Fall camp is about to put LSU’s new-look roster under the microscope, and a couple of returning players enter with far more to prove than most.
The Tigers have brought in a wave of new faces, which means the next few weeks will shape the early pecking order in Baton Rouge. With Lane Kiffin now taking over the program, there are plenty of jobs still up for grabs, and very few players can feel comfortable about their spot.
On the offensive line, the pressure lands squarely on Weston Davis. LSU’s front struggled badly last season, giving up 29 sacks and finishing as the worst rushing team in the SEC. Davis, one of the returning starters along with Braelin Moore, is coming off a rough year of his own after allowing 33 pressures and having trouble as a run blocker.
That’s a tough place to start, especially after Davis originally entered the transfer portal before deciding to come back. The red-shirt sophomore now has to win his job back in camp, and the Tigers have plenty of options behind him.
Jordan Seaton and Aliou Bah arrived through the portal, and if someone else separates himself, Davis could lose the right tackle spot. Devin Harper, Sean Thompkins Jr., and freshman Brysten Martinez are all names to keep an eye on in that battle.
The same kind of pressure follows Tre' Brown at receiver. Kiffin rebuilt the room by adding seven wideouts through the portal, and the competition there is going to be fierce from the start. Jayce Brown and Jackson Harris are expected to lead the group, but Brown, the Old Dominion transfer, has a chance to force his way into the mix.
He brings real downfield ability, coming off 762 receiving yards and a 20 yards per reception average last season. Still, LSU has playmakers everywhere, including Winston Watkins Jr. and Eugene Wilson, so Brown will need to show what he can do quickly if he wants to stay near the top of the depth chart.
With so many new pieces, the roles are still being sorted out. That gives receivers a real opening, but it also means they have to click fast with quarterback Sam Leavitt if they want Kiffin’s trust.
That’s why this camp matters so much. LSU has talent all over the roster, but the group still has to come together, and Kiffin’s challenge is getting the right players in the right spots before the season gets here.
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Lane Kiffin's LSU Exit Drama Is Drawing An Uncomfortable New Comparison
Lane Kiffins move to LSU has already created one of the stranger coaching transitions in recent SEC memory, and the comparison now hanging over it is an uncomfortable one. Kiffin accepted the Tigers job after his six-year run at Ole Miss, then watched the fallout keep him from coaching the Rebels in the College Football Playoff, a twist that has kept the story attached to him even after the hire became official.
Jon Sumralls path added another layer when Florida hired him away from Tulane and still allowed him to coach the Green Wave in the playoff opener before that season ended. The two coaches discussed their situations at SEC Media Days, along with the broader coaching search process, and the contrast between the exits has only sharpened the scrutiny around how these high-stakes moves are handled when a season is still alive. [Read more 🡒]
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