Correction: This story has been updated for accuracy. Bo Davis is the defensive line coach, not Brad Davis. 225 regrets the error.
LSU football has historically been defined by elite defenses.
The Tigers won their first national championship behind their ferocious defensive unit that former coach Paul Dietzel named the “Chinese Bandits.”
The school’s second national title in 2003 was powered by the No. 1 defense in the country, and two decades later LSU is still known as “DBU” for its propensity to churn out elite defensive back talent season after season.
But last year was different. The Tigers fielded a historically bad defense, ranking 105th out of 130 teams in total defense, 115th in passing defense, 85th in rushing defense and 78th in scoring defense.
Those struggles led to a complete overhaul of the defensive coaching staff, headlined by new defensive coordinator Blake Baker, who made the move to Baton Rouge from Missouri.
Head coach Brian Kelly also hired a slew of new position coaches as well, including defensive line coach Bo Davis from Texas, edge rushers coach Kevin Peoples from Missouri, secondary coach Corey Raymond from Florida and safeties coach Jake Olsen from Missouri.
It’s a tall task to completely revamp the defensive scheme in just one season. But some players on that side of the ball say they’re already seeing an improvement.
“We’re gonna play a lot faster, because we know what we’re doing,” linebacker Whit Weeks tells 225. “If you don’t know what you’re doing, you’re gonna play more timid. (Baker) is a great teacher. So you learn how to play his defense and what he likes. So then you can play as fast as you possibly can. And you’re not second guessing yourself asking, ‘Is this my gap? Or is this my gap?’ (You know) you’re in this gap. Go play ball.”
Here’s what else the Tigers had to say about their new coaching staff.
Quotes have been edited for clarify and brevity.
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This article was originally published in 225 Magazine’s 2024 Tiger Pride edition.