Patience, Fight, Pressure: Keys to Success for Vanderbilt’s Defense Against LSU

NASHVILLE – No. 17 Vanderbilt is coming off its first loss and first bye week of the season entering this weekend’s all-important game against No. 10 LSU. With both teams searching not just for their sixth win of the season, but also to put a big win on a postseason resume, it feels like a must-win for both sides.

In the preseason, LSU’s quarterback Garrett Nussmeier was talked about as a potential Heisman favorite, and LSU was talked about as a national championship contender. However, the Tigers offense has been underwhelming to say the least when compared to preseason expectations. They have yet to score more than 23 points against a FBS team this season and have yet to score more than 20 points against a power conference opponent this fall.

But that does not mean that trend is guaranteed to continue. LSU, despite its offense not coming alive yet, is still a very dangerous team with dangerous players that not many teams in college football would want to see. It feels like its offense is bound to come alive at some point, but Vanderbilt wants to make sure that does not happen this weekend when the Commodores host the Tigers.

Vanderbilt wants to do what teams such as Clemson, Florida, Ole Miss and South Carolina did against the LSU offense: prevent the Tigers’ offense from having a coming out party. For Vanderbilt head coach Clark Lea, the key to doing that all starts with two things: fight and patience.

“Starting this morning, what I’ve been talking to the team about is do we have the patience? And do we have the patience to fight for every blade of grass? Do we have the patience to execute as the field space tightens in the red zone? And a lot of what we've done at this point of season says that we do,” Lea said in his weekly Tuesday press conference.

Vanderbilt’s defense has been one of the more underrated units in college football. The Commodores rank 31st in the country in total defense and 16th in the country in rushing defense. Despite the 30-14 defeat against Alabama, Vanderbilt did its job defensively holding Alabama to field goals in the second half before Jam Miller’s rushing touchdown with 17 seconds left.

This week, the task should be no different. Vanderbilt is going to need to hold LSU’s offense to field goals instead of touchdowns whenever the Tigers are threatening to score. That difference could end up playing into the hands of Vanderbilt. LSU ranks near the bottom of college football (117th) in red zone offense. The Tigers have come away with points when taking trips inside their opponents’ 20-yard line just 72.2 percent of the time. Last week against South Carolina, LSU scored points on just three of five red zone possessions.

What would be even better for Vanderbilt defensively is if it prevented LSU from finding the red zone at all. The Commodores’ defensive line getting pressure on Nussmeier seems like a must in order to get off the field and limit LSU’s offensive opportunities.

“It’s [defensive pressure] important. He does a good job getting rid of the ball. But if we can somehow speed up that operation. I think a lot of the pressure comes down to those critical third down or conversion down snaps. In a third and long situation where routes can't develop the sticks, that becomes the way to win the game,” Lea said.

There is no lack of fight or lack of patience inside the Vanderbilt locker room. Despite losing last game, Vanderbilt defensive lineman Zaylin Wood says there has been no trust loss as the defense prepares for this weekend.

“I have so much trust in our defense. I feel like we’re itching for a shutout,” Wood said.

Vanderbilt Commodores On SI: