LSU Football: Tigers Hosting Coveted DL Transfer on Wednesday

Brian Kelly and Co. will host Indiana transfer Philip Blidi on Wednesday; navigating portal window.

Sep 23, 2023; Bloomington, Indiana, USA; Akron Zips quarterback DJ Irons (0) is tackled by Indiana / Marc Lebryk-USA TODAY Sports

The LSU football staff will bring in another key defensive line target this week with Indiana transfer Philip Blidi making his way to Baton Rouge on Wednesday, a source confirmed to LSU Country.

Blidi, one of the more coveted transfers in the portal, will check in with Brian Kelly and Co. before continuing his visit schedule. He'll visit LSU following a trip to Washington. From there, he'll head to Oklahoma on April 19.

The schools to monitor in Blidi's recruitment remain LSU, Oklahoma and Texas A&M, according to those familiar with his recruitment.

The graduate transfer, who has one year of eligibility remaining, is looking to enter a situation with a chance to boost his draft stock and win a championship.

Before Blidi's trip to LSU, he was set to check out Arizona State, but has since called off that trip before rescheduling a midweek visit to Baton Rouge.

The 6-foot-3, 195-pounder spent three seasons at Texas Tech prior to his stint with the Indiana Hoosiers. During his time with the Red Raiders, he appeared in 34 games and tallied 39 tackles, six tackles for a loss and two sacks.

With Indiana in 2023, Blidi played in 12 games with 11 starts, logging 30 tackles, four tackles for loss, two quarterback hurries and a pass breakup.

Now, it's full steam ahead in his recruitment after entering the Transfer Portal once again for his final season of eligibility.

LSU has already reeled in a commitment from Wisconsin transfer defensive lineman Gio Paez this spring where he will play his final season in Baton Rouge.

The Tigers brought in defensive line coach Bo Davis to come in and change the landscape of the defensive line room. Now, he's faced with a tall task of revamping the talent and adding depth. LSU currently has four scholarship interior defensive linemen this spring with reinforcements headed in this summer.

With one commitment via the portal so far, Davis will now wine and dine Blidi this week during his midweek visit.

LSU head coach Brian Kelly dissected the LSU defensive line room last week with the program looking to utilize its versatility up front to be effective this fall:

“We can move (defensive ends) Bradyn Swinson inside and Paris Shand inside, then Da’Shawn Womack on the edge and (linebacker) Harold Perkins on the edge. You have a different configuration. I think we can be really dynamic with some of the defensive linemen and moving the pieces around. On first and second down, we really have to work hard at getting after the quarterback. But in terms of stopping the run, Jacobian Guillory has been outstanding. In terms of what Bo Davis is looking for, he’s been outstanding and been a stalwart. We have to find that other guy. That’s what we are looking for. We are trying to develop that second guy and have some depth pieces behind them.”