Despite the immense disappointment that last season brought the LSU football program, one thing that remained is the talent on the defensive line.
In a game where LSU seemed unmatched on the line of scrimmage against UCLA, the defensive line still showed flashes of how good it could be. Three different linemen all recorded sacks for LSU in the game showing that the ability to rush the quarterback is there, despite stopping the run being a massive work in progress.
The biggest focus for LSU football coming into this season was fixing the defense. At all levels, the defense was an utter disaster in 2020 despite there being plenty of talent in the defensive unit. The defensive line, much like against UCLA, was good in spots during 2020 but also struggled mightily to stop the run at times.
Going all the way back to start of the 21^st century, LSU has always been known for its hard-nosed style of play and talent in the trenches, especially on the defensive side of the ball. Players like Marcus Spears, Glen Dorsey, Sam Montgomery and Arden Key, just to name a few, have shaped LSU’s identity over the past 20 years of playing hard-nosed football. With the dominance on the defensive line having slightly declined over the past couple of years, getting that mojo back is a must for the LSU defense this season.
LSU returns all five starters from its defensive line in 2020 which creates one of the most experienced defensive lines in the SEC. Andre Anthony and Glen Logan return as leaders of the unit both entering their sixth year with the program and are expected to make the biggest impact. Neil Farrell Jr. is another veteran returning the defensive line for his fifth season and ended the 2020 season in great form posting seven tackles in a sack in the final game of the year. Other talented returners include Ali Gaye and BJ Ojulari who are arguably the two most talented linemen on the roster and both recorded sacks in the loss against UCLA. Head Coach Ed Orgeron considers the defensive line to be the deepest position on the roster and is not afraid to rotate within the group.
“On the defensive line we’re going to go 10 deep,” Orgeron said when discussing remaining position battles.
This speaks volumes to just how deep this unit has become over the offseason. Having 10 players who can all step in at any given time gives you two separate units that can be on the field allowing far more flexibility in the scheme and blitz packages.
Arguably the biggest change to this group during the offseason was the arrival of new defensive line coach Andre Carter. Carter comes to LSU after having spent the last two years as defensive line coach for the New York Jets. Carter also brings 13 years of NFL playing experience after having a very successful career with five different teams. Carter’s success as a player makes him a very respectable figure as a coach and his arrival has taken some of the pressure off Orgeron who specializes in coaching the defensive line.
“I’ll tell you what, Andre Carter is one great defensive line coach, I’ve turned over the defensive line to him,” Orgeron said. “I’m still looking at all the film with the defense, but I’m able to also be the head coach because of the coaching of Andre.”
Bringing in a coach like Carter will also help the Tigers on the recruiting trail when it comes to bringing in more talented linemen. LSU already brought in a very talented freshman class of defensive linemen and having a coach with the reputation of Carter will only benefit LSU on that front. Maason Smith and Savion Jones are the two most talked about of LSU’s freshmen linemen with Smith signing as a five-star recruit and the No. 1 overall player in Louisiana. Both Jones and Smith are expected to make an immediate impact and will only add more strength in depth for the Tigers up front.
After a season of massive disappointment on the defensive side of the ball, Tiger fans can expect some the old dominance to back on the defensive front in 2021. A deep defensive line unit along with plenty of experience is a recipe for success at that position and will be one of LSU most talented position groups this upcoming season.