LSU didn’t need long to give Malik Elzy a real shot.
The former Illinois receiver earned a start in the Tigers’ Week 1 win over Clemson after an offseason in which LSU rebuilt its wide receiver room through the transfer portal, bringing in names such as Jayce Brown, Jackson Harris and Winston Watkins. Elzy wasn’t the most talked-about addition, but he clearly made enough of an impression in camp to move into the lineup right away.
On Monday, LSU head coach Lane Kiffin explained why Elzy got that opportunity and why it likely won’t be a one-time thing.
"Yeah, he had a really good camp, really good scrimmages, and had performed really well," Kiffin said.
Elzy was on the field for 15 offensive snaps against Clemson and was targeted just once. That lone target came on the second play of the game, when LSU QB Sam Leavitt threw slightly behind him on a slant route. The throw was tough to handle, but the ball went off Elzy’s hands and was intercepted by a Clemson defender.
Still, Kiffin made it clear that the opening-drive mistake didn’t erase what Elzy showed in camp.
"After the first ball didn't get many opportunities in the game, so expect him to have more in the future, but he really had a good camp and that's why we pride ourselves on playing guys off of how they perform when they get here, not how much money they make or what their stats were somewhere else or the previous year and just the performance of camp," Kiffin said.
That fits the picture LSU has built around Elzy so far. He arrived from Illinois after catching seven passes for 84 yards last season, and he still hasn’t produced at the Power Four level. But at 6-foot-2, he gave LSU enough during fall camp to earn trust quickly.
For now, the expectation is straightforward: one rough play won’t define his role. Elzy looks set to remain part of LSU’s receiver mix as the season moves on.
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