As [autotag]Maason Smith[/autotag] continues to settle in, [autotag]Brian Kelly[/autotag] discussed his progress at a press conference on Monday.
Smith made his 2023 debut in Week 2 against Grambling. The trip to Mississippi State was his first test against FBS competition since tearing his ACL in the 2022 opener.
Hype has surrounded Smith from the moment he arrived as a five-star in 2021. He’s lauded for his combination of size and speed up front.
The injury in 2022 came just as he was prepared to take on a bigger role and then a suspension in the 2023 opener set him back one more week.
Kelly likes what he saw from Smith against Mississippi State, saying he’s beginning to impact the game more and more.
Brian Kelly said he expects to see Maason Smith continue playing more and more and continue making a bigger impact.
"He's physically a presence in there, and we expect him to continue as the season progresses." https://t.co/GpoC1sL8mp
— Jerit Roser (@JeritRoser) September 18, 2023
Smith played 29 snaps against MSU. He didn’t record a pressure or sack but did bat a pass and notch a tackle.
LSU’s interior defensive line is strong with [autotag]Mekhi Wingo[/autotag] and [autotag]Jordan Jefferson[/autotag] up there, too, so there hasn’t been a ton of pressure placed on Smith yet.
He has the potential to be a real difference maker for LSU as conference play heats up.
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