LSU football’s national title-winning depth chart has been decimated

The 2019 LSU football team was one of the most dominant forces in college football history. Most of that depth chart is gone now.

It hasn’t been an easy year for anyone, but on the sports side of things, the LSU football team has taken hit after hit.

On Sunday, one picture put it all in perspective.

Bryan Fischer of Athlon Sports tweeted out an image of LSU’s depth chart from the 2019 national title game with red lines through each and every player who is no longer with the team, including Biletnikoff-winning receiver Ja’Marr Chase. His imminent NFL draft declaration is what prompted the exercise.

There were a lot of red strikethroughs…

LSU football has a huge rebuilding job on their hands.

The Tigers knew they would have to say goodbye to Heisman-winning quarterback Joe Burrow. What they might not have counted on is a depth chart that has been decimated by even more departures than expected.

Four of five starting offensive linemen are gone, with Adrian Magee and Damien Lewis graduating while Sahdiq Charles and Lloyd Cushenberry left for the 2020 NFL Draft.

Tight end Thaddeus Moss declared for 2020. Backup Stephen Sullivan graduated.

Wide receiver was hit hard by Justin Jefferson opting to join the pros, but they were supposed to have Ja’Marr Chase back to lead the unit. That’s no longer in the cards.

Running back Clyde Edwards-Helaire was another 2020 draft departure.

If you’re keeping score at home, that’s nine of 11 starters on offense who need replacing.

The defense isn’t much better off.

Edge rusher K’Lavon Chaisson was a first-round draft pick for 2020.

Starting defensive end Rashad Lawrence graduated as expected along with backup transfer Breiden Fehoko and outside linebacker Michael Divinity Jr., but depth upfront was hard hit with backup outside linebacker Marcel Brooks entering the transfer portal and backup defensive end Neil Farrell Jr. opted out of the coming season due to COVID-19.

The rest of the linebacker corps isn’t around either. Starters Patrick Queen and Jacob Phillips were drafted.

The secondary had starting cornerback Kristian Fulton graduate and starting safety Grant Delpit enter the draft. Then backup safety Kory Vincent Jr. put his name in for the 2021 draft.

The tally is six starters lost on defense, but another five projected starters or backups are gone.

The list of LSU losses doesn’t end at players. The coaching staff has also been hit hard by poaching. Defensive coordinator Dave Aranda became the head coach at Baylor. Passing game coordinator and play-caller Joe Brady moved on to take the offensive coordinator job with Carolina. Running backs coach Tommie Robinson was enticed to join Texas A&M in the same role.

Let’s put it this way: If Ed Orgeron manages to keep LSU in the upper echelon of college football in 2020 after all those losses, he’ll have performed a miracle.