There are no shortage of athletes on LSU’s defense, but the Tigers hadn’t been able to stop anybody of late. They allowed more than 20 points in each of their first three SEC games which included a 44-41 loss to Georgia just three weeks ago.
Still, Les Miles remained confident in his defense, and they responded this past weekend against Florida. They held the Gators to just 240 total yards and six points.
“I think our defense is improving,” Miles said. “I think they’re working at it every day. I think they’re realizing that they need to take care of their responsibilities, and they got 10 other guys beside them that can really play. That’s how defense has always been played best.
“I think last week allowed them that opportunity to go to the field, do the things we’ve asked them to do and have success.”
The LSU defense will face a much more difficult challenge this weekend when they visit Ole Miss for an SEC West showdown.
Last year, LSU barely escaped against Ole Miss, winning 41-35 in the final seconds, but the Rebels still racked up 463 yards of offense. Quarterback Bo Wallace threw for 310 yards and two touchdowns while also rushing for 54 yards and two scores. It will be up to this Tiger defense to contain Wallace and prove that last week wasn’t a fluke.
What LSU needs to do to win: If the first half of the season is any indication, LSU should have no trouble putting points on the board. They were slowed down last weekend against a stingy Florida defense, but Zach Mettenberger is still playing at a high level. When he has weapons around him like Jeremy Hill, Jarvis Landry and Odell Beckham, it’s a safe bet that they bounce back on Saturday. However, LSU’s ‘improved’ defense still has to stop Ole Miss. If it turns into another shootout like last year, it could come down to who has the ball last.
Players to watch
FB J.C. Copeland: It’s no secret why Hill is averaging 9.2 yards per carry on runs inside the tackles, the highest by any SEC running back this season. He’s running behind Copeland, the league’s top fullback. Against Florida, Copeland finished with a season-high five carries for 20 yards and scored his third touchdown of the year.
DE Jordan Allen: Both Alabama and Auburn showed that if you get pressure on Wallace, he can get rattled. The only problem is LSU hasn’t been able to generate much of a pass rush this season. They lost top defensive ends Sam Montgomery and Barkevious Mingo, and Allen hasn’t stepped up like they thought. This would be an ideal time for a breakout game.
Quotable
“We go into Tiger Stadium and have never been disappointed, period. It’s as live a venue as there is, and we’re happy about it. But it did appear that some of our faithful stayed out of the heat and kind of stayed in the air-conditioning at the beginning of the game.” -- Les Miles on the attendance at the Florida game