LSU defense prioritizing an "unselfish mentality" in revamped effort

LSU’s defense hasn’t just looked different this season; it’s felt different as well. That feeling has come from watching the energy that this group played with in fall camp, translate to games. It’s not an easy thing to do. In practice, you know the tendencies of your offense and have the opportunity to capitalize with great success. 

The competition that took place over the course of the offseason created a closeness that we don’t often see in the portal era. There are no hurt feelings, but rather a desire to push each other and be ready if your number is called.

“We’re all just unselfish. Especially in the offseason, we knew it was gonna be a lot of competition, but we all knew what our ultimate goal was, and that’s winning the championship. You can only have 11 guys on the field, so you just gotta be ready for when your number’s called. Everyone was preparing,” Davhon Keys told reporters this week. “Everyone was getting ready for when their number’s called. When AJ went down, we didn’t miss a beat with Jardin. Or when Whit went down and I had to go in, and Tylen also had to come in, Zach had to come in. We didn’t miss a beat because we were all preparing like we were gonna start.”

It makes it even more fun and easier to be bought in when your unit is amongst the tops in the country. LSU’s defense has settled in nicely under Blake Baker’s tutelage in year two. There’s a sense of confidence in the plan and a comfort level in how to execute it. Keys spoke about the confidence in the plan and just how detailed Baker is in drawing up his defense.

“They confuse the quarterback. There are a lot of moving parts. There’s a lot of showing one thing and then going to another. Sometimes you’ll see a safety from 15 yards deep. He’s coming up and he’s blitzing. It makes the quarterback have to double-tap the ball, doesn’t know where he’s throwing, and makes the blitz a lot easier,” Keys said. “He understands how we learn, so he’ll say somebody learns better on the field. He’ll go out there with them, he’ll show them how it’s supposed to look, or draw it up on a board, how it’s supposed to look. It really helps you visualize where you fit into the whole scheme and understand conceptually where you are.”

However Baker has done it, it works. LSU’s defense suffocates its opposition, like an anaconda closing in on its prey. Once they get you, there’s no getting away. For all the questions about how this offense needs to improve, it’s the defense that is carrying early. That plays both home and road, and it’s a big reason LSU should be considered amongst the nation’s best.