Lane Kiffin is walking into his first LSU fall camp with a roster that barely resembles the one he inherited, and that makes the opening stretch as much about chemistry as it is about scheme.
More than 50 new faces are on the Tigers’ roster this season, and that kind of turnover changes the entire feel of camp. LSU is bringing in new players at nearly every major spot, which means the usual early work is less about polishing details and more about building a common language. Spring camp helped start that process, but the fall is where the team has to find its footing and identify where the weak points still are.
That challenge is especially sharp on the offensive line and in the linebacker room, where communication can swing a group from steady to shaky in a hurry. Getting everyone on the same page will matter early, and the strain of syncing up could end up being one of the most important tests of camp.
At quarterback, Leavitt is already expected to be up to speed with the offense because Kiffin has made sure he knows the playbook inside and out. Kiffin has said more than once that the offense only functions efficiently when the quarterback keeps everything moving, and Leavitt showed at Arizona State that he can handle that role.
What LSU still has to sort out is the timing around him. The biggest question in the early days of camp is how quickly Leavitt connects with his skill players.
Do the receivers understand how he delivers the ball? Do they know the pace he plays at?
Is the exchange clean in the backfield on handoffs?
Leavitt has the reputation of being a pro’s pro, and he’s been through the process of meeting new teammates before. Even so, the Tigers are going to have to get to game speed fast, because that adjustment period will not wait for them once camp gets rolling.
In Other News...
LSU Freshmen Are Already Turning Up The Heat In Fall Camp
LSUs second fall camp practice under first-year coach Lane Kiffin brought a little more football bite, with players in shoulder pads for the first time this preseason and the tempo starting to reveal some early pecking order. Junior quarterback Sam Leavitt looked sharper pushing the ball downfield, sophomore running back Dilin Jones was at the front of the backfield group, and the younger defenders kept making their case as the Tigers kept working through the early stages of camp.
Freshman defensive end Lamar Brown was among the players drawing attention with notable plays, and freshman Jhase Thomas has already moved into a starting role at safety ahead of junior Tamarcus Cooley. There is still plenty of camp left, of course, and the backup quarterback race remains a work in progress as Husan Longstreet and Landen Clark keep trying to clean up their accuracy, but LSU is already getting an early glimpse of how quickly some newcomers can push their way into the picture. [Read more 🡒]
Former LSU Star Suddenly Enters A Troubling Saints Defensive Situation
The Saints have added a familiar LSU name to a defense that has been forced to keep adjusting. Deion Jones, once a Pro Bowl linebacker with the Falcons and a former Tigers standout, has resurfaced in New Orleans after spending his career moving through all four NFC South teams, a reminder of how much experience can matter when a unit is trying to steady itself.
For LSU fans, Jones path is another example of a player whose roots in Baton Rouge still follow him around the league. For the Saints, the timing is what stands out most, with recent injuries and roster shuffling leaving the defense in need of help and more changes still looming as the team works through the next phase of its lineup decisions. [Read more 🡒]
LSU Faces A Crucial 5-Star Battle On Two Recruiting Fronts
LSUs recruiting board is getting a familiar late-summer squeeze, with the Tigers trying to hold their ground on one premium target while also protecting a commitment at another marquee position. Five-star wide receiver Easton Royal, who is currently pledged to Texas, has lined up official visits to LSU, Texas and Florida, giving the Tigers a real chance to make their case in person as his process plays out over the next few months.
The other front is just as delicate. Five-star tight end commit Ahmad Hudson has been hearing from Nebraska, and the longer that outside pressure lingers, the more important LSUs own relationship management becomes. Hudsons situation also hints at the balancing act inside Baton Rouge, where football recruiting is competing for attention as the staff continues building out the basketball roster, and that can leave even a committed player looking for steadier contact. [Read more 🡒]