LSU’s offense has plenty of new faces, but the clearest path to steady production might be the one spot where the Tigers can keep turning to fresh legs without much concern: running back.
Lane Kiffin went into the transfer portal with purpose, landing headline additions like quarterback Sam Leavitt and left tackle Jordan Seaton while completely reshaping the wide receiver group with nine new arrivals. That overhaul gives LSU a ton of upside heading into 2026, but the foundation still has to be built on the ground.
That’s why the running back room stands out. It’s one of the few places on the roster where LSU can rotate heavily and still feel good about what it’s getting.
Caden Durham and Harlem Berry, LSU’s top two rushers in 2025, are both back. Wisconsin transfer Dilin Jones is also in the mix for the starting job, and he has already made a strong impression on the staff. Jones carried 76 times for 300 yards and two touchdowns with the Badgers, and his spring and early fall camp work has put him squarely in the conversation for Week 1.
Even if Jones gets the first crack at the job, LSU doesn’t appear to be staring at a drop-off. Berry, a true freshman last season, started the final six games and finished with 491 rushing yards and two touchdowns.
Durham brings the most experience of the group, having spent the last two seasons with the Tigers, and he’s averaged five yards per carry in his college career. Any way LSU slices it, there’s real production available here.
That matters because the Tigers know exactly what went wrong a year ago. LSU finished with the fewest rushing yards per game in the SEC in 2025 at 104, and Kiffin has been clear during fall camp that the ground game has to become a bigger part of what this offense does.
"I think that running the ball is very critical," Kiffin said. "Each year is different based on your team, your situation, the personnel you have for us...To me, when we've been really good, you've got to be able to run the ball in critical situations."
There’s help coming up front, too. LSU should have a better offensive line with Seaton, plus returners Bo Bordelon and Braelin Moore. Aliou Bah is set to start at center, while right tackle is still unsettled and Weston Davis is expected to face competition during camp.
The personnel looks different, but the mission is the same: make the run game work. With Berry, Durham, and Jones all capable of carrying the load, LSU has a backfield that can be shuffled around without sacrificing much. Kiffin’s track record running the ball at Ole Miss suggests that if the line settles in, this part of the offense could be a strength again.
In Other News...
LSUs Defensive Front Is Already Fueling Serious Fall Camp Buzz
LSUs defensive front has been one of the early storylines of fall camp, and it is easy to see why. The group blends veteran pieces with a wave of new transfers and arrivals, giving the Tigers a deeper and more varied rotation up front than they had a year ago. Dominick McKinley, Malik Blocton, Deuce Geralds, Lamar Brown, Jordan Ross, Princewill Umanmielen, Whit Weeks and TJ Dottery are among the names drawing attention as the staff sorts out how all the pieces fit.
Several of those players have already landed on the Bronko Nagurski early watch list, a sign of the respect the unit is earning before the season even begins. Early camp reports have been encouraging on both the returning and incoming sides, and that matters for LSU because the defensive line is expected to be a major strength if the group can carry this momentum into September. The talent is there, the depth looks real, and now the Tigers are trying to turn that buzz into something more lasting. [Read more 🡒]
Lane Kiffins First LSU Offense Comes With One Huge Question
Lane Kiffins first LSU offense is already taking shape in familiar fashion, with the new head coach leaning into the kind of up-tempo, multiple attack that made his Ole Miss teams so difficult to prepare for. Kiffin has long paired quick pace with a serious commitment to the run game, a blend shaped in part by his defensive-minded upbringing and the coaches who influenced him along the way. At LSU, the broad outline is clear enough: the Tigers want to play fast, stay physical and keep pressure on defenses.
The bigger question is how that vision will look when the season opens against Clemson. Kiffin and offensive coordinator Charlie Weis Jr. are still sorting through personnel and refining the plan, trying to match the scheme to a roster that features a rebuilt offensive line, new receivers and a backfield led by returning runners Caden Durham and Harlem Berry, along with transfer Dilin Jones. For LSU, the idea is familiar enough, but the exact shape of the offense is still a work in progress. [Read more 🡒]
LSU Still Has Two Big Offensive Battles Brewing Before Clemson
With fall camp now four practices deep, LSU is still sorting out a couple of the biggest questions on offense before the Clemson opener. Mondays session brought media a little closer to the unit, and the most immediate competition remains up front, where Lane Kiffin and offensive line coach Eric Wolford are still piecing together the starting five. Tennessee transfer William Satterwhite II has been getting first-team work at right tackle, a sign the Tigers are continuing to test different combinations as they try to settle the line.
The uncertainty does not stop there. Wide receiver and tight end are both still being evaluated, with several players making cases to be part of the rotation or even push for starting roles. For LSU, that means camp is already carrying some real stakes, because the offense still has more sorting to do than it would prefer this close to a high-profile opener. [Read more 🡒]