re: The elephant in the room re: Chavis and personnel decisions

Welter wouldn't start for a good Sunbelt team. I can't believe he's consistently on the field for LSU.

Welter playing is a huge indictment of Miles and Chavis's ability to recruit in recent years. Just all there is to it.

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I just can't wrap my head around how we settled at the Mike position

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I'll never get the line of thinking behind it and can not possibly understand how they thought it was going to work. Welter doesn't even look like he should be on scholarship much less a lock to start every week.

It's painful to watch. Our d ain't been this bad in forever.

there's literally nothing this D does consistently well. not stop the run, cover, force TOs, pressure the passer, make tackles behind the LOS, tackle in space. nothing. it's astounding.

here's what also bugs me, people keep bringing up the weak DL argument. Fine but you knew that going into the year, so starting Welter there should not have even been a consideration. Your top priority the entire camp should have been preparing Beckwith/Louis to man the spot. No wasting 1st team reps with someone who wasn't going to hack it and wasting Beckwith's time cross training at DE.

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The saddest thing about watching DJ play is that you can tell that he knows he cant compete as well. Its as if he almost actively tries to take himself out of the play sometimes to avoid having to make the play. There was one play vs Bama where he should have made the play and missed and someone else makes the tackle for him then you see DJ quickly engaged with a blocker WHILE the runner was being tackled by his teammate. One of the strangest things I have ever seen.

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Saw the same thing......I've seen him actually run the other way (not sure whether on purpose or not)to avoid getting trucked by a bigger RB. totally confounding!!!!

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Chief is having one bad year, which is expected with us losing so many in the draft and having to start so many freshman. Chill, stop being so negative, and learn to enjoy pulling for the tigers.

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This isn't about one down year. Malveto was crucified for what was not even as bad of a defense. The issue arises from LSU's and particularly Chavis' issues in defending in the final minutes of a half/game. He proved all of last year that he coaches those situations poorly and teams will take advantage of it. LSU has yet to close a competitive game (within 10 points) effectively in the last 2 years.

Another thing is that whether lacking in talent or not, this defense has shown little to no improvement over the course of the season.

They continue to miss assignments.
They continue to get out of position.
They continue to play hesitant.
The continue to lose contain.

This isn't happening against just Bama, it's happened against every team. Hell, even UF moved the ball at times on this defense and their offense has shown to be horrid.

People can defend the defensive coaching all they want, but I am pretty darn sure that Ole Miss with less talent and experience in several cases in that game effectively slowed down LSU's offense while LSU's defense allowed Ole Miss to just move the ball at will during that game.

The loss of talent from last season was surely to effect this team, and no one can say otherwise, but the fact remains it shouldn't have made this defense this bad, and that is where poor coaching at LBer and DB along with poor scheming have come into play.

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. I don't think it is crazy to have a coach select what he believes is the lesser of two evils in hopes that he can bring the younger guy on without taking unnecessary risk early in the year.

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How is welter the lesser of 2 evils? Louis had his frick ups, but at least when in position he could at least make plays. Even on the rare occasion welter doesn't get his arse blasted out of the hole, he still can't make the play.

OL/FBs don't even have to be physical to take welter out, just stand in his way really.

I can appreciate Chavis being behind the 8 ball here.

But, I saw Louis fill a gap. I've seen Louis have the speed to contain outside the end.

I watch less than SEC caliber football most of the time. Last night for example, Ball St and NIU both had more YAC than they did otherwise. I can count on one hand the number of times 31 has made a tackle within 3 yards of the LOS. And he never leaves the field.

I can't possibly fathom how our continued toleration of that level of play at that position is helping this team now or the future.

In regards to Beckwith, you just said our DEs are getting crushed, and yet Beckwith gets three snaps per significant game. At some point, common sense should take over. The redshirt is gone, and this kid , who has shown more ability in a very short period of time, is in limbo without having gained significant experience outside of special teams.

I would relate The handling of Beckwith to that of our next season's starting QB getting significant playing time.