LSU’s latest fall camp session brought a little bit of everything: another productive day on the field, a few lineup wrinkles worth watching, and just enough uncertainty to keep Tiger fans leaning in.
The team worked in shells again yesterday and is off today before heading back to practice tomorrow. Reports out of camp said Sam Leavitt turned in another strong performance, and the usual names continued to stand out. But the details that really popped were the ones that didn’t quite fit the script.
According to The Daily Advertiser and SI.com, projected starting right tackle Weston Davis was not seen at practice, while Tennessee transfer William Satterwhite II took snaps with the first team at right tackle. There was also a gold jersey sighting for tight end Tre’Dez Green, though he still took part in pass drills and appeared to be fine. Without a post-practice media session, there was no chance for Coach Kiffin to explain either situation.
One of the more interesting changes came on defense, where linebacker Jaiden Braker worked with the EDGE group. That move makes plenty of sense for a roster that is deep at linebacker and could use Braker’s speed and athleticism coming off the edge in third-down passing situations.
LSU will be back on the practice field Monday morning, and Coach Kiffin along with select players will talk to the media afterward.
For season-ticket holders who have already received their printed tickets, there’s another small offseason detail that stands out. LSU put a photo of Coach Kiffin on the Clemson ticket, then featured a different player on each of the other six home game tickets: quarterback Sam Leavitt, linebacker Whit Weeks, offensive linemen Braelin Moore and Jordan Seaton, tight end Trey’Dez Green, and safety Ty Benefield. Those six have been major talking points all offseason, so their inclusion makes sense.
That also raises the obvious question: if LSU had printed a few more tickets, which other players would have made the cut? The answer, at least from this corner, starts on defense.
DJ Pickett is the first name that jumps out. Entering Year 2 with plenty of buzz, he already has Freshman All-America honors on his résumé after picking off passes against Florida, Oklahoma and Western Kentucky as a true freshman.
His blend of size and coverage instincts is rare, and this year adds a nice touch of symbolism: Pickett switched back to his high school No. 5, a number that had not been worn at LSU since Jayden Daniels but was promised to him by the previous staff. Kiffin made sure to honor it.
If LSU had an eighth home game, Pickett would have a strong case to be on that ticket.
Princewill Umanmielen belongs in the conversation too. Few players arrived in Baton Rouge with a more established track record.
After a quiet start at Nebraska, he broke through last season at Ole Miss with nine sacks and 13 tackles for loss, helping the Rebels reach the College Football Playoff semifinals. That production earned him a spot on the Nagurski Trophy watch list heading into his first season in purple and gold.
His older brother Princely, a third-round NFL pick out of Ole Miss last year, helped steer Princewill to Oxford in the first place, and now LSU gets its turn to see what that kind of breakout looks like.
Then there’s Dashawn Spears, who has been trending toward a bigger role for a while now. He was already one of the players we pegged for a breakout in our bold predictions series, and everything coming out of camp backs that up.
Working at the STAR position in Blake Baker’s scheme, Spears is in a spot where he can turn last season’s flashes into something much bigger. The ceiling was on full display against Florida, when he intercepted two passes, including a 58-yard return for a touchdown, and won SEC Defensive Player of the Week honors.
With Benefield and Pickett drawing plenty of attention in the secondary, Spears has a chance to quietly become one of the best defensive backs on the roster.
With 27 days left until Game Day, the countdown also turned back to former Tiger cornerback Cedric Donaldson, who wore No. 27 and played a major role in LSU’s 1997 win over Florida. Donaldson had two interceptions in that game, including a 31-yard pick-six in the fourth quarter that sealed the 28-21 upset and ended Florida’s long SEC winning streak.
His first interception helped set up a 68-yard return that led to Tommy Banks’ touchdown run and gave LSU a 14-0 lead. The highlight reel is still there for anyone who wants to revisit it.
The number 27 also points to another memory from 1997: LSU’s 27-0 win over Alabama on November 8. The Tigers didn’t need much from the offense that day, because the defense handled the heavy lifting and held the Crimson Tide to 250 yards of total offense. Chuck Wiley’s fumble recovery in the end zone gave LSU a 7-0 lead and set the tone for the shutout.
And if the old footage makes the broadcast look dated, well, that’s part of the fun.
In Other News...
LSUs Defensive Front Is Already Fueling Serious Fall Camp Buzz
LSUs defensive front has been one of the early storylines of fall camp, and it is easy to see why. The group blends veteran pieces with a wave of new transfers and arrivals, giving the Tigers a deeper and more varied rotation up front than they had a year ago. Dominick McKinley, Malik Blocton, Deuce Geralds, Lamar Brown, Jordan Ross, Princewill Umanmielen, Whit Weeks and TJ Dottery are among the names drawing attention as the staff sorts out how all the pieces fit.
Several of those players have already landed on the Bronko Nagurski early watch list, a sign of the respect the unit is earning before the season even begins. Early camp reports have been encouraging on both the returning and incoming sides, and that matters for LSU because the defensive line is expected to be a major strength if the group can carry this momentum into September. The talent is there, the depth looks real, and now the Tigers are trying to turn that buzz into something more lasting. [Read more 🡒]
Lane Kiffins First LSU Offense Comes With One Huge Question
Lane Kiffins first LSU offense is already taking shape in familiar fashion, with the new head coach leaning into the kind of up-tempo, multiple attack that made his Ole Miss teams so difficult to prepare for. Kiffin has long paired quick pace with a serious commitment to the run game, a blend shaped in part by his defensive-minded upbringing and the coaches who influenced him along the way. At LSU, the broad outline is clear enough: the Tigers want to play fast, stay physical and keep pressure on defenses.
The bigger question is how that vision will look when the season opens against Clemson. Kiffin and offensive coordinator Charlie Weis Jr. are still sorting through personnel and refining the plan, trying to match the scheme to a roster that features a rebuilt offensive line, new receivers and a backfield led by returning runners Caden Durham and Harlem Berry, along with transfer Dilin Jones. For LSU, the idea is familiar enough, but the exact shape of the offense is still a work in progress. [Read more 🡒]
LSU Still Has Two Big Offensive Battles Brewing Before Clemson
With fall camp now four practices deep, LSU is still sorting out a couple of the biggest questions on offense before the Clemson opener. Mondays session brought media a little closer to the unit, and the most immediate competition remains up front, where Lane Kiffin and offensive line coach Eric Wolford are still piecing together the starting five. Tennessee transfer William Satterwhite II has been getting first-team work at right tackle, a sign the Tigers are continuing to test different combinations as they try to settle the line.
The uncertainty does not stop there. Wide receiver and tight end are both still being evaluated, with several players making cases to be part of the rotation or even push for starting roles. For LSU, that means camp is already carrying some real stakes, because the offense still has more sorting to do than it would prefer this close to a high-profile opener. [Read more 🡒]