What Happened to SEC Defense?

Feels like just yesterday we were watching LSU and Alabama slug it out to a 9 to 6 score. Or Georgia dominate teams defensively. The SEC used to be the 'old school' defensive conference, not anymore. Now, maybe it's a LSU issue, but it looks bad on the entire SEC. Or maybe the offenses have gotten that much better in recent years, but there has been a shift in the conference. Once a proud defensive conference has turned into a glorified Big 12.

Offensive Fireworks

LSU at Ole Miss on Saturday is the perfect example of the new look of the SEC. There was absolutely no defensive resistance. Good offense is one thing, but this game was more about bad defense, mostly in the form of bad tackling. 104 total points with 1,343 total yards is not something you would expect from an SEC game five years ago. Those numbers make you think of the Big 12 or the Pac 12. LSU's defense never put up a fight Saturday night, gashed from the very beginning.

Poor tackling at the second level and really poor angles from the safety and Ole Miss is 43 yards almost untouched. This was all game.

WHERE IS EVERYBODY? A simple post to the middle of the field and the receiver is somehow behind EVERYONE! 63 yards with ease and it's 21 points in the 1st quarter for Ole Miss.

Just look at the "tackling" effort here. Game on the line and the effort is embarrassing honestly. Guys wide open and poor tackling is how you get 55 points put on you and lose your playoff hopes.

Obviously, Ole miss didn't play the best defense either as LSU was able to put up 49 points. The Rebels defense at least made Jayden Daniels and the receivers make plays. Very few times during this game were LSU receivers running by themselves.

Take this play for example. Yes, LSU scores 28 points in the first half, but this is a perfect throw and great catch. Lots of times Daniels was simply playing perfect football to beat the defense.

LSU - Ole Miss wasn't the only disappointing defensive effort on Saturday. The Kentucky Wildcats ran ALL OVER the Gator defense. Kentucky running back Ray Davis had 280 yards himself. The theme continues of just bad tackling.

This isn't even bad tackling, this is just getting DOMINATED on the defensive line. The whole right side of the defensive line gets flushed down and Davis is 75 yards basically untouched. The Gator line got dominated all day.

Here is an example of really bad tackling. Two Gator defenders completely miss and the third needs to hit the weight room. This just doesn't feel like the old SEC defenses.

Bad Defense or Great Offense?

The offense in the SEC as a whole has definitely improved. There are are new offensive minds (i.e. Lane Kiffin) that know how to exploit a defense. The surprising part to me is the lack of physicality across the league. Getting run on for over 300 yards isn't the old school SEC football. Maybe this is just the new look for the conference, it certainly creates exciting shootouts. Maybe this is the way college football is going, but defense just doesn't mean more in the SEC anymore.

For more college football talk be sure to follow Tailgate Media on X. For more blogs make sure to check out the rest of the website.