Brian Kelly says LSU has what it needs to play ‘championship-level defense’ in 2025
Published:
Brian Kelly knows a lot of things must be different if LSU is going to contend for a national title in 2025.
For starters, the Tigers head coach knows it would sure help if LSU finally won its opener after losing its first game in each of his first 3 seasons in Baton Rouge. But, of course, winning that season-opening showdown game at Clemson would only be the beginning of a long journey toward LSU’s first national championship since the magical 2019 season.
So, what would it take for LSU to complete that long journey through the SEC jungle and the College Football Playoff? Having a rock-solid defense to depend on would sure make things a little easier, and here’s the thing: Brian Kelly believes LSU has that elite defense to get it done. He said so to reporters at SEC Media Days on Monday in Atlanta.
“Well, I think we have an outstanding defensive coordinator and defensive staff. Blake Baker is in my opinion elite in the field of defensive coordinators,” Kelly said. “We needed to give him some more tools.
Look, I’ve been the head football coach at LSU and I know that we have not played the kind of defense necessary to win a national championship. I think we put a roster together in this offseason, along with young players that have taken lumps along the way as they’ve developed, and given Blake now the tools to play championship-level defense.”
“Clearly, the 2023 offensive football team we had was good enough to win a national championship. We weren’t good enough as a team. A lot of that had to do with addressing some shortcomings we had on defense. We think we’ve done that.”
Now, this LSU defense must prove Kelly right when the games are played this fall.
“I love our roster, our team, the camaraderie of the group, the seriousness and the focus, intent,” Kelly said. “So, I think we’re going to have a defense that’s going to be representative. Look, any time you go on the road and play a team like Clemson you better bring a defense with you.”
Cory Nightingale, a former sportswriter and sports editor at the Miami Herald and Palm Beach Post, is a South Florida-based freelance writer who covers Alabama for SaturdayDownSouth.com.
