Fixing defense, Harold Perkins looms over LSU heading into 2024

LSU won 10 games for the second straight year under coach Brian Kelly, but plenty of Tigers fans were left wondering ‘what if’ following the season.

What if the defense had been just marginally competent?

LSU finished the season ranked 105th in total defense and tied for 78th nationally in scoring defense. It was bad enough that Kelly cleaned house on the defensive staff, bringing in Missouri defensive coordinator Blake Baker and making him the highest-paid defensive coordinator in college.

The reality is the Tigers simply have to get better defensively. Even getting to average might give the team a chance to break through.

“It hasn’t been average the last two years. It’s been terrible,” On3’s Jesse Simonton said on the Andy Staples On3 show. “It is pretty funny, though, to kind of put a hammer on the nail that you just kind of spiked there, Brian Kelly determined that Blake Baker wasn’t good enough to be on his staff just 18, 24 months ago and now he brings him back as the highest-paid DC in the country. Sometimes it pays to be in the right place at the right time. Baker did that with the returns he got at Missouri.”

Baker was on LSU’s staff under Ed Orgeron as linebackers coach, but he wasn’t retained when Kelly took over in Baton Rouge, La.

Now he’s back leading the whole unit. And there are considerable reasons to be optimistic if you’re an LSU fan. There’s still a ton of talent on defense.

And if one player who hit a bit of a sophomore lull comes to life, watch out.

“I think the key is are they going to unleash Harold Perkins and can they get better production out of these blue-chippers that they have on the defensive line?” Simonton said. “Because those guys just have not delivered the results.”

Perkins was a force to be reckoned with as a freshman in 2022 and while he was very good in 2023, he didn’t quite change games in the same way. Getting him playing at his peak has to be one of the top priorities for Baker.

Getting the secondary up to snuff might be the top priority, though.

“The big sore spot has been the secondary,” Simonton said. “This is formerly DBU and it’s been Transfer Portal U, but it’s really been Bust U. These guys have just come in and they’ve sprung a leak, so they have to get those two parts right. Blake Baker did more with less with the Tigers the last two years, so if he has a little bit more blue-chip options to work with… I know they’re trying to hit the portal.”

The defense likely determines just how far LSU can go in 2024.

“I have full confidence that LSU’s going to be fine offensively,” Simonton said. “Replacing (Mike) Denbrock‘s going to be a challenge, but they’re kind of a pivot team. They could go up or down.”