LSU's Dominant Debut May Have Uncovered its Next Defensive Star

It's nearly impossible to envision a better start to Lane Kiffin's tenure in Baton Rouge. The LSU Tigers thoroughly dominated Clemson on Saturday. Time was the only thing preventing LSU's offense from putting up more points. They looked sharp after Sam Leavitt threw an interception on their second offensive play.

However, plenty of the season remains, and the Tigers are not satisfied. Coach Kiffin and the players emphasize that there is still a lot to work on despite Saturday's impressive showing.

It's still important to analyze some of the transfer portal players. There were a lot of new faces, but one stood out.

Jordan Ross Was Dominant

Tennessee Volunteers defensive lineman Jordan Ross. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The defensive end pairing of Princewill Umanmielen and Jordan Ross looked outstanding on Saturday. Umanmielen finished with six total tackles, two sacks, and two tackles for loss. Ross contributed four total tackles, one sack, two tackles for loss, and a massive pick-six.

The pick-six went viral because it sent Death Valley into a frenzy. Some LSU fans said it was as loud as they've ever heard Tiger Stadium get. It was a huge momentum swing as Ross ran into the end zone to give LSU a 17-3 lead.

Ross earned SEC Defensive Lineman of the Week for his efforts. He wasn't the only Tiger to be recognized by the conference. Leavitt won SEC Offensive Player of the Week, and Jordan Seaton earned SEC Offensive Lineman of the Week.

But Ross made an immediate impact in his LSU debut. He generated pressure off the edge and helped prevent Clemson from sustaining momentum. Clemson's offense went three-and-out eight times out of 13 possessions. Their lone touchdown was against the backup defenders.

Ross came over from Tennessee, but hadn't received much playing time. He recorded 1.5 sacks and 26 total tackles over two seasons with the Volunteers. He's already blossoming into a talented player with LSU, and Umanmielen took notice.

"The way he attacks every day, the way everyone in the edge room pushes each other, you can see how it takes a toll on one another," Umanmielen said. "Everybody wants to see everybody succeed, so it's like the competitive nature in it...everybody pushing each other, so we're getting better as that goes on so I've seen that go on from spring to fall camp and game day here."

The defensive line was a standout in Saturday's win, and it could be a bigger strength as the season progresses. Hopefully, this is just the beginning of a special season for Ross.

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