LSU's New Defense Focused on Bringing Fear Back to Baton Rouge

LSU used to be feared.

During the Les Miles era, LSU won a national championship and seemed to be a viable contender basically every year.

That's because LSU's defense was relentless. Stars like Tyrann Mathieu, Patrick Peterson, Morris Claiborne, Barkevious Mingo, Arden Key and many more stalked the gridiron like lions in the savannah.

LSU's defense fell off the face of the earth after winning the 2019 national championship, and was LSU's biggest liability until it came back in shape in 2025. It's ready to take the next step.

Whit Weeks discusses the defense

Whit Weeks breaks for a tackle during a play against South Carolina in 2025 | Stephen Lew-Imagn Images

Senior linebacker Whit Weeks returned to LSU after an injury-filled 2025 to help bring a championship back to the boot. He joined Mathieu's podcast, In The Bayou, to talk about the upcoming season.

"I want to bring back that nasty defensive mentality down to the bayou," Weeks said. "When I was growing up, watching you (Mathieu) play, watching Devin White, Patrick Queen, like teams used to fear to play those defenses."

Throughout the first half of the 2025 season, LSU's defense rivaled that of the star-studded 2011 group. And though it fell apart toward the end of the year which coincided with Weeks injury, the blueprint is there.

The blueprint comes from Weeks as much as it does defensive coordinator Blake Baker and his staff which includes elite defensive backs coach Corey Raymond. Baker is entering his third year leading the defense, and it should improve even more than it did ahead of the 2025 season.

LSU had many additions in the transfer portal, but the tenacious defensive identity should stay the same with it's captain leading the charge.

"I think if anybody would sort of set that standard, you know, for the defense this season, it's you," Mathieu said. "It jumps off the screen. Your passion, intensity, the want to, the will. All those things, it reminds me of LSU football."

Mathieu has seen been a part of one of the best defenses in program history, so he knows what success looks like on that side of the ball. His praise of Weeks and the rest of the defense makes for a solid stamp of approval.

Weeks was visibly eager when talking about getting the LSU defense back to its hayday, which should feed all throughout the locker room. Much of the offseason focus has been on the offense because of the amount of change. But the defense won't be overlooked by opponents.

"That's what I want to bring back to this place," Weeks said. "[I want] teams to turn on the film and they're like, 'oh shoot, we gotta go play these dudes on Saturday'. Like they know that they're in for one when they come down to the bayou."

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