This article is the second part of a three-part series highlighting the most pivotal position groups heading into LSU’s 2024 season.
For the second edition of this series where I look at what position groups need to see the most improvement from last year, I predictably will stay on the defensive side of the ball – it was the obvious weak point of the team.
Specifically, the defensive line for LSU was pedestrian last year.
The Tigers ranked No. 43 in the nation in sacks and No. 65 in tackles for loss. In addition, LSU was ranked second-to-last in the Southeastern Conference in rushing yards allowed, No. 85 overall.
Though all of those stats have some relation to other units of the defense (and there certainly were a lot of missed tackles on running backs at the second and third levels last year that added to that rushing total), it starts with the defensive line and its impact at the point of attack.
The defensive line was frequently blown back by opposing offensive lines last year.
The unit seemed to struggle mightily with technique, with fans noting that the players seemed to line up so far from the line of scrimmage that it was difficult to have leverage or a good get-off.
In addition, the coaching staff was a rotating door. Former defensive line coach Jamar Cain took to the NFL, and his replacement, Jimmy Lindsey, dealt with health issues that kept him away from a significant role for most of the season.
That left John Jancek, originally meant to be the team’s special teams coordinator. When the unit struggled to begin the season, LSU brought in legendary defensive line coach Pete Jenkins to help as an analyst.
It worked to an extent; LSU allowed three of its four lowest rushing outputs after Jenkins joined and had multiple sacks in all but one of its final eight games after doing so just twice in the first five.
However, it wasn’t a long-term solution, and LSU is still looking for more from the unit in this upcoming season.
What’s changed?
On the coaching side, Lindsey, Jancek and Jenkins are both now gone. To fill the void, LSU lured away Texas defensive line coach Bo Davis, who played at LSU from 1990 to 1992.
Davis’ intensity as a coach is a welcome change for the unit, which needed energetic leadership.
Head coach Brian Kelly said at SEC media days that bringing Davis into the fold was one of the most important additions of the offseason.
“The sales pitch was to rebuild the pride and tradition of LSU’s defensive line,” Kelly said. “He wanted to be the architect of bringing that back.”
On the personnel side, LSU lost a slew of defensive tackles to the transfer portal. But, most significantly, it lost starters Maason Smith and Mekhi Wingo to the NFL Draft. That decimated both the team’s depth and top-end talent at the position.
With the vacuum, LSU engaged in a very public search for defensive tackle help in the transfer portal and missed on several of its top targets.
In the end, the Tigers added Wisconsin transfer Gio Paez, Grand Valley State transfer Jay’viar Suggs and JUCO product Shone Washington.
LSU will also welcome freshman edge Gabriel Reliford and freshman defensive tackle Dominick McKinley, who will fight for rotational roles.
The Tigers will also have another subtraction from its defensive line in a sense. With Harold Perkins Jr. now a full-time linebacker, his spot on the edge will need to be filled.
The outlook
In fall practice, the LSU defensive line steadily improved.
In the first few practices, LSU’s offensive line, the strength of the team, seemed to dominate in one-on-one drills.
Over time, that shifted, and the defensive line became much more competitive, even against LSU’s vaunted starting five.
The starting defensive line through fall camp was junior edge Sai’vion Jones, Paez, senior defensive tackle Jacobian Guillory and sophomore edge DaShawn Womack.
Jones had a disappointingly quiet season last year after a promising freshman year, and he’ll take on a leadership role along with Guillory, a fifth-year senior.
It seems likely that new players like Reliford and Suggs, as well as returnees Bradyn Swinson and Jalen Lee, will work their way into sizable rotation roles.
Players and coaches have spoken particularly highly of Reliford.
“The future is really bright [for him],” offensive tackle Will Campbell said. “He’s one of the hardest-working kids on this team, out of any group.”
Generating a pass-rush is especially important for LSU this season, not only because the college football world has shifted heavily toward passing the ball, but because doing so would make the job easier for the Tigers’ questionable secondary.
Standout athletes like Womack and Reliford, who can burst to the quarterback, will help those efforts.
At the same time, the SEC has several teams like Ole Miss, Arkansas and Auburn, who continue to be running-oriented and putting together a solid run defense will be important.
The defensive line is likely to be a force for LSU this season. The unit has looked good in the fall, and there are few offensive lines it’ll face that will be better than the one it sees in practice every day.
