By KACE KIESCHNICK, Tiger Rag Staff Reporter
LSU handed Dabo Swinney the worst loss of his Clemson head coaching career on Saturday. The 51-10 blowout was the most lopsided loss of the Swinney era, but even that score fails to encapsulate just how dominant LSU was.
The Tigers outgained Clemson by nearly 500 yards, ran almost twice as many offensive plays, and set a program record with 38 first downs while holding Clemson to just eight. Remove Clemson’s final possession, an eight-play 71-yard touchdown drive that started with 6:38 left in the game, and the visitors would have finished with just three points, 74 total yards, 20 rushes for 0 yards and no successful third down conversions on 12 attempts.
The LSU defense dominated every phase of the game, but coach Lane Kiffin said during his post game press conference that he was not satisfied because the LSU backups gave up that late touchdown drive.
Defensive end Princewill Umanmielen, who transferred to LSU from Ole Miss with Kiffin this off-season, echoed his coach after practice on Tuesday.
“You ain’t never going to play a perfect game, always room to get better,” Umanmielen said. “We’ve been looking at that, finding ways we can push and make us even more of an elite defense.”
Umanmielen was one of the stars of the Tigers’ overwhelming defense on Saturday. The senior tied with linebacker Whit Weeks for a team-leading six tackles and was first on the team with two sacks. He said even his personal performance could be better.
“Got to be the same person every day, can’t change, can’t get complacent,” Umanmielen said. “The fun part, it just comes as we win.”
Umanmielen was one of three edge rushers to record a sack in the win. Junior Tennessee transfer Jordan Ross and junior Dylan Carpenter each had one. It was the first time three LSU defensive ends recorded a sack in the same game since Barkevious Mingo, Sam Montgomery and Jermauria Rasco did in 2011 versus Auburn. LSU’s 2011 defense was one of its best in history.
Umanmielen credited defensive line coach Sterling Lucas for the unit’s success and continued development.
“He attacks me about all the little stuff. He knows where my mind is. He knows where everybody in the edge room wants to go, and he has the keys and the tells to get me there,” Umanmielen said.
Umanmielen said the Tigers have an elite defense, but that does not mean anything yet.
“We don’t try to look at the potential,” Umanmielen said. “We see what we have, but the potential ain’t really nothing unless we work hard. We have to put in the work—walk-throughs, meetings, extra stuff that’s not even on the schedule. To get where we want to go, you got to excel—do things past what we’re asked for.”
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