The first LSU injury report for Texas A&M brought the kind of defensive-back news the Tigers didn’t want to see.
On Wednesday night, LSU listed two more DBs as question marks for this weekend’s matchup with the Aggies: Tamarcus Cooley and Ja’Keem Jackson. Both are notable names to have surfaced, especially with the Tigers already dealing with absences in the secondary.
The out list was largely what LSU expected. Tight end Trey’Dez Green, defensive back Dashawn Spears and wide receiver Phillip Wright III will not play. Spears and Wright are out for the year, while there is still hope Green can make it back, which would be a major lift if LSU is trying to keep its season on track.
Cooley is the more encouraging of the two new additions, since he was listed as questionable. His role matters even more now with Spears gone for the season.
Against Ole Miss, Cooley played 30 snaps in the slot after Spears exited, and he was heavily used there last year as well. Blake Baker clearly trusts him in that spot.
If Cooley can’t go at full strength, LSU figures to lean more on Jhase Thomas and CJ Jimcoily, with the Tigers likely mixing and matching in the slot, at safety and at the third corner spot behind DJ Pickett and PJ Woodland.
Jackson is also a useful piece for LSU’s depth. He has logged 50 snaps off the bench this season and already made his mark with a pass breakup in Week 1 and a clutch interception last weekend against Trinidad Chambliss.
The good news for LSU is that Texas A&M also took a loss last week, and the Aggies’ biggest weapon is their rushing attack. Still, every healthy body matters, and the Tigers would rather not be shorthanded in the secondary heading into this one.
In Other News...
LSU's Offense Just Raised A Bigger Sam Leavitt Concern
LSUs offense took a needed step forward on the ground against Ole Miss, piling up 172 rushing yards and getting a strong day from Dilin Jones, who ran for 106 of them. Even with that improvement, the passing game still left plenty to sort through, and the overall balance of the offense did not fully erase the concerns that have hovered around Sam Leavitt since the start of the stretch.
Leavitt finished 16 of 27 for 158 yards with a touchdown and an interception, while adding 63 rushing yards and another score on the ground. Lane Kiffin pointed to missed chances through the air, said some of the issues were tied to Leavitt missing practice, and stressed that the offense has to protect better and execute cleaner moving forward, which makes the next step for the passing game an important one for LSU. [Read more 🡒]
Lane Kiffin Turns LSU Loss Into Bigger SEC Scheduling Frustration
Lane Kiffin spent part of his first SEC teleconference back in the LSU spotlight talking less about the loss itself and more about the setting around it. After Ole Miss beat LSU in Oxford in Week 3, Kiffin pointed to the fact that the game was played there for the second straight year, framing it as more than just an inconvenience for the Tigers and more like a scheduling issue with real competitive weight.
For LSU, the complaint lands in a familiar place because Oxford has long been one of the leagues tougher road environments, and Kiffin noted the home-field edge and crowd noise as factors that hurt his team. The bigger frustration now is not just what happened in the game, but how the setup kept LSU in the same uncomfortable spot twice in a row, leaving the scheduling conversation hanging over an otherwise straightforward result. [Read more 🡒]
LSU Gets A Telling Warning From Mike Elko Before SEC Showdown
With LSU heading into another SEC test, Texas A&M coach Mike Elko offered a useful scouting lens on what his defense expects to see when the Tigers line up across from them. Elko pointed to LSU quarterback Sam Leavitt as a competitive, physical presence, the kind of player who can shape a game by staying tough through contact and keeping plays alive.
Elko also touched on how little direct exposure he has had to Lane Kiffins offense, even while making clear he respects what Kiffin has built over the years. For LSU, that combination matters because it frames this matchup as more than a simple talent check. It is also a chess match against a coach who likes what he sees from the Tigers quarterback and knows enough about Kiffin to understand how much discipline this game could demand. [Read more 🡒]