Tag: Jalen Lee

LSU vs. Ole Miss Injury Report: 3 Tigers starters have designations ahead of Week 7

The Tigers could be down several receivers for Saturday’s game against Ole Miss.

As LSU prepares to face Ole Miss on Saturday night in Death Valley in a matchup with College Football Playoff implications, it’s getting healthier coming off a bye.

Still, there are several players whose statuses are in question ahead of the Week 7 contest, and three starters were listed on LSU’s injury report on Wednesday night.

Receivers [autotag]Chris Hilton Jr.[/autotag] and [autotag]CJ Daniels[/autotag] are listed as questionable. Hilton is yet to make his season debut after suffering an ankle injury in fall camp, while Daniels was banged up during the off week but has practiced.

Freshman running back [autotag]Caden Durham[/autotag], who has emerged as the top rusher in the last couple of games, is also listed on the report though he’s probable. Also listed as probable are defensive tackles [autotag]Jay’viar Suggs[/autotag] and [autotag]Jalen Lee[/autotag].

Receiver [autotag]Kyle Parker[/autotag] is out, meaning that receiver depth could be an issue in this game if Hilton and Daniels also aren’t able to go. Linebacker [autotag]West Weeks[/autotag] is doubtful.

On the Ole Miss side, the Rebels are dealing with quite a few injuries of their own. Starting offensive tackle Jayden Williams is out, while starting defensive end Princely Umanmielen, starting receiver Tre Harris and starting defensive tackle JJ Pegues are all listed as questionable.

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 vs. UCLA: Tigers Week 4 injury report ahead of SEC vs. Big Ten showdown

The Tigers are getting back closer to full health as they return home to host the Bruins on Saturday.

After overcoming a three-score deficit to avoid an upset on the road against South Carolina, LSU returns home for what looks like it should be a much easier test against a rebuilding UCLA program coming off a 42-13 home loss to Indiana.

To make matters even better for the Tigers this week, their injury report is dwindling as the team gets back closer to full health. Coach [autotag]Brian Kelly[/autotag] updated the status of several players on Thursday ahead of the game, including starting wide receiver [autotag]Chris Hilton Jr.[/autotag], who has missed the first three games with a bone bruise.

Hilton is listed as probable and is expected to make his season debut against the Bruins on Saturday. Elsewhere, defensive tackle [autotag]Jalen Lee[/autotag] is out with a shoulder injury, while linebacker [autotag]West Weeks[/autotag] was listed as questionable, with Kelly calling him a “gameday decision.”

The Tigers take on the Bruins at 2:30 p.m. CT on Saturday.

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 defensive tackle out for the year with torn Achilles

LSU’s defensive line suffered a major loss as veteran Jacobian Guillory will miss the remainder of the season.

LSU has now suffered a major season-ending injury in each of the first two games of the 2024 season.

After running back [autotag]John Emery Jr.[/autotag] was lost for the year with a torn ACL in Week 1, defensive tackle [autotag]Jacobian Guillory[/autotag] left the game against Nicholls on Saturday night and was seen in a wheelchair with a cast around his leg.

We now know that Guillory will miss the remainder of the 2024 season after suffering a torn Achilles, according to multiple reports.

It’s a significant loss at a position where LSU needed to stay healthy this season. Defensive tackle is thin with Guillory being only one of two returning players with game experience, alongside [autotag]Jalen Lee[/autotag]. The Tigers also acquired [autotag]Gio Paez[/autotag] and [autotag]Jay’Viar Suggs[/autotag] in the transfer portal.

https://twitter.com/znagy20/status/1832853503896584653

The Tigers’ front seven appeared to be improved through two games, but it did give up 150 yards on the ground playing without Guillory most of the game.

How the defense manages his loss will be a major storyline to watch in the coming weeks as LSU begins SEC play next week on the road against South Carolina with ESPN’s College GameDay in town.

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 DC Blake Baker explains how DT Jacobian Guillory has grown since freshman season

Jacobian Guillory was reunited with Blake Baker this offseason. Here’s how Guillory has grown since his redshirt freshman season in 2021.

One of the biggest questions LSU faced this past offseason dealt with the interior of the defensive line.

The Tigers return just two defensive tackles with game experience in fifth-year [autotag]Jacobian Guillory[/autotag] and former Florida transfer [autotag]Jalen Lee[/autotag]. LSU also added transfers [autotag]Gio Paez[/autotag] and [autotag]Jay’Viar Suggs[/autotag], but Guillory is expected to play a major role.

While the Tigers have a new defensive staff in place, there’s familiarity with Guillory. New defensive coordinator [autotag]Blake Baker[/autotag] previously coached at LSU during Guillory’s redshirt freshman season in 2021, and he detailed how the fifth-year senior has grown in the time since.

“It’s been fun, obviously being here Jacobian’s freshman year to now watching him grow,” Baker said. “More off the field than on the field, he’s always been a big strong player inside but he’s really, really matured off the field and becoming a vocal leader in a positive way.

“I feel really, really good with him inside… he’s played a lot of football, so he understands block recognition, he does a good job getting the calls and executing the calls. It’s been neat, just being away for a couple years and then coming back to see him and see his growth.”

Guillory has a lot of experience under his belt having appeared in 39 games for the Tigers over the last four years. However, this will be his first season as a full-time starter as he has started just three games over the course of his LSU career.

On his career, he has 51 total tackles (two for loss) and half a sack. But he could be poised for a breakout season as his role is expected to increase significantly this fall.

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

5-star LSU true freshman Dominick McKinley shows off impressive transformation since arriving on campus

Dominick McKinley was listed at 280 pounds as a high school senior. Now, he’s bulked up all the way to 316 pounds.

LSU had a solid number of freshman signees opt to early enroll this offseason, but the biggest prize of the 2024 class just recently arrived on campus as a summer enrollee.

At long last, five-star true freshman defensive lineman [autotag]Dominick McKinley[/autotag] has arrived in Baton Rouge, and he’s quickly turning heads. McKinley, who hails from Acadiana High School in Lafayette and was the top prospect in the state of Louisiana, was listed at 280 pounds as a high school senior.

Now, as he makes his debut on LSU’s official 2024 roster, McKinley checks in at a stunning 6-foot-6, 316 pounds after he clearly spent the spring working hard in the weight room.

According to LSU Country’s Zack Nagy, McKinley has impressed the staff despite only being on campus briefly and should push for early playing time as a true freshman on a defensive line that lacks depth at the interior.

The Tigers return just two defensive tackles with game experience in [autotag]Jacobian Guillory[/autotag] and [autotag]Jalen Lee[/autotag]. They also added transfer [autotag]Gio Paez[/autotag] and [autotag]Jay’Viar Suggs[/autotag], but they could also turn to McKinley to see early action now that he’s bulked up closer to the typical size of an SEC defensive lineman.

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 lands coveted defensive tackle transfer Jay’viar Suggs

LSU finally landed the experienced defensive tackle transfer it’s been looking for.

After missing out on several targets earlier in the transfer portal window, LSU has finally found its defensive tackle transfer.

On Wednesday night, Grand Valley State transfer [autotag]Jay’viar Suggs[/autotag] committed to the Tigers. Suggs had previously trimmed his list of contenders down to Wisconsin, Michigan and Kentucky in addition to the Tigers, who received his final visit on Monday.

Suggs brings some much-needed experience at the defensive tackle position, albeit from the Division II ranks. The Flint, Michigan, native spent five years at Grand Valley State but still has two remaining years of eligibility due to COVID after redshirting in 2019 and not appearing in a game in 2021 after the 2020 season was canceled.

https://www.instagram.com/p/C7AmAfONtCX/

Suggs appeared in 22 games over the last two seasons, totaling 42 tackles (14.5 for loss), eight sacks, nine passes defensed and two forced fumbles. LSU’s staff has connections to GVSU as coach [autotag]Brian Kelly[/autotag] was on staff from 1987-03 and spent 13 seasons as the program’s head coach, winning a pair of Division II national titles.

Though there is a question of how his talent will translate to the SEC, he gives the Tigers some much-needed experience along the defensive line. LSU returns just two players with game experience at defensive tackle in [autotag]Jacobian Guillory[/autotag] and [autotag]Jalen Lee[/autotag]. It also added [autotag]Gio Paez[/autotag], a veteran transfer from Wisconsin.

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 misses out another top defensive tackle transfer target

The Tigers are running out of options in the portal after Simeon Barrow Jr. committed to Miami.

LSU has a big need at defensive tackle in the spring transfer portal window, but its list of options is quickly dwindling.

After [autotag]Damonic Williams[/autotag] committed to Oklahoma on Thursday night, the Tigers got more bad news on Friday night when Michigan State defensive tackle transfer [autotag]Simeon Barrow Jr.[/autotag] committed to Miami, a move that many analysts predicted.

Without an addition to the defensive tackle room to this point, the Tigers are down to just two players who have game experience in [autotag]Jacobian Guillory[/autotag] and [autotag]Jalen Lee[/autotag] after [autotag]Mekhi Wingo[/autotag] and [autotag]Maason Smith[/autotag] left for the draft.

The need at the position persists, and it’s getting to be slim pickings. Barrow ranked as the No. 7 defensive lineman in the portal, one spot behind Williams.

In four years with the Spartans, the Grovetown, Georgia, native appeared in 34 games with 30 starts. He had 110 career tackles with 18.5 for loss and 10.5 sacks. He also blocked a pair of field goals, forced two fumbles and recovered one.

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 hosting defensive tackle transfer portal target for visit Monday

The Tigers are hosting big-time transfer Damonic Williams to kick off the week.

With the spring transfer portal window now open, LSU has a clear need at defensive line, particularly along the interior.

It’s been no secret that coach [autotag]Brian Kelly[/autotag] and the staff are trying to add experienced defensive tackles to the roster, and one of the top options on the board is uncommitted TCU transfer [autotag]Damonic Williams[/autotag].

Williams has already taken visits to Oklahoma and Texas, and while he was slated to visit LSU and later Colorado this past weekend, he changed things up. Instead, he visited Missouri this past weekend and will arrive in Baton Rouge for a visit on Monday, per On3’s Shea Dixon.

Dixon reports that the Longhorns are the team to beat at the moment for Williams, but LSU will hope to sway him. Williams, who will be a junior in 2023, has started 27 straight games since arriving at TCU.

He was a Freshman All-American in 2022 and an honorable mention for both All-Big 12 and Big 12 Defensive Lineman of the Year in 2023. In two seasons with the Horned Frogs, he totaled 60 tackles (9.5 for loss), 4.5 sacks and a forced fumble.

LSU is in desperate need of depth at the position after three defensive tackles were drafted in 2024, leaving [autotag]Jacobian Guillory[/autotag] and [autotag]Jalen Lee[/autotag] as the only experienced players at the position.

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 defensive tackle transfer target commits to Auburn

LSU missed on a defensive tackle transfer prospect.

LSU came up short in landing one of its top transfer defensive tackle targets as [autotag]Philip Blidi[/autotag] committed to Auburn.

Blidi began his career at Texas Tech before transferring to Indiana. He hit the portal again after a year with the Hoosiers, this time garnering SEC interest.

According to On3’s Shea Dixon, Auburn made an impression on Blidi, and the buzz around his recruitment signaled Auburn following Blidi’s visit to the Plains.

Per PFF, Blidi was the 15th-best graded defensive tackle in the Big Ten last year while totaling 15 pressures and 11 run stops.

LSU needs to beef up its defensive tackle group and remains in pursuit of some of the portal’s top players, including DTs [autotag]Simeon Barrow Jr.[/autotag] and [autotag]Damonic Williams[/autotag].

Blidi bolsters an already solid Auburn transfer class that ranks 10th in the country, according to On3.

LSU remains well positioned with the seventh-ranked transfer class, but Blidi is a loss given the Tigers’ need at his position.

Brian Kelly said defensive tackle is the only position LSU is after in the spring portal window. [autotag]Jacobian Guillory[/autotag] and [autotag]Jalen Lee[/autotag] are the only two scholarship defensive tackles on the roster who saw time for LSU last year.

Despite the lack of numbers, Kelly feels good about where the position is headed with defensive line coach [autotag]Bo Davis[/autotag] leading the way.

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

LSU to host experienced Michigan State defensive tackle transfer this weekend

The Tigers are clearly aiming to bulk up the defensive line’s interior in the transfer portal.

LSU has a clear need along the interior of the defensive line, and it’s clear addressing that is a priority in the second transfer portal window.

The Tigers have already offered one of the best transfers at the position in Kent State’s [autotag]CJ West[/autotag], and now they’re reportedly in contact with Michigan State defensive tackle transfer [autotag]Simeon Barrow Jr.[/autotag]

A redshirt senior from Grovetown, Georgia, who entered the transfer portal on Thursday, Barrow appeared in 34 games over the last three seasons with the Spartans, starting 30 of them.

He has 110 career tackles (18.5 for loss) and 10.5 sacks. He has also forced two fumbles with one recovery while blocking two field goals, and he was an All-Big Ten honorable mention in 2022 and 2023.

According to On3, he’s down to six schools and expected to make a transfer decision quickly. On3’s Pete Nakos later reported that Barrow would visit LSU on Sunday.

LSU’s only two experienced returning players at the position are [autotag]Jalen Lee[/autotag] and [autotag]Jacobian Guillory[/autotag], and the depth behind them is lacking. LSU may be looking to add several bodies at defensive tackle, but Barrow would be a major pickup for coach [autotag]Brian Kelly[/autotag].

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