Tag: Daronte Jones

LSU’s two-deep defensive projection ahead of the season opener

Projecting how the LSU Tigers’ 2-deep defensive depth chart could look when they play UCLA on Sept. 4.

There is just a week until the LSU Tigers head to Pasadena, California, for a week one battle with the UCLA Bruins. For head coach Ed Orgeron and defensive coordinator Daronte Jones, they are hoping for a better defensive effort in 2021.

Under the guidance of then coordinator Bo Pelini, the Tigers defense was abysmal. In 10 games last year, they allowed more points and yards than we have seen in 70 years. This is the reason that Jones is now the man to lead the defense heading into 2021.

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Eli Ricks and Derek Stingley Jr look for better efforts from a secondary that allowed 323 yards per game through the air. As a whole, the defense allowed almost 500 yards per game.

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As we did with the offense, here is how we are projecting the two-deep depth chart on that side of the ball ahead of the UCLA game.

One media outlet’s rankings are much lower for LSU than the composite

One media outlet is much lower on LSU than others, a look at why fans should be optimistic about the Tigers.

Rankings are somewhat meaningless in the grand scheme of things, especially in the preseason. Rankings are based on what coaches and media members think without seeing a team in live game action. However, they do give some key indicators as to how some perceive the team.

For instance, the coaches viewed the LSU Tigers as the No. 13 overall team in the USA TODAY Sports AFCA Coaches Poll. The AP voters saw them lower as they were ranked at No. 16 team in their preseason poll. Three spots don’t mean a whole lot, but there is still a difference in perception.

ESPN power ranked the Tigers at No. 14 and the Football Power Index has them at No. 18. The SP+ metric that bases the ranking on analytics has the Bayou Bengals all the way down to No. 43.

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USA TODAY Sports and CBS even released their top 130 rankings with every school in FBS. LSU comes in at No. 18 and No. 14 respectively. For the final piece of the preseason ranking puzzle, we look at The Athletic. According to Chris Vannini (subscription required), the Tigers come in barely inside the top 20. They are ranked No. 20, which is much lower than most other rankings outside of the analytics.

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LSU (20) stumbled last year amid injuries and opt-outs, but with most starters back, can Ed Orgeron fix things after another offseason of staff turnover?

The Tigers had their fair share of issues in the 2020 season. An offense that lacked continuity due to injuries and the revolving door at quarterback. An offensive line that struggled, and lack of consistency at running back. Maybe their best young receiver didn’t get going until late in the season. Kayshon Boutte showed what he was made of in the final three games of the year.

The defensive side of the ball was a completely different story. It was abysmal and at times downright embarrassing. Which pretty much sums up Bo Pelini’s coaching career. Dating back to 1952, no LSU team had ever given up the 34.9 points per game that his defense did in 2020.

In fact, since 1952, the 1998 defense was the only one in that span to give up more than 25 points per game (25.4). It was a level of incompetence that no living Tiger fan had seen. The 492 yards allowed per game were the most by a wide margin. In that dreadful 1998 season, it was the only other time they gave up north of 400 yards per game.

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Going into 2021, there is a renewed feeling around Baton Rouge. The return of the 2019 offense and a new coordinator give this team faith they can have a huge bounceback season.

Game-by-game predictions for the No. 13 LSU Tigers in 2021

Giving game-by-game predictions for the No. 13 LSU Tigers ahead of the 2021 season. Are you buying or selling on the predictions?

The LSU Tigers were recently ranked at No. 13 in the USA TODAY Sports AFCA Poll. A lot of high expectations as Ed Orgeron and company look for a bounce-back season after finished 5-5 in 2020. New coordinators take over for the Bayou Bengals.

Looking at the 2021 schedule, the Tigers have a total of four ranked opponents on the upcoming slate of games. The first ranked matchup won’t occur until Oct. 16 when the No. 11 Florida Gators come to Tiger Stadium looking for retribution, let’s hope they don’t throw the game away again like they did Kole Taylor’s shoe.

Every ranked opponent will come in the final six weeks of the season. Well, at least for now as rankings change every week.

A look at the game-by-game predictions for the Tigers’ 2021 campaign:

Four ‘what ifs’ that could turn LSU football into a title contender in 2021

A look at four ‘what ifs’ for the Louisiana State Tigers to become title contenders in 2021.

We know the expectation level for the Lousiana State Tigers football program for the upcoming season.

After a perfect campaign in 2019, the Bayou Bengals didn’t have a great follow-up season. They came into the year as the No. 6 ranked team in the country and that lasted all of one week. After Mike Leach’s Air Raid picked apart the defense, they fell to No. 20.

The Tigers finished with a record of 5-5, they played three ranked opponents going 1-2 in those games.

They knocked the Florida Gators out of playoff contention with the 37-34 victory ahead of the shootout with Ole Miss. With the changes made over the offseason, can the Tigers return to form and challenge for the SEC Championship?

According to ESPN’s Bill Connolly, there are four “what ifs” the Tigers need in order to become a title contender. According to BetMGM, LSU has the eighth-best odds at winning the College Football Playoffs for 2021. This is how ESPN sees how the Tigers can become title contenders (subscription required):

It all starts at the quarterback position

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Four ‘what ifs’ that could turn LSU football into a title contender in 2021

A look at four ‘what ifs’ for the Louisiana State Tigers to become title contenders in 2021.

We know the expectation level for the Lousiana State Tigers football program for the upcoming season.

After a perfect campaign in 2019, the Bayou Bengals didn’t have a great follow-up season. They came into the year as the No. 6 ranked team in the country and that lasted all of one week. After Mike Leach’s Air Raid picked apart the defense, they fell to No. 20.

The Tigers finished with a record of 5-5, they played three ranked opponents going 1-2 in those games.

They knocked the Florida Gators out of playoff contention with the 37-34 victory ahead of the shootout with Ole Miss. With the changes made over the offseason, can the Tigers return to form and challenge for the SEC Championship?

According to ESPN’s Bill Connolly, there are four “what ifs” the Tigers need in order to become a title contender. According to BetMGM, LSU has the eighth-best odds at winning the College Football Playoffs for 2021. This is how ESPN sees how the Tigers can become title contenders (subscription required):

It all starts at the quarterback position

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Report: LSU expected to hire Andre Carter as new defensive line coach

After working fast to hire a new offensive staff, LSU head coach Ed Orgeron has taken a more deliberate approach for his defensive openings.

After working fast to hire a new offensive staff, LSU head coach Ed Orgeron has taken a more deliberate approach for his defensive openings.

Earlier this week, Orgeron hired Daronte Jones as LSU’s new defensive coordinator. On Thursday, it was reported the Tigers were set to hire Blake Baker to coach linebackers.

That left one on-field opening for Orgeron’s 2021 coaching staff.

According to Bruce Feldman of FOX Sports and The Athletic, it appears LSU has found its man in Andre Carter.

Carter, a former first-round pick of the San Francisco 49ers back in 2001, enjoyed a 13-year NFL career in which he finished with 80.5 sacks. He began his coaching career in 2017 with the Miami Dolphins as an assistant defensive line coach.

It was during Carter’s time in Miami where he worked with Jones. After two years in Miami, Carter spent the past two seasons as a defensive line coach for the New York Jets.

The good news for Carter is LSU will return all four starters from last season’s defensive line. In addition to the veterans, Carter will have several young players to work with, including five-star defensive tackle Maason Smith.

Former Bengals assistant Daronte Jones hired as LSU defensive coordinator

A former Bengals coach is now a coordinator at LSU.

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Former Cincinnati Bengals defensive assistant Daronte Jones is now the defensive coordinator at LSU.

Ed Orgeron and the Tigers announced the move this week, picking up Jones from the NFL after he served under Mike Zimmer with the Minnesota Vikings.

Jones spent two years with the Bengals as a secondary/cornerbacks coach from 2018-2019. He had initially jumped to the NFL in 2016 with the Miami Dolphins before coming over to Cincinnati for Marvin Lewis’ final season, then sticking during the transition to Zac Taylor.

In 2018, Jones said getting to coach with Lewis and mentor guys like cornerback William Jackson was a big reason he sought out the job.

At LSU, Jones will have to oversee a dramatic rebuild of the Tigers defense after it played a big role in a disappointing 2020 campaign that saw the team post a 5-5 record.

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BREAKING: LSU hires Daronte Jones as defensive coordinator

The LSU Tigers finally have their defensive coordinator. 

The LSU Tigers finally have their defensive coordinator.

On Tuesday afternoon, LSU announced the hiring of Daronte Jones as the team’s new defensive coordinator. Jones replaces Bo Pelini, who was fired after one season.

LSU coach Ed Orgeron released a statement on Jones’ hiring via the team’s official website.

Daronte is a great addition to our staff. We did a lot of research and talked to a lot of coaches including Dave (Aranda) and every person we spoke with raved about his knowledge and passion for the game. He’s going to bring tremendous energy to our defense and he will put our players in position to make plays, no matter the situation or scheme. Daronte spent a year working with Dave (Aranda) at Wisconsin and he’s learned from some of the best in the game during his five years in the NFL and I know that he’s going to do a great job with our defense. I’m excited he’s going to be an LSU Tiger.

Jones spent the 2020 season with the Minnesota Vikings as the defensive backs coach. Before coming to Minnesota, he spent the previous three seasons with Miami and Cincinnati.

Before coming to the NFL, Jones coached under former LSU defensive coordinator Dave Aranda at Wisconsin.

Jones also released a statement.

I want thank Coach Orgeron, athletic director Scott Woodard and the administration for this opportunity. I am blessed and thankful to be part of the LSU family, community, and the strong traditions of this program. Geaux Tigers.

Jones joins new offensive coordinator Jake Peetz and passing game coordinator DJ Mangas on Orgeron’s revamped coaching staff for 2021.

 

 

 

Ed Orgeron says the hire of Daronte Jones at defensive coordinator not yet finalized

LSU is still working out the details of making Daronte Jones its next defensive coordinator.

LSU football seems to be nearing the end of the process in hiring its next defensive coordinator, but the details have not yet been finalized, according to head coach Ed Orgeron.

On Monday, it was reported that the Tigers were expected to bring on Daronte Jones of the Minnesota Vikings to replace Bo Pelini.

“We feel really good about the process and what’s going on,” Orgeron said in his weekly appearance on Off The Bench on Tuesday. “Daronte interviewed yesterday and did a very good job, very impressive and I think he’d do a great job and has worked hard through the coaching ranks.”

Jones came via a recommendation from former LSU defensive coordinator Dave Aranda, who is now with the Baylor Bears.

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“I called Dave and asked him about some of the top coordinators in the country and he and I went down the list,” Orgeron said. “There were several guys that I called but they didn’t want to leave where they were.”

Orgeron reiterated that LSU is building a championship program, also saying that he has ideas as to who he wants to bring in to help with the defensive line and at linebacker.

Orgeron said he plans to have the defensive staff completely in place by next Tuesday.

“We cannot have the mistakes we made on defense last year, that’s not LSU football, which is why I made a change.”

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Report: Vikings DBs coach Daronte Jones expected to become LSU defensive coordinator

Minnesota Vikings defensive backs coach Daronte Jones is reportedly expected to become the LSU defensive coordinator.

The Vikings have dealt with plenty of turnover on its coaching staff this offseason already.

According to Fox Sports’ Bruce Feldman, more change is to come for the Vikings. Feldman reported that Daronte Jones is expected to be hired as LSU’s next defensive coordinator.

Jones has worked in the NFL for the past five seasons. However, he also has experience at the collegiate level. Not only that, but he has coached football at two Louisiana high schools.

Jones was hired to be Minnesota’s defensive backs coach in 2020. The new-look group wasn’t always a beacon of consistency, but players like Cameron Dantzler and Jeff Gladney made great strides as the season progressed.

For the Vikings, the move is yet another to change in what is already a turnover-ridden offseason. Minnesota has not renewed the contracts of special teams coordinator Marwan Maalouf, defensive assistant Dom Capers and Director of Competition Development Mark Uyeyama. Not only that, but Vikings offensive coordinator Gary Kubiak recently announced his retirement.