4. College Football News Preview 2020: LSU Tigers Defense 3 Things To Know
– Like the offensive side, the defense has a ton of key parts needing to be replaced. However, getting Bo Pelini as the new defensive coordinator was terrific, and there’s more than enough NFL talent returning to be terrific after finishing 31st in the nation in total defense and 32nd in scoring D.
The stats were a bit skewed with every team needing to bomb away in an attempt to stay alive in games. However, losing six starters to the NFL draft is going to hurt no matter what.
The defensive line is in the best shape early on, even though Pelini is changing things up with a four-man front. Glen Logan is a veteran on the inside, and 6-3, 346-pound Tyler Shelvin should be rock again on the nose. Now the ends have to show up – it’ll be an open audition for true ends, and not just hybrid outside linebackers.
– On the down side, losing K’Lavon Chaisson, Patrick Queen and Jacob Phillips from the linebacking corps hurts. However, the move to the 4-3 takes the pressure off finding four starters who can fill the gaps.
Damone Clark is a good sized junior who’ll likely take over for Queen in the middle – be stunned if he doesn’t at least come close to leading the team in tackles – but 6-2, 194-pound sophomore Marcel Brooks should be the disruptive force now that he’ll get a bigger role.
– It doesn’t help to lose talents like S Grant Delpit and CB Kristian Fulton, but the Tigers might have the best defensive back pair in the country in CB Derek Stingley and S JaCoby Stevens.
There are more than enough next-level options to work on the other side of Stingley, including superstar recruit Elias Ricks who might just be the next Stingley. The corners will be terrific.
Replacing Delpit will be a whole lot harder, needing Mo Hampton to do a whole lot more after making ten stops behind the new Cleveland Brown.