The Tigers may have two losses on the season, but they have continuously lost at the line of scrimmage throughout the season. Offensively, the line cannot protect senior quarterback Danny Etling, and defensively, the line fails to generate consistent pressure and consistently gets blown off the ball in the run game.
Excuses have been made about depth and experience, but LSU just flat out lacks elite-level talent, especially without junior offensive tackle Toby Weathersby and sophomore defensive end Rashard Lawrence in the lineup.
Since 2013, LSU has signed 16 players that ranked in the top 10 at their positions on the offensive and defensive line. Only four — senior nose tackle Greg Gilmore, junior offensive guard Garrett Brumfield, junior outside linebacker Arden Key and freshman linebacker K’Lavon Chaisson — played meaningful reps on Saturday.
The lack of depth and elite talent up front has caused noticeable problems for LSU’s defense. In the last four games, the Tigers have given up an average of 4.4 yards a carry and seven rushing touchdowns.
In the two of three games Mississippi State and Troy the team played without Lawrence, the defense gave up 491 yards on 90 carries and five
touchdowns.
With Lawrence, the numbers are vastly different. Against BYU, and Syracuse, the Tigers only allowed 71 yards on 41 carries.
“On defense, our best player is Rashard Lawrence,” said coach Ed Orgeron. “We don’t have Ed Alexander out there. We don’t have Frank Herron out there. So we have the guys that are doing the best they can. But Glen Logan was a redshirt freshman and played almost every snap at right end.”
“It was kind of difficult to hold the point. We wish we could have rotated him, but we couldn’t. And we think that we can have some help with Rashard Lawrence this week and Ed Alexander and Frank Herron against Auburn.”
While it appears that reinforcements are coming on the defensive line, LSU is stuck with who they have on the opposite side of the ball.
The offensive line appeared to be one of the Tigers’ strengths heading into the season with four returning starters. Then, former starting guard Maea Teuhema left the team in August, joining three other offensive linemen who left in the spring.
The Tigers’ offensive line woes run much deeper than a lack of depth for this season. Left tackle KJ Malone is a senior, guard Garrett Brumfield and center Will Clapp are redshirt juniors and right tackle Toby Weathersby is a junior.
With a potential mass exodus at hand, Orgeron said he plans to target the junior college ranks for help on both sides of the line. The Tigers, however, a bit limited, in scholarships they can hand out. Orgeron and his staff already has 18 commitments and appear to be the top choice for multiple players in the secondary and at wide receiver.
“[We] had a recruiting meeting this morning. We need a JC lineman. We need a JC tackle. We need two JC offense linemen and two JC defensive tackles. We’re looking for those guys.”
“I’m always looking for holes on the roster to fix. And we feel, with this recruiting class, we have some young freshmen that could come in
and help us.”
Orgeron said his strategy for making the members work was simple.
“Hope and pray.”

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Dilyn Stewart

LSU junior offensive guard/center Will Clapp (64) prepares for a play during the Tigers' 24-21 loss against Troy in Tiger Stadium on Saturday, Sept. 30, 2017.