The edge rush room will be the most improved group for the LSU Football team

The LSU Football team is already preparing for the USC Trojans this week using the time similar to how they'd use a bye week. The Tigers don't have to speculate on which quarterback the Trojans will start either as Lincoln Riley officially named Miller Moss the starting quarterback. The Tigers will be prepping to stop what many expect will be another high flying Lincoln Riley offense.

It's well documented that the LSU Football team was outright awful defensively in 2023. There's an entire new defensive staff on campus to show for it as Brian Kelly fired Matt House and brought in Blake Baker to lead the defense. As the team has plenty of talent on defense that needs to be developed, Brian Kelly brought in a staff with proven track records with coaches like Bo Davis, Kevin Peoples, Corey Raymond, and Jake Olsen.

The unit that catches the most slack for the defensive failures in 2024 is the secondary as LSU was plagued by the big play in nearly every game. The unit that deserves more blame then they've received however is the defensive front specifically the defensive ends.

As a team in 2023, the LSU Football team recorded 31 sacks in 13 games which at over two sacks a game doesn't sound all that bad. In LSU's losses to Florida State and Ole Miss the Tigers failed to record a sack while recording two in the loss against Alabama.

The Tigers are tasked with replacing 12 of their sacks a majority of which came from the defensive tackles. Returning at edge rusher is just eight sacks from 2023, a number which will have to take a massive jump if LSU is going to improve as a defense.

The lack of an edge presence stands out as LSU prepares to face a high-powered passing attack without game experience prior to the matchup.

The easiest way LSU will improve on its sack production is by how Blake Baker will use Harold Perkins. The plan is to use Perkins as the weak outside linebacker meaning we'll get to see him with his hand in the dirt more often than we did in 2023. Perkins is one of the Nation's most talented pass rushers as we saw in his freshman season and it'll provide the defense a massive boost.

The Tigers then have a stable of talented pass rushers in Sai'Vion Jones, Bradyn Swinson, Paris Shand, Da'Shawn Womack, Gabe Reliford, and Dylan Carpenter.

Thus far in camp, Jones has looked dominant and could easily be one of LSU's most improved players and a double-digit sack candidate. The same could be said for Bradyn Swinson as he's had just as stellar of a camp. Overall, the group has shown a ton in camp which has been acknowledged by Brian Kelly.

"Kevin Peoples is outstanding at what he does. He is a great technician and a great leader. To be a great defense in this league, you got to get the quarterback. Kevin's the best in the business and it's starting to show itself."

- Brian Kelly

If this edge rush group can improve like everyone is hoping it will everything unlocks for this defense. The secondary had its issues but, if the pass rush did them no favors with the lack of pressures it had at times in 2023. If the pass rush improves, we'll all feel much better with how the secondary performs in 2024.

In many ways USC is the perfect test for this team in week one

Most teams chose to open the season with a weaker opponent to open the season, the Tigers won't have that when they face the USC Trojans. A vast majority of the questions surrounding this team are with the defense and who better to test those questions against than Lincoln Riley? USC has plenty of their own questions making this an incredibly intriguing matchup to open the season.

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