Linebackers Personify the Chemistry of LSU’s Defense
Waiting was the hardest part.
While last season was not a banner year for anyone wearing the purple and gold, criticism came down especially hard on the defensive side of the ball. LSU’s five conference losses were the school’s most since 1999, and in two of the biggest games of the season the defense broke, allowing 51 points against Florida and 52 points against Georgia two weeks later.
The eight months that precede the start of a new season are often rife with speculation. The most recent offseason seemed to serve up a daily dose of “What’s wrong with…” as journalists and fans alike questioned the performance abilities of players and coaches.
Credibility comes only with evidence. With no games to play and only time to kill, members of the LSU defense wanted nothing more than a chance to make good on their vows that the blown coverages and missed tackles were a thing of the past. The long road to redemption, they said, was excruciating.
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The offseason saw an overhaul in coaching personnel. Co-defensive coordinators Bradley Dale Peveto and Doug Mallory took other jobs. The subsequent hiring of acclaimed defensive coordinator John Chavis eased much of the criticism, but also brought expectations. During his 14 years at Tennessee, Chavis presided over a unit that ranked in the top-four of the Southeastern Conference 10 times.
The move was beneficial in many ways. From a practicality standpoint, it served as an instant talent upgrade to the coaching staff and defensive game plan. However, it also gave the media and fan base a defense-related plot line that didn’t revolve around the perceived failures of a lost season.
Perhaps the biggest beneficiaries of the coaching swap were LSU’s three senior linebackers. Chavis, a linebackers specialist, coached four All-America linebackers during his tenure at Tennessee, including 2008 NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year Jerod Mayo.
For Perry Riley, Harry Coleman and Jacob Cutrera, the coaching change represented a chance at instant improvement and the opportunities to learn from one of the best coaches in the game.
“Coach Chavis came in and made the transition much easier for us,” said Coleman. “He brought us in, told us about his life, and just accepted us as players.”
However, it also presented the challenge of learning a new scheme, a chore that has become all too familiar for the seniors as LSU cycled through three different defensive leaders during the past three years.
“I got a lot of different information, and I think I’m better for it,” said Cutrera. “I know how the game is played from three different defenses. I understand each different scheme, and I think I’m a better player for it.”
Once the season started, it didn’t take long for the three seniors to demonstrate that this year was different.
Less than 10 minutes into the Tigers’ first game at Washington, Cutrera faked blitz and dropped back into pass coverage. Reaching out his arm, he was able to deflect a pass from Huskies quarterback Jake Locker before catching it and returning it 29 yards for a touchdown that allowed LSU to take the lead.
“It was a good feeling,” said Cutrera, who shares playing time with junior Kelvin Sheppard at middle linebacker. “It was my first play of the game and of the year. I was in the right spot at the right time and I was able to take it to the house.”
On the ensuing possession, it was Riley who came up big for the defense. With Washington threatening inside the LSU 5-yard line, Riley stripped Huskies running back Chris Polk of the ball, which was recovered by cornerback Patrick Peterson. The forced fumble prevented a crucial score that would have left the Tigers trailing once again.
The opening win, a 31-23 victory in which Washington scored a meaningless touchdown as time expired, served notice to the Tiger faithful that this brand of defense was equipped to hold elite quarterbacks in check. LSU’s performance gained a measure of legitimacy two weeks later when the Huskies defeated seven-time defending Pac-10 champion Southern California.
The next three victories highlighted the improved play at the linebacker position as well as the defense as a whole. Linebackers led the team in tackles in wins over Vanderbilt (Coleman with 10), Louisiana-Lafayette (Coleman with eight), and Mississippi State (Riley with 11). Both Vanderbilt and Louisiana-Lafayette were held to less than 10 points.
For Riley, the next game was personal. While the game against Georgia would be a road game for LSU, it was also a homecoming for Riley, who grew up in nearby Stone Mountain, Ga.
The defense held the Georgia offense scoreless for three quarters and LSU prevailed again, 20-13. Riley played his part to perfection in front of family and friends, grabbing the game-sealing interception with 21 seconds remaining.
“Out of all the teams on the schedule, I really wanted to beat them the most,” he said after the game. “There was a lot of talking going on before the game, so I definitely wanted to step up in this game and shut a lot of people up. The defense did it.”
After allowing Mississippi State to compile more than 150 rushing yards, the linebackers played a crucial role in limiting Georgia to only 45 net rushing yards. Riley credited the way Chavis allowed them to be aggressive in defending the run.
“Coach Chavis tells us to go downhill,” said Riley. “The first two coordinators I had wanted the linebackers to go sideways. Coach Chavis just wants us to go downhill and get to the ball early.”
Coleman’s breakout game came against Auburn. Before the season, Chavis switched him from safety to linebacker, a position he played in high school. Against Auburn, he wreaked havoc all night long, punishing one of the Southeastern Conference’s best offenses with nine tackles, two sacks, and two forced fumbles. The performance, he said, validated the decision to move him to linebacker.
“I think I played pretty decently in all the games, but you could say the Auburn game put me over the edge,” he said. “I think I’ve done a pretty good job.”
His efforts didn’t go unnoticed by the league, as Coleman was named the SEC Defensive Player of the Week.
“I didn’t believe it at first because I hadn’t seen it on the Internet,” he said. “But when my coach called and told me ?Congratulations,’ I was really excited and happy about it.”
His teammates, on the other hand, had no problem believing the news when they heard it.
“He’s always been a big hitter and a physical guy,” said Riley. “The man fits the description of a linebacker. I was surprised at how quickly he caught on at first, but I’m not surprised he’s doing well.”
Coleman said that his fellow linebackers have eased the transition.
“Last year we hung out sometimes, but this year you could say we really are family,” he said. “We do everything together. The switch to linebacker got me closer to a whole group of people.”
Riley said the closeness of the group is one of the reasons they’re able to succeed on the field.
“It definitely helps. The chemistry is there,” he said. “When you’re playing with guys you like and people you know, it forms a chemistry. It definitely helps us when we’re out there.”
While all three have generated success at different points this season, their accomplishments are a product of their ability to piece together their individual playing styles into a singular unit.
“Perry brings his physicality, his speed and his ability to get to the ball,” said Coleman. “Jacob blends the physical side with the mental aspects. He’s like a coach on the field. I just try to bring the intensity.”
As their careers come to a close, all three say that they’ve embraced a leadership role to ensure that younger linebackers work hard and learn the scheme.
“I think the main thing is that everybody bought into it and everybody believes in what we’re doing,” said Cutrera. “You can have a good defense if everybody’s into it like that.
“They’re going to be some good ones, so I’m always happy to help out with the young guys.”
All signs point to last season’s struggles as the exception rather than the rule. With their critics silenced, the three seniors are happy to do the talking. While choruses of bragging wouldn’t be unwarranted, there are none. Instead, they simply give credit where they believe it’s due.
“Being the first linebacking corps under Coach Chavis just motivates us to go out there and play well for him,” said Coleman. “His intensity and his passion for the game make you want to play hard and do things well. It would be great to see him start a legacy here of linebackers going in the first round of the NFL draft.”
When asked if Chavis brings out the best in them, there is not even a pause.
“He does, absolutely,” Coleman said. “He demands it.”