LSU Football has signed the best transfer portal class in the country with new head coach Lane Kiffin leading the way. Among the new additions is the old Ty Benefield, Boise State safety.
Safety wasn’t a position of great need when the portal opened, but LSU DC Blake Baker didn’t turn down the opportunity to add impact players. With Benefield, LSU gets a proven veteran at the FBS level.
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In 2025, LSU had one of the best safeties in the sport with AJ Haulcy patrolling the field. Haulcy could position himself in the middle of the field, play in man coverage and defend the run near the line of scrimmage. Haulcy has now left for the NFL and this production needs to be replaced.
LSU returns talented safeties TaMarcus Cooley and DaShawn Spears. Both are versatile and the addition of Benefield only adds more flexibility to the group. Let’s take a look at what LSU gets from the former Boise State security.
Benefield can play physical football
There are two types of defensive backs: those who want to hit and those who avoid contact. Benefield is definitely the one who wants to strike.
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If you have any doubts about his ability to play this type of football at the Power Four level, look no further than the clip below, when he lowers his shoulder to meet Notre Dame star running back Jeremiah Love and forces the ball loose.
Benefield’s 69 tackles in 2025 led all safeties in the Mountain West. According to PFF, he made 141 solo tackles and 53 stops during his career with the Broncos, while forcing two fumbles.
Benefield is versatile
Haulcy’s versatility was valuable for LSU in 2025. Baker could move him all over the field. Benefield offers a similar skill set. Watch the first 30 plays of Boise State’s game against Notre Dame, and you’ll see Benefield playing center field, playing in the shallow hook zone, and blitzing up the middle.
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Benefield has played 355 snaps in man coverage in 2025, which fits perfectly with what Baker wants to do on defense. Having safeties who can play in man coverage allows LSU to get creative with blitzes early on.
When Benefield is not covered, he participates in these blitzes. He actually played 309 snaps in the box last season, more than he played anywhere else on the field. Benefield played 265 snaps at free safety while playing 126 in the slot.
Benefield brings more experience to LSU’s defense
LSU’s defense will be among the most experienced units in the country in 2025 – Benefield is a big part of that. At Boise State, he logged 33 starts and played over 1,800 defensive snaps.
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Benefield also has playoff experience. In 2024, Benefield and Boise State won the Mountain West and earned the Group of Six playoff invitation to the CFP. The Broncos came up short against Penn State, but Benefield knows what it’s like to be part of a winning culture. Having veterans from winning teams can be essential for a first-year head coach.
Benefield is new to LSU, but he’s not new to the sport.
This article was originally published on LSU Wire: LSU football: What Ty Benefield brings to the Tigers defense
