LSU’s injury list keeps stretching as the Tigers head into a Week 6 SEC road trip to Kentucky, and Wednesday’s first report confirmed five players who won’t be available.
The latest setback comes on top of a season already defined by attrition for LSU, which has dealt with repeated injuries to key contributors on both sides of the ball. As the Tigers try to get back to an even road record, they’re also having to patch together several important spots across the lineup.
Among the players ruled out is wide receiver Phillip Wright III, who was the first LSU player to go down this season. Wright injured his leg in the Week 2 game against Louisiana Tech and is done for the year, leaving a notable vacancy in a receiver room that was already crowded.
Safety Dashawn Spears is also out for the season after tearing his ACL against Ole Miss. His injury opens up the star safety spot in the secondary, and Tamarcus Cooley has already stepped in for Spears and is expected to hold that role the rest of the way.
Tight end Trey'Dez Green remains sidelined as well after hurting his knee in the Ole Miss game. He was carted to the locker room and later returned to the sideline on crutches. Green had been expected to miss some time, though Kiffin recently offered a more encouraging update, saying the offensive playmaker could return sooner than expected.
At linebacker, LSU is still waiting on Whit Weeks, who fractured his right leg against Texas A&M. Weeks, who shares captain duties with Green, is expected to miss time, leaving the defense to keep its level up through upcoming SEC games until he’s back.
Charles Ross is the other LSU player ruled out, and his season is over after a torn ACL against Texas A&M. Ross was listed behind Weeks on the depth chart before Weeks went down, and with Davhon Keys filling in for Weeks, LSU’s linebacker depth is thinner than it was just a few weeks ago.
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LSU Gets A Reassuring Injury Report Before Kentucky Game
LSU heads into its SEC matchup with Kentucky carrying the same kind of availability report it was expected to have, with five Tigers ruled out and no late surprises attached to the list. For a team trying to keep its focus on the conference grind, the news matters less for who is missing than for the fact that the absences were anticipated well in advance, leaving the Tigers with a clearer read on how they will line up.
Kentuckys report is a little more layered, with five players out and a mix of questionable and probable tags that could still alter the depth chart by kickoff. The most encouraging sign for the Wildcats is that Jason Patterson and Aaron Gates are not on the injury report at all and are expected to be available, which gives Kentucky some stability as it tries to navigate a shorter margin for error in an SEC game that already carries plenty of weight. [Read more 🡒]
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 🡒]
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 🡒]