LSU star [autotag]Harold Perkins Jr.[/autotag] left the win over UCLA with a knee injury. LSU head coach [autotag]Brian Kelly[/autotag] was mum on Perkins after the game, saying tests were needed, but Perkins was “injured.”
On Sunday, LSU’s worst fears came to fruition. Perkins is done for the year with a torn ACL according to 247Sports and other reports.
The loss is a blow to an LSU defense that needs all the help it can get. Perkins was second-team All-SEC in 2023 and preseason All-SEC in 2024 — that’s star power LSU doesn’t have elsewhere on the unit.
With Perkins sidelined, where does LSU go from here?
Without Perkins, LSU is losing a player with game-breaking ability. Dating back to 2022, we’ve seen Perkins take over games and make plays LSU needed to win the game. Even when consistency was a problem for the unit, Perkins had a way of showing up.
Think back to the Alabama game in 2022. LSU struggled to contain Bryce Young in the second half, but Perkins applied seven pressures and a sack — just enough havoc for LSU to secure the upset.
In the Missouri game last year. Mizzou marched up and down the field on LSU, but a Perkins’ interception swung momentum in the second half and gave [autotag]Jayden Daniels[/autotag] a chance to lead LSU to a shootout win.
As for 2024, we can debate Perkins’ impact.
According to PFF, he ranks 46th out of 55 qualified SEC linebackers in defensive grade. In four games, he didn’t record a sack and missed six tackles. LSU still lacked a concrete plan for Perkins, playing him at weakside linebacker to begin the year and bumping him to the strongside in week three.
But despite the lack of production, the talent remained undeniable and the flash plays were still there. Perkins came up with some big pressures against South Carolina and even when he isn’t hitting home, offenses have to circle him. Taking that threat off the field will have an impact on this defense.
The good news for LSU is this. [autotag]Bradyn Swinson[/autotag] has emerged as one of the best pass rushers in the SEC, and linebacker [autotag]Whit Weeks[/autotag] is showing he knows how to get after the passer, too.
Still, there’s not a player on this roster with the same all-around ability that Perkins has. Whether it’s a sack, a tackle for loss, or a pick, Perkins impacts every phase of the game when he’s on.
For an LSU defense that relies more on creating havoc than down-to-down efficiency, that matters. With Perkins out, the ceiling of this unit is no doubt lower.
LSU went to a 4-3 look in recent weeks in the hope of getting its three best linebackers on the field. A reversion back to the classic 4-2-5 may be in the fold now.
If LSU does opt to play with three linebackers, expect [autotag]West Weeks[/autotag] to see more time. Weeks is a veteran, but he doesn’t offer the same upside as Perkins.
That’s what LSU’s going to miss. When everything else goes wrong, Perkins’ special ability could mitigate the issues. LSU will have to find havoc elsewhere now.
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