During preparation for Saturday’s season opener in Baton Rouge, Clemson defensive coordinator Tom Allen says he’s counted 19 new players in the two-deep on the LSU offense.
However, that only tells part of the story. When Lane Kiffin was hired as head coach, along with him came a ton of roster turnover. The Bayou Bengals have more than 60 new faces on the team this season, with more than 40 of those coming via the portal. That transfer class just happened to rank tops in the nation.
With the LSU offense featuring so many new parts, Allen spent countless hours scouring last year’s film from numerous teams looking for any advantage he could find. While that is much more difficult than studying the film of just one opponent, it’s a challenge that had Allen’s juices flowing.
“I spent a lot ot time watching a lot of film of other teams, which is crazy,” Allen said on Tuesday. “Very little film of LSU last year, which is part of the challenge but also makes it exciting.”
What Allen’s defense saw from the LSU offense in the season-opener last year won’t resemble anything close to what Kiffin’s offense is expected to look like this season.
If Clemson is going to have any success slowing down the LSU attack, it all starts with slowing down the running attack. Kiffin’s team at Ole Miss last season averaged more than 170 rushing yards per contest, which ranked among the Top 35 nationally.
Allen knows if the Bayou Bengals can establish the ground game early, it will help set up everything else Kiffin wants to do.
“I think the tempo piece is going to be obvious right out of the gate. That is just kind of what they do. That is their M.O.,” Allen added. “The green dot has really allowed them to take it to the next level in regards to how they handle that. Just a different type of offensive system. It is well documented that they run the ball extremely well. That is a part that sometimes gets lost when you are talking about tempo teams throwing the ball all over the place. But they are very effective in running the football and have been, wherever coach Kiffin has been.”
Dillon Jones and Harlem Berry absolutely give LSU an extremely strong one-two punch at running back. Expect to see a lot of those two.
However, quarterback Sam Leavitt’s legs are as dangerous as anyone’s on the team. An injury early last season really hampered his production, but in 2024, the last time he was fully healthy for an entire season, Leavitt rushed for 443 yards in helping lead Arizona State to the College Football Playoff.
His legs are part of what made him one of the most coveted quarterbacks in the portal after last season, and his ability to make something out of nothing is one thing that has Allen concerned heading into the opener.
“It is pretty obvious that is a big deal,” Allen said. “He creates. In the past, as a head coach, when evaluating quarterbacks, you are trying to find that guy that can make something out of nothing. Looking for those kinds of guys that have that special magic to them. That they can make a play maybe when there is not something there — the legs are always a big part of that. Having a live arm and being able to throw on the move. And he does all those things. He brings a lot. Obviously, very dangerous.
“You’ve got to do a tremendous job of keeping him in the pocket best you can, and when he does run, you’ve got to do a good job of getting him on the ground. He is very elusive. Makes people miss. An elite athlete in space, and that creates a lot of challenges for a defense, without question.”
