For today’s LSU Fall Football Practice Report, the media only had viewing access today for the last 30 minutes of practice, but we got to see some competition and also got the chance to talk to head coach Brian Kelly.
While yesterday seemed to be more about the offense, today was a good day for the defense. When the team was going 11v11, Sage Ryan, Ashton Stamps, and PJ Woodland had some impressive pass breakups including the freshman, who took on Kyren Lacy. Kelly has seen some progress from the secondary, but wants to see some more consistency from the group.
“We put together some good periods of time. There’s no doubt that progress is being made, but not to point that it’s at a championship level. I think it’s going to be a journey for those guys in particular. We will look for them to continue to put practices together instead of a good period and then not a good period. The great part is that they are working hard at it and they are a number of guys that are at that category of trying to do what is expected of them and execute when they need to execute when is called upon. After five practices, there are some good signs, but we have a ways to go.”
LSU Head Coach Brian Kelly
The perfect example of what Kelly said was during 7v7 today as despite a couple of nice PBUs by the defensive backs, Garrett Nussmeier and the offense clicked as QB1 hit Chris Hilton Jr., Kyren Lacy, Mason Taylor, and then CJ Daniels on a comeback route.
The running back room was also a spotlight as the media first saw John Emery Jr. break a long run and also Josh Williams is looking as explosive as he has ever been at LSU. Add in Kaleb Jackson and freshman Caden Durham, the group is looking pretty fresh and strong.
The defensive line had a much better day than yesterday as Sai’vion Jones won an impressive rep over Emery Jones to set the tone. Defensive tackle Dominick McKinley was pushing the interior and showed his raw strength on a lot of reps. For the most part, the quarter of Jacobian Guillory, Gio Paez, Da’Shawn Womack, and Sai’vion Jones worked the first team defensive line, but he has also liked from what he has seen from Kimo Makane’ole, Shone Washington, and Grand Valley Stae transfer Jay’Viar Suggs.
On the offensive line, Will Campbell continues to look like the first round pick and best offensive lineman in the country as he has dominated every reps during 1v1s. Kelly has praised how much of a vocal leader that the All-American has developed into.
Today was also a good day for the second group as tackles Tyree Adams and Ory Williams impressed during some of the 1v1 reps with their length and athleticism lining up against some of the Tigers’ defensive ends.
It is also an interesting note that the defense also came out showcasing a dime package that includes Jyaire Brown lining up as another cornerback with Whit Weeks being the other starting linebacker besides Harold Perkins and substituting for Greg Penn, who had a sack at the end of practice. Through five practices, the starting linebackers have been Perkins and Penn and in the secondary, the corners have been Ashton Stamps and Sage Ryan while the safeties have been Jardin Gilbert and Jordan Allen plus Major Burns at the STAR position.
There were a couple of notable absences including tight end Mac Markway. At the end of practice, Kelly told the media that the sophomore tight end was no longer planning on playing football for the Tigers and that he was going to enter the transfer portal. A potential reason for his departure could be the emergence of the two young tight ends on the roster in redshirt freshman Ka’Morreun Pimpton and true freshman Trey’Dez Green. Both are over 6’6 and are matchup problems as receivers.
Kelly finally gave some updates on Mississippi State transfer Zavion Thomas, who sat out today’s practice because of a hamstring injury and that the team was trying to be cautious with him, and defensive linemen Bradyn Swinson and Jalen Lee, who are both trying to finish summer classes in order to graduate.
Tomorrow, the media will return back to practice and will hear from offensive coordinator Joe Sloan.
Click HERE to check out LSU’s earlier practice reports!
