LSU’s offseason overhaul has plenty of familiar fingerprints on it, but one coach is already making his presence felt in a quieter, more immediate way.
Lane Kiffin has remade the Tigers with a wave of new faces on the staff and an elite roster around them, yet the early buzz out of fall camp points to Kevin Smith as one of the clearest drivers of the change in Baton Rouge. Smith, who joined LSU as assistant head coach and running backs coach, is already drawing attention for the way he works his room and pushes tempo every day.
Smith has been with Kiffin for eight years, beginning their run together at FAU in 2017 before the two moved on to Ole Miss. That partnership produced some of their best work, and last season in Oxford Smith helped develop All-SEC running back Kewan Lacy into a record-breaking weapon, as Lacy set the school record for rushing touchdowns in a season with 24.
That kind of impact is showing up again in Baton Rouge. Smith has gone right to work in a running back group that still has questions to answer at the top of the depth chart.
Veterans Harlem Berry and Caden Durham were in position last year, then transfer Dilin Jones stepped in and started grabbing the spotlight. With Berry absent from camp this week, Jones has been the one leading every one of Smith’s high-impact drills and looking more and more like the front-runner in the room.
The way Smith handles practice is part of why he’s standing out. He brings a firm edge, keeps the group locked in, and makes sure every rep has a purpose. In those individual periods, he’s been one of the loudest voices on the field - right there with defensive assistant Ed Orgeron - moving his players through drills fast and demanding the same pace from one station to the next.
That speed is no accident. Smith’s approach is built around conditioning players to operate at a higher gear so the offense can keep that same pace when it’s time to push the ball downfield. It’s the kind of work that doesn’t always get the headline, but it can shape the way a team looks once the season starts.
Kiffin’s reputation for reshaping programs into contenders is already well established, and LSU is his fourth SEC stop. Still, the early story of this camp suggests the Tigers’ new look isn’t just about the man at the top. Smith is becoming a major part of what LSU wants to be this season, even without the headset.
In Other News...
LSU Suddenly Has A Fall Camp Concern Before Clemson
LSUs 12th fall camp practice brought a little more clarity in one spot and a little more concern in another as the Tigers continued their buildup to Clemson. Sophomore cornerback DJ Pickett was back on the field in a non-contact jersey for the first time this preseason, but he still took part in drills and did not appear limited during the media viewing period.
The bigger question came from the absences, with sophomore running back Harlem Berry and junior defensive end Jordan Ross out again after missing the previous days work. For a camp already shaped by the push toward the opener, repeated missed practice time at two key spots is the kind of development LSU will keep watching closely even as junior quarterback Sam Leavitt continued to look sharp and efficient, connecting on several passes including deep throws. [Read more 🡒]
Ed Orgeron Brings A Familiar Jolt Back To LSU
Ed Orgeron is back around LSU in a familiar role, and his return has added a little old-school energy to a preseason camp full of fresh faces. After four seasons away from coaching, Orgeron has rejoined the program as a special assistant to recruiting and defense, and he has already been active in practices. His work has been especially noticeable with the defensive line, where his hands-on approach and long track record in college football have given LSU another experienced voice on a mostly new staff.
For a program that has leaned on change in recent years, Orgerons presence offers something different: familiarity, urgency and a clear sense of what the Tigers have been in the past. He remains known for the kind of passionate coaching style that can light up a practice field, and LSU is also counting on the recruiting edge that helped define his rise through the game. Even without a headline role, he has quickly become one of the more interesting additions around the program this fall. [Read more 🡒]
LSU Has A New Defensive Tackle Battle Fans Need To Watch
LSU is in the final stages of its offseason work with Lane Kiffins debut game against Clemson looming, and one of the more interesting subplots in Fall Camp is developing right in the middle of the defensive front. The Tigers added three defensive linemen last December, and all three true freshmen are now getting meaningful chances to show they belong as LSU sorts through its defensive tackle options.
The competition has become a real camp storyline because the staff is giving significant first-team run to a trio of newcomers, which says plenty about how unsettled the depth chart still is. For a defense that wants to be ready when the season opener arrives, the next stretch of camp will help determine how quickly the line can settle into place and which young tackles can handle the pressure of playing early. [Read more 🡒]