LSU’s attention this season naturally starts with Sam Leavitt. The Arizona State transfer arrived as the highest-rated quarterback in the portal, and with LSU sitting 11th in the Preseason AP Poll, he’s the name most people will circle when they try to map out how far the Tigers can go.
But if LSU is going to make the leap it wants, the spotlight may need to shift a little to the left side of the line.
Jordan Seaton might be the transfer just as vital to everything LSU hopes to build. After two seasons at Colorado, Seaton comes in as the highest-rated offensive lineman in the portal and fresh off second-team All-Big 12 honors last season. At left tackle, he rarely gave up pressure, and that kind of steady protection is exactly what LSU needs around a new quarterback.
That need is obvious from last season’s numbers. LSU’s offensive line gave up 29 sacks and anchored the SEC’s worst rushing attack. Seaton doesn’t have to fix everything by himself, but his arrival gives the Tigers a real piece to build around.
It also fits the way Lane Kiffin wants to play. The public image of his offense is all tempo and explosive strikes, but the foundation of the scheme with Charlie Weis Jr. is the run game. That showed at Ole Miss with backs like Kewan Lacy and Quinshon Judkins, and there’s no reason to think that approach disappears just because the uniforms and the address changed.
Seaton has already bought into that vision.
"Coach uses this quote, 'It's just different here'," Seaton said in the spring. "And I really believe that.
Being here really is just different from how we train, to how we work. And the word 'extra' around here-everybody, we're big on extra, because doing what's required is not enough."
That buy-in matters because Seaton isn’t just going to be facing ordinary pressure. He’ll see some of the best pass rushers in the SEC.
At the same time, those defenses will have to account for him too. The talent is there, the role is clear, and if LSU does end up making the kind of run it’s chasing, Seaton figures to be right in the middle of it.
In Other News...
Former LSU Standouts Are Turning Preseason Chances Into Real NFL Momentum
Training camp headlines can blur together fast, but a handful of former LSU standouts have given themselves a much better shot at sticking in the NFL with strong preseason showings. Jack Pyburn, Barion Brown and Zavion Thomas all made noise in different uniforms, and each turned early opportunities into production that caught attention beyond the usual August noise.
Pyburn finished with four sacks for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Brown chipped in multiple catches and a rushing touchdown for the New Orleans Saints, and Thomas was especially productive for the Chicago Bears with five receptions for 140 yards and a score. For LSU fans, it is the kind of preseason development worth tracking closely, because performances like these can be the difference between a practice-squad wait and a real roster spot. [Read more 🡒]
Brian Kellys First Post-LSU Move Will Spark Plenty Of Reactions
Brian Kellys first fall away from the sideline came with a headset instead of a play sheet, as he made his debut as a college football color commentator on CBS for the North Dakota State-Jacksonville State game. For a coach who had not spent a season outside the profession since the late 1970s, the shift was a notable one, and it immediately gave LSU fans a different way to watch the former Tigers coach start his next chapter.
Kelly said he knows there is work to do on the broadcasting side, but he also sounded appreciative of the help he received from his CBS colleagues. The move comes after a long coaching run and his recent departure from LSU, so seeing him in the booth instead of on the sideline is bound to draw reactions in Baton Rouge and beyond as his post-LSU path begins to take shape. [Read more 🡒]
LSU Could Get A Huge Pass Rush Boost Right Before The Opener
With NFL teams trimming down to their 53-man rosters, former LSU defensive end Jack Pyburn is suddenly in play again. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers waived him as they finalized their roster, and if he clears waivers, the plan is for him to head back to Baton Rouge just before the Tigers open the season.
For LSU, the timing could hardly be better. The SECs recent decision to allow players on NFL rosters to return to college football opened the door for Pyburn and other former NFL players to rejoin the Tigers, giving the defense a chance to pick up a significant boost right as the opener approaches. The only question now is how quickly everything falls into place. [Read more 🡒]