Trey’Dez Green doesn’t sound like a player easing into a role. He sounds like someone who knows exactly where he is, what it means, and what comes next.
At SEC Media Days on Thursday, LSU put Green in the spotlight as one of the players representing the program ahead of the upcoming season. The tight end has already flashed big-time ability in his Tigers career, and now he’s expected to take another step under Lane Kiffin.
One of the clearest signs of how seriously Green is approaching that next chapter came when he explained why he walked away from basketball, a sport where he had at times dominated.
“[I quit basketball because of] the toll it had on my body. I feel like I would be a unicorn in the [NFL].
It’s a lot of 6-foot-7 guys in the NBA or in college basketball. It’s not that many in the NFL or college football.
So it was just being real with myself and having to understand and make a grown-man decision,” said Green.
That kind of frame and skill set is rare, and LSU has already seen how hard he is to handle. Even in what was described as a boring, predictable offense last season, Green still managed to be a matchup problem. He finished with seven touchdowns, and it felt like the Tigers were only beginning to tap into what he can do.
The Jackson, La., native had three games last season that showed just how dangerous he can be. Against three SEC opponents, he posted 19 catches for 247 yards and three scores.
Spread that across a full 12-game season, that production would have put him on pace for just under 80 catches and 100 yards, though his actual final numbers landed at less than half that total. The next step is about consistency, and this new staff is expected to help him get there.
Green’s value isn’t limited to the stat sheet, either. He’s earned a reputation as a strong presence off the field, and he made it clear that being someone his teammates can lean on matters to him.
“I just want to be the guy that my teammates can count on. Just want to be that outlet for them.
Whether they’re going through something or they need some energy or a boost. I can just be that person in their ear.
I just want to be looked at as a guy that just got stuff done on this offense,” said Green.
That outlook traces back to where he came from. Growing up in Jackson, La., a town with a population of about 3,000 people, he understood what it meant to wear LSU colors long before he got there.
“Growing up in Jackson, La., probably a population of about 3,000 people, it’s everybody’s dream, every kid’s dream in Louisiana to go play for those three letters and two colors. It’s a blessing that I’ve been able to represent those people.
You just feel it when you’re there. It’s unexplainable.
I really can’t tell you in words about how amazing that place is. I can’t wait to bring a winning environment back to Baton Rouge,” said Green.
His college career has already reached major heights, and he is one of the main stars of LSU’s deal with Nike. He is also one of the potential options for the No. 7 jersey and is expected to be a focal point of the offense. If this season unfolds the way LSU hopes, Green could move from star to superstar in a hurry.
In Other News...
Pete Golding Just Went Off As Ole Miss Drama Follows Kiffin To LSU
Pete Golding spent SEC media days trying to steer the conversation back to football, but the Ole Miss coach ended up talking about the sports messier edges instead. Asked about tampering allegations involving linebacker Luke Ferrelli, Golding pushed back on the idea that one program is uniquely guilty, arguing the transfer portal has created a recruiting system where everyone is chasing players and everybody knows it. He also used the moment to defend the way coaches operate in the current landscape, drawing a direct line between player movement and the same kind of aggressive recruiting that has long defined the sport.
Goldings comments came with plenty of other Ole Miss undercurrents still hanging in the air, including the programs ongoing relationship with Lane Kiffin after his move to LSU. Golding said the two remain on good terms, even as fans continue to process the changes around the Rebels and the broader fallout from a roster and staff reshuffle that has kept this story moving well beyond the podium. For Ole Miss, the frustration is not just about one accusation or one departure, but about a system that keeps forcing schools to explain where competition ends and tampering begins. [Read more 🡒]
Pete Golding Just Unloaded On Lane Kiffin Over LSU Drama
Pete Golding used his time at SEC Media Days to frame one of the offseasons more delicate roster battles as a lesson in loyalty, legacy and what it means to stay put. The Ole Miss coach said he talked to players about the value of the programs alumni support and the long view of their careers, making the case that leaving can carry consequences beyond the immediate move.
Goldings comments also put Lane Kiffin back at the center of the conversation, with the Ole Miss staff clearly trying to keep players from being pulled along with him to LSU. The backdrop here is bigger than one decision or one transfer window: it is about how a coach sells stability to players when another job, another program and another set of promises are suddenly in the mix. [Read more 🡒]
Lane Kiffin Just Put A Massive Label On LSUs New QB
Sam Leavitt arrived at LSU with a rsum that already says plenty about why the Tigers are betting on him to take over at quarterback. The Arizona State transfer helped lead his former team to the College Football Playoff quarterfinals, and the buzz around him has only grown since Lane Kiffin started drawing comparisons between Leavitt and one of the most productive quarterbacks he has coached.
Kiffins praise went beyond the usual offseason optimism, with the Ole Miss coach projecting Leavitt as the kind of talent that could hear his name called early in the NFL draft. He also pointed to the way Leavitt throws and moves as reasons the fit makes sense, while expressing confidence that the foot issue that slowed him last season will not keep him from making an impact this fall. [Read more 🡒]