The LSU Defense: Will Coaching Changes Be Made?

Brian Kelly has decisions to make over the course of the next few weeks after the LSU defense struggled significantly during the 2023 season.

All eyes will be on the decision he makes with defensive coordinator Matt House. Will he retain his guy? Will he clean house defensively? Time will tell, but speculation has certainly begun.

It's the busiest time of the year with the NCAA Transfer Portal opening, coaching vacancies being filled and the Early Signing Period inching closer.

For Kelly and Co., this program will balance coaching decisions and more over the next few weeks.

What will LSU do with its defensive staff?

A dive into potential moves, coaches on the market and where the defense goes from here:

The Matt House Saga: What Will Kelly Do?

First, let's dive into the numbers of LSU's defense with the regular season now in the rearview mirror.

The final rankings out of 130 teams: 116th in 3rd down defense, 114th in red zone defense, 101st in turnovers forced, 71st in tackles for loss, 92nd in opponent passer efficiency, 89th in run defense, and 101st in yards allowed per game.

It's no secret the LSU defense was historically bad in 2023 and the numbers reflect that. With House at the helm, LSU faithful has called for change, but will Kelly do that?

The Good: Playmaking Ability on Display

Harold Perkins and Mekhi Wingo were two of the Top 5 graded players on LSU's defense and stole the show week in and week out.

For Perkins, it was a rollercoaster ride after switching to inside linebacker this season, but ultimately evolved into an effective piece of the defense.

When it comes to Wingo, the interior defensive lineman started the season shot out of a cannon. He pieced together what looked to be an All-SEC season, but a lower-body injury cut his season short before he could hit his stride.

All in all, the playmakers were there and the future of the defense is in good hands with Da'Shawn Womack, Javien Toviano and many more youngsters prepared to take that next step for this program. Will House be there? Again, time will tell.

We've seen what House can do with capable personnel. A season ago, the Tigers' defense handled business, but make no mistake about it, the 2023 season overrides that and then some after the struggles stole the show.

The Bad: Mismanagement and the Injury Bug

It all started with Perkins switching over to the inside linebacker position during the offseason. For House, he serves as both defensive coordinator and linebacker's coach for LSU, and took charge of Perkins' switch to a new position.

In the Week 1 loss to Florida State, Perkins was seemingly schemed out of the contest. He was "ineffective" to a degree after spending six months+ adjusting to a new position and didn't play the "see ball, get ball" defense LSU fans were used to.

Fast forward to the rest of the season and House's defense threw Perkins anywhere they could to attempt to salvage his talents.

From scheme changes to different personnel packages, it was a myriad of different looks that just never shined when the Tigers needed them to.

Lastly, the injury bug plagued this program. It started with the tragic news of Greg Brooks Jr. and ended with both Mekhi Wingo and Zy Alexander seeing their seasons end early.

Not to mention the cornerback situation with both Duce Chestnut and Denver Harris being unavailable for the back half of the season.

Ultimately, a variation of schematic issues, weak personnel packages, injuries and off-the-field issues forced this defense into one of the worse in program history.

Well... Now What?

What do you do if you're Brian Kelly? Do you retain House after the horrific season in Baton Rouge or do you cut him loose and go after one of the handful of worthy candidates looking for a new gig?

There are two answers:

1. Cut Him Loose: After the 2023 season, it's clear the LSU fanbase has made their decision when it comes to House's status with the program, and for Kelly, do you risk entering a "do or die" season in 2024 with House at the helm of the defense? Certainly, the fanbase is not the shot-callers, but after a historically bad season, is it worth bringing him back?

2. Retain Him: We've seen what House is capable of with personnel that can compete in the SEC, and during the 2023 season, it was clear this program just didn't have the answers for the likes of Alabama, Ole Miss and more. Now, a decision will have to be made.

Other Position Coach Decisions: The Secondary

What will LSU do with Robert Steeples and Kerry Cooks?

Steeples has served as the cornerbacks coach for the LSU Tigers during Kelly's tenure and underachieved in 2023. There have been questions surrounding the recruiting space and overall player development in this category over the last few months. Now, decisions once again will have to be made.

It's no secret Billy Napier and the Florida Gators parted ways with secondary coach Corey Raymond on Monday. Do the Tigers pursue the former LSU coach? Some say yes, some say no. But before all else, a decision must be made on the status of Steeples.

When it comes to safeties coach Kerry Cooks, he's also been around the block on the college football scene. He's an elite recruiter in the state of Texas and has played a pivotal role in LSU diving into the Longhorn State on "The Trail" over the last two years.

He's helped reel in key pieces for the future and would certainly be a coach Kelly and Co. would like to keep around, but once again, decisions will be made.

The LSU football program will look to adjust over the next few weeks whether it be with House or other position coaches.

One thing is certain, change needs to be made in some way, shape or form and it will fall on the shoulders of Brian Kelly to shake back a defense that was abysmal in 2023.