There is no rebuilding, only reloading for the Tigers. 
We have to replace the entire team. We may have underestimated the challenge.
We all knew LSU had a boatload of high end talent to replace from last year’s national championship winning team. What we did not know was how harsh that reality would be.
We saw a glimpse into just how far the gap is between last year’s team and this year’s. Only three starters from the National Championship started against Mississippi State. We may have forgotten that it took the title team some time to gel before it took off. They paid their dues together in 2018, learned how to play with each other and gained experience before they were ready to contend.
How will we define a successful season? Time will tell.

New 4-3 defense got more pressure. It didn’t matter. 
Despite the secondary getting torched without All-American cornerback Derek Stingley, the newly refurbished defense showed postive changes from last year.
You would not know it with an eye test, but Bo Pelini’s 4-3 defensive scheme provided the Tigers’ front seven the opportunity to explode off the line and get pressure on K.J. Costello.
The front-seven forced 41 pressures, 31 hurries, seven hits and three sacks. Last year, the defense averaged 14 pressures, eight hurries, three hits and two sacks, according to LSU Athletics Reporter Cody Worsham.
Most of the Bulldogs’ long gains through the air were the result of lapses in coverage by an inexperienced secondary. Elias Ricks and Darren Evans played their first SEC games, and Cordale Flott made only his second start. Their inexperience showed.
Going forward, it will be interesting to see what Defensive Coordinator Pelini decides to do. Will he double down and dial up even more pressure? Or will he take a step back and drop more defenders into coverage?

A tale of four transfers.
Joe Burrow and Cole Tracy transferred to LSU. They were pretty successful.
This offseason, LSU picked up transfers from linebacker Jabril Cox, center Liam Shanahan, corner Darren Evans and pass rusher Ali Gaye.
It was a productive day for Cox. His pick-six was the first touchdown of the 2020 season, and his six tackles and one sack were tied for third on the team.
Ali Gaye, a junior college transfer, tallied one sack, two tackles for loss and three passes defensed.
Evans, Shanahan and their units had rough outings. Thrust into action with Stingley out, Evans and the rest of the secondary struggled to match Bulldog receivers. Shanahan and the offensive line allowed pressure to reach Myles Brennan all game.