The Tigers needed a change on defense this offseason.
After failed experiments at defensive coordinator in back-to-back years in [autotag]Bo Pelini[/autotag] and [autotag]Daronte Jones[/autotag], new LSU coach [autotag]Brian Kelly[/autotag] brought in Matt House from the NFL ranks to fix this defense’s ills. House comes from the Kansas City Chiefs, where he spent the last three seasons as a linebacker coach. He also has SEC play-calling experience at Kentucky.
House has some veteran talent to work with on defense, both in terms of returning players and guys added via the transfer portal. Given these tools and his experience, On3’s Mike Huguenin listed him among the coordinators to watch in college football this fall.
The skinny: LSU’s defense the past two seasons? Well, “bad” is a nice way to put it, so there is some urgency as House – who had been the Kansas City Chiefs’ linebacker coach – takes over as part of Brian Kelly’s new staff. House has experience in the SEC (he was coordinator at Kentucky in 2017 and ’18), and has to know improvement against the run is the top priority. House will use a 3-4 front, and former On3 Consensus five-star recruit Maason Smith should be a breakout star up front. He and Jaquelin Roy should be a dynamic duo in the middle, and Ali Gaye and B.J. Ojulari can bring heat off the edge. Even with the loss of tackle-machine LB Damone Clark, the front seven should be much better than it was last season. Interestingly, for a program that gets acclaim for being “DBU,” the secondary by far is the biggest concern; House and new defensive back coaches Kerry Cooks (safeties) and Robert Steeples (cornerbacks) need six(!) experienced transfer DBs to play well.
There certainly are some questions surrounding the secondary, which will mostly feature new additions starting. However, the defensive line and linebacker groups feature more familiar faces.
With games against offenses the likes of Alabama, Tennessee and Ole Miss, House certainly has his work cut out for him. But given his experience both in this league and as a part of a Super Bowl-winning team in the NFL, expectations are understandably high.
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