LSU Tigers 2023 Preview and Predictions

(Photo Credit: Carmen Mandato/Getty Images)

Key Players Returning:

QB Jayden Daniels, RB/KR Noah Cain, RB Josh Williams, WR Malik Nabers, WR Brian Thomas Jr., TE Mason Taylor, OC Charles Turner III, OG Miles Frazier, OT Will Campbell, OT Emery Jones Jr., DT Mekhi Wingo, NT Sai’vion Jones, LB Greg Penn III, LB Herold Perkins Jr., FS Greg Brooks Jr., SS Major Burns, PR Gregory Clayton Jr., PK Damian Ramos and PT Jay Bramblett.

Key Players Departing:

WR Kayshon Boutte, WR Jaray Jenkins, OG Anthony Bradford, DE Ali Gaye, DE BJ Ojulari, DT Jaquelin Roy, LB Micah Baskerville, CB Jarrick Bernard-Converse, CB Mekhi Garner, DS Joe Foucha and DS Jay Ward.

Top 10 Recruits:

Blue Star Recruits: 
CB Denver Harris (Texas A&M transfer), OT Zalance Heard (Monroe, Louisiana) and DL Dashawn Womack (Baltimore, Maryland).

4 Star Recruits: 
WR Jalen Brown (Miami, Florida), LB Whit Weeks (Watkinsville, Georgia), TE Ka’Morreun Pimpton (Ft. Worth, Texas), EDGE Jaxon Howard (Minneapolis, Minnesota), WR Shelton Sampson Jr. (Baton Rouge, Louisiana), CB Zy Alexander (SE Louisiana transfer) and CB JK Johnson (Ohio State transfer).

2022 Results:

G01  vs. Florida State  L  23-24
G02  SOUTHERN  W  65-17
G03  MISSISSIPPI STATE  W  31-16
G04  NEW MEXICO  W  38-0
G05  @ Auburn  W  21-17
G06  #8 TENNESSEE  L  13-40
G07  @ Florida  W  45-35
G08  #7 OLE MISS  W  45-20
G09  #6 ALABAMA  W | OT  32-31
G10  @ Arkansas  W  13-10
G11  UAB  W  41-10
G12  @ Texas A&M  L  23-38
SEC  vs. #1 Georgia  L  30-50
BOWL  vs. Purdue  W  63-7

Team Info:

2022 Overall:  10-4 (1st in SEC West)

Home:  6-1
Away:  3-1
Neutral:  1-2
SEC:  6-2
Non-SEC:  4-2

Head Coach:  Brian Kelly

Louisiana State:  10-4
Career:  273-100-2
Bowl:  7-5

Returning Statistical Leaders:

Passing: 
Jayden Daniels (266-388, 2913 yards, 68.6%, 7.5 avg., 17 TD, 3 INT)
Rushing: 
Jayden Daniels (186 car., 885 yards, 4.8 avg., 11 TD)
Receiving: 
Malik Nabers (72 rec., 1017 yards, 14.1 avg., 3 TD)
TD’s Scored: 
Jayden Daniels (12)
Sacks: 
Harold Perkins Jr. (7.5)
Tackles: 
Greg Penn III (78)
Interceptions: 
Greg Brooks Jr. (2)
Pass Deflections: 
Mekhi Wingo (4)
Tackles For Loss: 
Harold Perkins Jr. (13)
Forced Fumbles: 
Harold Perkins Jr. (4)
Kick Returns: 
Noah Cain (7 ret., 155 yards, 22.1 avg., 0 TD)
Punt Returns: 
Gregory Clayton Jr. (11 ret., 51 yards, 4.6 avg., 0 TD)
Kicking: 
Damian Ramos (10-14 fg/fga., 71%, 55-57 xp/xpa., 85 pts.)
Punting: 
Jay Bramblett (49 punts, 2181 yards, 44.5 avg., 18 in20)

Projected Offensive Starters:

QB:  5  Jayden Daniels  (SR/TR)
RB:  21  Noah Cain  (RS SR/TR)
WR:  11   Brian Thomas Jr.  (JR)
WR:  8  Malik Nabers  (JR)
WR:  2  Kyren Lacy  (SR/TR)
TE:  86  Mason Taylor  (SO)
LT:  66  Will Campbell  (SO)
LG:  72  Garrett Dellinger  (JR)
OC:  69  Charles Turner III  (RS SR)
RG:  70  Miles Frazier  (RS JR/TR)
RT:  50  Emery Jones Jr.  (SO)
KR:  1  Aaron Anderson  (RS FR/TR)
PK:  34  Damian Ramos  (RS SO)

Projected Defensive Starters:

DE:  35  Sai’vion Jones  (JR)
NT:  90  Jacobian Guillory  (RS JR)
DT:  18  Makhi Wingo  (JR/TR)
DE:  00  Maason Smith  (RS SO)
LB:  1  Omar Speights  (SR/TR)
LB:  4  Harold Perkins Jr.  (SO)
NB:  14  Andre’ Sam  (RS SR/TR)
CB:  24  Zy Alexander  (JR/TR)
CB:  22  Duce Chestnut  (JR/TR)
FS:  3  Greg Brooks Jr.  (RS SR/TR)
SS:  28  Major Burns  (JR/TR)
PR:  1  Aaron Anderson  (RS FR/TR)
PT:  19  Jay Bramblett  (RS SR/TR)

Team Grades:

Offense

Quarterbacks:  A
Running Backs:  A
Wide Receivers:  C
Offensive Line:  B

Defense

Defensive Line:  B
Linebackers:  A
Secondary:  B

Special Teams

Kick Returners:  C
Punt Returners:  C
Kickers:  B
Punters:  A

Schedule:

09/03 
vs. Florida State Seminoles  |  LSU trails the series 2-8.  Last season’s 23-24 loss was the first meeting between schools since 1991.

09/09  GRAMBLING TIGERS  |  First meeting between schools.

09/16  @ Mississippi State Bulldogs  |  LSU leads the series 75-38-3.  The Tigers are 7-3 since 2013 and their last series loss (34-44) was in 2020.

09/23  ARKANSAS RAZORBACKS  |  LSU leads the series 43-23-2.  The Tigers are 7-3 since 2013 and their last series loss (13-16 OT) was in 2021.

09/30  @ Ole Miss Rebels  |  LSU leads the series 65-42-4.  The Tigers are 7-3 since 2013 and their last series loss (17-31) was in 2021.

10/07  @ Missouri Tigers  |  LSU trails the series 1-2.  The Tigers lost (41-45) the last meeting between schools in 2020.

10/14  AUBURN TIGERS  |  LSU leads the series 32-24-1.  The Tigers are 6-4 since 2013 and their last series loss (19-24) was in 2021.

10/21  ARMY BLACK KNIGHTS  |  LSU lost (0-20) the only prior meeting between schools in 1931.

11/04  @ Alabama Crimson Tide  |  LSU trails the series 27-55-5.  The Tigers are 2-8 since 2013 and their last series loss (14-20) was in 2021.

11/11  FLORIDA GATORS  |  The series is tied 33-33-3.  The Tigers are 8-2 since 2013 and their last series loss (19-27) was in 2018.

11/18  GEORGIA STATE PANTHERS  |  First meeting between schools.

11/25  TEXAS A&M AGGIES  |  LSU leads the series 35-23-3.  The Tigers are 7-3 since 2013 and their last series win (27-24) was in 2021.

Prediction:

Home:  7-0
Away:  1-3
Neutral:  0-1
SEC:  5-3
Non-SEC:  3-1

Overall:  8-4  (3rd in SEC West)