After LSU gave up a school record 706 yards in a 55-49 defeat to Ole Miss, the Tigers defense was described as the worst ever. It was hard to argue against that opinion after Florida State torched LSU for 45 points in the season opener, Arkansas’ KJ Jefferson had one of his best games in a Razorback uniform. Even Grambling had some early success against LSU in week two.
It looked like Missouri would run LSU out of the stadium on October 7th, and then came Harold Perkins’ interception in the second quarter. The Tigers defense settled in, and LSU rallied to beat Missouri in a wild game.
LSU hasn’t played a great offense since that Mizzou game, but they will get tested this Saturday against 8th ranked Alabama.
“I think they are starting to find their identity of what they want to be, I feel like their running back is a great player, obviously their quarterback is a great athlete, he likes to take vertical shots down the field,” said linebacker Greg Penn III.
LSU will need to avoid the home run balls. In seven starts this season, Alabama quarterback Jalen Milroe leads the SEC and ranks third nationally with 16.33 yards per completion.
He’s tossed 13 touchdown passes and all, but one has been longer than 15 yards. Six of his TD passes have been from 40-plus yards including a 75-yarder against Arkansas on October 14th. Milroe is averaging 38 yards on his touchdown strikes.
“They obviously cause a big problem for us, I think we need to go out there and play to our game plan and I think we’ll come out with a great outcome,” said Penn.
Penn and the Tigers know they don’t have to play a perfect game defensively, because LSU has the most explosive offense in college football.
The Tigers have 67 plays of 20 or more yards which leads the nation. USC is second with 54.
QB Jayden Daniels leads the nation in total offense averaging 387 yards a game, passing touchdowns 25, and yards per attempt. Receiver Malik Nabers also leads the nation in most 20-yard plays with 23.
A couple of other historical facts. LSU has scored 48 or more points in four straight contests, a school record and they’ve amassed more than 500 yards in seven straight games, another school record.
“If the defense just goes out there and does our job, get the ball back to the offense, we’ll come out with a great outcome,” said Penn.
But LSU enters this game without two of its leaders on defense and its top cornerback. Defensive tackle Mekhi Wingo and safety Greg Brooks were named captains before the season. But Wingo is now recovering from surgery and Brooks is battling brain cancer.
Corner Zy Alexander’s injury in the Army game adds to a depleted secondary.
But the defense will not use injuries as an excuse.
“We’re going to fight like Tigers, so I mean we are going to fight like Tigers we got eleven,” said Penn.
A solid performance by the LSU defense on Saturday and this unit will be remembered for how it battled back from adversity and a rock bottom performance in Oxford to putting LSU in the hunt for an SEC Championship.