Breakdown: How LSU football’s offense can attack Clemson’s elite defense

When LSU football’s offense takes the field vs. Clemson‘s defense, NFL GMs will pay attention. LSU quarterback Garrett Nussmeier is in the conversation to be the No. 1 overall pick and had a pass-catching group loaded with NFL-level talent.

On the other side of the ball, Clemson has a handful of defenders with a chance to be first-round picks. EDGE TJ Parker, DT Peter Woods, and CB Aveion Terrell are among the top-ranked prospects at their respective positions. Purdue transfer defensive end Will Heldt is a potential day-one draft pick, too.

20 players from this game may hear their name called in the 2026 NFL Draft — that’s a lot of talent.

LSU’s offense will be the best unit on the field more often than not, but that’s a question mark this week. This Clemson defense is one of the best in the country. Nussmeier and crew will be tested.

Today, we’ll break down how LSU can attack the Clemson defense.

Let’s start with an overview of Clemson’s personnel

Parker, Woods, and Terrell are the story here. In ESPN’s latest 2026 mock draft, all three were projected as top-15 picks. The three stars headline the most experienced team in the country. Clemson’s defense returns 13 starters who played 200+ snaps in 2024.

Along with Parker, Woods, and Heldt on the defensive line, DT DeMonte Capehart returns and expectations are high for five-star freshman DT Amare Adams.

Clemson returns both starting linebackers from the 2024 squad — Wade Woodaz and Sammy Brown. The pair combined for 1,000+ snaps last year.

The secondary is led by Terrell, but corner Ashton Hampton has All-ACC potential on the other side. Slot corner Shelton Lewis and safeties Khalil Barnes and Kylon Griffin all have a wealth of experience on the backend.

Tom Allen makes debut as Clemson’s defensive coordinator

Dabo Swinney made a change at defensive coordinator following the 2024 season. Wes Godwin was out and Tom Allen was in. Allen, fresh off a College Football Playoff appearance with Penn State, said the move to Clemson allowed him to be closer to family.

Under Allen in 2024, Penn State’s defense ranked No. 6 nationally in adjusted EPA/play allowed. It’s hard to say how much of that was due to Allen vs. how much is the Penn State defense being just add water the last few years. Prior to Penn State, Allen was the head coach at Indiana.

What the numbers say about Clemson’s 2024 unit

There’s a reason Swinney made a change at DC. Clemson’s 2024 defense wasn’t up to standard. Clemson ranked No. 112 nationally in EPA/run allowed. That can’t happen at Clemson — a defense loaded with NFL talent in the front seven.

While Clemson was inconsistent defending the run, the Tigers still created tackles for loss, ranking No. 20 nationally in TFLs.

Clemson was better vs. the pass. The Tigers maintained a top-30 ranking in EPA/dropback allowed.

Where does LSU’s offense have an advantage vs. Clemson?

Before the snap

Garrett Nussmeier is a veteran QB. There won’t be much Clemson can do to confuse him. Having a QB with Nussmeier’s experience allows LSU to win the presnap battle. LSU will be able to check in and out of favorable looks. Nussmeier will know when a blitz is coming and get the ball out, and he won’t fall for coverage tricks.

This is significant vs. a Tom Allen defense. Allen’s units feature a variety of blitz packages. Defenders will move around to keep the QB guessing, but Nussmeier can mitigate it.

LSU can win the middle of the field

LSU’s offensive X-factors will play in the middle of the field. I’m talking about LSU’s slot receivers and tight ends. Aaron Anderson, Zavion Thomas, Trey’Dez Green, and Bauer Sharp. You could even throw running back Caden Durham in that discussion.

Clemson’s biggest loss was safety RJ Mickens, the ACC’s top graded coverage safety in 2024. Without Mickens, Clemson has a hole to fill on the backend.

Khalil Barnes and Kylon Griffin are both competent players, but neither is on Mickens’ level and the middle of the field is a potential vulnerability for the Clemson defense.

Barnes picked off four passes in 2024, but he allowed 338 yards. Barnes’ aggressiveness could open up big play space for Aaron Anderson.

The Clemson linebackers are decent in pass coverage, but they are still no match for the speed LSU has in the slot. Clemson’s Sammy Brown allowed a 126.1 passer rating when targeted in 2024. If LSU can get tight end Trey’Dez Green matched up on either Clemson backer, first downs will come easy.

Coaching continuity

LSU’s offense enters year two with OC Joe Sloan calling the plays. Meanwhile, it’s game one for Clemson’s defense under DC Tom Allen. A veteran QB paired with an OC he’s comfortable with is a dangerous combination, especially for a defense that will have game one miscues.

Where Clemson’s defense have the edge vs. LSU’s offense?

Defensive line

This one wasn’t hard to figure out. Clemson’s defensive line has a decided advantage vs. LSU’s offensive line.

Clemson defensive tackle Peter Woods might be the best in the country and he’s joined by defensive ends TJ Parker and Will Heldt. The trio is dangerous. They’re physical vs. the run and have the athletic tools to rush the passer.

On the other side, LSU has five new starters on the offensive line. Transfer Braelin Moore and Josh Thompson provide experience, but LSU’s tackles have yet to start a regular-season game. Now in game one, this OL is asked to block a top-five defensive line.

It’s not just Clemson’s raw talent, but Tom Allen knows how to take advantage of opposing offenses with stunts and movement. The Penn State defense made a living off twists last year. It takes time for an offensive line to learn how to deal with defensive line trickery. LSU’s offensive line is talented enough to be a strong unit, but are they ready for Clemson’s defensive line in week one? There’s not a ton of confidence right now.

Clemson is strong at cornerback

LSU’s wide receivers are good. The problem — so are Clemson’s cornerbacks.

Asthon Hampton and Aveion Terrell rank No. 2 and No. 3 among returning ACC corners in PFF coverage grade. Both players are All-ACC candidates with potential NFL futures. LSU has all-conference pedigree at wide receiver, but we don’t know exactly what LSU’s new-look receiver group will look like until we see it on the field.

Not many secondaries can hang with LSU’s wideouts, but Hampton and Terrell can. If Clemson is winning in man coverage, LSU needs to have a backup plan. Keep an eye on this battle early. It will tell us a lot about how the night will go.

How LSU can mitigate Clemson’s strengths

Tempo

Clemson’s starting 11 is as good as anyone’s, but depth is a concern for the Clemson defense. If LSU goes fast, it can keep Clemson on its heels. A tired Peter Woods is easier to block than a fresh Peter Woods.

Deep shots over the middle

If LSU has an advantage vs. Clemson’s linebackers and safeties, but the matchups outside are 50/50, the logical conclusion is to attack the middle of the field. LSU needs explosive plays to win this game. This is where the Tigers find them.

12 personnel

With Bauer Sharp and Trey’Dez Green, LSU has two starting-caliber tight ends. Putting both on the field can elevate the LSU run game vs. Clemson’s strong defensive line and create matchup issues in pass coverage.

Get the ball out quick

Nussmeier won’t have all day to throw vs. Clemson’s pass rush, but if LSU can create space and allow Nussmeier to get the ball out quick, LSU’s speed can create yards vs. Clemson’s defense.

This article originally appeared on LSU Wire: How LSU football’s offense can attack Clemson’s elite defense

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