Jordan Ross arrived at LSU with the kind of résumé that can make people expect instant results. The five-star recruit and the No. 3 edge rusher in the 247Sports Composite had all the traits, but his two seasons at Tennessee left some doubt. He played fewer than 270 snaps there and finished with just 13 quarterback pressures, according to Pro Football Focus.
That’s what made LSU’s gamble interesting. Lane Kiffin took a shot on Ross, and through seven games it’s looking like a smart one.
Ross has become one of the Tigers’ most productive defenders, leading the team with 24 quarterback pressures while adding more sacks than he had at Tennessee with 2.5. He has also missed only one tackle all season, per PFF. On Saturday, he kept rolling in LSU’s 31-0 win over Mississippi State, finishing with 2.5 tackles for loss, a sack and a forced fumble.
“(LSU defensive ends) coach Sterling Lucas emphasizes, ‘You practice how you play,’ ” Ross said. “So me going into practice every day, training hard, I feel like it played into the game today.”
LSU needed that production even more after star edge rusher Princewill Umanmielen went down in the first quarter with an injury and did not return. With one of its most important defensive players sidelined, the Tigers leaned harder on Ross to get after Mississippi State quarterback Billy Puckett and create chaos in the backfield.
“(Princewill), he is like an older brother to me,” Ross said. “I learn from him, he learns from me. And we really just talk about how, as the leaders of the (edge rushers) room, we talked about we get an advantage on the offensive line and what I see and what he sees.”
The injury forced LSU to shuffle its edge rotation, turning to Dylan Carpenter and Lamar Brown to fill the void. Carpenter has been part of the rotation since the opener, while Brown, a freshman five-star recruit, has seen limited action in SEC play. He didn’t play against Ole Miss and was on the field for just one snap at Kentucky.
Even with those options, Ross was the one who consistently made things happen. He was the biggest threat off the edge, and he made life miserable for Puckett, who started in place of Kamario Taylor.
“Shoutout to the edge room,” linebacker TJ Dottery said. “Those are some good leaders, Ross and Princewill. SO I have (great) confidence of whoever comes in behind them.”
Mississippi State was already in a tough spot before kickoff with Taylor unavailable and running back Fluff Bothwell also out. Ross made sure the Bulldogs never found footing anyway, winning repeatedly against both offensive tackles and using his speed and athleticism to blow up plays early.
Now LSU is waiting to see how long Umanmielen will be sidelined. Dottery said after the game that Umanmielen told him he’d be okay, but the Tigers have to prepare as if they may need Ross to carry the load next week too. LSU faces Auburn on Saturday before an off week at the end of the month.
That could put even more pressure on a front four that has driven much of LSU’s defensive success. Deuce Geralds and Umanmielen have combined for 13 sacks, and that kind of disruption has been a major reason the Tigers have been able to harass quarterbacks all season.
If Umanmielen can’t go, LSU will need Ross to keep playing like this. The tools have always been there. Now the Tigers may be counting on him to turn that potential into production.
“Leadership for sure,” Dottery said after he was asked how Ross has improved since coming to LSU. “And on the field, I think his football IQ in general, understanding of the game and not only what he has to do, but, honestly, all 11 around him.”
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LSU Defense Just Took Another Hit It Couldnt Afford
LSUs defense was already short on answers, and it took another hit early against Mississippi State when edge rusher Princewill Umanmielen left in the first quarter after making his second tackle. He was checked on the field by LSU trainers and then spent the rest of the first half watching from the sideline, a rough development for a unit that has been trying to piece itself together.
The timing matters because LSU has already had to absorb injuries to two other starting defenders this season, leaving the Tigers with even less margin for error on that side of the ball. Any extended absence would only deepen the challenge for a defense that can ill afford to keep losing experienced pieces as the schedule moves on. [Read more 🡒]
LSU Got The Bounce-Back Win Fans Wanted At A Cost
LSU got the kind of response it needed Saturday, blanking Mississippi State 31-0 and putting together the sort of complete performance that had been missing in recent weeks. The defense set the tone early and never let the Bulldogs get comfortable, shutting down drives and turning multiple fourth-down chances into empty trips while the offense found a steadier rhythm behind quarterback Sam Leavitt and running back Dilin Jones.
The win, though, came with a familiar sort of concern for a team still trying to get healthy. LSU also came out of the game with new injuries to key players, including wide receiver Jackson Harris and edge rusher Lamar Brown, adding to the uncertainty surrounding a roster that finally looked organized on the field. Leavitt's better timing and confidence were a promising sign, but the larger question now is whether the Tigers can build on it without losing more pieces along the way. [Read more 🡒]
LSU Is Pushing An Eligibility Fight The SEC May Not Tolerate
LSUs latest off-court battle is not about a game plan or a depth chart, but about whether the school has gone too far in pushing eligibility rules on behalf of its programs. The issue has flared around former professional players brought in by mens basketball coach Will Wade and football coach Lane Kiffin, with the school leaning on legal action to get those players onto campus teams despite NCAA restrictions.
Louisiana courts have already granted preliminary injunctions that helped some of those former pros suit up, but the bigger threat is now coming from the SEC itself. The conference has warned that LSU could be expelled over what it sees as a lack of institutional control, turning a roster-building strategy into a potential league-wide crisis for an athletic department already under scrutiny. [Read more 🡒]