56 | 2023 SOUTHERN FOOTBALL GUIDE
LSU
HEAD COACH: Brian Kelly OC: Mike Denbrock DC: Matt House
Baton Rouge, LA
2022 RECORD: 10-4 (6-2) FOUNDED: 1860 STADIUM: Tiger (102,321)
OFFENSE
DEFENSE
The LSU offense was terrific, and the accomplishments (34.5 points/game, 453 total yards/game, 49 percent on third down) are even more impressive considering how young the team was with two true freshmen starting on the offensive line. The only blemish is all those sacks, 45 of them to be exact. That must improve. Jayden Daniels and Malik Nabers may be the best quarterback-receiver combo in the nation. Daniels threw for 2,913 yards, 1,017 of them to Nabers. Daniels ran for 885 yards, but don’t expect that again. After all, the Tigers want to keep him upright. Josh Williams and Noah Cain combined for 941 yards and 16 touchdowns, averaging 5.5 yards a carry. Expect their carries to increase significantly. Mason Taylor is an effective weapon at tight end. Expect receivers Brian Thomas Jr. and Kyren Lacy to shoulder a heavier load this season.
The defense wasn’t tough enough against the run and couldn’t muster much of a pass rush, especially late in the season. The Tigers missed Maason Smith, a top talent, with a torn ACL. He played in just one game. Smith and Mekhi Wingo can pack a punch upfront when working together. Smith’s presence will boost the pass rush, as will the addition of Ovie Oghoufo from Texas. Oghhoufo has 13 tackles for loss over the past two seasons at Texas. Many believe Harold Perkins Jr. is the best linebacker in college football. He may be even better playing alongside Omar Speights, who in 45 career games at Oregon State, had 147 solo tackles and 25 stops behind the line. The Tigers will break in a couple of corners. With Zy Alexander (SE La.), JK Johnson (Ohio State), Denver Harris (Texas A&M) and freshman Javien Toviano, they should be covered.
DEPTH CHART
DEPTH CHART
NO 5 21 2 8 11 86 66 70 69 72 50
PLAYER Jayden Daniels Noah Cain Kyren Lacy Malik Nabers Brian Thomas Jr. Mason Taylor Will Campbell Miles Frazier Charles Turner III Garrett Dellinger Emery Jones Jr.
POS QB RB WR WR WR TE LT LG C RG RT
HT 6-4 5-10 6-2 6-0 6-4 6-5 6-6 6-5 6-4 6-5 6-6
WT 200 220 217 195 201 245 325 323 295 320 325
CLASS SR SR SR JR JR SO SO JR SR JR SO
NO 35 92 0 2 4 1 25 24 28 3 22
PLAYER Sai’vion Jones Mekhi Wingo Maason Smith Ovie Oghoufo Harold Perkins Jr. Omar Speights Javien Toviano Zy Alexander Major Burns Greg Brooks Jr. Duce Chestnut
POS DE NT DT OLB LB LB CB CB S S NB
HT 6-6 6-1 6-6 6-3 6-1 6-1 6-1 6-2 6-2 5-10 5-11
WT 268 295 310 250 220 238 201 188 187 187 200
CLASS JR JR SO SR SO SR FR JR JR SR JR
13 27 24 12 17 89 53 78 77 79 55
Garrett Nussmeier Josh Williams Landon Ibieta Kyle Parker Chris Hilton Jr. Connor Gilbreath Lance Heard Mason Lunsford Marlon Martinez DJ Chester Kimo Makane’ole
QB RB WR WR WR TE LT LG C RG RT
6-1 5-9 5-11 5-11 6-0 6-6 6-6 6-7 6-5 6-6 6-4
200 205 192 194 182 268 335 297 326 316 310
SO SR FR FR SO SO FR JR SR FR SO
94 96 99 13 30 33 10 12 8 14 15
Paris Shand Jalen Lee Jordan Jefferson Bradyn Swinson Greg Penn III West Weeks Denver Harris JK Johnson Andre’ Sam Matthew Langlois Sage Ryan
DE NT DT OLB LB LB CB CB S S NB
6-4 6-3 6-3 6-4 6-2 6-2 6-0 6-1 6-0 6-0 5-11
267 308 305 249 238 238 183 180 195 205 203
JR JR SR JR JR JR SO SO SR SO SO
34 19
Damian Ramos Jay Bramblett
185 202
SO SR
1 1
Aaron Anderson Aaron Anderson
180 180
FR FR
SPECIAL TEAMS K P
6-2 6-2
2023 SCHEDULE S.3 .. Florida State (Orlando)
O.14............................ Auburn
S.9 ...............Grambling State
O.21 .................................Army
S.16 ...... at Mississippi State
N.4 ........................at Alabama
S.23 .......................... Arkansas
N.11 ............................. Florida
S.30 .......................at Ole Miss
N.18 ................ Georgia State
O.7 ........................ at Missouri
N.25 ......................Texas A&M
SPECIAL TEAMS KR PR
5-8 5-8
NEWCOMERS Dashawn Womack, Edge — Ranked No. 3 at Edge, Womack was hindered by an injury during spring practice and wasn’t able to show his skills. When healthy, he may be the best pass rusher on the roster, but with depth on the edge, the Tigers can afford to bring him along slowly. Zalance Heard, T — The third-ranked tackle in this recruiting cycle, Heard has the size and skill to play right away. The Tigers are not opposed to playing true freshmen on the offensive line. Will Campbell and Emory Jones Jr. both started last season. But there is depth now that wasn’t there at this point last season.
