The speedy LSU linebacker corps hopes to lead the Southeastern Conference’s top defense from last year to the same glory this year.
Last season, the Tigers led the SEC in total defense and finished No. 9 nationally. Much of their success in 2014 can be attributed to their linebacker group, led by former Tiger Kwon Alexander. This year, LSU is tasked with replacing the two-year starting outside linebacker, who led their defense with 90 total tackles last year.
Two players with whom LSU football coach Les Miles and first-year defensive coordinator Kevin Steele are looking to replace Alexander — the Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ fourth-round draft pick — are senior Lamar Louis and sophomore Kendell Beckwith. During his LSU Media Day news conference on Aug. 16, Miles said that Beckwith was the team’s leading tackler during the team’s Aug. 15 practice scrimmage at Tiger Stadium. Miles said the linebacker position group would make this year’s defense better than last year’s.
“Our linebacking corps is more comfortable, more understanding of calls and more technical,” Miles said. “It allows them to play faster. They have great speed and ability to get to the ball, but now that they’re comfortable with the calls and understand what their responsibility is, you find that they’re showing up sideline to sideline.”
Two words used to characterize this year’s linebackers are physical and fast. One thing that allows some of the quicker linebackers like senior Deion Jones, junior Duke Riley and Beckwith to fly around the field is the play of the defensive line. The defensive line plays a key role in stopping the opposing team’s linemen from reaching the second level of the defense, thus slowing down the linebackers, Beckwith said.
“[The defensive line] does a great job of holding the point and keeping those guys off of us,” Beckwith said. “I respect the D-line because that might be the hardest position on the field.”
Steele is making a concentrated effort to make sure the linebackers learn every position within the linebacking unit through rotations. Learning multiple positions can be tough, but the former Alabama defensive coordinator said he believes the players are adjusting well.
“Anytime you learn something new, whether it’s math, science or linebacker play, the problems change and the learning curve gets steeper,” Steele said. “There is a learning curve, but they’ve done a great job with it.”
The biggest thing Steele brings to the LSU defense — and the linebackers in particular — is experience. The former Carolina Panthers
linebacker coach has also coached in four Power Five conferences. Senior outside linebacker Lamar Louis said he believes Steele is preparing the players for the NFL.
“The guys who are here will be very prepared for the league when we leave, as far as the terminology, expectations and knowing different defenses go,” Louis said.
The rest of the linebacker corps is made up primarily of upperclassmen, including senior Christian Pittman and junior Ronnie Feist.
“He brings an NFL-type feel, so different meetings call for him to act different ways,” Louis said. “We had organized team activities before camp where we had more laid-back discussions. Now, we have install before every practice where we break down film and put in something new each day.”