LSU loses edge rusher to transfer portal

Desmond Little becomes the latest Tiger to leave the program.

The Tigers’ depth along the defensive line took a hit on Thursday as edge rusher Desmond Little announced his decision to enter the transfer portal, according to multiple reports.

A junior from Pritchard, Alabama, and former three-star prospect, Little appeared in 14 games for the Tigers over three seasons, notching 16 tackles. He had 2.5 sacks as a sophomore in 2021, but he saw his production diminish this fall as he finished with zero.

With [autotag]BJ Ojulari[/autotag] and [autotag]Ali Gaye[/autotag] likely moving on, LSU’s depth at the edge is a bit concerning. [autotag]Zavier Carter[/autotag] is now the only player on the Tigers’ defensive line with experience playing the JACK position that Ojulari occupies.

LSU hasn’t lost any major contributors to the portal so far, but losses like Little’s are ones that could be felt down the line if the Tigers aren’t able to add replacements themselves in the portal.

[mm-video type=video id=01gkj6ab5493znra2e4v playlist_id=01f1343a1wt7q817p7 player_id=01f5k5y2jb3twsvdg4 image=https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/video/thumbnail/mmplus/01gkj6ab5493znra2e4v/01gkj6ab5493znra2e4v-f51f013ea2839a1dbfbb5893932b3ff9.jpg]

[listicle id=61748]

Contact/Follow us @LSUTigersWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Louisiana State news, notes, and opinions.

Follow Tyler to continue the conversation on Twitter: @TylerNettuno

Instant Analysis: LSU rolls against UAB in Senior Night

The Tigers rolled to a 41-10 win in the final game of the year at Death Valley.

On a cold and rainy night in Baton Rouge, the Tigers avoided many of the same struggles that limited them in last week’s ugly win at Arkansas.

The Tigers delivered an explosive offensive performance in a 41-10 win over UAB on Senior Night, moving to 9-2 on the season entering next week’s regular-season finale against Texas A&M. After that, LSU will face Georgia in the SEC Championship with a playoff spot potentially on the line.

The Blazers made things interesting early, taking advantage of a fumble from running back [autotag]John Emery Jr.[/autotag] as this was a 14-10 game in the second quarter. Still, the Tigers ultimately pulled away against the Conference USA foe, easily covering the two-touchdown spread.

It was a nice bounce-back game for [autotag]Jayden Daniels[/autotag], who completed 22 of 29 passes for 297 yards and a touchdown. Daniels reignited his connection with receiver [autotag]Malik Nabers[/autotag], who had seven catches for 129 yards. Daniels also led the team on the ground with 111 yards and a score on 12 carries.

With [autotag]Armoni Goodwin[/autotag] and [autotag]Josh Williams[/autotag] unavailable, Emery got the start at running back. He finished with 46 yards and a touchdown on nine carries, but he also fumbled twice. [autotag]Noah Cain[/autotag] proved to be more effective, totaling 76 yards and three touchdowns on a team-high 13 carries.

Defensively, LSU did a great job against the nation’s leading rusher in DeWayne McBride, who found the end zone but had just 34 yards. As a team, the Blazers managed just 48 yards on the ground. They also got spotty play, at best, from quarterbacks Dylan Hopkins and Jacob Zeno.

[autotag]Harold Perkins Jr.[/autotag] had a pair of tackles for loss in this game, while [autotag]Greg Penn III[/autotag] led the defense overall with eight tackles. LSU’s lone sack came from [autotag]Ali Gaye[/autotag], who was honored as part of the Senior Night festivities.

The Tigers performed as expected in this one and will look to keep their winning streak going against the Aggies — who have had a rough year but snapped a six-game losing streak against UMass on Saturday — in College Station next week.

[mm-video type=video id=01gj8fgn9564nmepnxwj playlist_id=01eqbz5s7cf4w69e0n player_id=01eqbvp13nn1gy6hd4 image=https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/video/thumbnail/mmplus/01gj8fgn9564nmepnxwj/01gj8fgn9564nmepnxwj-99300f807e57ee93f54bdfb536b8fcc7.jpg]

[listicle id=60889]

Contact/Follow us @LSUTigersWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Louisiana State news, notes, and opinions.

Follow Tyler to continue the conversation on Twitter: @TylerNettuno

Brian Kelly: Expect to see more of Harold Perkins

Perkins is expected to see more playing time against Ole Miss as the true freshman continues to progress.

Linebacker [autotag]Harold Perkins[/autotag] has been one of LSU’s best defenders in 2022.

Despite being a freshman, the versatile five-star has begun to make a name for himself. Against Ole Miss’ dynamic offense, coach [autotag]Brian Kelly[/autotag] said the staff wants to get Perkins more time.

Perkins’ speed adds another dimension to the LSU defense. Lane Kiffin and Ole Miss have been as good as anyone creating big plays on the ground. The speed of Perkins should help to counter that.

LSU has used Perkins plenty as a pass rusher too. He’s third on the team in pressures with 14. He’s recorded three sacks.

It’s not clear exactly how Kelly and defensive coordinator [autotag]Matt House[/autotag] want to use Perkins against Ole Miss. Kelly said they were going to be “creative.”

So far, it’s been about a 50/50 split with Perkins lining up as an edge rusher or more of a traditional off-ball linebacker.

Kelly said he isn’t ready to play inside linebacker at this point due to the reads being too much. Perkins has one of the best stop rates in the country. He’s a difference-maker in all phases of the game.

However, if LSU can get Ole Miss in obvious passing downs, it’ll give House the most flexibility to get the right mix of players on the field. Perkins rushing the passer along with [autotag]BJ Ojulari[/autotag] and [autotag]Ali Gaye[/autotag] really puts pressure on opposing quarterbacks to get the ball out.

LSU’s going to need a good game from Perkins to handle this Ole Miss offense.

[mm-video type=video id=01gfvcx6rdf2w99bkck7 playlist_id=01eqbz5s7cf4w69e0n player_id=01eqbvp13nn1gy6hd4 image=https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/video/thumbnail/mmplus/01gfvcx6rdf2w99bkck7/01gfvcx6rdf2w99bkck7-8dd0970c6794d67e8210e750d1be9c07.jpg]

[listicle id=59245]

Contact/Follow us @LSUTigersWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Louisiana State news, notes, and opinions.

Instant Analysis: Tigers shut out New Mexico for third-straight win

The Tigers outgained the Lobos 633-88 in a 38-0 blanking.

LSU delivered another impressive performance in its last tuneup before it enters the meat of its SEC schedule in Week 4. The Tigers blanked the New Mexico Lobos in a 38-0 win as they move to 3-1 on the season.

Coach Brian Kelly’s team has now won three-straight games since dropping its season opener against FSU in New Orleans.

It was about as dominant a performance as you’ll see at this level of football. Though the final tally on the scoreboard wasn’t anything spectacular, LSU outgained the Lobos by a stunning 633-88 margin, entirely controlling the game on both sides of the ball.

The offense looked sharp once again, and it was another efficient performance from quarterback [autotag]Jayden Daniels[/autotag], who completed 24 of 29 passes for 278 yards. He didn’t find the end zone through the air or on the ground, but he is still yet to throw an interception this season.

Early in the third quarter, Daniels exited the game and entered the medical tent with an apparent injury. He left the tent and grabbed a helmet, seemingly being cleared to return, but the game was already out of hand and the coaches would hold him out as a precaution.

In his place, Garrett Nussmeier looked much better than he did in his previous action against Southern in Week 2. He completed 9 of 10 passes for 135 yards and a 57-yard touchdown pass to [autotag]Brian Thomas Jr.[/autotag], who finished with three catches for 76 yards.

With [autotag]Kayshon Boutte[/autotag] out, [autotag]Malik Nabers[/autotag] unsurprisingly also played a big role in the passing game, leading the team with 65 yards on six catches. Kelly also said the team wanted to work on getting the ball in Jack Bech’s hands, and the result was a seven-target, six-catch night in which he totaled 43 yards.

Jaray Jenkins (five catches, 57 yards), Kyren Lacy (four catches, 41 yards) and freshman tight end Mason Taylor (four catches, 34 yards) all made impacts, as well.

The ground game was dominant once again. In total, the Tigers managed 219 yards headlined by [autotag]Noah Cain[/autotag], who led the team in both yards and carries with 94 on 11 attempts. He found the end zone twice, including a 49-yard touchdown. Daniels contributed as well with nine attempts for 37 yards.

[autotag]John Emery Jr.[/autotag] saw an increased role in his second game back from suspension, leading the running back room in carries with nine for 45 yards. [autotag]Armoni Goodwin[/autotag] got the start and had just 24 yards on eight carries, though he also scored twice.

I could be even more effusive in my praise of LSU’s offense, but the defense deserves just as much credit for holding New Mexico to double-digit yardage. True freshman linebacker Harold Perkins continues to demonstrate his versatility, leading the team in tackles with eight.

[autotag]Greg Brooks Jr.[/autotag], [autotag]West Weeks[/autotag], [autotag]Ali Gaye[/autotag] and [autotag]Saivion Jones[/autotag] all notched a sack, as well.

This wasn’t a very good New Mexico team, but it’s never easy to shut out an opponent in college football. That should give the Tigers a ton of confidence as they prepare for their first true road game of the year against an Auburn team that survived a wild overtime game against Missouri on Saturday.

[mm-video type=video id=01gdrcfjt4ke3jykx3my playlist_id=01eqbz5s7cf4w69e0n player_id=01eqbvp13nn1gy6hd4 image=https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/video/thumbnail/mmplus/01gdrcfjt4ke3jykx3my/01gdrcfjt4ke3jykx3my-1b7b9d0bd0027d63c669db8e63cd814c.jpg]

[listicle id=58238]

[pickup_prop id=”25278″]

Contact/Follow us @LSUTigersWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Louisiana State news, notes, and opinions.

Follow Tyler to continue the conversation on Twitter: @TylerNettuno

Ali Gaye reaches out to Jordan Travis following targeting penalty

Travis thanked Gaye for apologizing after Sunday’s game.

During the third quarter of Monday night’s game against Florida State, [autotag]Ali Gaye[/autotag] was ejected from the game when he was flagged for targeting.

Targeting has been a hot topic in all of college football for the past few years with questions of ‘What is targeting?’ ‘Should the player be kicked out of the game?’ ‘Is a suspension for the rest of that game and part of the next game a just ruling?’

When it comes to the hit Gaye made on Travis, there was no question whether or not it was targeting. After the game, he apparently reached out to Travis to apologize.

Between Gaye getting ejected and [autotag]Maason Smith[/autotag] getting injured in the first drive of the game, the defensive line for LSU is in a rough spot.

Luckily, the Tigers play against Southern on Saturday night so Brian Kelly has some time to get the defensive line ironed out before LSU enters SEC play in a few weeks.

[mm-video type=video id=01gc9zdzq9bdj2r64k3a playlist_id=01eqbz5s7cf4w69e0n player_id=01eqbvp13nn1gy6hd4 image=https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/video/thumbnail/mmplus/01gc9zdzq9bdj2r64k3a/01gc9zdzq9bdj2r64k3a-14c860bcd525135c102502015d5e06a3.jpg]

[listicle id=57372]

Contact/Follow us @LSUTigersWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Louisiana State news, notes, and opinions.

LSU Injury News: Tigers freshman defensive end out for Florida State game

Quency Wiggins was spotted on the sidelines on a scooter with a boot on his left foot.

LSU could have one of the best defensive lines in the SEC, if not the entire nation, in 2022. However, defensive coordinator Matt House’s group appears to be down a depth piece up front for the season-opener against Florida State on Sunday night.

True freshman defensive end [autotag]Quency Wiggins[/autotag] is not expected to play in this one after he was spotted on the sideline using a scooter with a boot on his left foot. The severity of his injury is unclear, but it seems he could be unavailable for the Tigers in the near future.

With Wiggins unavailable, LSU will rely on players like Saivion Jones, [autotag]Zavier Carter[/autotag] and [autotag]Desmond Little[/autotag] to provide depth behind starting edge players [autotag]BJ Ojulari[/autotag] and [autotag]Ali Gaye[/autotag].

A Baton Rouge native, Wiggins was a four-star recruit who attended nearby Madison Prep Academy. Ranking just outside of the national top-75 as a recruit, Wiggins was expected to contribute in the rotation as a true freshman.

However, it seems Tigers fans will have to wait to see his debut in the purple and gold.

[mm-video type=video id=01gbxxr6gaq9h6ez36wm playlist_id=01eqbz5s7cf4w69e0n player_id=01eqbvp13nn1gy6hd4 image=https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/video/thumbnail/mmplus/01gbxxr6gaq9h6ez36wm/01gbxxr6gaq9h6ez36wm-9eccf16957c76c6f46dabd5033d37996.jpg]

[listicle id=57246]

Contact/Follow us @LSUTigersWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Louisiana State news, notes, and opinions.

Follow Tyler to continue the conversation on Twitter: @TylerNettuno

LSU football names captains for 2022 season

Here’s who will be leading the Tigers both on and off the field this fall.

The LSU players have named the captains for the 2022 season. All three of them are on the defensive side of the ball. The old adage says that defense wins championships and these guys could certainly help that happen.

Here’s a rundown of each captain.

Defensive End [autotag]Ali Gaye[/autotag] – In the past two seasons, Gaye has played in 14 games for the Tigers, making 51 tackles, 12 tackles for loss and 4.5 sacks. The fifth-year senior was on pace to have an incredible year last season until he suffered an injury against Kentucky.

Defensive End [autotag]BJ Ojulari[/autotag] – Ojulari being chosen to wear No. 18 tells you just about all you need to know. In two seasons for LSU, Ojulari has made 71 tackles, 16.5 tackles for loss and 11 sacks. He is the catalyst for this defense. If Ojulari has a great game, the whole team will be having a great game.

Linebacker [autotag]Mike Jones Jr.[/autotag] – Jones transferred to LSU from Clemson after three seasons and had a great year in 2021 as he played in 13 games making 34 tackles, 2.5 tackles for loss and a sack. Look for this junior to be making some great plays this year.

[mm-video type=video id=01gaw89ez85ttrbvk1kw playlist_id=01eqbz5s7cf4w69e0n player_id=01eqbvp13nn1gy6hd4 image=https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/video/thumbnail/mmplus/01gaw89ez85ttrbvk1kw/01gaw89ez85ttrbvk1kw-500d368cb1d4f4c58fc45e3836d0e58b.jpg]

[listicle id=57058]

Contact/Follow us @LSUTigersWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Louisiana State news, notes, and opinions.

Three Tigers make Todd McShay’s preseason top 50 draft prospects list

Kayshon Boutte, BJ Ojulari and Ali Gaye all cracked the list.

[autotag]Kayshon Boutte[/autotag] (No. 6), [autotag]BJ Ojulari[/autotag] (No. 25), and [autotag]Ali Gaye[/autotag] (No. 30) all made ESPN’s Todd McShay’s list of the preseason top 50 prospects for the 2023 NFL draft.

In two seasons, Boutte has reeled in 83 receptions for 1,244 yards and 14 touchdowns with his longest touchdown reception being a 64-yarder. Boutte is widely regarded as the No. 1 wide receiver for the 2023 NFL Draft. If he can stay healthy, look for him to have an incredible season for the Tigers.

Boutte lines up at all three receiver spots in LSU’s offense, and he is sudden and explosive in all his movements. He consistently generates separation with his sharp cutting ability, outstanding speed and great acceleration. Then Boutte attacks the football aggressively in the air with confident and strong hands. He shows great focus, times his jumps well and can contort his body in the air. He is a big-time vertical threat who chews up cushion in a flash, but Boutte is also smooth and elusive after the catch. In 2021, he picked up 509 yards and nine touchdowns on 38 catches after missing most of the season with a leg injury.

In two seasons, Ojulari has 70 total tackles with 17 of them being tackles for loss and 11 sacks. Ojulari is a leader on and off the field for the Tigers as he sets a great example anywhere he goes. Those intangibles are what have contributed to him being donned with the legendary No. 18 for this fall.

Ojulari shows great take-off burst and good bend, and he puts a lot of pressure on opposing offensive tackles with his change-of-direction suddenness. But his speed-to-power moves frequently stall, and he needs to improve his lower-body strength to drive opponents back into the pocket. Against the run, Ojulari has great range, but his pads rise too quickly, and he lacks the lower-body strength to consistently set a hard edge. Ojulari had 7.0 sacks in 2021, and his 45 pressures ranked 19th in the nation.

In two seasons, Gaye has 51 total tackles with 12 of them being tackles for loss and 4.5 sacks. Gaye only appeared in four games last season after suffering an injury against Kentucky. [autotag]Brian Kelly[/autotag] should be glad to have him back as an anchor for the defensive line.

A native of Gambia, Gaye moved to the United States at age 12 and didn’t start playing football until eighth grade. He has a quick first step to put pressure on opposing offensive tackles and long arms to keep blockers off his pads. He should continue to improve his effectiveness on speed-to-power moves with increased strength and experience. Limited to four starts last season because of an upper-body injury, Gaye had 2.5 sacks. Against the run, Gaye is at his best in backside pursuit or when he’s uncovered and can flat-out chase.

After putting 10 prospects into the draft this year, the Tigers should have another solid class with several potential first-round picks after Kelly’s first campaign.

[mm-video type=video id=01g9k1zff4bq9pc57j06 playlist_id=01eqbz5s7cf4w69e0n player_id=01eqbvp13nn1gy6hd4 image=https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/video/thumbnail/mmplus/01g9k1zff4bq9pc57j06/01g9k1zff4bq9pc57j06-be23944232a282f50b095d1d49716cbe.jpg]

[listicle id=53463]

Contact/Follow us @LSUTigersWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Louisiana State news, notes, and opinions.

Nose tackle Jaquelin Roy excited about position change, could be poised for a breakout

Roy moved from the three-technique to nose tackle this offseason, and reports from camp indicate that change is working out for the junior and Baton Rouge native.

LSU’s defensive line in 2022 has the potential to be one of the program’s best of the last decade.

With edge rushers [autotag]BJ Ojulari[/autotag] — the most hyped member of the group — and [autotag]Ali Gaye[/autotag], who has battled injuries but has been great when healthy, the Tigers should have no issues getting pressure on the quarterback.

Meanwhile, former five-star recruit [autotag]Maason Smith[/autotag] is expected to make a name for himself as a big interior defensive end after an impressive true freshman campaign in 2021.

With all this talent, the fourth projected starter in the group has been a bit overshadowed. Junior [autotag]Jaquelin Roy[/autotag] appeared in nine games as a true freshman in 2020 and played in all 13 games last season, when he notched the only start of his career thus far.

His production has been limited in those two seasons, but after moving from the three-technique position to nose tackle this offseason — and gaining 15 pounds — the 6-foot-4, 315-pound player could be set to take a big leap this fall.

“I don’t know too many centers that are just going to block me one-on-one,” Roy told The Advocate’s Sheldon Mickles. “When I was playing the three-technique (as a tackle), I struggled with taking the inside step before I got out vertically.

“I’m in an even stance in the nose, so I can step right in and lift whatever the offensive lineman is doing. I can make a play fast. I can be a disturbance.”

Roy is a Baton Rouge native who played his high school ball for University Lab High School in the literal shadow of Tiger Stadium. He told Mickles that transferring following two lackluster seasons was not on his radar.

He’s intent on making an impact with his hometown team, and his change in approach this offseason has been noticed by his teammates on the defensive line.

“For Jaquelin, everything is clicking right now on and off the field,” Ojulari said. “He’s going to be a very dominant interior lineman for us this year.

“The sky’s the limit … I expect him to have a very dominant season.”

LSU has a lot of talent up front on defense, and if Roy can take the kind of leap that his teammates and coaches expect, it could be enough to take this unit from very good to elite.

[mm-video type=video id=01g9k1zff4bq9pc57j06 playlist_id=01eqbz5s7cf4w69e0n player_id=01eqbvp13nn1gy6hd4 image=https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/video/thumbnail/mmplus/01g9k1zff4bq9pc57j06/01g9k1zff4bq9pc57j06-be23944232a282f50b095d1d49716cbe.jpg]

[listicle id=53964]

[vertical-gallery id=54445]

Contact/Follow us @LSUTigersWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Louisiana State news, notes, and opinions.

Follow Tyler to continue the conversation on Twitter: @TylerNettuno

3 LSU football players earn degrees

Congrats to these guys on graduating.

While fans love to see what players do on the field, it’s worth recognition when they do something impressive off it.

A trio of LSU players earned degrees during the school’s summer commencement ceremony on Friday. A pair of veterans and returning starters in defensive end [autotag]Ali Gaye[/autotag] and receiver [autotag]Jaray Jenkins[/autotag] each received undergraduate degrees in interdisciplinary studies.

Graduate tight end [autotag]Nick Storz[/autotag], meanwhile, earned his Master’s in Business Administration.

Gaye is a two-year starter who was a Second Team All-SEC selection in 2020. His 2021 season was cut short by an injury after four games, but he returns hoping for a big year playing alongside preseason First Team All-SEC selection [autotag]BJ Ojulari[/autotag].

Jenkins is coming off the most productive season of his career as he totaled 34 catches for 502 yards and six touchdowns. He also caught the game-winning touchdown pass against Texas A&M last fall. The Tigers are deep at receiver, but the fifth-year player will be a key part of the passing game this fall.

Storz, meanwhile, has one of the more interesting stories on the roster. Originally a baseball player, he joined the football team as a tight end in 2020 but had initially medically retired ahead of last season. However, he is back on the roster, indicating he has been cleared to play.

[mm-video type=video id=01g9k1zff4bq9pc57j06 playlist_id=01eqbz5s7cf4w69e0n player_id=01eqbvp13nn1gy6hd4 image=https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/video/thumbnail/mmplus/01g9k1zff4bq9pc57j06/01g9k1zff4bq9pc57j06-be23944232a282f50b095d1d49716cbe.jpg]

[listicle id=55118]

Contact/Follow us @LSUTigersWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Louisiana State news, notes, and opinions.

Follow Tyler to continue the conversation on Twitter: @TylerNettuno