LSU

Miles wanted to keep Chavis, but had changes in mind

Glenn Guilbeau
gguilbeau@gannett.com

BATON ROUGE – Defensive coordinator John Chavis left LSU in a huff after the 2014 season because of year-long contract disagreements with athletic director Joe Alleva. It had nothing to do with LSU head coach Les Miles, who tried to convince Chavis to stay until the very end in the hours after the Tigers lost to Notre Dame in the Music City Bowl on Dec. 30.

Miles did, however, have some changes in mind for LSU’s defense had Chavis remained.

“Yeah, yeah, some of the things that allow us to operate fast without substitution,” Miles said Saturday after a scrimmage when asked if he was looking to make changes before the change in defensive coordinators.

Chavis, whose Tigers led the nation in total defense in 2014, left LSU in January to be the defensive coordinator at Texas A&M. He was replaced by Alabama linebackers coach/assistant head coach Kevin Steele, who has been one of Chavis’ best friends since boyhood in Dillon, S.C.

Like most defensive coordinators in college and the NFL, Chavis loved to substitute specialists according to down and distance. Over the last two seasons, though, the Tigers frequently had trouble getting alignments set after substitutions and often gave up large gains on busted assignments.

“I think there will be several places that the scheme will be different,” Miles said when asked what will be different about LSU’s defense in 2015 under Steele as opposed to Chavis, who came to LSU in 2009 and immediately built the Tigers into one of the nation’s best defenses.

“I think there’s an opportunity to substitute when appropriate,” Miles said. “I think also they will put themselves in a position, where they don’t have to substitute and can make the calls. As the defense continues to develop knowledge as it runs through the kids, the players, I think you’ll find that there’ll be significant differences.”

LSU and Chavis are currently embroiled in a legal battle over Chavis’ $400,000 buyout.

LSU’s offense got the better of Steele’s defense on Saturday afternoon, though, in a 100-play scrimmage at Tiger Stadium.

“This was probably the best offensive scrimmage and certainly with a call, you could say they may have bested the defense today,” Miles said. “But it was very competitive.”

Sophomore quarterback Anthony Jennings completed 9 of 14 passes for 200 yards and two touchdowns, according to statistics estimated by Miles.

Freshman quarterback Brandon Harris threw 22 passes and completed “a handful,” Miles guessed. “Ten or 12, something like that,” he said. “I have big hands.”

True freshman D.J. Chark of Alexandria continued to be the top wide receiver of spring drills.

“I think D.J. had three catches for 99 yards and two touchdowns and really some talented receptions,” Miles said. “He just seems to make plays, expects himself to make plays. He’s more improved – a lot of energy at practice, a lot of energy to the play. He’s coming.”

Freshman tight end Jacory Washington caught two passes for 54 yards and a touchdown. Freshman wide receiver Trey Quinn caught two touchdowns and had 35 receiving yards. Sophomore Travin Dural, who led the Tigers with 37 catches for 758 yards and seven touchdowns in 2014, caught one pass for 25 yards. Redshirt freshman John Diarse caught two passes for 14 yards.

“I think Malachi had a catch or two for just under 40,” Miles said of freshman wide receiver Malachi Dupre.

Freshman tailback Leonard Fournette gained 100-plus yards. Freshman Darrell Williams “ran for somewhat less than that (55 yards), but ran really hard,” Miles said. “I think the offensive line is rotating through, so I think there’s a lot of knowledge being built there. I like the line.”

The scrimmage was situational with advantages for the offense.

“Half of the scrimmage was in the red zone (25-yard line and in),” Miles said. “Some of those touchdowns were not necessarily long drives and were not long plays even. But I think the offense definitely improved.”

Miles candidly admitted that neither quarterback is where he wants one of them to be, but he did say they have improved over last year when Jennings struggled through most of his 12 starts and Harris failed mightily in his only start at Auburn.

“I already know they’re better than they were last year,” he said. “But to find a real quality quarterback and to have separation from one to the other, that’s what I’m looking for. I’m not necessarily seeing that.”

Neither has consistently been the better quarterback so far.

“I think that it’s the turn of the day,” Miles said. “One day it’s certainly Anthony Jennings, who probably has performed better on more days. And on other days, it’s been Brandon Harris. It’s year two. They’ve really kind of been through it now. We expect more out of them and expect them to not only execute the offense – their plays – but to also give us experience as the play caller. Understand where we want to go, what we’re supposed to do – just a little heightened expectation.”

Sophomore outside linebacker Duke Riley led the defense with seven tackles. Junior outside linebacker Deion Jones had six tackles with two sacks. Freshman safety Jamal Adams made six tackles with a sack.

“He wants in,” Miles said of Adams. “He’s very competitive – one of the most competitive guys on our team easily. He’s got great energy. He’s in our backfield as well. He makes plays. He just gets to the ball.”

Freshman defensive end Sione Teuhema made six tackles and returned a fumble for a touchdown. Miles did not have sophomore middle linebacker Kendell Beckwith’s statistics, but he remembered some plays.

“He made some real significant speed plays defending the pass and getting to runs,” Miles said.

NOTES: The Tigers will return to spring practice on Tuesday and practice again Thursday before taking off for spring break from April 4-12. LSU will return to practice on Tuesday, April 14, practice again on April 16, and the spring game will be at 1 p.m. on Saturday, April 18, in Tiger Stadium. … Junior defensive tackle Quentin Thomas of Breaux Bridge will be held out all of spring drills as he is recovering from various injuries suffered last season. “I think basically he’ll come to life in the fall,” Miles said.