Running quarterbacks caused problems for LSU’s defense last year.
There was LaNorris Sellers 75-yard touchdown run against LSU in the SEC opener. Marcel Reed came off the bench to rush for 64 yards and three touchdowns in Texas A&M’s win over LSU. Alabama’s Jalen Milroe did wind sprints in Tiger Stadium on his way to a 185-yard, four touchdown performance. Vanderbilt’s Diego Pavia also had some success running the ball against LSU’s defense.
Has LSU addressed this problem? We will find out on Saturday night when the 9th ranked Tigers visit 4th ranked Clemson.
Clemson QB Cade Klubnik threw for 3,639 yards and 36 touchdowns last season, but he can also run the football too. The senior from Austin, Texas, rushed for 463 yards and seven touchdowns last season.
He had a 55-yard run against North Carolina State last year. Also ripped off a 50-yard run against Pitt.
LSU Coach Brian Kelly talked about defending Klubnick.
“He’s central to their run game, we didn’t do a very good job against a running quarterback (last year), it’s important that we contain him,” Kelly said. “He’s going to do some things outside of the realm that’s what he’s really good at, we got to keep him in the pocket and make him operate from within the pocket.”
LSU invested heavily in the transfer portal to improve its defense. Jimari Butler had 7.5 sacks over his last two seasons at Nebraska, Patrick Payton had 11 sacks over his last two years at Florida State and Jack Pyburn had 60 tackles, four tackles for a loss at Florida last season.
But Kelly said on Monday don’t forget about sophomore Gabe Reliford who had 10 tackles as a freshman.
“He’s physical, he brings a physical presence at that position, now you add Patrick, you add Pyburn, Jimari Butler, it’s a deep, deep group of defensive ends, Gabe has stood out because he’s accepted the challenge more so than anything else.”
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The defensive secondary is also loaded with transfer portal additions. There’s Mansoor Delane from Virginia Tech, A-J Haulcy from Houston, Tamarcus Cooley from North Carolina State and Ja’Keem Jackson from Florida.
Kelly says the group plays with swagger and confidence.
“I just think there’s a lot of confidence back there, they believe in themselves, there’s a trust factor that they are going to make a play, it starts with confidence, confidence comes from playing the game, a lot of those guys who are back there now have played a lot of football,” Kelly said.
Delane started 29 games at Virginia Tech. Haulcy has 33 starts between New Mexico and Houston. Cooley started nine games as a nickel back at North Carolina State.
Ashton Stamps is expected to start at cornerback opposite of Delane. The junior from Rummel High School has started 17 games during his career at LSU.