Much of the offseason talk in Baton Rouge has centered on LSU’s offense but during a recent speaking engagement with the local Rotary Club, the majority of Ed Orgeron’s discussion centered on his team’s defense heading into training camp.
We all know the LSU program prides itself on being a defense-first program and if the Tigers are going to ever win the conference championship under Coach O, that legacy will have to remain intact considering the program annually faces the likes of offensive-minded head coaches Gus Malzahn, Jimbo Fisher and Dan Mullen.
Despite losing a first-round middle linebacker and a second-round cornerback to the NFL, LSU looks to field potentially a deeper and better overall defense this fall with the vast majority of the unit returning for the 2019 season. With the combination of some fresh faces and the return of one key player from injury, it’s not out of the question for this to be Dave Aranda’s best defense during his time in Baton Rouge.
One player that flashed during the spring was freshman defensive lineman Siaki Ika. On Wednesday, Orgeron noted that Ika “is a slim 356 pounds,” heading into camp, according to Glenn Guilbeau of the USA TODAY Network-Louisiana network. “When we got him he was 390,” Coach O added.
Not many players can be described as a “slim 356 pounds” but Ika flashed enough explosiveness in the spring game to warranty that type of talk.
Orgeron also noted for the first time that freshman defensive back Derek Stingley is penciled in as a starter for the Tigers. The freshman from Baton Rouge will start at cornerback this fall.
As for the key defender returning from injury, Orgeron says K’Lavon Chaisson looks to be back from his knee injury suffered in the 2018 opener against Miami.
“I believe K’Lavon Chaisson is a potential first-round pick. I believe he’s a 12-to-15 sack kind of guy,” Orgeron said according to James Moran of Tiger Rag.
Those three players, combined with all the defenders LSU has returning, should make for one dynamic and aggressive defense few offenses are going to be capable of matching in the coming season. They will be put to the test early in the season as the Tigers face an option-based offense out of the gate against Georgia Southern before hitting the road for Austin to take on Texas during Week 2.
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
