LSU’s running game left plenty to be desired in 2025, and the numbers told the story. The Tigers managed just 104 rushing yards per game, dead last in the SEC, and the offense never really settled in because of it.
Even more glaring, LSU did not produce a 100-yard rusher at any point last season. To find the last time a Tiger topped that mark, you have to go back to October 19, 2024.
Lane Kiffin is trying to change that with a rebuilt offense, and the backfield is already shaping up as one of the more interesting calls of camp. He brought in seven running backs through the transfer portal, but Wisconsin transfer Dilin Jones has been the one making the strongest early impression. At the same time, Caden Durham and Harlem Berry are both back, which gives LSU more options than it had a year ago and leaves the staff with a real decision to make.
Jones got the first-team work on day one, though that hardly locks anything in. After practice, Kiffin made it clear he likes what he has seen from the transfer while also pushing the veterans to keep climbing.
"Dilin's done great. Really has had a great week too and has kind of taken off from where he did in the spring, so we're really pleased with that," Kiffin said per Jerit Roser.
"And you say motivate the veterans [Berry and Durham], which I get, but they're not that old, the two guys... So they still have a lot of work to do and can improve.
So we're pleased where they're at now, but we wanna push 'em more."
A committee setup looks possible, especially with Durham and Berry having handled the same number of carries last season and posted similar production. LSU’s offensive line should give them more breathing room this time around, which changes the picture for everyone involved.
The bigger question has never been whether Durham and Berry have talent. It has been finding the right fit for that talent to show up. Kiffin and offensive coordinator Charlie Weis Jr. might be exactly that combination.
The expectation is that Kiffin will lean on Jones and Berry as the top two backs. Jones has the kind of physical, downhill style that can wear on defenses and finish drives, and he already looks like a strong option near the goal line. Berry, meanwhile, was working in an offense that didn’t exactly help him, and LSU believes this season could finally unlock what he can really do.
Kiffin’s recent track record at running back helps explain why there’s optimism here. Over the last few seasons, he’s had backs like Kewan Lacy and Quinshon Judkins, and the ground game has long been part of his offensive identity. For LSU, that alone makes this battle worth watching.
In Other News...
LSU Inherits A Quarterback Storyline Lane Kiffin No Longer Controls
Trinidad Chambliss arrived at Ole Miss as one of the more interesting quarterback additions in the SEC, a spring 2025 transfer from Division II Ferris State who quickly turned himself into a real storyline. His rise has already drawn plenty of attention, but not everyone around the league views it as simply a product of Lane Kiffins system. One anonymous SEC coach pointed to Chamblisss natural talent and playmaking ability as the bigger reason for his success, a reminder that the quarterback himself has done more than just benefit from the right play sheet.
That angle matters even more now that Kiffin has left Ole Miss for LSU, where the Rebels new offensive playcaller will be John David Baker. For LSU, the move created an unexpected subplot to keep an eye on, because Chambliss is no longer tied to the coach many people associated with his rise. The question hanging over the next chapter is whether his production travels with him when the architect of the old offense is gone and the new one takes over. [Read more 🡒]
LSU No. 25 Connects Rising Talent With A Tigers Legacy
LSUs No. 25 has become a small but interesting bridge between the present and the programs past, with two current Tigers carrying the number for very different reasons. Running back Rod Gainey Jr. is still early in his college career and sits behind the depth chart for now, while safety Aiden Hall arrives with plenty of buzz as a highly rated recruit from New Orleans, giving the number a mix of developmental promise and homegrown prestige.
The jersey also ties back to a name that still resonates around Baton Rouge: YA Tittle, who wore 25 during his LSU days from 1944 to 1947 before going on to a Hall of Fame NFL career. For a program that leans heavily on tradition, having a number shared by a backup back and a prized defender gives LSU another reminder of how its current roster keeps brushing up against the schools history. [Read more 🡒]
LSU Faces An Early Receiver Concern As Clemson Prep Intensifies
LSU moved into its sixth fall-camp practice with the first full-pads session Wednesday, a useful checkpoint as the Tigers keep sharpening things for the season opener against Clemson. The wide receiver group is already getting a close look, and junior Malik Elzy has been a steady target as LSU works through its early camp rhythm. Elsewhere, injured players Gabriel Reliford and Aidan Anding were seen on stationary bikes, while freshman Jaiden Braker has been adjusting to a new home on the defensive side of the ball after switching from linebacker to defensive end.
The more immediate concern is at receiver, where Winston Watkins Jr. was absent again for a second straight practice. LSU does not have much time to let any camp absence linger with Clemson looming, so every rep matters now, especially as the Tigers try to sort out who is ready to handle the load when the opener arrives. Watkins availability will be worth watching as camp intensity rises and the depth chart starts to take shape. [Read more 🡒]