No. 14 LSU is preparing to face high-octane South Alabama and is a coach who knows Tiger Stadium

BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) – No. 14 LSU's game against surging South Alabama pits a coach who played high school football in Louisiana and grew up at Tiger Stadium against a coach from Boston didn't move to the south until he was 60.

Baton Rouge native Major Applewhite will be the guest in his old hometown, and the first-year Jaguars coach knows exactly what to expect when he takes on Brian Kelly's Tigers in Death Valley on Saturday night.

“Every Saturday I could, I was over in the South End Zone watching every LSU game I could,” Applewhite said, clarifying that he “hasn’t become an LSU fan, but I have chose LSU every time. “I’m not playing Alabama.”

“I love Tiger Stadium. All my friends were LSU fans,” Applewhite added. “I enjoyed growing up there. It was just a great experience.”

He wants to add another positive memory of Death Valley this weekend. Although that will be a big taskRecent history shows he and South Alabama have a chance.

Applewhite, who played QB for Texas in college, was South Alabama's offensive coordinator a year ago when they transferred to Oklahoma State stunned the Cowboys 33-7.

Over the last two weeks, the Jaguars (2-2) have scored a whopping 135 points against Northwestern State And Appalachian State combined.

“It's going to be a big challenge for us,” Kelly said, describing the Jaguars as “a team that has nothing to lose, but definitely a team that is very capable in a lot of areas – very athletic, outstanding in terms of performance. “ their plans, well trained.”

LSU (3-1) is coming from one 34-17 win over struggling UCLA in which the Tigers pulled away with a solid second half after a shaky first 30 minutes.

But the Tigers lost their biggest defensive star when Harold Perkins Jr. tore his right anterior cruciate ligament while making a tackle in the fourth quarter.

This is the second prominent player on the Tigers' defense to be sidelined this season. Top defensive tackle Jacobian Guillory tore his Achilles tendon in Week 2 against Nicholls State.

“Our players clearly understand in this game that there will be injuries,” Kelly said. “We will not lose our identity or fall apart.”

Share the ball

LSU quarterback Garrett Nussmeier was named SEC Offensive Player of the Week after completing 32 of 44 passes for 352 yards and three touchdowns against UCLA.

Nussmeier played with a democratic distribution of the ball and passed nine players. One of those was tight end Mason Taylor, who became LSU's most productive receiving tight end in history (99 catches for 999 yards in his career).

“This year it can go to anyone,” Kelly said. “When you include the tight end as the leading receiver right now, it’s very difficult to defend ourselves.”

Double threat

South Alabama quarterback Gio Lopez was productive passing and running, with 843 yards and nine touchdowns through the air to go and 171 yards and two touchdowns rushing.

At LSU, he faces a defense prone to giving up big plays, including a 75-yard scoring run against South Carolina QB LaNorris Sellers two games ago.

Resetting the defense

Perkins' absence will mean a mixed lineup and different substitution patterns for LSU's defense.

If the Tigers use three traditional linebackers, senior reserve West Weeks would take over at center, while his younger brother Whit will play on the strong side and senior Greg Penn will play on the weak side, Kelly said.

In passing situations, LSU could remove a linebacker or two in favor of a defensive back and a hybrid “star” position player who is quick enough to cover receivers and has the tackling ability to help against the run.

An AP Preseason All-America selection, Perkins had the unusual combination of size, strength and speed to effectively defend runs and passes. Kelly noted that there are no other players like him on his roster.

Go deeper

LSU's vertical passing game could get a boost this week with the expected return of receiver Chris Hilton, who hasn't played yet this season because of a bone bruise in his ankle.

“We need Chris Hilton back and this seems to be the week,” Kelly said. “If we can add vertical passing as another element, I think it will be even better.”

The Tigers' deep passing game got another boost last week with Kyle Parker, who made his first catch – a 45-yard TD – since injuring his elbow in Week 1.

“He did the piece, and it was one of the worst (celebratory) dances I’ve ever seen,” Kelly said, grinning. “He looked like me dancing, so we’ll work on that next.”

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