By KACE KIESCHNICK, Tiger Rag Staff Reporter
LSU safety Ty Benefield knew the challenge he was accepting when he decided to transfer from the Mountain West Conference’s Boise State to LSU and the Southeastern Conference. In fact, he said that challenge is what drew him to Baton Rouge.
Benefield was coming off a first-team All-Mountain West 2025 season with 107 tackles, 8 ½ tackles for loss, two interceptions and three pass breakups, and he was named the MVP of the MWC title game. In three seasons as a Bronco, he helped Boise State to three consecutive conference titles and a College Football Playoff appearance in 2024, but he wanted more.
“I want to go against the best competition,” Benefield said after practice on Tuesday. ”I don’t care who’s in front of me. I want everything. I want the hard road, and that’s how it’s going to be for the rest of my life. That’s why I came to LSU. I wanted the smoke, going from Boise to the SEC – the best conference in the nation, the baby NFL. I want the smoke. I don’t care who we line up against, who I line up against.”
Benefield has shown why he was not afraid of the competition through his first three games as a Tiger. In his first SEC game against Ole Miss, Benefield made five total tackles and recorded his first sack since his freshman season.
He and the rest of the LSU defense face another difficult test on Saturday as the No. 10 Tigers (2-1, 0-1) welcome No. 23 Texas A&M (2-1, 0-1) to Tiger Stadium (6:30 p.m., ABC).
The Aggies are led by senior quarterback Marcel Reed, who has been the cause of recurring headaches for LSU defensive coordinator Blake Baker. In just six quarters against Baker’s defense, Reed has amassed 272 passing yards, 170 rushing yards and seven total touchdowns. He is 2-0 against the Tigers.
Benefield said the key to reversing that trend is discipline.
“Keep him in the pocket as much as we can, stay disciplined in coverage, don’t be too greedy,” Benefield said, “but he’s gonna test your rules. He’s good at what he does.”
The veteran defensive back said the Tigers learned the importance of doing their individual jobs in the 32-14 loss to Ole Miss. Mistakes, missed opportunities and a slow start cost LSU the game against the Rebels.
“Just executing your job, not being too greedy, trying to make other plays and being calm out there,” Benefield said. “Realizing like all the reps you get throughout the off season, the amazing job the coaches do to prepare you. Just calm down, do your job, and be yourself because that’s going to be enough.”
“Unfortunately we had to take a loss to really understand that,” he added.
Texas A&M will put pressure on that restraint in the Tigers’ secondary. A talented wide receiver tandem in Mario Craver and Isaiah Horton will threaten the defense down the field while Reed forces the secondary to remain mindful of his dynamic rushing ability.
It is a similar test to the one they failed in the first half against Trinidad Chambliss and the Rebels, and LSU will again be without one of its most versatile defenders when it takes it.
Defensive back Dashawn Spears is out for the season with a knee injury. He filled a critical role as the Tigers’ nickelback/STAR, lining up in the box as an extra linebacker, covering slot receivers and tight ends and even occasionally rushing off the edge. His immediate replacement, linebacker CJ Jimcoily was exposed in coverage by Chambliss, and Baker went a different direction in the second half.
Redshirt freshman safety Jhase Thomas came in as a deep safety while safety Tamarcus Cooley rotated down. They helped the Tigers’ defense allow just eight points in the second half. It has not been confirmed whether that will be the starting personnel when LSU takes the field against the Aggies, but Benefield said it worked well the first time.
“It was great to see Jhase get in, and I’m very impressed with how Cooley filled in late notice like that,” Benefield said. “But Jhase did his thing, and he communicated at a high level. And obviously there’s going to be things to work on, but great starting ground from him. I’m very proud of him, and I’m excited to see how we get this whole room going, unfortunately with Dashawn being out.”
In addition to the pressure provided by the Aggies, the top-25 SEC matchup itself is pressure-loaded. After both LSU and A&M lost their conference openers, a second loss in September could be the dagger for either team’s College Football Playoff hopes.
Benefield, however, said none of that matters.
“Treat them all the same,” he said. “Not worried about playoffs, not worried about future weeks, worried about the Texas A&M Aggies right now.”
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