2020 Team Preview: Can LSU Defend Its SEC Championship?

It will be extremely hard for LSU to mount a defense of its national championship. The Tigers lost way too many players for that to be a reasonable expectation. The Tigers could, however, try to defend their SEC title. If the Alabama Crimson Tide are not at their best, and they struggle for a second consecutive season, LSU might be able to upend the Tide. Let’s look at the challenge facing the Bayou Bengals as they try to show that last season was not an isolated incident, and that it can carry into this next season as well:

Offseason Changes

The LSU Tigers put 15 players in the 2020 NFL Draft: Joe Burrow, the No. 1 overall pick, followed by K’Lavon Chaisson, Justin Jefferson, Patrick Queen, Clyde Edwards-Helaire, Grant Delpit, Kristian Fulton, Damien Lewis, Lloyd Cushenberry, Jacob Phillips, Saahdiq Charles, Rashard Lawrence, Blake Ferguson, and Stephen Sullivan. LSU had five first-round picks (Edwards-Helaire being the last of the five) and 10 players picked in the first two days of the draft, meaning the first three rounds. LSU didn’t just have a lot of players picked in the draft; the Tigers had first-round talent and high-end talent. Having 10 of the first 97 players picked is absolutely incredible, but it speaks to the depth and quality of the 2019 Tigers, who went 15-0 and can legitimately be viewed as one of the greatest college football teams ever assembled. Now the Tigers have to turn the page with so many questions to answer.

The Tigers Will Succeed If…

They get an above-average season from Myles Brennan. The successor to Joe Burrow has very huge shoes to fill, but it would be a mistake if Brennan tries to be a superhero the way Burrow was. Brennan is not Burrow. He can’t try to do everything by himself. He needs to start the season by making the simple plays and solid reads which will get the ball to his backs and receivers in a timely way. He can grow into the position so that when LSU plays Alabama later in the season, he will be ready to perform at a higher level. If Brennan can blend in with the rest of the 2020 roster, LSU could still make a run at Alabama in the SEC West.

The Tigers Will Fail If…

Their defensive front and linebackers are not up to par. LSU has Derek Stingley Jr., arguably the best cover corner in the United States. He will enable LSU’s pass defense to be very strong this coming year. Covering receivers will not be LSU’s big problem on defense. Having the defensive line and linebackers stuff the run will be a bigger concern. Patrick Queen is a key loss for this defense. Getting a strong replacement for him will be an essential piece in a successful season for LSU.

Prediction

The fact that LSU gets Alabama at home is encouraging, but the reality of the situation for LSU still feels overwhelming. The Tigers didn’t just lose Joe Burrow, a legendary quarterback. They lost four other first round-quality players and several other top-100 NFL draft picks in one offseason. If LSU was replacing a handful of players, that would be one thing. The Tigers are replacing 15 draft-level players. That is hard to overcome when measuring a team against Alabama. LSU is second-best in the SEC West, but it won’t be able to topple the Tide.

Prediction: 2nd In SEC West