LSU remains a contender for coveted top-100 RB Caden Durham

The Tigers will hope to secure an official visit with Durham this summer.

According to On3, Duncanville (Tex.) running back Caden Durham has locked in June official visits to Michigan State and Oklahoma.

The Sooners lead the way for Durham according to On3’s Recruiting Prediction Machine, but LSU sits closely behind. According to a report from Sam Spiegelman, the Tigers are a program that is surging for Durham, who ranks No. 128 nationally per both 247Sports’ and On3’s industry composite rankings but cracks the top 100 in the latter’s own rankings.

Durham had high praise for running backs coach [autotag]Frank Wilson[/autotag], who Durham said made him feel like a priority. According to On3’s report, Wilson told Durham that LSU sees him as the feature back and top priority in LSU’s class.

The Tigers will hope to remain in the race here and close things out. That will likely require securing an official visit this summer, but coach [autotag]Brian Kelly[/autotag] and Co. seem to be in a good position to do so.

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Transfer Breakdown: 5 things to know about LSU transfer pickup Andre Sam

Here’s what LSU’s getting in the safety transfer.

LSU turned to the portal again this week.

The Tigers continued to build their secondary with the addition of safety [autotag]Andre Sam[/autotag].

Sam brings over 2,000 snaps of experience to a safety room in need of depth. [autotag]Greg Brooks Jr.[/autotag] and [autotag]Major Burns[/autotag] form a solid pair at the top, but after that, there was uncertainty.

He’s a Louisiana native who spent four years at McNeese, giving him a prior relationship with LSU running backs coach [autotag]Frank Wilson[/autotag], who was head coach for a time there.

After playing at Marshall last year, Sam followed DC Lance Guidry to Tulane. Guidry then took the same position at Miami, leading Sam to hit the portal again.

Here are five things to know about LSU’s newest addition.

LSU lands experienced defensive back transfer from Marshall

Andre Sam returns to the state of Louisiana for his seventh and final season of eligibility.

The Tigers had an impressive transfer portal haul in the winter, but coach [autotag]Brian Kelly[/autotag] is still looking to solidify a few positions.

He did so in the secondary on Thursday, landing a commitment from former Marshall defensive back [autotag]Andre Sam[/autotag], who announced his decision on Twitter. Sam entered the portal in the winter and committed to Tulane, but he opted to transfer once again after the spring.

Sam will be entering as a remarkable seventh-year player. The Iowa, Louisiana, native spent the first five seasons of his career with now-LSU running backs coach [autotag]Frank Wilson[/autotag] at McNeese. He appeared in 33 games, earning two First Team All-Southland Conference selections, and started all seven during his final season in 2021.

He spent 2022 with the Thundering Herd, totaling 53 tackles, eight pass breakups, a pick and a fumble recovery. He’ll have one remaining year of eligibility as he bolsters an already-loaded Tigers secondary.

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John Jancek details LSU’s new approach to special teams

Here’s how Jancek is approaching special teams with LSU.

Special teams was a major issue for LSU in 2022.

It led to a change, with [autotag]Brian Polian[/autotag] shifting into an outside roll and [autotag]John Jancek[/autotag] now overseeing the unit. At a press conference on Tuesday, Jancek offered some insight into how LSU is approaching special teams.

“I think we’ve made great strides. We’ve tweaked a few things, but not a lot. It’s not about what we did, but about we did it,” Jancek said, “That’s been our emphasis. I think the players have responded really well.”

Jancek isn’t the only one working with the unit. He has the help of several assistants and said every area of special teams has been divided up with their own coach responsible for it.

Jancek added that veteran assistant coach [autotag]Frank Wilson[/autotag] is one of those guys helping.

Hearing Jancek, it doesn’t sound like fans should expect an overhaul of the unit, but just a renewed focus on the fundementals.

“You got to have guys out there that do the little things right.”

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Top 2025 running back sets spring LSU visit

The New Orleans prospect will be on campus April 1.

[autotag]Brian Kelly[/autotag] is still working to flesh out what could be a special 2024 recruiting class for LSU, but he’s balancing focusing on the present with thinking about the future.

In the latter vein, the Tigers will be hosting No. 1 2025 running back [autotag]Harlem Berry[/autotag] for a visit on April 1. Berry, a Metairie native who plays at St. Martin’s Episcopal School, told On3’s Sam Spiegelman that LSU running backs coach [autotag]Frank Wilson[/autotag] has been the most frequent visitor at his school.

Wilson is the Tigers’ ace recruiter who focuses on the New Orleans area given his deep ties to the city, so it’s not surprising that he would make Berry a priority. However, LSU isn’t the only school vying for his talents.

Berry also has a visit set with Oklahoma on March 25, and he said he’ll likely take a trip to Florida, too. Berry’s uncle is Jabbar Juluke, the Gators’ running backs coach. UF is yet to offer him, but given his talent, that’s likely to change.

On3 ranks Berry as the No. 12 prospect in the 2025 class and the best player in Louisiana. There will be a lot of competition to land him, but LSU presently seems to be in a decent spot for the in-state running back.

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Could LSU’s entire staff remain intact in 2023?

Could LSU’s entire coaching staff stick together this cycle?

LSU’s returning plenty of on-field talent in 2023.

[autotag]Jayden Daniels[/autotag] along with [autotag]Malik Nabers[/autotag] and key offensive linemen are back on offense. On defense, [autotag]Harold Perkins[/autotag] and [autotag]Mekhi Wingo[/autotag] headline key returning contributors.

But on the sideline and in the booth, there could be a lot coming back, too. LSU fans might want to knock on wood, but to this point, the entire on-field staff has remained intact. Names haven’t even been popping up in the rumor mill.

It’s easier to get a read on some of these situations than others. It’s hard to imagine a guy like offensive coordinator [autotag]Mike Denbrock[/autotag] leaving his current situation. He’s not a head coaching candidate, and there are very few coordinator jobs that pay better than LSU.

Something similar could be said for [autotag]Brad Davis[/autotag]. He’s a Baton Rouge native who already left an SEC job to coach at LSU. It’s doubtful he’d head elsewhere.

[autotag]Joe Sloan[/autotag] and [autotag]Cortez Hankton[/autotag], current position coaches at LSU, both have a good track record and could be candidates for OC jobs, but many potential landing spots have been filled. [autotag]Frank Wilson[/autotag] has left LSU before to take a head coaching job but gave it up to return to LSU.

On defense, defensive coordinator [autotag]Matt House[/autotag] has NFL experience. There’s a chance an NFL team could take a look as new coaches begin to fill out their staffs, but there’s no smoke there yet. The rest of the defensive staff appears primed for a return, too.

Returning an entire staff at a place like LSU is rare. Even in good years, there’s usually some turnover. Of course, that’s not necessarily a bad thing. Coordinators getting promotions means you probably had a good team.

But there’s something to be said for an entire staff returning, especially considering the wealth of talent LSU is bringing back. These coaches will have a better understanding of the personnel, which means, hopefully, there won’t be weeks spent tinkering in September.

Whoever the quarterback is will take the field with an offense entirely built for their skillset. Receivers, running backs and tight ends will be placed in formations that best suit them.

On defense, House could have the right blitz packages installed before the year even begins. That stuff is critically important, especially to a team with title hopes.

Again, coaching season isn’t over, but keep an eye on this heading into the offseason.

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LSU football all-time roster: Coaches, kickers and specialists

See which coaching and special teams legends made the cut in our all-time LSU football roster.

Special teams can be a bit of an afterthought at times, but that shouldn’t be the case. After all, special teams can be an equalizer for less talented teams and a thorn in the side of otherwise elite ones.

We’ve seen countless examples of special teams making — or breaking (see: kick-six) — teams’ title hopes over the years. When looking at LSU’s history, there’s no shortage of impact special teams contributors.

We’ll take a look at the best in this breakdown, as well as the top coaches who have come through the Tigers’ program over the years.

Check out LSU’s all-time offense and defense.

Check out our other College Wire all-time lineups: AlabamaArkansasAuburnClemsonColoradoFloridaGeorgiaIowaMichiganNebraskaNorth CarolinaOhio StateOklahomaOregonPenn StateRutgersTennesseeTexasTexas A&MUSCWisconsin

Big-name coaches that have been on LSU’s staff over the years

LSU’s had some big time assistants come through the program over the years. Here’s a look at the top names.

A lot of big names in the coaching ranks have come through LSU over the years.

Several LSU assistants have gone on to have big-time head coaching jobs in the SEC or elsewhere. Some have even won national championships.

LSU’s had a lot of success in the 21st century and these all-star coaching staffs have had a lot to do with it. The fact that they have been so good is what has allowed so many names to cycle in and out as assistants move on to bigger and better things.

Today, we’re going to look at all the recognizable names that have been a part of the LSU staff since 2000, the year [autotag]Nick Saban[/autotag] arrived.

LSU offers New Orleans receiver prospect in 2025 class

LSU offered TaRon Francis, getting in early with the in-state recruit.

As recruiting season remains in full swing, LSU continues to hand out offers.

The latest has gone to [autotag]TaRon Francis[/autotag], a class of 2025 wide receiver from New Orleans.

Francis attends Edna Karr High School. LSU has landed a few players from there before, including defensive lineman [autotag]Tygee Hill[/autotag] who signed with the Tigers in December.

[autotag]Racey McMath[/autotag], who was a member of LSU’s national title team in 2019 and saw NFL action last fall with the Titans, is another Edna Karr alum.

It’ll be a long time before Francis signs with a college program, but it’s always good for instate schools to get involved with recruits early. That’s where half the in-state advantage comes from. LSU should know about Louisiana prospects before anyone else does.

Getting in and offering a player early is also a way to keep high school coaches happy. Maintaining relationships with the tight-knit New Orleans high school coaches is a critical part of the LSU job.

Both running backs coach [autotag]Frank Wilson[/autotag] and wide receivers coach [autotag]Cortez Hankton[/autotag] have connections with those guys and it wouldn’t be a bad assumption to say that had something to do with this offer.

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LSU Football Assistant Coach Profile: Quarterbacks coach Joe Sloan

Sloan is tasked with managing one of the most contested QB battles in college football in his first year as a Power Five coach.

It’s not often you see an FBS coordinator jump programs to be a position coach. That’s exactly what LSU quarterbacks coach [autotag]Joe Sloan[/autotag] did when he left Louisiana Tech to join Brian Kelly’s staff at LSU.

Sloan spent the last nine years at Louisiana Tech. In his time with the Bulldogs, Sloan was a wide receivers coach and recruiting coordinator before eventually taking over the offensive coordinator duties.

He is a native of Virginia and got his start in college football when he was the backup quarterback for East Carolina. From there, he got into coaching, working in recruiting and operations at ECU and South Florida.

In 2019, Louisiana Tech had one of the best offenses in Conference USA. The past couple of years, they weren’t up to that standard, but the passing offense continued to be one of the more prolific in the conference.

That 2019 offense saw its quarterback, J’Mar Smith, take home Conference USA’s offensive player of the year award.

Sloan’s resume speaks for itself. Whether it’s quarterbacks, wide receivers or recruiting, Sloan has experiences to point to. The fact that LSU was able to get a guy who was calling plays to be a position coach is impressive. The offense will be led by Kelly and offensive coordinator [autotag]Mike Denbrock[/autotag], but Sloan is a younger coach the staff can turn to if they need some fresh ideas.

This will be his 10th year working in Louisiana. He’s a part of an offensive staff with plenty of Louisiana ties. When Kelly first got the job, a big discussion centered around who would be hired to recruit Louisiana, and Sloan fits the mold.

At the same time, recruiting quarterbacks is often about what can be done nationally. This is where Sloan will have to prove himself.

Louisiana Tech isn’t a program trying to land five-star signal-callers, so these are waters Sloan hasn’t even dipped his toes in. It’s an area where he’ll have guys like Kelly and [autotag]Frank Wilson[/autotag] to lean on, but Sloan will need to do a large chunk of the work himself.

Sloan is also tasked with overseeing an uber-competitive quarterback battle. There are three guys in that room right now that have a chance to start and in the spring, Kelly highlighted how effective Sloan has been in rotating guys in and out.

There are unknowns, but it looks like LSU got a good one in Sloan. He’s a well-rounded coach with no shortage of ties to the region. He’s got a lot on his plate right now and whoever starts in the fall will have some struggles, but Sloan has an opportunity to show he’s deserving of a coordinator job at a Power Five school.

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