Wednesday marks the first day of media availability for LSU spring practice as the Tigers are getting ready in preparation for the 2025 season. LSU will get 16 practices from now until April 12th to get some reps in. Throughout the next couple of weeks, we will be providing constant LSU coverage from spring practice on our website at www.gridironfootballusa.com and make sure to check out The Chase With Jace on our YouTube channel every Wednesday for everything going around LSU Football.
- Kyle Williams working as the new defensive line coach:
The biggest thing to keep an eye out on entering spring football for the Tigers is that there will once again be a new name leading the defensive line group after Bo Davis left the Tigers to take on the same role for the New Orleans Saints. Replacing Davis is a familiar name for Tiger fans and that is Tiger great Kyle Williams. Williams is a two time All-SEC selection, an All-American, and a national champion for the Tigers from 2002-2005. After a successful 13 year stint with the Buffalo Bills, which included six Pro Bowls, he served as the defensive coordinator for the Ruston High Bearcats from 2020-2024 where he helped develop current LSU defensive lineman Ahmad Breaux. Now, he is hired to work with the current defensive line after his high school coaching days. LSU is going through its sixth defensive line coach in six years, and as tumultuous as the last couple of years have been with its revolving door coaching the position, the answer may come in a former Tiger that bleeds purple and gold to stabilize the group.
2. New Look Offensive Line:
LSU will have a new look on the starting offensive line this year with four of last year’s starters already moving on to the NFL. The only returning starter on the offensive line coming back is DJ Chester, who started last season at center. The Tigers did go through the transfer portal to get two veteran offensive linemen in Virginia Tech center Braelin Moore and Northwestern guard/tackle Josh Thompson, who has been a four year starter for the Wildcats. With Thompson not being able to join the Tigers until later this spring, it will give other players an opportunity to get a lot of looks. At tackle, Tyree Adams and Weston Davis will get early opportunities to replace Will Campbell and Emery Jones at tackle while Bo Bordelon, Paul Mubenga, and others will also get their opportunities. With a lot of question marks on the offensive line, there will be certainly an eye on which players will grab hold of those positions.
3. Garrett Nussmeier enters his second full-time off-season as the starting QB:
A lot of eyes will be on LSU quarterback Garrett Nussmeier, who is entering his second full-time offseason as the Tigers’ signal caller. Other quarterbacks before him including Joe Burrow and Jayden Daniels made that big jump from year one to year two, which turned into Heisman Trophy winning seasons for them. Nussmeier’s first year as a starter was statistically better than his predecessors as Nussmeier threw for 4,052 passing yards and 29 touchdowns with not much of a running game to support him. With another year in Joe Sloan’s offense and with some help in the running game, Garrett Nussmeier could be right in the thick of a special senior season.
4. Transfer Portal Instant Impact Players:
LSU got themselves one of the top transfer portal classes in the country and a couple of these players are going to be instant impact contributors. Offensively, the Tigers got a couple of wide receiver transfers headlined by Kentucky transfer Barion Brown, who has accounted for 3,723 all-purpose yards and is the SEC all-time leader in kickoff returns for touchdowns with five. Defensively, the Tigers got Florida State pass rusher Patrick Payton, who is ranked as the number two overall prospect in the portal with 109 tackles, 32 tackles for loss, 16 sacks, 12 pass breakups and three forced fumbles. After the success showcased by Bradyn Swinson and Saivion Jones, Payton could be in for a big season rushing off the edge for the Tigers.
5. Early Look at Top Freshmen:
The spring is an opportunity to look at the early enrollees that are expected to make an instant impact. Two that come to mind are two of the gems from the 2025 cycle, which are running back Harlem Berry and cornerback DJ Pickett. After a freshman All-American campaign, Caden Durham is expected to be the leading running back in the backfield for the Tigers, but depth is needed behind him in order to give him some deserving rest. One of those candidates is Berry, who is the number one running back in the country coming out of high school and with a thin running back room will get the opportunity to showcase his ability. Then, on the other side of the ball, there is Pickett, who is a consensus five star and the number one cornerback in the country. At 6’4, Pickett already has the length and frame of a big time SEC corner. After joining the team in December, Pickett will try to take advantage of the early time to get in the thick of the cornerback race by the time fall camp arrives.
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