Tag: Apu Ika

Former LSU defensive tackle finds a new home

Siaki “Apu” Ika was a big part of LSU’s defense in 2019 when the Tigers won the national championship.

Siaki “Apu” Ika was a big part of LSU’s defense in 2019 when the Tigers won the national championship.

On Tuesday, Ika announced he was transferring to Baylor, where he would be reunited with former LSU defensive coordinator Dave Aranda.

Ika entered the NCAA transfer portal back in October.

Ika appeared in 13 games in 2019, making 17 tackles, including one for loss as he played nose tackle in Aranda’s 3-4 scheme.

Aranda departed after the 2019 season to take over as head coach of Baylor, and Bo Pelini took over as LSU’s defensive coordinator.

Pelini switched LSU to a 4-3 defense, and Ika would be one of LSU’s starters at defensive tackle in 2020.

Ika would play in four games this fall for LSU, making one start at Vanderbilt, where he recorded five tackles and a sack in a Tigers’ win.

However, head coach Ed Orgeron shifted around the defensive line in October, leading Ika to see a limited future for himself in Baton Rouge.

The 6-foot-4, 350-pound Ika is a former three-star recruit from Salt Lake City, Utah.

Ika has two years of eligibility remaining at Baylor, in addition to the one free year, the NCAA granted for student-athletes due to COVID-19.

LSU football’s two main areas of concern against Mississippi State

As LSU opens their season against Mississippi State on Saturday, the offensive and defensive lines draw concern.

The 2020 college football season for the defending national champion LSU Tigers kicks off in two days.

On Saturday, the Tigers welcome the Mississippi State Bulldogs to Baton Rouge for the first game of the conference-only season.

LSU lost 14 players from last year’s team to the 2020 NFL draft, which leaves a few questions in the air when it comes to production at each position.

Let’s take a look at two main areas of concern heading into Saturday’s season-opening game for the Tigers.

Offensive Line

As much of a lingering question that the quarterback position could be with Myles Brennan leading the way replacing Joe Burrow, the Tigers’ offensive line lost three starters from last season.

With the official depth chart for the first game being released last week, the Tigers will start three players that have experience on the line in Dare Rosenthal at offensive tackle, Chasen Hines at right guard and Austin Deculus at right tackle.

Offensive guard Ed Ingram also has starting experience and will be a key factor in protecting Brennan and opening holes in the running game.

The Tigers’ starting center will be Harvard transfer Liam Shanahan, who is a player that the coaching staff has been giving high praise for.

The main reason for the concern is due to the fact that the team lost nearly all of their starters from last season on the line. Protecting Brennan is focal point number one for this unit.

If they can transition into a solid unit early in the season, things will look good for them from a protection and production standpoint for the season.

However, the front seven has to give Brennan enough time in the pocket to complete passes and escape pressure. We will find out on Saturday how well the unit is clicking during the game.

Going up against a team with a new head coach, coupled with a new quarterback in Brennan, could give the offensive line a struggle during the game.

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