LSU heads into SEC play with a clean-looking injury picture, and that’s about as good a Friday setup as the Tigers could ask for before Kentucky comes to town.
The official report lists five LSU players as out: TE Trey'Dez Green, LB Whit Weeks, S Dashawn Spears, WR Phillip Wright III and LB Charles Ross II. None of those names come as a surprise, and that’s the real win here. Nothing unexpected popped up, and LSU even got a small bonus on the back end of the roster with Ja'Keem Jackson no longer appearing on the report at all.
That was the whole idea coming out of Saturday’s game against McNeese St. The Tigers wanted a week that helped players recover without adding fresh problems, and they got exactly that. With three starters and two young depth pieces still sidelined, the list is manageable in the bigger picture.
Kentucky’s report is longer, though not entirely alarming. The Wildcats have five players out as well: LB Antwan Smith, LB Alex Afari Jr., LB Tavion Wallace, DB Jaden Smith and DB Grant Grayton. They also have three players tagged questionable - RB Jordan Colbert, LS Cole Marszalek and DL Kalen Edwards - while WR DJ Miller is listed as probable.
The good news for Kentucky is that running back Jason Patterson and defensive back Aaron Gates are not on the report. Patterson, who was a key part of the offense and left early against South Carolina, looked uncertain coming in, so his absence from the list suggests he’s ready to go.
Gates is another important name to have back. He missed last week, but when healthy he’s their starting slot corner, a spot that matters against this Lane Kiffin offense.
One more Kentucky name worth watching is Edwards. He’s been a big part of the interior defensive rotation and even logged half a sack against Alabama.
In Other News...
Lane Kiffin Is Building An LSU Threat Ole Miss Can't Ignore
LSU is nearing the midpoint of its first season under Lane Kiffin, and the Tigers have already shown enough on defense to make the rest of the SEC pay attention. Fox Sports analyst Joel Klatt has been among those encouraged by what LSU has done on that side of the ball, pointing to a pass rush and overall defensive profile that could keep the Tigers in the race for the SEC Championship as the schedule gets more demanding.
For a team with Kiffin now running the show, the early storyline has been a little different than the usual offensive fireworks associated with his name. LSUs defense has stood out so far, and that creates a different kind of threat for opponents, including Ole Miss, which knows the tougher stretch is still ahead for the Tigers. The real test now is whether that strong start holds up once LSU gets to the hardest part of the schedule. [Read more 🡒]
LSU Heads Into Kentucky With Major Injury Questions On Both Sides
LSUs injury picture keeps evolving as the Tigers get ready for Kentucky, and the list of unavailable players already includes several significant season-ending losses. Wide receiver Phillip Wright III, safety Dashawn Spears and linebacker Charles Ross are all done for the year, forcing LSU to keep reshuffling pieces on both sides of the ball while trying to maintain its footing in the SEC race.
Tight end Trey'Dez Green adds another layer of uncertainty, with his recovery timeline still unclear even as there is some hope he could return sooner than expected. In the meantime, LSU has been leaning on replacements like safety Tamarcus Cooley and linebacker Davhon Keys, and how well those fill-in roles hold up could shape what the Tigers look like against Kentucky and beyond. [Read more 🡒]
Sam Leavitt Is Why LSU Still Has To Prove It
LSUs place in the SEC conversation still feels like a work in progress, even with the kind of talent that usually keeps the Tigers in the top tier. Caroline Fenton put them in the conferences second tier, pointing to the offenses ceiling but also to the unease that comes with Sam Leavitts turnovers. He has thrown seven interceptions this season, and a hamstring issue has only added to the questions around how steady LSU can be when the schedule tightens.
There is still plenty in LSUs favor, starting with a defense under Blake Baker that Fenton praised as a real strength. The Tigers also showed what they can look like when everything clicks in the second half against Ole Miss, and that remains the blueprint if they want to push from good to truly dangerous. Leavitt is expected to be fully healthy for Kentucky, which makes the next stretch feel less like a talent check and more like a proof-of-concept test. [Read more 🡒]