giving the group a high ceiling. 

The other big new addition to the group is new Linebackers Coach and Defensive Coordinator Matt House.

House has previous SEC experience at Kentucky and most recently was a linebackers coach in the NFL with the Kansas City Chiefs. Jones had high praise for House.

“Coach House, he’s been awesome,” Jones said. “He’s just brought on so many things to us. Our expectations now are on a whole nother level.”

Jones also talked about the impression House made on him with his knowledge of the game.

“On the knowledge side, just teaching me how to be a communicator and everybody in the linebacker group as well and on the whole defense that has also taken my game to another level,” Jones said.

With it still being early in fall camp, competition for playing time is still alive and ongoing. There is still a long way to go before the rotation is set in stone, but the leadership role that Jones has taken on is clear. That is important for the whole defense, as it looks to improve on the inconsistencies from the past two seasons.