LSU head coach Brian Kelly spoke to the media after practice on Friday, focusing on how many players might play in the first game of the season. Kelly referenced a familiar phrase he has used in the past to describe this team.
“I think the whole of this team is going to be bigger than any one part,” Kelly said. “I think it’s going to be a unit that a lot of guys are going to be instrumental in making it successful. We’re going to play five or six defensive tackles, five defensive ends, four or five linebackers. There’s going to be a lot of guys. We can all name Harold Perkins, Will Campbell and Garrett Nussmeier, but I think there’s going to be more players coming in than last year.”
The defense
A consistent theme throughout fall camp was the continued improvement of LSU’s defense. The defense played with much more enthusiasm and took pride in what they did on every snap.
“When you talk about the elements of defense, it starts with the players having energy and enthusiasm for the coaches they play for,” Kelly said. “There has to be a sense of excitement, and I thought we lacked that at times. But now we see that on a regular basis. That’s the price of just playing defense.”
The players are also excited about the new strategies that defensive coordinator Blake Baker brought with him from Missouri. Baker’s defensive system is more aggressive than the last two years and includes more blitzes and coverage mixes. This benefits LSU’s defense, as it features two of the most athletic defensive players in the country in Harold Perkins and Whit Weeks.
“Scheme-wise, from an offensive standpoint, I’ve always thought you should start well when you don’t know where guys are going to be on every down,” Kelly said. “The ability to apply pressure on the perimeter and mix up coverage so the quarterback doesn’t know what he’s getting on every play is a big part of a really good defense.”
Is DBU back?
Speaking of improvement, the secondary may be the group that has made the most progress over the course of fall camp. It is more stacked than last season, with some experienced players and plenty of younger players who can step in and play in key moments. Additionally, players are being put in the right positions to be successful. The most notable case is Major Burns, who went from deep safety to STAR.
In addition, the cornerback roster is significantly larger than last year, including Sage Ryan, Ashton Stamps, Zy Alexander, PJ Woodland, JK Johnson and Jyaire Brown, who could start on most teams in the country and will be used in key phases of each game.
It also helps to have an experienced player in depth coverage in safety Jardin Gilbert, who started over 30 games for Texas A&M.
“What I like most is that we’re moving the ball well down the field. There are deflected balls and there are balls that we fight for and we just don’t have moments where we’re wondering what the heck we’re doing,” Kelly said. “We don’t have botched coverages. We’re definitely a lot more consistent on defense and part of that is because we have more maturity back there. I see that and I know Blake (Baker), Corey (Raymond) and Jake (Olsen) see a much more consistent unit.”
The battle for the backup quarterback
Typically, the battle for the quarterback spot in the offseason involves two or three quarterbacks competing for the starting job, but in LSU’s case, there is a battle for the backup quarterback spot this season.
Before fall camp, junior AJ Swann and sophomore Rickie Collins were expected to compete for the backup quarterback job. Neither quarterback was able to pull away from the other, but Kelly feels progress has been made.
“I think we’re making some progress there. I felt like we hit a bit of a lull last week where it was pretty inconsistent,” Kelly said. “Maybe it’s the sense of urgency that we’re getting closer to the start of the season. As a backup quarterback, knowing you’re playing for second place, you have to make a big mental effort to calm yourself down.”
According to Kelly, freshman Colin Hurley may have entered the race, although Collins and Swann are the most prominent contenders for the backup quarterback job. It looked like Hurley would take a redshirt year (which is still possible), but he’s making real progress in camp.
“I think it was a mental battle to get in the right spot. I saw improved play from both guys this week and from Colin Hurley as well. I think Colin came in thinking, ‘I’m No. 3,’ and now he’s saying, ‘Why don’t I throw my hat in the ring here, too?’ We’re seeing the kind of signs we need from those three guys,” Kelly said.
