Tag: Brian Thomas Jr

Instant Analysis: LSU drops 72 points in dominating home-opening win over Grambling

The Tigers bounced back in a big way with Saturday night’s 72-10 win over Grambling.

LSU got the bounce-back it was looking for at Tiger Stadium on Saturday night as the team breezed to a declarative 72-10 win over Grambling in its Week 2 home opener, tying for the third-most points scored in a game in program history.

The offense led by [autotag]Jayden Daniels[/autotag] had a much more efficient and balanced game than it did in the loss to Florida State. Daniels finished with 269 yards and five touchdowns — a career high — through the air, all of which came in the first half.

Daniels also completed 18 of 24 passes.

[autotag]Garrett Nussmeier[/autotag] took over to start the second half, and while he wasn’t given the opportunity to do a whole lot, he completed 4 of 6 passes for 48 yards, 20 of which came on one play to [autotag]Malik Nabers[/autotag], and finished a touchdown drive with his legs.

True freshman [autotag]Rickie Collins[/autotag] also saw sporadic action late in the game, though he attempted and completed just a pair of passes for three yards.

Nabers ultimately led the team in receiving with 87 yards and a touchdown on five catches, while it was also another big night for [autotag]Brian Thomas Jr.[/autotag], who led the team in catches with six for 78 yards while catching a pair of touchdown passes.

The Tigers got a much bigger contribution from their ground game on Saturday night as [autotag]Logan Diggs[/autotag] had 115 yards and a touchdown on just 15 carries in his LSU debut after he missed last week’s game. Freshman [autotag]Kaleb Jackson[/autotag] found the end zone twice while also totaling 62 yards on 11 carries.

[autotag]Josh Williams[/autotag] (6 carries, 43 yards) and [autotag]Noah Cain[/autotag] (7 carries, 33 yards, 1 TD) also had solid production on the ground.

Defensively, it was a bit of a sloppy start as the Tigers allowed 259 yards in the first half. They tightened up after that, though, allowing just 61 yards in the second half.

It was another fairly quiet game for [autotag]Harold Perkins[/autotag], who saw more snaps off the edge but managed just one tackle. He did, however, breakup a pass and had a quarterback pressure that caused LSU only interception of the game, which was snagged by [autotag]Greg Penn III[/autotag] on a tip drill.

LSU showed signs of improvement against an inferior opponent, but it will face a tougher test next Saturday when it hits the road to take on Mississippi State in its SEC opener.

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Five takeaways from LSU’s loss to Florida State

LSU entered the night with high hopes. It’s hard to imagine a more disappointing result.

LSU lost its fourth straight season opener on Sunday night.

Seeking revenge against Florida State from last year’s opening loss, LSU lost 45-24.

Despite the expectations, LSU came out flat.

[autotag]Jayden Daniels[/autotag] was 22/37 for 347 yards and led LSU with 90 yards rushing (not accounting for sack yardage).

[autotag]Brian Thomas Jr.[/autotag] led all LSU receivers with seven catches for 142 yards.

The talk around this LSU team will be a lot different than it was entering the week. It’s hard to imagine a result worse than what LSU suffered here.

LSU will get a chance to reset next week against an FCS opponent, but until then, here are five takeaways.

Instant Analysis: Florida State pulls away in second half to spoil LSU’s opener

LSU’s season began with a sour taste in Orlando on Sunday night.

On the very first play of LSU’s 2023 campaign, quarterback [autotag]Jayden Daniels[/autotag] found running back [autotag]Tre Bradford[/autotag] on a brilliantly designed wheel route for a 55-yard gain.

One play later, Daniels connected with tight end [autotag]Mason Taylor[/autotag] on a 15-yard gain to bring the Tigers to Florida State’s 5-yard line, and coach Brian Kelly’s team was in business.

But the drive stalled from there, and a failed fourth-down conversion squandered the opportunity for LSU to start the game with a scoring drive. Those missed opportunities ultimately cost the No. 5 Tigers against the No. 8 Seminoles on Sunday night in Orlando.

Despite taking a 17-14 lead to the locker room, Florida State dominated the final two quarters, keeping LSU off the scoreboard until the final two minutes en route to a statement 45-24 win.

LSU’s defensive front mostly lived up to the hype, holding a talented Seminoles rushing attack in check for much of the game. But the Tigers’ new-look secondary didn’t have the best day.

The team struggled to contain Florida State receivers Keon Coleman (9 catches, 122 yards, 3 touchdowns) and Johnny Wilson (7 catches, 104 yards), and quarterback Jordan Travis delivered a gem.

He wasn’t prolific with his legs, though he did finish with 38 yards and a rushing touchdown. But he was very efficient with his arm, completing 23 of 31 passes for 342 yards and four touchdowns, though he did toss one interception to [autotag]Andre Sam[/autotag].

LSU struggled to get the Seminoles off the field, and they were an impressive 9 of 14 on third downs.

It wasn’t exactly a bad night for Daniels and the offense, but it wasn’t a particularly efficient one, either. He totaled 411 yards (347 passing, 64 rushing), but he also threw a pretty bad interception when the margin was still at seven in the fourth quarter, which led to a touchdown.

Outside of Daniels’ contributions and a 35-yard run from [autotag]Josh Williams[/autotag], the trio of Williams, Noah Cain and Bradford totaled 14 yards on just 11 carries. [autotag]Malik Nabers[/autotag], [autotag]Brian Thomas Jr.[/autotag] and Taylor had moderate production in the passing game, but there were some drop issues from the receiver group, as well.

Thomas was the only one of the three to find the end zone, scoring in garbage time.

It was a disappointing way to start a season that began with high expectations, and after a three-score loss, the team will hit the drawing board once again as it prepares to host Grambling for its home opener in Week 2.

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2023 LSU Tigers Snapshot Profile: No. 17 Chris Hilton Jr.

Chris Hilton Jr. showed some promising signs before missing most of his redshirt freshman year due to injury.

Going into the 2023 football season, LSU Wire will be looking at each player listed on the Tigers’ roster.

Over the preseason, each profile will cover where the player is from, how recruiting websites rated them coming out of high school, and what role they will play for Brian Kelly this season.

We continue to take a look at the receiving corps by spotlighting a potential X-factor in the group in [autotag]Chris Hilton Jr.[/autotag] The talented athlete is one of the fastest players on the team, and he showed a lot of promise early in the 2022 season before his campaign was ultimately derailed by injuries.

Chris Hilton Jr. Preseason Player Profile

Hometown: Zachary, Louisiana

Ht: 6-0

Wt: 183

247Sports Composite Ranking

Four Stars | No. 3 in Louisiana | No. 11 Receiver

Class in 2021: Redshirt Freshman

Career Stats

Year G Rec Yards YPC TDs
2021 4 2 81 40.5 1
2022 4 7 109 15.6 0


Depth Chart Overview

Hilton played in four games and started two as a true freshman in the 2021 season, but his only play of note came in the Texas Bowl loss to Kansas State in which he scored an 81-yard touchdown. His only prior catch that year didn’t go for a gain.

He was expected to see an expanded role in 2022, and indeed, that’s how things started. Hilton appeared in the first four games, starting against Mississippi State. He had a career-best five catches for 47 yards against Southern, and he made two catches for 62 yards against New Mexico, including a 51-yarder.

Hilton missed the final 10 games with an injury, but he enters 2023 looking to be a contributor in a receiver group that also includes [autotag]Malik Nabers[/autotag], [autotag]Brian Thomas Jr.[/autotag] and [autotag]Kyren Lacy[/autotag] as potential top options.

Chris Hilton Jr.’s Photo Gallery

LSU makes final 5 for 2024 4-star wide receiver

The Tigers made the cut for one of the top receivers on their board in Jeremiah McClellan.

2024 four-star wide receiver [autotag]Jeremiah McClellan[/autotag] has narrowed down his final list of schools to five, and the LSU Tigers made the cut.

LSU joins Ohio State, Missouri, Oregon and Georgia as the teams left in pursuit of McClellan. McClellan is a 6-foot-1, 190-pound wide receiver from Saint Louis where he plays for Christian Brothers College High School.

The Ohio State Buckeyes have received multiple Crystal Ball projections to land McClellan, and the Buckeyes are a 91% favorite for him per On3.

LSU is considered a long shot to land McClellan but anything can happen when it comes to recruiting. LSU currently has 18 commits for the 2024 recruiting class, including two wide receivers ([autotag]Joseph Stone[/autotag] and [autotag]Kylan Billiot[/autotag]). The class currently ranks as the No. 13 overall class in the country by 247Sports.

You can never have too many wide receivers. [autotag]Malik Nabers[/autotag], [autotag]Kyren Lacy[/autotag] and [autotag]Brian Thomas Jr.[/autotag] could all be gone after next fall so the Tigers are in need of some playmakers.

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2023 LSU Tigers Snapshot Profile: No. 2 Kyren Lacy

Kyren Lacy could be poised for a huge season after making a lot of noise during spring practice.

Going into the 2023 football season, LSU Wire will be looking at each player listed on the Tigers’ roster.

Over the preseason, each profile will cover where the player is from, how recruiting websites rated them coming out of high school, and what role they will play for Brian Kelly this season.

We’re looking at a receiver who could be poised to break out in his second year with the Tigers in [autotag]Kyren Lacy[/autotag]. A transfer from Louisiana that arrived last season with Kelly, Lacy saw a limited role in 2022 that will likely expand during his final season this fall.

Kyren Lacy Preseason Player Profile

Hometown: Thibodaux, Louisiana

Ht: 6-2

Wt: 212

247Sports Composite Ranking

Three Stars | No. 46 in Louisiana | No. 157 Wide Receiver

Class in 2022: Junior

Career Stats

Year G Catches Yards Avg TDs
2020 (Louisiana) 11 28 364 13.0 4
2021 (Louisiana) 12 22 304 13.8 6
2022 14 24 268 11.2 0


Depth Chart Overview

A minimally recruited prospect coming out of high school, Lacy was a role player in his two years with the Ragin’ Cajuns, but he was one of the team’s most productive receivers. He played in 24 games in that span with six starts, leading the team in receiving as a freshman and in receiving touchdowns as a sophomore with six.

Lacy appeared in 14 games last fall during his first season at LSU, making two starts and totaling 24 catches for 268 yards, though he didn’t find the end zone.

He had a huge spring for the Tigers and was one of the stars of the spring game. Lacy is expected to compete for a lot of targets this fall with the departures of [autotag]Kayshon Boutte[/autotag] and [autotag]Jaray Jenkins[/autotag] to the NFL. Alongside players like Malik Nabers and [autotag]Brian Thomas Jr.[/autotag], Lacy is a major part of what could be an elite receiving corps.

Kyren Lacy’s Photo Gallery

Pro Football Focus ranks LSU’s receiver group in the top 10 nationally

Headlined by Malik Nabers, this should be one of the better receiving corps in college football this season.

A lot of the hype surrounding LSU’s offense this offseason has to do with returning quarterback [autotag]Jayden Daniels[/autotag], who is viewed as a potential Heisman candidate.

However, much of the reason expectations are so high for Daniels is a talented receiving corps that returns a lot of key pieces from a year ago. Headlined by [autotag]Malik Nabers[/autotag], who led the SEC in receptions and finished second in receiving yards in 2022, this could be one of the top wideout units in college football.

There were some losses, but Nabers is still joined by a group that includes Kyren Lacey, [autotag]Brian Thomas Jr.[/autotag], [autotag]Chris Hilton[/autotag], [autotag]Landon Ibieta[/autotag] and Alabama transfer [autotag]Aaron Anderson[/autotag], in addition to several true freshmen.

Pro Football Focus ranked that group eighth nationally.

The leader of LSU’s receiving corps is Malik Nabers, who’s a top-five wide receiver in college football and is a monster after the catch. His 21 forced missed tackles on receptions in 2022 was fifth among Power Five receivers.

Mason Taylor also returns at tight end after a stellar true freshman season. Last year, his 217 yards after the catch were only behind Brock Bowers among SEC tight ends. The Tigers also bring back Brian Thomas Jr. and Kyren Lacy, who were the No. 4 and No. 5 receivers a year ago. Aaron Anderson also transferred in from Alabama and was the No. 4 wide receiver recruit in the 2022 class.

As for the 2023 cycle, LSU brings in a couple of top-100 recruits in wide receivers Jalen Brown and Shelton Sampson Jr.

Though not a wideout, Taylor is a major weapon in the passing offense as well and could be poised for a breakout season as a true sophomore. Brown and Sampson could be candidates to make an impact as true freshmen, as well.

This is a promising group, and it should allow Daniels to lead one of the better passing offenses in the country.

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Malik Nabers among the SEC’s top receivers in 2023

College Sports Wire is high on Nabers entering 2023.

LSU has a number of players poised for potential breakouts in 2023, but few have garnered more national anticipation than [autotag]Malik Nabers[/autotag].

Nabers had a promising true freshman season in 2021, but he really took things up a notch last fall. He quickly became the favored target of new quarterback [autotag]Jayden Daniels[/autotag], and that allowed him to finish the season beyond the 1,000-yard threshold, though he only had three touchdowns.

While a campaign like that will be hard to top, many see him as one of the best (if not the best) receivers in the SEC this season. In College Sports Wire’s rankings, Nabers sits in second behind only South Carolina’s Antwane “Juice” Wells, who also had a breakout 2022 season.

2022 Stats:

Rec Yards YPR TDs
72 1,017 14.1 3

Why The Ranking:

Nabers emerged as WR1 last season after Kayshon Boutte’s disappointing season in 2022. Nabers and new quarterback Jayden Daniels built quite a rapport last season and I look forward to seeing how it grows for the upcoming season.

With LSU losing [autotag]Kayshon Boutte[/autotag] and veteran [autotag]Jaray Jenkins[/autotag], Nabers could be poised to see a bigger role. Other talented pass-catchers like [autotag]Brian Thomas Jr.[/autotag], [autotag]Chris Hilton[/autotag], [autotag]Kyren Lacy[/autotag] and tight end [autotag]Mason Taylor[/autotag] remain, but Nabers should be the most targeted of that group once again.

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LSU’s tight end outlook is one of the best in college football per On3

After adding two blue-chips in the 2023 cycle to pair with Mason Taylor, the future is bright at tight end for the Tigers.

When coach [autotag]Brian Kelly[/autotag] got to LSU, it was clear he had a lot of work to do in the tight end room.

Both Kelly and Tigers offensive coordinator [autotag]Mike Denbrock[/autotag], who has worked under Kelly in the past, like to utilize the tight ends in the offense. They run a lot of 12 personnel with multiple tight ends on the field, but LSU’s roster was severely limited at the position.

Now, a year later, that has changed considerably. [autotag]Mason Taylor[/autotag] had a breakout true freshman season. Though his production won’t blow anyone away, his role increased considerably down the stretch and he made some big plays, namely the game-winning two-point conversion catch against Alabama.

The Tigers signed two blue-chip tight ends in 2023 in [autotag]Mac Markway[/autotag] and [autotag]Ka’Morreun Pimpton[/autotag], a signing day flip from Vanderbilt. With four-star [autotag]Tayvion Galloway[/autotag] committed in 2024, the future is bright at the position.

On3’s Jesse Simonton ranked the unit ninth in the country entering 2023.

Mason Taylor returns as one of the better tight ends in the SEC in 2023, as the sophomore made a number of big-time plays for the Tigers last season — namely his 2-point conversion to beat Alabama.

LSU would love to run more two-tight end sets in 2023, and now they might have the personnel to do that with more effectiveness after signing a trio of freshmen at the position — led by 4-stars Ka’Morreun Pimpton and Mac Markway.

LSU returns a lot of pass-catchers in 2023, and with players like [autotag]Malik Nabers[/autotag], [autotag]Brian Thomas Jr.[/autotag] and [autotag]Kyren Lacy[/autotag], Taylor may not see a huge uptick in targets. Still, he should see an even bigger role as he could become the next great tight end Kelly produces.

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LSU boasts one of the nation’s best receiver units entering 2023 season

On3 ranked LSU’s receiving corps third in the country behind Ohio State and Texas.

LSU returns a lot of production from a year ago, especially on offense. But perhaps no position group on the entire team enters the 2023 campaign with higher expectations than the receiving corps.

Though the unit lost two main contributors to the draft in [autotag]Kayshon Boutte[/autotag] and [autotag]Jaray Jenkins[/autotag] (as well as [autotag]Jack Bech[/autotag] in the transfer portal), this group brings back leading receiver [autotag]Malik Nabers[/autotag] as well as productive players like [autotag]Brian Thomas Jr.[/autotag] and [autotag]Kyren Lacy[/autotag], who had a massive spring game.

[autotag]Chris Hilton[/autotag] is also back from a season-ending injury last year, and the Tigers added Alabama transfer and former five-star prospect [autotag]Aaron Anderson[/autotag]. They also signed a pair of blue-chip true freshmen.

With all these pieces and a quarterback with four years of starting experience to throw them the ball, expectations are high for the LSU passing game. On3’s Jesse Simonton ranked the unit third in the country behind only Ohio State and Texas.

One of the reasons folks are high on the Tigers in 2023 is their stacked set of playmakers at receiver.

Malik Nabers led the SEC in receiving last season, and could be even better this fall with the growth of quarterback Jayden Daniels. Other headliners in LSU’s wideout room include Brian Thomas, Kyren Lacy, a spring standout, Chris Hilton and Alabama transfer Aaron Anderson.

The Tigers also have a pair of Top-100 freshmen signees pushing for playing time in Jalen Brown and Shelton Sampson.

With Nabers potentially poised to become one of the best receivers in the country and [autotag]Jayden Daniels[/autotag]’ emergence toward the end of last season, it’s understandable why many think this group could take a leap forward this season.

Alabama has a lot of questions as it has to replace a number of players including two of the top three picks in the 2023 NFL draft. If LSU’s passing game is as good as advertised, coach [autotag]Brian Kelly[/autotag] could have this team in a position to repeat as SEC West champions.

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