The LSU defense is fired up to play UCLA, and Ali Gaye is a kind of spokesman for the defensive line to explain why.

“The young guys are picking it up faster than we would think,” Gaye said. “As far as the older guys, we haven’t been complete yet, but there’s always some things to work on.”

Gaye said the Tigers need to refine the little things because they’ve already absorbed the big things from the coaching staff.

“So I feel like the only things we need to worry about is our mental and how we approach practice,” Gaye said. “Just focusing on those little things, because the little things are always the big things. Everything else about being ready and attacking the practice, everything is there. It’s just little things we need to worry about.”

Gaye was asked if there was anything from last season that the Tigers will use as motivation.

“I mean I don’t think we will ever forget about 2020,” he said. “It’s always something that’s going to be there in the back of our heads as something that will remind us where we used to be. We’ll always remember 2020 as one of those years that things didn’t go right, or the way that we wanted it to go. We use it as motivation, but we don’t really put too much thought into it. We just know what opportunities we need to chase to be a better team and a better defense.”

That motivation, combined with the layoff from a normal routine of games and practices and fan atmospheres has led the Tigers to be especially excited to get the season started.

“We coming,” Gaye said. “And I know my teammates share the same thing with me. I’m excited. Every time I think of that day, it’s here. I feel like it’s been a long time coming, first game, don’t matter who we play, UCLA or whoever. All we’re worried about is playing that first game and laying it all out.”