LSU Football Ranked No. 20 in ESPN Top 25 Rankings Post Spring
With plenty of change coming at the LSU football ops facility, the Tigers are hoping for a complete reversal of 2020's 5-5 season. Ed Orgeron and company know that a second straight lost season after the 2019 championship can't be the result without other potential changes.
A new coaching staff, development of its returning players and an exciting haul of new players has gathered some momentum heading into the summer. ESPN released its updated top 25 rankings post spring ball and the Tigers came in ranked No. 20.
After flaming out in the defense of their national championship in 2020, the Tigers are undergoing a massive rebuild. Coach Ed Orgeron has two new coordinators -- former Carolina Panthers assistant Jake Peetz is leading the offense and former Minnesota Vikings secondary coach Daronte Jones is guiding the defense. There are three other new assistants as well, including passing game coordinator DJ Mangas, who like Peetz worked with former LSU coordinator Joe Brady.
LSU was one of six SEC teams to appear in the top 25 rankings including Alabama, Georgia, Texas A&M, Florida and Ole Miss. It does appear that these rankings hinge on significant upgrades with the offensive and defensive schemes implemented by Peetz and Jones.
The purple and gold were inefficient in the redzone and on third down in 2020 while the defense's biggest problem was the communication issues on the back end of the secondary. While it was difficult to take away anything major from the spring game, LSU's secondary and linebackers did show improved communication in limiting explosive plays.
Of course the key additions in Maason Smith, Sage Ryan, Brian Thomas, Chris Hilton, Deion Smith, Corey Kiner and Armoni Goodwin all could make an impact as freshmen with the team, most of whom will not get to campus until the summer.
Returning the entire offensive and defensive line provides the veteran presence needed for a team with contending aspirations, which should be the goal for the program after all the changes in the coaching staff. It'll also be interesting to follow what the Tigers do now that quarterback TJ Finley has entered the transfer portal.
That decision frees up another scholarship for the purple and gold if they choose to add depth to a certain position group like tight end, offensive line or safety.
The Tigers brought back their entire starting offensive line, although Anthony Bradford was pushing right guard Chasen Hines during the spring. It needs to perform better than it did a year ago. Marshall Jr. turned pro, along with Ja'Marr Chase, who opted out of the entire 2020 season. Tight end Arik Gilbert's availability for next season is also uncertain.
"Great job of bringing back Joe Brady's offense, seeing the plays that we ran in 2019. Doing a good job of spreading the football around and giving our players who are football athletes in space and let em make plays," Orgeron said after the spring game. "I think they've done a tremendous job of that. We've got some work to do. I think that when we solidify the repetition between the quarterbacks and getting more quarterbacks the first and second team guys more reps, I think we're going to look a lot better."
