LSU’s trip to Auburn will turn into a crash test for physical defense, and Lane Kiffin knows exactly where the strain will show up.
The problem starts with Auburn quarterback Byrum Brown. He is not just a passer LSU has to track through the air; he is the kind of runner who can punish a defense even when it makes the right read. Kiffin put it plainly Monday: “Really hard player to tackle,” and he pointed to Brown’s habit of running through arm tackles.
Brown showed that ability in Auburn’s 27-24 upset of Georgia. He carried 26 times for 115 yards and a touchdown, threw for 150 yards and another score, and did it all without turning the ball over. Auburn’s willingness to keep leaning on him on the ground makes his rushing threat a major part of LSU’s game plan.
That creates a different assignment for every level of the defense.
Up front, LSU’s defensive tackles have to prevent Auburn from climbing cleanly to the second level. If they get driven backward inside, Brown can build momentum before linebackers ever get a clean shot at him.
On the edges, the job is just as tricky. The defenders have to stay disciplined because Brown can punish overpursuit.
Collapse too hard and he can bounce outside. Get too far upfield and he can slip underneath.
One strong hit means little if it opens the next gap.
That’s where LSU’s linebackers come in, and TJ Dottery and Davhon Keys arrive with some momentum after leading the defense against Mississippi State. Dottery finished with 12 tackles and Keys had 10 in LSU’s 31-0 shutout, a performance that gives the Tigers something to build on.
Still, against Brown, the location of those tackles will matter almost as much as the number. Stopping him near the line of scrimmage can force Auburn into a tougher second down. Letting him get several yards past that point keeps the offense on schedule even if the play never breaks free.
Keys and Dottery also have to stay locked into their responsibilities, because Auburn’s ground game is not built around one player alone. Jeremiah Cobb is still part of the mix, and Brown came into the week with 107 carries to Cobb’s 58. LSU has to account for both.
If Auburn gets past the front, the secondary has to finish the job.
Ty Benefield has taken on a bigger role after Dashawn Spears’ season-ending injury, and the Boise State transfer entered the week leading LSU’s defensive backs with 30 tackles. He will be a key piece in run support.
DJ Pickett gave LSU another positive sign against Mississippi State. The cornerback had six tackles, including five solo stops, showing the kind of willingness that matters when an offense asks defensive backs to help bring down its quarterback.
In the end, LSU’s physicality will be measured by what Auburn gets after contact. The first defender has to slow Brown down, and the next wave has to arrive before a manageable run turns into a first down.
That matters even more because LSU is still chasing its first SEC road victory under Kiffin. If Auburn keeps extending drives with broken tackles, that task gets much tougher.
LSU’s front can help by keeping the action near the line. The linebackers can help by taking on blocks and staying in their gaps. The defensive backs can help by closing space and finishing tackles.
Against Brown, LSU needs all of it together on the same play.
In Other News...
LSUs New Backcourt Just Changed The Feel Around This Team
The first time LSU rolled out its full roster in the exhibition against Florida State, the Tigers came away with an 89-87 loss, but the bigger takeaway was the new look in the backcourt. Donovan Dent and Skyy Clark were the standouts, giving LSU the kind of perimeter play that can change the tone of a team quickly. Dent finished with 24 points and nine assists, while Clark added 21 points and eight rebounds, and together they helped make the Tigers look far more dangerous than a box score loss might suggest.
For a team that has been searching for a clearer identity, that mattered. LSU still has plenty to clean up before the regular season opens Nov. 3 against LSU New Orleans Privateers, but the exhibition offered a first real glimpse of how this group can function when its key pieces are on the floor together. Even in defeat, the Tigers left with something useful, which is the kind of early sign a coaching staff can build on. [Read more 🡒]
LSU Just Changed The Playoff Conversation With This Road Breakthrough
LSUs trip to Auburn came with a little more weight than a typical October road game, and the Tigers handled it with the kind of authority that can shift the national conversation. A 38-17 win gave LSU its first SEC road victory in more than two years, a notable breakthrough for a team that needed proof it could travel, control the game and still look like a playoff contender away from Baton Rouge.
Sam Leavitt and Jackson Harris helped fuel the offense, while the defense kept Auburn quarterback Byrum Brown from finding much rhythm. At 6-2, LSU has put itself back into the thick of the College Football Playoff race, and the bigger question now is whether this performance was a one-night surge or the start of a legitimate late-season push. [Read more 🡒]
LSU May Have Finally Found The Receiver This Offense Needed
Jackson Harris has gone from intriguing transfer to one of the most productive pieces in LSUs passing game over the past month, and his latest outing gave the Tigers another look at what the offense can become when he is featured. The redshirt junior from Hawaii turned in a career night in the win over Auburn, finishing with nine catches for 178 yards and two touchdowns, the kind of performance that changes how defenses have to treat LSU on the perimeter.
Over the last five weeks, Harris has been one of the most consistent players in the offense, piling up 31 catches for 517 yards and seven touchdowns while steadily building chemistry in a receiver room that has clearly taken a step forward. Lane Kiffin has already pointed to Harriss work ethic and the growth of the group, and the bigger question now is whether this surge is the start of something lasting for an LSU passing attack that has been searching for exactly this kind of reliable playmaker. [Read more 🡒]