SPRING GAME DEFENSIVE DEEP DIVE

by LONN PHILLIPS SULLIVAN

@LonnPhillips

After careful examination of LSU's spring game tape, LSU Odyssey have come up with a few defensive names to watch out for and an analysis on what we witnessed from new Defensive Coordinator Matt House's unit.

At first, LSU's front seven applied plenty of pressure on Mike Denbrock's offense, grabbing 5 sacks on their first 4 drives (Carter, Langston, Little, Smith, Ojulari), blocking passes at the line of scrimmage (Smith, Little & Langston), bullying offensive linemen or ball-carriers all over the field, disrupting the flow of LSU's offense, and shutting down passing lanes.

But as the second half arrived, our defense were worn ragged by a smart offensive line scheme from Brad Davis:

After a quarter & a half on the back foot, LSU's interior guys, Charles Turner, Kardell Thomas, Xavier Hill, Tre'Mond Shorts all began to shed those disadvantageous 1 v 1 matchups (using pulling movements to create mismatches on the run). The Tigers' OL began to take control throughout the final few minutes of the 2nd quarter and throughout the second "half", gaining more leverage against Jamar Cain's D-Line.

Sprinkling in some RPO play-action shots downfield, offensive coordinator Mike Denbrock kept things on the ground for much of the time, affording Tre' Bradford, Josh Williams and Armoni Goodwin a big chance to shine.

With John Emery Jr hampered by injury, Corey Kiner only days from transferring (injured, too) and Noah Cain set to arrive in a few weeks, LSU's available running backs put the pedal to the metal, combining for 234 rushing yards on the day (John Emery Jr, LSU's #1 running back, only accounted for 24 of those yards) while all 4 QBs were able to complete a passing touchdown.

At the same time, there was a reason for LSU's defense playing soft on the outside or second level:

Head Coach Brian Kelly admitted the LSU defense weren't playing at full speed regarding tackling. All Spring, he's asked the defense to dial it down, saying "we preach brotherhood and not hurting your brother" as the reasoning behind their forced hesitancy. He also pointed out their usage of one coverage the entire game as well as more basic front set-ups, allowing Denbrock's offense to gain a foothold.

Overall, it's best not to fully judge any one player, coach or scheme based firmly on LSU's 2022 Spring Game tape. Still, there were many strong signs from Tiger defenders and we are taking a closer look at the defenders we feel Tiger fans must keep their eyes on:

STARTING DEFENSE

MEKHI GARNER (CB)

DAMARIUS MCGHEE (CB)

GREG BROOKS JR (NB)

JOE FOUCHA (SAFETY)

JAY WARD (SAFETY)

GREG PENN III (LB)

MIKE JONES JR (LB)

ALI GAYE (DE)

JAQUELIN ROY (DT)

MAASON SMITH (DT)

B.J OJULARI (DE)

SECOND TEAM DEFENSE

JORDAN TOLES (CB)

ARISTOTLE ABRAHAM (CB)

DERRICK DAVIS JR (SAFETY)

MATTHEW LANGLOIS (SAFETY)

SAGE RYAN (NB)

MICAH BASKERVILLE (LB)

KOLBE FIELDS (LB)

ZAVIER CARTER (DE)

MEKHI WINGO (DT)

JACOBIAN GUILLORY (DT)

SAIVION JONES (DE)

THIRD TEAM DEFENSE

JORDAN TOLES (CB)

ARISTOTLE ABRAHAM (CB)

MATTHEW LANGLOIS (SAFETY)

DERRICK DAVIS JR (SAFETY)

SAGE RYAN (NB)

WEST WEEKS (LB)

MICAH BASKERVILLE (LB)

QUENCY WIGGINS (DE)

BRYCE LANGSTON (DT)

JACOBIAN GUILLORY (DT)

DESMOND LITTLE (DE)

(The third team featured plenty of rotation, such as Langston and Wingo swapping or McGhee in for Abraham, while Toles received plenty of work at his new spot CB)

Showcasing his elite coverage by swatting away a volley of pass attempts, demonstrating his good tackling abilities on the outside, wrapping up 6'7 TE Kole Taylor one on one or halting RB John Emery Jr in the open field, LSU signed yet another transfer portal gem in former ULM cornerback Mekhi Garner.

The question I had going into Spring?

Can he hold his own against SEC talent at WR?

Well, after witnessing his first 4 SEC practices in the flesh, i received my answer loud and clear when Garner shut down Jaray Jenkins, Brian Thomas Jr, Jack Bech and Chris Hilton Jr during some 1 v 1 drills.

Yes, I have footage of Bech catching a beautiful pass over the top of Garner, and I'm sure he'll take some punches on the chin during LSU's SEC West schedule, however, based on his rate of play combined with DBU's lack of depth, Mekhi should be a starter or at least a "high rep count" supporting role corner this fall.

Garner possesses the length, aerial fighting abilities and body placement knowledge to win 1 v 1 battles against the best wide receivers in college football

PENNciled in as a starter for Matt House's 2022 LBU crew, sophomore linebacker Greg Penn III came blasting out of a cannon during the Spring Game.

Smashing John Emery Jr deep into the backfield after flying through the gaps, Penn excited Tiger fans with his sideline to sideline escapades and renegade tackling.

He plays the game fast, furious and with a reckless abandon we can all appreciate.....in fact, his teammates already lined up to speak highly of him.

Safety Jay Ward endorsed him, and receiver Jack Bech sang his praises during our recent interview with the standout.

Called the "most vocal" on LSU's defense, Jones Jr is ready to become a captain for defensive coordinator Matt House, already organizing his teammates pre-snap, delivering big plays, big hits and a bright future around the corner.

Coming off a first season with limited snaps, the former Clemson transfer has now adjusted to life at LSU fully, set for a year as one of Matt House's favored linebackers.

You could see Jones Jr's pace in both his movements or quick reactions reading the game, specifically regarding coverage. Often times, #19 was the first player to the ball when hunting down screens underneath or cutting off passing lanes over the middle.

It's starting to feel as if Jones Jr is ready to take that next step, and propelling himself to the defensive captaincy is a huge move in the right direction.....an honor he has rightfully earned in my mind.

Smith stalked the front throughout his reps, batting passes, grabbing a couple touch sacks, pressuring our quarterbacks into poor throws, and desecrating protection schemes left, right or center, all while maintaining an overall presence which said "All-American" loud and clear.

Hulking, towering, vicious, brutal, dominant....Maason Smith runs the gamut of suitable football hyperbole; Both extremely huge and violently fast, LSU's second-year phenom is a sure-fire 1st Round selection in 2024.

Ever since he first stepped on the field vs UCLA in week 1 last year, everyone could tell he belonged.

Heading into 2022, with Smith's outrageous Spring Game performance still floating around our misanthropic psyche, I can only imagine how crucial he'll be for LSU's defensive line this fall. Opening up against Florida State within the state of Louisiana (at the Superdome), Brian Kelly's Tigers will need to hit the ground running in order to compete for the SEC.......and having your best players at their optimum is paramount.

Though his first LSU spring game saw him relegated to a backup role, freshman Quency Wiggins still applied plenty of pressure, recovered a fumble, and looks to be a massive destroyer off the edge, belying his young age.

Sure, the odds are stacked against him becoming a major playmaking force for the Tigers' defense in 2022, however I believe the mere attention his size and speed will attract could see him wielding plenty of influence for interior guys Smith, Roy, Guillory, Wingo to profit from.

The best part?

Quency can be utilized in a variety of experimental packages, 3-4, 4-3, inside, outside....he should be a handful at most techniques across the line of scrimmage.

Jay should start day 1 at the backend for LSU, sporting the kind of length, tackling abilities, and versatile coverage skills Safeties Coach Kerry Cooks rates highly.

In his 4th Spring Game as a Tiger, Ward had some athletic plays in the secondary, moving over to successfully contest a number of passes over the top; he switched from free safety pre-snap to nickel corner post-snap, and made a few big hits in the backfield, headlined by a filthy smashing of running back John Emery Jr.

Looking more sure of himself than Safety Joe Foucha, who missed a couple tackles in space, for the third year in a row, Ward continues to be a reliable presence for DBU.

Wingo got his hands dirty in the Spring Game, shedding blocks and reading the screen game (making a big TFL on Josh Williams at one point), batting a pass at the line, and producing a couple pressures to go with his solid rush defense.

We're loving what we see from Mekhi, not only is he individually standing out, but the magic to his game is how he improves the collective unit, and when he's out there, Cain's D-Line are often better.

Still practicing as a 2nd team DT behind Smith and Roy, Wingo could very well make a push for a lead role in 2022.

OUR INTERVIEW WITH MEKHI

Showing himself to be no scrub, #40 Aristotle Abraham is a walk on corner for the Tigers who has made strides this spring.

Making a circus interception during practice drills, locking down deep shots to Kyren Lacy, Jaray Jenkins or Malik Nabers, Abraham responded well when repeatedly targeted by Denbrock's offense.

Grabbing 2 touch sacks, a pass break up, numerous pressures, and at least 4 tackles, Zavier Carter is keeping the heat on Ali Gaye and B.J Ojulari for LSU's #1 DE roles.

Carter sent a message to Jamar Cain about his potential, and while he could be a possible transfer (we'll find out soon) who understands he must play as many reps as possible right now, #17 looked great within the Tigers' DL rotation, improving the unit when he played.

Despite his slimmer, tweener size, Zavier's quick change of pace is a hell of a lot to deal with; plus, Carter is a mastermind in the moves department, able to nimble his way around blockers with quickness and precision.

He may still be raw.....

Some could argue he's the size of a linebacker....

But he supplies something that's unique within LSU's defensive line rotation.

To compare him against a position competitor: Veteran Desmond Little had a sack and a batted pass from the same spot, then again missed a one on one tackle against Josh Williams which allowed a touchdown.

In my opinion, Carter makes that stop.

By LONN PHILLIPS SULLIVAN

@LonnPhillips

Copyright 2022 Uninterrupted Writings Inc