They say football is the ultimate team sport, where every player in every unit needs to contribute for a team to win.
Somehow, though, LSU has managed to win a whole lot of games in the last two years in spite of its defense, which was one of the worst in the school’s history last year.
This season, LSU brought in new defensive coordinator Blake Baker to establish an identity on defense: chaos.
That rang especially true in Saturday’s 36-33 win at South Carolina, where LSU’s defense was truly all-or-nothing.
Taking out sack yardage, LSU allowed 284 rushing yards for an average of 7.9 yards, continuing a trend of being unable to stop the run. Overall, the Tigers let up eight plays of 15 yards or more.
“We just gotta eliminate the big plays,” sophomore linebacker Whit Weeks said.
On the other hand, LSU was no doubt disruptive, coming up with five sacks and forcing three turnovers. Baker’s schemed-up pressure regularly got home to bother South Carolina’s signal-caller.
Those electric plays, plus a more refined performance in the second half in which the defense forced five three-and-outs (including one that minimized the burden of a turnover to just three points), were enough in the end for the Tigers to pull out a win despite trailing 17-0, making it the second-largest away comeback in LSU’s history.
“They’re not going to give up,” head coach Brian Kelly said. “That’s not in their DNA.”
The defense tightening up allowed LSU’s offense to secure the lead for LSU, despite some struggles converting in short yardage. Josh Williams had what would become the game-winning touchdown for the Tigers on a two-yard run with just over a minute left.
LSU stood tall on the subsequent final drive as South Carolina settled for a long field goal that it missed as time expired.
The LSU defense was aided in part by an injury to South Carolina redshirt freshman quarterback LaNorris Sellers, whose departure from an ankle sprain forced the Gamecocks to use backup Robby Ashford, who wasn’t as effective.
“It’s hard to say one way or the other,” Kelly said on if the injury changed the game.
For LSU, a win is a win. But it certainly wasn’t without a few headaches.
From the very start of the game, LSU was blasted off the ball and gashed for huge rushing gains by both Sellers and senior running back Raheim Sanders, allowing 48 rushing yards on just four carries in the first drive.
On the second and third defensive drives, senior cornerback Zy Alexander and sophomore cornerback Ashton Stamps each respectively came up big in the end zone. Alexander made a stunning grab for an interception that ended a Gamecock drive, and Stamps had a third down pass breakup to end another one with just three South Carolina points.
The next time out, after a blocked punt, Sanders needed just one play to run 10 yards almost uncontested past the LSU defense to the end zone.
It was that kind of whiplash all day for the LSU defense. Glimpses of greatness, followed by the same old mishaps and errors.
Even with the success the unit found in the second half, it still looked helpless during an unbelievable 66-yard touchdown run in the third quarter where Sanders went completely untouched around the edge.
It’d be hard to argue that LSU hasn’t made progress on the defensive end from last season. The Tigers are putting quarterbacks under duress and forcing turnovers. They’re doing what Baker wants: creating chaos.
Still, the good that LSU’s defense provided came with plenty of ugly plays. Is that sustainable for LSU going forward? Kelly says no.
“We want to be better defensively, and we will,” Kelly said. “All of it is correctable. All of it can be coached, and all of it can be executed.”
However, the defensive side of the ball certainly wasn’t all to blame for LSU’s woes.
The offense gained just seven yards in the first quarter and failed to score in a goal-to-go situation twice. The special teams had a punt blocked deep in its own territory, setting up an easy South Carolina touchdown, and also missed an extra point because of a bad snap.
Still, it’s hard not to shine a spotlight on the defense given LSU’s recent history. After a rousing win, the defense is still left with many of the same questions.
