State of the LSU Linebacker Room
It’s no secret LSU’s defense has seen immediate success with defensive coordinator Matt House at the helm. The ability to differentiate schemes, while keeping both superstars Harold Perkins and BJ Ojulari on the field at the same time, has elevated this unit to new heights.
Despite the front four getting most of the credit, it’s the linebackers at the second level that have allowed this LSU defense to hit its stride. Led by Perkins, Micah Baskerville, DeMario Tolan and Greg Penn, we’ve seen this rotation click on all cylinders.
We took a look into each player and how they continue leveling up:
Harold Perkins
What more is there to say about Perkins? The true freshman from Cypress, Texas, had one of the best all-around games for a defender in school history, tying an LSU record with four sacks in the win over the Razorbacks.
Perkins, playing with the flu, finished the contest with a team-best eight tackles to go along with a pair of forced fumbles, a quarterback hurry and a pass breakup. He’s already earned SEC Defensive Player twice and SEC Freshman of the Week honors this year, leads the Tigers and ranks No. 3 in the SEC in total sacks with 7.5.
The closeout speed Perkins attains paired with his unteachable instincts is what makes him such a dominant force for this LSU defense. For defensive coordinator Matt House to have both Perkins and BJ Ojulari on the field at the same time is a recipe for success and it continues to give opposing offenses fits.
Micah Baskerville
Baskerville has made a meteoric rise up the depth chart from the end of fall camp to now. With many questioning where he would fit in this LSU linebacker room, the senior quickly became a game-changer, propelling his status to a starter.
On the field, we’ve seen significant growth from Baskerville, but off the field is where Brian Kelly has been most impressed.
“What stands out is stories like Micah Baskerville,” Kelly said on Monday. “He’s gotten his degree. He’s been inspirational… To watch him grow and overcome all the things in his past.”
Leading the team in total tackles and solo tackles, Baskerville is going out with a bang in his final season with the Tigers. He’s continued to talk about ending his time in Death Valley on a high note and the senior is certainly handling business in his final go around.
Greg Penn III
Penn has flown under the radar for much of the 2022 season, but Saturday against Arkansas, the youngster put together his best performance of the season. Finishing the contest with nine total tackles, with five of them being solo, Penn is continuing to find his groove in this linebacker room.
“It was easily Greg Penn’s best game,” Kelly said. “We challenged him. [DeMario] Tolan is on his heels. He’s making progress and doing good things and Greg can feel that and I love the way he responded. He played with great instincts, physicality, and that’s what we expect out of him.”
Kelly has spoken highly of freshman linebacker DeMario Tolan as the season has progressed. In practice, Tolan has continued to show he’s more than capable of elevating his status to a starter, and when on the field it’s the same story.
Tolan has exceptional instincts and uses his speed to his advantage when closing in on opponents. Sure, it’s hard to look like a speedster when you’re sharing the field with Harold Perkins, but Tolan has showcased his elite athleticism, proving the two could be the Tigers’ duo at the second level for the foreseeable future.
