re: Lets talk LSU's defense

Watch this.

LINK

quote:

---

Question entering the game: can LSU stop Oklahoma's counter?

Answer after game: yes.

Oklahoma on counter, Games 1-13: 117 carries, 832 yards (7.1 ypc)

Oklahoma on counter vs. LSU: 5 carries, 4 yards (0.8 ypc)

11 guys playing assignment football.

---

quote:

---

CU fan here. There are a lot of threads on the board about the LSU offense. What are the strengths of the LSU defense? I know you have a couple of fantastic DBs, and that edge rusher was reeking havoc on OU Saturday. But what is the overall feel from the board? What changed from earlier in the season when teams ran pretty effectively on your team?

---

I posted this in an OU forum - it’s long but applies here:

While LSU has given up 303 points this year 215 (71%) have come when the team is up by two possessions or more (133 with a 3+ score lead). It is understandable and smart this would be the case. With a 3+ score lead LSU has often shifted away from first / second team defense.

Also this defense has not allowed a point when trailing. I believe only LSU and Clemson hold this distinction in 2019. (No longer the case - Clemson gave up multiple scores while behind on Saturday.) LSU has been behind for a total of 31 minutes this year. (Northwestern State, Vanderbilt, Florida, Auburn twice). In total there were five times a team took a lead against LSU, three of those times LSU scored on the following drive to re-take the lead or tie the game. The other two times (both against Auburn) LSU defense held the opposition scoreless until they tied or retook the lead. It is clear this defense plays best in tight situations - when behind or tied the defense has only given up 34 points.

Finally and I think this can't be overstated LSU, especially on defense is finally healthy. There are three main games that are used to point out LSU's defensive weaknesses. Texas, Alabama and Ole Miss.

Heading into the Texas game LSU lost Todd Harris for the season, during the game there were injuries to Glen Logan, Rashard Lawrence and K'Lavon Chaisson. The game was played during an extreme heat event and there were a number of players who missed plays for cramps and dehydration. So in the second half especially you had a banged up defense playing skilled but inexperienced true freshman in a hostile road environment. Those aren't excuses but they are facts and are part of the reason Texas put up the offensive numbers they did.

LSU also had key injuries / suspensions in the week heading into the Alabama game. Grant Delpit had a severe high-ankle strain in the 4th quarter against Auburn and was no where near 100%. Michael Divinity one of the teams best LB's was also suspended from the team four days prior to the game. Alabama also had a punt return, a trick play, and a long pass against a bad defensive scheme to account for 21 points and nearly 200 receiving yards.

The Ole Miss game is most often used as the evidence for why the defense is bad, especially against a running QB. This was a game where LSU was up 31-7 at halftime, on the road, the week after beating Bama. There was a pretty clear letdown in the second half. There were bad gap assignments, and Delpit who was playing but hobbled lost contain and took bad angles on long QB draws. That said the game was never in doubt, the lead was always at least two possessions. In retrospect the second half of the Ole Miss game may have been the best thing to happen to LSU. The national media overreacted, the CFB pushed LSU to #2 on the performance of the defense and lit a fire under their butt.

I agree with all of this. I also think the emergence of Maurice Hampton and the the development of Kerry Vincent as reliable coverage players has helped the defense improve. Delpit and Stevens are allowed to play closer to the line where they are more effective.

Pain

A
R
A
N
D
A

To me its simple delpit back playing 100%

quote:

---

We held OU to their fewest number of yards since 2015

---

If LSU didn't exist, OU's output over the last 2 years would be heralded as all time levels...

Enter the Bayou Bengals

4 first rounders who finally have all been 100% healthy since the Arkansas game for the first time all year.
Since then:

LSU 56
Ark 20

LSU 50
Texas A&M 7

LSU 37
Ga. 10

LSU 63
OK- 28

Ark. and OK points were garbage scores in the 4th quarter.

Here is the deal, in the final three games of the season, Clemson's defense allowed an average of 359 yards of total offense. While LSU's defense, on the other hand, allowed an average of only 259 yards of total offense.

Meanwhile, in the final three games of the season, LSU's final three games were against better teams than the final three teams Clemson played against.

Furthermore, when you compare our two games to our only common opponent, which is Texas A&M, Clemson beat A&M 24 to 10 and held them to 289 yards of total offense while gaining 389 yards of total offense on A&M.

While, LSU, on the other hand, beat A&M 50 to 7 and held them to just 169 yards of total offense while gaining 553 yards of total offense on A&M.

Finally, it's very obvious who has the better offense out of the two teams. Indeed, LSU is easily the top offense in the land and even though they played and beat six teams ranked in the AP Top Ten. While Clemson's offensive numbers, on the other hand, are obviously inflated cause Clemson played primarily weak and mediocre ACC teams.