The Louisiana State University Tigers and the University of Southern California Trojans will meet on Sunday evening in Las Vegas. They are out to show they can play without their Heisman Trophy winners. LSU lost Jayden Daniels, while the Trojans lost Caleb Williams, the 2022 winner.
They also need to show they upgraded their defenses from a season ago. Last season was a year of defensive mediocrity for both teams. The defensive coaching changes were swift and immediate.
LSU had the worst defense a season ago of any LSU team in recent memory. One can make the argument that the defense kept one of the best offenses in college football from playing for a conference title and earning a playoff berth.
On the other sideline, USC had a very porous defensive front seven. Their defensive backfield was also in a state of disarray,
Both teams ranked in the lower third of most defensive categories in the FBS.
"Every year is a new team and certainly we lost some great playmakers last year," LSU coach Brian Kelly said at his weekly press conference on Monday. "Every team across the country lost great playmakers. USC and LSU both lost Heisman Trophy winners at quarterback. It's time to talk about the players we do have coming back and we are very excited about our leadership."
Kelly could not stop talking about USC coach Lincoln Riley and what his Bayou Bengals defense has to do to win the game.
"Lincoln Riley has an outstanding pedigree in terms of winning at Oklahoma and USC," Kelly said. "If they are balanced offensively, they are very difficult to defend. We have to limit the big plays and make them one dimensional."
Riley hired former UCLA defensive coordinator D’Anton Lynn to run the Trojans defense. Lynn coached a top-15 defense for the Bruins last season.
Kelly gutted his defensive staff as well and hired former Missouri defensive coordinator Blake Baker to coordinate the LSU defense. Missouri finished last season ranked in the top 20 in sacks, tackles for loss, and turnover margin.
The Tigers defense returns six starters, led by linebacker Harold Perkins Jr. Perkins has led LSU the last two seasons in sacks and tackles for loss. In addition, Perkins was named to preseason watch lists for the Butkus, Bednarik, and Walter Camp Player of the Year awards. Many projected starters on defense for the Tigers have been in the system for a while now.
USC returns veteran LB Mason Cobb, defensive end Anthony Lucas and nose guard Bear
Alexander, and will start three transfers on defense as well.
