Tag: matt house

LSU’s Harold Perkins is set for a breakout year at inside linebacker in 2024

LSU’s Harold Perkins is set for a breakout year at inside linebacker this fall.

Brian Kelly made headlines earlier this week when he told The Advocate that [autotag]Harold Perkins[/autotag] is gearing up to play inside linebacker in 2024.

Perkins’ usage was a point of contention last year. He excelled as a pass rusher in 2022, so fans and analysts questioned LSU’s decision to take him away from the edge. The staff tried a few different things, with Perkins eventually settling into a role at SAM linebacker.

The production wasn’t there. Perkins led the SEC in pass rush grade in 2022 and posted a pressure rate above 25%. In 2023, Perkins fell to 37th in pass rush grade with his pressure rate falling to 14%.

It’s fair to say LSU failed to make the most of Perkins in 2022. That was likely a key factor in Kelly firing defensive coordinator [autotag]Matt House[/autotag].

Kelly told On3’s JD Pickell that they didn’t maximize Perkins last year. Kelly added that Perkins needs to play better and the coaches need to do a better job at getting him involved.

“Everyone that watched last year would say that’s a guy that needs to play at a higher level, and that starts with coaching, and that starts with Harold really working at a higher level this offseason,” Kelly said.

So when news broke of the plans for Perkins in 2024, there were some groans on social media. But this time, it makes sense.

One factor contributing to the decision could just be that LSU has a coach it trusts to develop Perkins now.

New defensive coordinator [autotag]Blake Baker[/autotag] has a proven track record of developing linebackers. At LSU in 2021, he turned [autotag]Damone Clark[/autotag] and [autotag]Micah Baskerville[/autotag] into some of the SEC’s best. He did at Missouri too, with his defenses featuring some of the best linebacker units in the conference the last two years.

From a scheme standpoint, it makes sense too. You can’t have Perkins in a position to be coming off the field on LSU’s most important downs.

Perkins can’t play the edge every play. He doesn’t have the size for it and hasn’t shown he can consistently defend the run on the outside. When it’s not an obvious passing situation, offenses have shown a willingness to run right at him.

Now when it’s second and long, or third and long, it’s fine to put Perkins out there and just tell him, “Go get the quarterback.”

I think we’ll still see plenty of that this fall, but it fails Perkins and the defense to have him do that on a full-time basis.

LSU needs the help at inside linebacker, too. The Tigers could be fine at edge with [autotag]Dashawn Womack[/autotag] and [autotag]Bradyn Swinson[/autotag] potentially gearing up for breakout years of their own, but inside linebacker remains a question mark, with less depth and less experience.

If Perkins can figure it out there, he remains the best athlete on the field at a spot where LSU needs it. This is the best way to optimize LSU’s personnel. You’re also putting him in a better position to help defend the pass over the middle of the field, something LSU’s secondary struggled to do last year, but looked better when getting help from Perkins.

Even with the staff overhaul, LSU’s defense is facing an uphill battle in 2024. There are major questions at cornerback and defensive tackle and some of those concerns will remain heading into the season. Having a defensive star like Perkins can help mitigate those issues, but it’s key that LSU gets the most from him this fall.

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Report: LSU assistant John Jancek no longer on staff

John Jancek has been on staff the last two seasons, most recently serving as the interim defensive line coach this fall.

LSU completed a full-on overhaul of its defensive staff on Monday as assistant [autotag]John Jancek[/autotag], who served as the Tigers’ defensive line coach in 2023, will no longer be on staff. The news was first reported by The Advocate’s Wilson Alexander.

Jancek was retained when coach [autotag]Brian Kelly[/autotag] fired four defensive assistants including defensive coordinator [autotag]Matt House[/autotag] following the ReliaQuest Bowl, but his role moving forward was unclear as LSU had already filled out its defensive staff with other hires.

After working as a defensive quality control assistant at Georgia, Jancek joined Brian Kelly’s staff as an analyst in 2022. Heading into the 2023 season, he was promoted to outside linebackers coach and special teams coordinator, though his role changed in the fall when defensive line coach [autotag]Jimmy Lindsey[/autotag] was away from the team dealing with a health issue.

Jancek served in Lindsey’s place during the season, and Lindsey was one of the coaches whom Kelly let go this offseason.

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Brian Kelly details LSU’s new defensive staff hires

The Tigers will have an almost entirely new-look defensive staff in 2024.

It was an offseason full of shakeups on the defensive side of the ball for LSU.

Following the ReliaQuest Bowl, the Tigers fired defensive coordinator [autotag]Matt House[/autotag] and most of his staff. Replacing him is [autotag]Blake Baker[/autotag], who [autotag]Brian Kelly[/autotag] recently commented on during his trip to the Senior Bowl.

“I got a chance to spend a little bit of time with Blake,” Kelly said. “But anytime there is a transition, it is very difficult to commit to anybody because you are bringing in a whole new philosophy and a way of doing things.

“I was impressed with him and then obviously, with the work he did at Missouri. And as an SEC opponent, we got a chance to see him first-hand. Was impressed with his work. His ability to recruit and certainly the relationships he built at LSU when he was here made him a logical choice.”

Joining Baker on the defensive staff are [autotag]Bo Davis[/autotag] and [autotag]Kevin Peoples[/autotag], who will coach the defensive line, and [autotag]Corey Raymond[/autotag] and [autotag]Jake Olsen[/autotag], who will work with the secondary.

It’s a return to LSU for both Davis and Raymond. Both are former LSU players and have been on staff before, with Raymond serving as a defensive backs coach from 2012-21. Baker and Olsen also previously coached at LSU.

“When we talk about the best defensive line coaches in the country, his name keeps coming up,” Kelly said. “I got a chance to spend some time with him and talk to him about returning to LSU. It wasn’t an easy decision for him. He was at a great school and a great program, but I think the ability to come back to LSU was attractive to him. The ability to build something here great was attractive.

“Certainly teaming him with Kevin Peoples, who is an outstanding defensive line coach who sometimes gets into the shadows but is, in his own right, one of the best in the business. I think we’ve got two outstanding coaches there that are going to do a great job.”

LSU will hope this new staff can reverse last season’s defensive woes, which held the team back despite the offense being one of the best in the country.

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Jaguars hire ex-LSU DC Matt House as linebackers coach

The Jaguars are reportedly hiring former LSU defensive coordinator Matt House to coach their linebackers.

The Jacksonville Jaguars are hiring Matt House to their new linebackers coach, according to NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero.

House most recently spent the last two seasons as the defensive coordinator for the LSU Tigers before he was fired earlier this month. After the LSU defense ranked 41st in the country during the 2022 season, allowing an average of 354.6 yards per game, it plummeted to 108th in 2023 with the average yardage climbing to 416.6.

Prior to his time at LSU, House made a few coaching stops in the NFL. Early in his career, he spent one season as an assistant special teams coach with the Carolina Panthers and three as a defensive quality control coach with the St. Louis Rams.

House’s last NFL stop was a three-year stint as linebackers coach for the Kansas City Chiefs. He also worked for three years as a linebackers coach at Kentucky while Jaguars pass rusher Josh Allen was at the school.

While Jaguars coach Doug Pederson elected to fire most of the defensive coaching staff, outside linebackers coach Bill Shuey was among those who were retained.

That could mean that House is tasked with working with the team’s inside linebackers. That group currently consists of Foye Oluokun, 2022 draft picks Devin Lloyd and Chad Muma, and 2023 pick Ventrell Miller.

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Former LSU defensive coordinator Matt House hired as Jaguars LB coach

Matt House is heading back to the NFL after he and most of the on-field defensive staff were dismissed at LSU.

Former LSU defensive coordinator [autotag]Matt House[/autotag] is heading back to the NFL.

On Wednesday, NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero reported that House would be joining the Jacksonville Jaguars as a linebackers coach. He’s returning the professional ranks, where he served as the linebackers coach for the Kansas City Chiefs from 2019-21 before he was hired at LSU.

House joined Brian Kelly’s staff with quite a bit of hype, but after solid results defensively in 2022, the Tigers’ unit regressed significantly, becoming one of the worst in the nation. House, along with nearly the entire on-field defensive staff, was dismissed following the ReliaQuest Bowl win over Wisconsin.

He was replaced with [autotag]Blake Baker[/autotag], who served as the defensive coordinator at Missouri over the last two seasons.

House has made multiple stops in both the college and NFL ranks during his career. He was previously an assistant with the Rams and Panthers, and he served as a college defensive coordinator at Kentucky, Florida International and Pittsburgh.

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How can LSU fix its defense in 2024?

Harold Perkins is the key to a successful defense, but the defensive line has to step up as well.

[autotag]Matt House[/autotag] orchestrated one of the worst LSU defenses in 2023.

The Tigers had some good athletes on that side of the ball, but there were times when watching the defense was like agony. Don’t fret, because there is hope on the horizon. There is light at the end of the tunnel.

[autotag]Blake Baker[/autotag] is back on campus in Baton Rouge after being the defensive coordinator for Missouri the last two seasons.

[autotag]Harold Perkins[/autotag] is about to be one of the most dangerous men on the planet in Baker’s defense. [autotag]Whit Weeks[/autotag] is also in a great position to be successful.

On3’s Jesse Simonton recently discussed what LSU will need to do to fix the defense next fall.

“I think the key is are they going to unleash Harold Perkins and can they get better production out of these blue-chippers that they have on the defensive line?” Simonton said. “Because those guys just have not delivered the results.”

Perkins is the key to a successful defense, but the defensive line has to step up as well. With [autotag]Maason Smith[/autotag] declaring for the NFL draft, LSU now has two returning defensive linemen from last year’s team as well as the recruits in the 2024 recruiting class.

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5 things to know about new LSU DC Blake Baker’s defense

Here are five things LSU fans should know about new DC Blake Baker’s unit.

LSU made a change at defensive coordinator last week, firing [autotag]Matt House[/autotag] along with several defensive assistants. After that, it wasn’t long before reports of a potential replacement broke.

[autotag]Blake Baker[/autotag] quickly emerged as the leading candidate after putting together a strong Missouri defense in 2023. It made sense given Baker’s connection to Louisiana and his familiarity with LSU, given he was on staff in 2021.

Missouri just had one of its most successful seasons in school history, capping it off with a win over Ohio State in the Cotton Bowl. Baker was a large part of that and his defense was one of the best in the SEC.

That leaves LSU fans feeling optimistic about the defense taking a step forward in 2024. Here are five things to know about Baker’s defense.

BREAKING: LSU hires Blake Baker as next defensive coordinator

Blake Baker elevated Missouri’s defense from one of the nation’s worst to one of the best in his two years in Columbia.

LSU has found its defensive coordinator.

On Friday night, the team announced that it had poached [autotag]Blake Baker[/autotag] away from SEC foe Missouri. Baker has spent the last two seasons with the Tigers, elevating a defense that was one of the worst in the nation in 2021 to one of the best this past fall.

Before joining Eli Drinkwitz’s Missouri staff, he was on LSU’s staff under Ed Orgeron in 2021 as the linebackers coach. Baker has further ties to the state of Louisiana as he was the defensive coordinator at Louisiana Tech from 2015-18.

He was also the defensive coordinator at Miami from 2019-20.

“Excited to welcome Blake and his family back to Baton Rouge,” coach [autotag]Brian Kelly[/autotag] wrote on Twitter. “Geaux Tigers!”

With the defensive coordinator hire now set, LSU will turn its attention to filling the vacant assistant coaching positions on the defensive side of the ball. Along with previous defensive coordinator [autotag]Matt House[/autotag], LSU fired safeties coach [autotag]Kerry Cooks[/autotag], cornerbacks coach [autotag]Robert Steeples[/autotag] and defensive line coach [autotag]Jimmy Lindsey[/autotag].

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Report: Bo Davis expected to remain at Texas despite pursuit from LSU

Bo Davis was reportedly pursued heavily by the Tigers, but it seems he’ll remain at Texas.

When LSU fired defensive line coach [autotag]Jimmy Lindsey[/autotag] alongside most of the on-field defensive staff — including defensive coordinator [autotag]Matt House[/autotag] on Wednesday, and it wasn’t a secret who most fans wanted as his replacement.

Texas defensive line coach [autotag]Bo Davis[/autotag] has been a hopeful addition to the staff since even before [autotag]Brian Kelly[/autotag] announced these staff moves, and when he did, Davis became an obvious candidate to replace Lindsey.

However, according to a report from On Texas Football, that’s not likely to happen. Davis is expected to remain with the Longhorns despite being heavily pursued by the Tigers.

According to a report from Football Scoop, LSU considered hiring Davis of equal or greater priority to the defensive coordinator hire.

A former player at LSU, Davis is a well-traveled and experienced defensive line coach having held that role at Alabama and Texas as well as with the Detroit Lions.

He began his career as a graduate assistant at LSU in 1995 and would later return to serve as the assistant strength and conditioning coach on Nick Saban’s staff in 2002.

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Former LSU cornerbacks coach Robert Steeples releases statement after firing

Robert Steeples was fired Wednesday along with most of the defensive staff.

After a year of massively underperforming on defense, coach [autotag]Brian Kelly[/autotag] opted for an overhaul of the defensive staff on Wednesday.

LSU fired defensive coordinator [autotag]Matt House[/autotag] as well as assistants [autotag]Kerry Cooks[/autotag], [autotag]Robert Steeples[/autotag] and [autotag]Jimmy Lindsey[/autotag]. Steeples, who coached cornerbacks, released a statement thanking Kelly and the program for the opportunity.

Steeples started his statement by thanking [autotag]Greg Brooks Jr.[/autotag], the Tigers’ defensive back who is currently battling brain cancer, as well as Kelly, the staff and the rest of the players.

“All in All, my definition of Love is the commitment to doing right by someone when they are with you and away from you,” Steeples said. “Thank you to those who showed love by doing right by me. Just know, I did right by you.”

A former NFL cornerback, Steeples was a high school head coach at De Smet Jesuit in his hometown of St. Louis from 2016-20. He later served as an assistant special teams coach for the Minnesota Vikings in 2021 before joining Kelly’s staff.

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