LSU had a record-setting offense in 2023, but due to significant shortcomings on the defensive side of the ball, the team finished 9-3 and failed to repeat as SEC West champions.
There has been a lot of discussions regarding potential staff changes, particularly as it pertains to defensive coordinator [autotag]Matt House[/autotag].
Coach [autotag]Brian Kelly[/autotag] previously said the process of evaluating staff was ongoing, and that remained the case when he spoke to the media on Tuesday.
“9-3, we’re here to win championships,” Kelly said. “Our defense did not play to the level that our standard is set at. Nobody is happy, including everybody on the defensive side and the head football coach, that we didn’t play the kind of defense necessary. I’m not happy about it. Nobody’s happy about it. Our fans shouldn’t be happy about it. And we have to do things to make sure that that doesn’t happen again.
“But to say that we’re just addressing it now is just not correct. We started addressing it after the Mississippi game. That’s when addressing our defensive shortcomings began. And so this process has been ongoing. It’s not like all the sudden, ‘hey, by the way, you’ve got to fix the defense.’ This has been ongoing and this process has been one where we feel the pain of everybody because we feel it too. It cannot be the kind of defensive performance we had this past year, it’s got to be better and it will be better.”
At the same time, Kelly said he won’t shy away from making hard decisions. He pointed at when he fired defensive coordinator Brian VanGorder four games into the 2016 season at Notre Dame.
“Those aren’t easy decisions,” he said. “I’m not afraid to make those decisions. And I’m going to do what’s best for LSU’s football program and the pursuit of a national championship. But I’m going to do it informed, I’m going to do it for what’s best for the program because it’s involving players, it’s involving coaches, it’s involving all things as it relates to being more successful as a defense. It’s not on one person, it’s collectively.”
It’s clear that Kelly is aware that the defensive performance wasn’t up to snuff this season, but it’s not exactly clear whether his solution will involve staff changes on that side of the ball.
Contact/Follow us @LSUTigersWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Louisiana State news, notes, and opinions.
Follow Tyler to continue the conversation on Twitter: @TylerNettuno