Brian Kelly Discusses New Defensive Pieces, Maason Smith's Return Timeline

Brian Kelly’s defense will look entirely different in 2023. After losing key veterans to both the 2023 NFL Draft and NCAA Transfer Portal, it’s a new era for this group, but LSU has some newcomers ready to make a splash.

Along with a few fresh faces, the Tigers return defensive lineman Maason Smith, who missed the 2022 season with a torn ACL.

The time is now for this group to gain continuity and Kelly is ready to see the talent mesh during spring camp. On Tuesday, he detailed the return timeline for Smith, what he’s seen from early-enrollee Dashawn Womack and the process of bringing Denver Harris to Baton Rouge.

Maason Smith’s Return Timeline

Smith, who was due for a breakout season in 2022 where many believed he could make an All-American push, went down after celebrating a defensive stop early against Florida State in LSU’s season opener where he ultimately tore his ACL.

Coming into 2023, it’s personal for Smith. He’s ready for a new year where he can showcase his elite athleticism and his head coach is certainly prepared for what the defensive line can do this season with Smith inside.

“You put Maason on the inside, if you do that this year, I don’t know how many sacks you’ll have. You can’t single block him,” Kelly said.

Smith will return for summer workouts during the first week of June after going through spring camp as a non-contact participant over the next few weeks.

Dashawn Womack Bulking Up

LSU added 5-star EDGE Dashawn Womack during the offseason as a member of their 2023 recruiting class. Womack elected to enroll early and join the program in January where he gets the chance to go through his first spring in Baton Rouge.

On Tuesday, Coach Kelly detailed how this LSU coaching staff hasn't decided on how they are going to play him yet. With the ability to play both defensive end and as the JACK role, the Tigers have a versatile lineman who can make an immediate impact in year one.

Womack has put on some serious size since making his way to Death Valley. Listed at 6-foot-5, 266 pounds, the nutrition and strength program has beefed up the elite prospect who has the chance to show out during his freshman campaign.

Denver Harris Provides Uniqueness to Secondary, Upside

Harris has had a different start to his college career than originally planned. Missing more games than played in his lone season with Texas A&M, he has a fresh start with LSU.

Kelly did his research on Harris before bringing him to Baton Rouge, knowing the upside of such a gifted defensive back.

“Obviously we did a lot of research,” Kelly said on Tuesday. “This was not a decision where we just said ‘Hey, here’s a great player’. He had to fit. We felt like we did our due diligence in terms of his background. There’s an affiliation with LSU here with his family. He had a lot of people speak on his behalf. He had a number of interviews with (LSU defensive coordinator Matt House) and myself.”

In what Coach Kelly described as his last SEC opportunity, it’s now or never for Harris to put the off-field issues behind him and prosper under Kelly’s guidance.

“We felt that with the culture we have put together, he would make it here,” Kelly said. “The culture is really strong. It’s proven to be that he’s done well early on, and he has no choice. He has to make it. Here’s a guy that’s been given a second chance. And we feel like because of the circumstances, the culture is strong, and he knows this is really his last chance at an SEC opportunity, that it was worth the risk.”