LSU Tigers defensive coordinator Chavis brings change of season
Posted by [URL="http://blog.nola.com/lsusports/about.html"]James Varney, The Times-Picayune[/URL] March 26, 2009 10:04PM
Categories:
football
BATON ROUGE -- Not every LSU player stood out in 2008, but when it came to the kind of cohesion a team needs to excel, one thing stood out: The defense wasn't good enough.
Out of 119 teams the NCAA puts in the game's top tier, LSU was 32nd in total defense last season. Against the pass, the Tigers plummeted to No. 73, but against the rush they fared better, coming in at No. 17.
What's a coach in Baton Rouge to do? Why, turn to Knoxville, of course.
LSU Coach Les Miles swooped up longtime Tennessee defensive coordinator John Chavis after the Volunteers cleaned house on the heels of a shocking losing season. But it would be hard to blame Chavis for Rocky Top's cracks: Tennessee's defense finished tied for No. 3 in the nation in total defense in 2008, and ranked 12th against the rush and fourth against the pass.
Chavis' expertise isn't something the LSU defenders have had an easy time explaining this spring, but all of them speak of a tangible difference. At practice, the atmosphere is reminiscent of the Bo Pelini era, but the only Tiger left on the roster who would remember said it harkens back to an even earlier period.
"More like (Nick) Saban," sixth-year defensive tackle Charles Alexander said.
Perhaps the two most readily understood changes are that the players understand they have a clean slate, and Chavis will demand more of those he puts on the field. The sort of permanent shuffle LSU showed on defense last year, as the Tigers sought the optimal matchup advantage on every play, is over and with it is a new defensive clarity, according to several players.
In other words, the competition is on, and the best-rounded player has the edge.
"Because we've got a new coach everyone is trying to make a point, and everyone is trying to get on the field," junior safety Danny McCray said. "You're trying to move as fast as you can and do your best on every play just so you can get looked at."
For the most part, Chavis employs a 4-3 scheme. Up front, senior defensive end Rahim Alem said the emphasis on technique remains similar to last year's but that now the staff is instilling an attitude built on "effort, hustle and pursuing the ball." Those qualities may seem those a good coach takes for granted, but Alem insisted they assume even more priority under Chavis.
"We're much more of an attack defense, you know, going downhill," he said. "Last year we were like that in theory, but we didn't actually play like that."
This spring, Alem has been flanked at defensive end on the first unit by junior Lazarius Levingston. Like McCray, Levingston said he welcomes the freshness of things.
"I'm hungry, the whole team is hungry, the defense is extremely hungry," Levingston said. "It's a different energy, it's fast tempo, everything is just speed, speed, speed."
With three linebackers deployed perhaps more often than they are in modern defenses that quickly shift to nickel and dime packages, there is more focus in the Chavis defense on linebackers. That focus is perhaps unsurprising, given that is the position he coaches, too. That means outside linebackers Perry Riley and Kelvin Sheppard, currently penciled in as the starters but under intense scrutiny, according to Miles, will be asked to do more than they were last season.
Miles hinted Thursday that now and then the coaches have moved a safety into one of those outside spots, a cryptic reference that could refer to McCray or free safety Chad Jones, who presents a blitz and coverage combo that Chavis prized at Tennessee. Senior Jacob Cutrera, starting middle linebacker, characterized the unit as one under considerably more scrutiny than it was last year.
"He's not as laid-back; he'll get on you if you make a mistake, and we need that," Cutrera said.
Jones has spoken this spring about how comfortable he is at free safety, a position in which he became a major force during LSU's convincing Chick-fil-A Bowl victory over Georgia Tech.
"I feel that's my natural position," he said.
Jones -- Alem's brother -- is equally taken with the new defensive strategies.
"We're jumping routes much quicker, more aggressive type defense. Get to the ball, get to the ball -- we've done that before, but they're putting much more emphasis on it."
Eve of destruction?
A storm some claim was a tornado ripped through Baton Rouge in the pre-dawn hours Thursday and damaged, among other things, LSU's indoor practice facility.
Above midfield, the roof's iron slates were twisted and smashed, making it look as if an amusement park ride had been dumped on top of the cavernous, corrugated building. Rain fell over a large part of the field, a concern because the indoor facility is not equipped with any drainage or pumping capability.
There also were downed fences around the Charles McClendon practice fields.
Although damage was widespread throughout Baton Rouge and some neighborhoods remained without power late Thursday, Miles was incredulous the indoor facility had been touched.
"This building has been such a rock, " he said. "I mean Katrina, Rita, Gustav -- you know, virtually everything that's come along and then this one hit us pretty good."
[\w\@\.\-\%\|]+)/i); if(PaginationArticleCookie != PaginationArticleUrl || GPvalueDecData == null || GPvalueDecData[1] == 'undefined' || typeof(GPvalueDecData[0]) == 'undefined') { var saxoNextPage = "903140349%7C2%7C2"; var saxoPreviousPage = "903140349%7C1%7C2"; } } else { var saxoNextPage = "903140349%7C2%7C2"; var saxoPreviousPage = "903140349%7C1%7C2"; } </script>
