Watch the game. LSU came in with injured players on D already and ended up with only 4 healthy DL (one who was an undersized true freshman and another a career backup who was also undersized) for 3 positions. Once the flood gates broke they poured in on LSU and there was no way of clawing out of it.

quote:
You return 5 on offense and 5 on defense...

It looks awful on paper. The WR corps loses Chark (big loss) but gains Giles, the transfer from Tx Tech and they also lose Gage (career backup jet sweep specialist and special teams all star) but gains two 5* wideouts from LA.

Lose Guice, and there's no replacement, but there will be a more running back-by-committee approach.

Lose Etling, possibly gain Burrow. (If that doesn't happen LSU is screwed at QB)

Clapp is gone but he played most of the year injured and there's bigger, stronger, younger guys ready to take his place.

Weathersby is gone but once again, there's bound to be someone there that can match his lackluster production.

On defense, they lose all three of their RS SR defensive linemen in LaCouture, Gilmore, and Herron as well as SR linebacker Donnie Alexander, JR CB Kevin Toliver, and JR CB Donte Jackson.

LaCouture is replaced by Tx Tech transfer and former top 10 out of HS DT Breiden Fehoko.

Herron is replaced by any backup DE that takes his place

Gilmore is easily replaced by Edwin Alexander who arguably had a better year than him. (Gilmore is the hardest to replace)

Donnie Alexander is easily replaced by former 5* LB Jacob Phillips or Tyler Taylor

Toliver and Jackson are replaced by Vincent and Kirklin who already look like more natural CBs.

That's a lot of experience to replace but all of those guys have seen playing time and there shouldn't be any freshman outside of possibly the two WRs having to step up like there were multiple freshman starting day one last year.