Second-year LSU defensive coordinator Matt House is doing his very best in spring practice to get an idea what the Tigers’ D will look like when preseason practice opens.
But with so many key players still rehabbing from off-season surgeries, like All-SEC first-team defensive tackle Mekhi Wingo (shoulder/core muscle) and defensive tackle Maason Smith (torn ACL in in last year’s season-opener), it’s challenging yet exciting developing so much young talent getting a chance at extensive repititions.
“What you see is you get an opportunity to work with the guys that really need more reps,” House said after Tuesday’s eighth spring practice. “It's the next man up and it gives you a chance to see that growth.
“To me, the spring is all about setting the stage for fundamentally how you're going to approach this summer and then training camp. I feel like we're in a good spot with our growth."
For instance, even with Wingo out of action, he still feels the former Missouri transfer is putting the spring to good use.
“I think this is a great opportunity for him to increase the mental part of his game, to learn more what offenses are doing, the finer techniques for how he can get an edge in his game, to learn be a great student in the film room,” House said of Wingo. “So, there's still value even though he's not on the field and getting physical reps.”
Here's House on other subjects:
On sophomore linebacker Harold Perkins
“We know Harold has elite ability, but he came here to learn to play linebacker, and not necessarily just a hybrid. Spring is kind of a great time to do that. You learn the techniques and fundamentals associated with playing the stack position. It's just going to enhance his game and really what he came here to be.
"The number one thing is he's got a better understanding of our process and how we prepare. That's the biggest thing. His habits are much more consistent. He loves football. He’s really coachable.”
On what House learned last season as a D-coordinator in the SEC
“It's still a line of scrimmage league. You got to have depth in this league because there is a grind and there's a wear and tear. So, there's got to be a next man up mentality. And that's why the spring so important to develop those techniques and fundamentals that it takes to be successful during the season.”
On who’s emerging as a leader on the defensive line
“Of the guys that are on the field right now. I'm really, really, really pleased with Jacobian’s (Guillory) growth. I'm really, really pleased with Savion’s (Jones) growth. You still have Mehki Wingo; he's at every practice, he might not be on the field (recovering from off-season surgery). You still have Maason Smith, he's at every practice field (rehabbing his knee). I'm excited about the potential depth to that group. There's a lot of guys that are growing. And that's exciting.
“Mehki played so many snaps for us, we know what he can be. I have a pretty good feel for what Maason can be because he did go through a whole training camp (last fall and a whole spring (a year ago).”
On Oregon State senior transfer linebacker Omar Speights
“I love Omar's approach, the way he goes about and handles his business, the focus he comes in with the attention to detail he has in his work. You know, he's not the most vocal guy. He's more vocal on the field. But what he does do is he does a great job modeling to that whole (linebacker) room and to Harold."
On the new faces in the “Jack” position group
“I'm encouraged in the power and numbers in that group. Right now, you got four guys in the group that are really competing. (Texas transfer) Ovie (Oghoufo) has got a lot of experience. But we're happy with the development of (Oregon transfer) Brayden (Swinson), we're happy with the development of (Northwestern State transfer) Princeton (Malbrue), We're happy with the development of (freshman) Jaxon (Howard).Those guys have shown growth and potential.”
On the versatility of LSU’s defensive linemen being able to play different positions
“You have to have that to be successful in this conference. You can't sit in one front and be successful. The offensive coordinators, the offensive line coach and the offensive linemen are too good at running the football and too good at identifying protections. So, it gives you a chance to be multiple in your alignments and multiple in your assignments and it gives you a chance to have matchups when you get into an obvious pass situation.”
On having John Jancek as the new special teams coordinator/outside linebackers coach who also coaches the Jack position
“I'm a big John Jancek fan. I love having J.J. out there. He gives great energy. He's a great teacher. He's been successful in this league, both as a coordinator and as position coach. He's definitely been added value on the field.
"The Jack position has to do so many things. We move them all over the place. He can be part of coverage, he can be part of the front, he can be an inside rusher, he can be an outside rusher. So, although it's not the most difficult position to learn from assignment standpoint, it's very important that you drill the technical aspect of that position.”
On Sage Ryan getting a lot of first-team safety snaps
“Sage is getting more consistent in his work. There's no doubt about that. He's doing a better job playing the ball to from a football standpoint. Still a lot of room for growth, but he's been more consistent.”
On freshmen enrollees who have shown improvement
"Jaxon (Howard had a good spring, Javion (Toviano) has had a good spring. In the last three practices, the lights are kind of clicking a little bit for Whit (Weeks) things are slowing down for him a little bit. Things are starting to slow down a little bit for Ryan Yaites. It's practice number eight. The true thing for these guys is they start learning what we value, what our processes what you know, what our traits of excellence are.”
On the advantage of having fewer players in the spring (because those still recovering from off-season surgeries) allowing for more concentrated work
“The way Coach (Brian Kelly) does our practice is a good mix between putting the ball down and learning to play the game and dividing up and having whether it's half line pass, half line run technique and fundamental work where you're not putting a guy at risk with injury and overdoing their player load but still teaching them how to play the game.
“So it's kind of part, whole part if that makes sense. You may not be able to go out there and play a 100-play scrimmage but you're still getting good live work along with practice work that develops you.”
