LSU Will Not Win with This Defense No Matter Who Plays Quarterback

Auburn head coach Gus Malzahn's evisceration of LSU's defense was NSFW. 

The Bayou Bengals were outclassed and overmatched in a 41-7 defeat. The defense showed little resistance as Malzahn's offense raked in 566 yards, 298 of which were on the ground.

The Tigers from the Plains have arguably the best offense in college football. But the defensive resolve of LSU and Malzahn's stranglehold of the football game was embarrassing for Les Miles. 

The spotlight will shine brightly on LSU's inept offense. The hyped debut of freshman Brandon Harris against Auburn was forgettable. Harris suffered an ankle sprain, per Tiger Rag's Robert Stewart, and was eventually replaced by Anthony Jennings, who didn't fare much better. 

	Att/Comp	Yards	TDs	INTs
Brandon Harris	3-13	58	0	0
Anthony Jennings	5-10	84	0	0

LSU has no clue what to do at quarterback. 

Nevertheless, the Tigers were expected to have growing pains on offense with their young skill position players. It was the defense that was supposed to carry the team. Instead, the Tigers are a walking punching bag in the SEC West. 

The laundry list of mistakes the LSU defense has made consistently this season is plentiful.

LSU misses tackles. LSU gets crushed in the trenches. LSU can't get off blocks. LSU loses 50-50 balls to receivers. LSU drops interceptions. LSU gets no pass rush. LSU loses contain on the edge. LSU wears down quickly. LSU doesn't force turnovers. 

But there is hope for next week. 

The Tigers will travel to Gainesville next week to play Florida, which has one of the worst offenses in the country. The Gators will likely give freshman Treon Harris his first career start against the Tigers. There is no excuse for defensive coordinator John Chavis to not have his unit ready to dominate the game.

Nevertheless, the big picture for Miles looks ominous. The Tigers still have to play Ole Miss, Alabama, Arkansas and Texas A&M, all of which have potent offenses. LSU will not win a game in the SEC West unless the defense improves. 

Stats, rankings and additional information provided by cfbstats.com and LSU Sports Information. Quotes were obtained firsthand unless otherwise noted.

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