How will LSU’s defense plan to stop Oklahoma’s offense? Breiden Fehoko shares insight into Peach Bowl game plan
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If Oklahoma has any shot of pulling the upset in the upcoming Peach Bowl against LSU, most assume the only way that happens is if Lincoln Riley’s Sooner offense, led by Jalen Hurts, chews up the clock, keeps the ball on the ground and scores a lot of touchdowns in order to keep up with Joe Burrow and the Tigers offense.
That is the prevailing thought in media circles, but it’s not just the outside observers that seem to think that’s the case as the game plan for stopping Oklahoma’s offense in the upcoming College Football Playoff is pretty similar, according to LSU defensive lineman Breiden Fehoko.
During his Thursday appearance on SEC Now to discuss the upcoming College Football Playoff, Fehoko was asked about the turnaround we’ve seen from LSU’s defense in recent weeks. Keep in mind, it wasn’t that long ago that LSU gave up 37 points and over 400 rushing yards to an Ole Miss team that finished the season with a 4-8 record.
Since that time, however, LSU has given up a combined 37 points on defense, including just 17 combined points to Texas A&M and 2019 SEC East champion Georgia leading up to the Peach Bowl.
How did LSU manage to correct the team’s defense in such a hurry?
“I think, you know, just taking a lot of pride in the three letters on your chest, you play for LSU,” Fehoko said on Thursday. “We seen the guys do it 2011 championship, in 2007 (championship), especially for the D-line. We take pride in seeing guys like (Marcus Spears), Glenn Dorsey, Booger (McFarland), Kyle Williams. So, we felt that we need to play up to a higher standard, we felt that we weren’t giving it all. And I know it’s kind of cliche, because you kind of hear that from a lot of people, but we had to step up our game — and I feel like there’s still a long ways to go.”
Now that they appear to have their issues fixed on the defensive side of the ball, the Tigers now face a task that ranks right up there with slowing down Alabama’s offense as Riley’s Oklahoma program has developed three consecutive Heisman Trophy finalists and a program that now annually wins the Big 12 on the strength of its offense.
How will LSU attack that offense, led by Jalen Hurts?
“I think being able to contain the quarterback Jalen hurts is a really good quarterback. He’s talented,” Fehoko continued.”
“I think the goal is they try to keep them one dimensional. He can hurt you with his feet, if you give them time. If you give them a running lane, he’ll take that. Try to keep him in the pocket, you know, we have a great you know DB core behind us — Grant Delpit, Derek Stingley, Christian Fulton, I think they’re the best in the nation, in my personal opinion, so we can keep them in the pocket and force them to make throws. We want him to beat us with his arm and I think that’s the goal.”
There you have it. It sounds easy enough but it’s going to take a total team effort for LSU to advance to the College Football Playoff National Championship and while LSU has as much star power as any team in the nation on offense, the Peach Bowl is likely going to be won or lost based on the performance of LSU’s defense against a historically successful offense.
A graduate of the University of Tennessee, Michael Wayne Bratton oversees the news coverage for Saturday Down South. Michael previously worked for FOX Sports and NFL.com
