By TODD HORNE, Executive Editor
As No. 9 LSU invades that other Death Valley on Saturday night to face No. 4 Clemson in a season-opening showdown, the spotlight falls squarely on Blake Baker’s revamped defense.
After a disappointing 2023, when LSU ranked 81st in scoring defense (28.0 PPG) and 108th in total defense (416.6 YPG), Baker returns for Year Two with a vastly overhauled unit and a mandate: contain Cade Klubnik’s RPO juggernaut, seize momentum early, and announce LSU as a national title contender.
A Defensive Overhaul in Baton Rouge
Baker’s blueprint is simple—front-seven chaos and press-man lockdown. His first season brought incremental gains in pressure and tackling, but 2025 promises a quantum leap, fueled by the nation’s top transfer portal haul. Seven impact additions—four-star safety A.J. Haulcy (Houston) (Haulcy is not eligible in the first half vs Clemson – Suspension for fighting in final game at Houston), cornerbacks Mansoor Delane (Virginia Tech) and Ja’Keem Jackson (Florida), defensive lineman Bernard Gooden (South Florida), plus edge rushers Jack Pyburn (Florida), Jimari Butler (Nebraska) and Patrick Payton (Florida State)—have injected talent, depth and versatility. Anchoring the core are preseason All-American linebacker Whit Weeks and hybrid playmaker Harold Perkins, whose sideline-to-sideline range embodies Baker’s “knock-back and havoc” ethos.
Throughout fall camp, LSU’s defense has been lauded for its tackling prowess—Weeks said Baker calls it the best he’s ever coached, statistically—and for its growing comfort in Baker’s multiple fronts. The idea: disrupt timing, force mistakes and turn Clemson’s precision into panic.
Clemson’s RPO Machine and Cade Klubnik
Clemson enters with eight returning offensive starters and 81 percent of its 2024 production, the highest continuity rate in college football. Senior quarterback Cade Klubnik—63.4 percent passing, 3,639 yards, 36 TDs, six INTs last season—is tailor-made for an RPO scheme that averaged 451.9 YPG in 2024. His dual-threat prowess, quick reads and ability to extend plays make him a nightmare in space, while a veteran O-line and two of the nation’s top receivers ensure balance.
Klubnik’s ball security was elite: Clemson’s +16 turnover margin last year was fueled by just six interceptions and 16 defensive takeaways. Add 73 explosive plays of 20-plus yards, and you have an offense designed to punish any defensive miscue.
Keys to LSU’s Game Plan
1. Disciplined Gap Integrity: Clemson’s RPO lives on defenders over-pursuing. LSU’s front, led by Gooden, Pyburn, Butler and Payton, must hold their lanes to choke off Adam Randall’s bursts and force Klubnik to beat them through the air or on the entrance of the pocket. “Don’t let them run,” Perkins insists—if the Tigers can contain Clemson’s scrambling, they force Klubnik into uncomfortable throws.
2. Press-Man Disruption: Quick-game timing is Clemson’s bread and butter. Mansoor Delane—“a defensive weapon,” per Baker—along with Jackson, experienced junior Ashton Stamps, redshirt freshman Michael Turner, PJ Woodland and true freshman DJ Pickett, form a deep, athletic secondary. By jamming receivers at the line and disrupting routes, LSU aims to throw Klubnik off rhythm and buy extra pass-rush windows.
3. Versatile Spy & Hunt Packages: Klubnik’s dual threat requires defenders who can rush, cover or spy on the fly. Harold Perkins, with NFL-caliber speed and instincts, will shadow No. 1 threats and chase broken plays. Baker’s willingness to roll coverage disguises looks and forces Klubnik to decipher pre-snap disguises—pressure that can lead to turnovers.
Challenges and Stakes
Clemson’s continuity and Klubnik’s film study of Baker’s schemes mean mistakes will be magnified. LSU’s newcomers must communicate flawlessly, or Clemson will exploit any coverage bust. Clemson’s knack for takeaways adds urgency: LSU’s offense can’t gift the ball back, or defensive stops will ring hollow.
Victory hinges on winning the turnover battle, limiting explosive plays and generating consistent pressure. Defensive line coach Kyle Williams has molded a unit capable of collapsing pockets; if they succeed, LSU can seize control of a game that will define both seasons.
The Verdict
With a talented, transfer-infused roster, improved tackling and a year of schematic buy-in, Blake Baker’s Tigers have the blueprint to upset Clemson in Death Valley, Junior. If they maintain discipline, disrupt timing and contain Cade Klubnik’s dual-threat wizardry, LSU won’t just cover the 3.5-point spread— it will announce itself as a serious national championship threat while also breaking a five-year long losing streak in season openers.
Kickoff is set for 6:30 p.m. CT on Saturday in “Death Valley Junior.”
For LSU, it’s more than Week 1— it’s a chance to prove its defensive revival is the real deal.
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