LSU fired defensive coordinator Matt House Wednesday and three of his assistant coaches, cornerbacks coach Robert Steeples, safeties coach Kerry Cooks and defensive line coach Jimmy Lindsey.
This is despite the Tigers getting 10 wins and coming away with a victory in the ReliaQuest Bowl game against Wisconsin.
So what gives? Why fired coaches when things go well?
In the SEC, your team has to score points in bunches to win. But, at some point, your defense has to make key stops. That is what hurt LSU this season.
Three games, in particular, emphasize that point. Yes, it was the three losses, but what hurt the defensive staff was more about how they lost.
Florida State 42, LSU 24 — Sept. 3 in Orlando for the Camping World Kickoff
LSU led 17-14 at halftime, in a game that was shaping up to be a defensive battle. Florida State got the ball first in the second half and drove 60 yards on nine plays and tied the game with a Ryan Fitzgerald 33-yard field goal.
The Tigers went 36 yards on their next drive and had to punt and the Seminoles had to start from their 13-yard line. On the first play, running back Rodney Hill was tackled for a 4-yard loss. At this point, things were looking good for the defense.
But on the next play, quarterback Jordan Travis hit Keon Coleman for a 41-yard pass completion, giving Florida State the ball at midfield. Three plays later Travis hit Lawrance Toafili for a 41-yard pass to the 1. FSU scored on the next play to go up 24-17.
LSU quarterback Jayden Daniels was intercepted on the next drive, giving the Seminoles the ball at their 43. Eight plays and 57 yards later, Travis and Coleman connected for a 7-yard score and Florida State went up 31-17.
LSU only went 36 yards on its next drive and was forced to punt. Three plays later, Travis hit Jaheim Bell for a 44-yard scoring pass and FSU was up 38-17. The Seminoles added another touchdown before LSU scored one late for the final margin.
Florida State had 494 yards of total offense with Travis throwing four touchdown passes.
Related: LSU uses quarterbacks coach and receivers coach to call plays in ReliaQuest Bowl.
Ole Miss 55, LSU 49 — Sept. 30 in Oxford
If you are a fan of offense, this was your game. This was a back-and-forth affair with LSU taking a 42-34 lead with with 3:41 left in the third quarter.
Ole Miss got the ball and drove 75 yards on 13 plays, but using only 4:28 off the clock. The Rebels scored early in the fourth quarter to make it 42-40. Daniels was sacked on third-and-9 on the next series, LSU punted and Ole Miss drove to the 45 and turned it over on downs.
LSU took advantage. Daniels pass hit Kyren Lacy for 22 yards on a third-and-long to keep the drive alive, then hit Brian Thomas for a 34-yard touchdown pass and LSU went up 49-40 with 8:34 left.
Ole Miss then drove 65 yards on 10 plays to make it 49-47. LSU used 2:30 on its next drive and punted, forcing the Rebels to start from their 12 yard line. They drove 88 yards in eight plays, with Dart going 3-for-3 passing and Quishon Judkins getting 25 yards on three carries, to take the 54-49 lead with 39 seconds left.
Ole Miss had 706 yards of total offense. Dart threw four touchdown passes and ran for another score.
Alabama 42, LSU 28 — Nov. 4 in Tuscaloosa
After taking a 28-21 lead with 11:14 remaining in the third quarter, LSU’s defense gave up a nine-play, 70-yard drive to Alabama, with Roydell Williams running it in from 16 yards out to tie the score at 28.
After the Tigers’ offense failed to score on its next drive, Alabama took the lead on a 68-yard drive that took less than three minutes and quarterback Jalen Milroe scored on an 11-yard run for the touchdown to make it 35-28.
LSU’s offense turned it over two plays later on the 25-yard line and like they always do, the Crimson Tide took advantage. It took three plays and 1:36 for Alabama to score and move the lead to 42-28.
Alabama could’ve padded the lead, but after driving 50 yards on 12 plays and burning 7:10 off the clock, kicker Will Reichard missed a 43-yarder.
Alabama finished with 507 yards of offense and six rushing touchdowns.
Other big defensive lapses by LSU were against Missouri (527 total yards), Florida (488 yards) and Georgia State (361 yards).