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Ed Orgeron explains how LSU’s defense will be different under Bo Pelini
By SDS Staff
Published:
LSU hired one of the country’s best defensive minds in Bo Pelini following the loss of another great defensive mind in Dave Aranda. Aranda is now Baylor’s head coach, and Pelini is now back in Baton Rouge, as he was the Tigers defensive coordinator 2005-07.
During Ed Orgeron’s post-Signing Day press conference, he opened up about bringing Pelini back to LSU.
“Bo left here with a great mark,” Orgeron said about his new defensive coordinator. “The players loved him. Obviously, two of the top defenses he had in the SEC, two out of the top three years. He’s a 4-3 guy. That’s my background. I thought it was time for us to maybe shift a little bit to the 4-3, move to an attack style defense.
“He’s already made an impact. His first meeting yesterday with the players were phenomenal. He brought a lot of energy. He set the tempo. He does a great job taking control of the defensive meetings. He has an open mind on the personnel. He’s going to listen, ‘Hey, what can this guy do, what can that guy do.’ I think he’s going to put in the best position to attack. I can expect us to get more sacks, more tackles for loss because of his defense.”
Pelini will run a 4-3 scheme, which differs from Aranda’s 3-4.
“Now, Dave (Aranda) also ran some 4-3, some nickel packages with 11 personnel, but we felt last year we were more suited to stop the run in the 3-4 so that was kind of a staff decision. Now, we have the personnel to go 4-3 and I think it’s time for the shift with all the spread offenses we’re going to see and I think it’s going to be good.”
Orgeron then admitted that Pelini’s defense is more of an attacking style when compared to Aranda’s.
“I think it’s more get up the field, attack style, let the defensive line make plays in the backfield, expecting them to make plays in the backfield, blitzes and stuff like that.”
Saturday Down South reports and comments on the news around the Southeastern Conference as well as larger college football topics.
