Tag: Sage Ryan

WATCH: Sage Ryan confirms LSU return with ‘The Wolf of Wall Street’ clip

Sage Ryan used the iconic “I’m not leaving” scene to confirm his return to Baton Rouge.

LSU defensive back [autotag]Sage Ryan[/autotag] was expected to be playing elsewhere in 2024 after announcing his intentions to enter his name into the transfer portal last week, but things have now changed.

Ryan was spotted at the Tigers’ bowl practice on Tuesday, and it was later reported that he would not be entering the transfer portal and would instead return to LSU.

Those reports were later confirmed by Ryan himself, who assured fans he’ll be remaining in Baton Rouge next season by posting the iconic “I’m not leaving” scene from Martin Scorsese’s 2013 film The Wolf of Wall Street.

Warning: The following clip contains NSFW language.

A former five-star recruit in the 2021 class, Ryan mostly saw rotational action at nickel and safety his first two seasons, but he moved to the outside to shore up cornerback depth in 2023, and he ultimately started nine of 12 games he appeared in.

Corner once again looks to be a potential area of weakness for the Tigers, and getting Ryan back will certainly ease those pains heading into 2024.

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Report: Sage Ryan withdraws from transfer portal

Sage Ryan was spotted at bowl practice Tuesday despite announcing he’d be entering the portal.

LSU took a major loss in the secondary last week as cornerback [autotag]Sage Ryan[/autotag] announced his intentions to enter the transfer portal.

While Ryan said his decision was “effective immediately,” he hasn’t formally entered the transfer portal. And according to a report from The Advocate’s Wilson Alexander, there’s reason to believe he may be second-guessing that decision.

Per Alexander, Ryan participated in bowl practice on Tuesday after missing a team meeting on Monday. This, paired with comments from [autotag]Brian Kelly[/autotag] that everyone who appeared in the last game would be available for the bowl game, would seem to imply Ryan plans to play in the bowl.

Whether he’s contemplating staying at LSU is unclear, but it would be a major boost if he did. A former five-star recruit, Ryan began his career mostly playing safety and nickel but moved to the outside to help with depth issues this season.

He ultimately started nine games, bringing much-needed consistency to the cornerback position, which was down quite a few players by the end of the season.

According to Alexander, defensive linemen [autotag]Tygee Hill[/autotag] and [autotag]Fitzgerald West[/autotag] were the only other scholarship players in the portal who practiced on Tuesday.

UPDATE: Ryan will officially remain at LSU and withdraw from the transfer portal. The news was first reported by Lonn Phillips Sullivan of LSU Odyssey.

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LSU cracks the top 5 for 2025 safety

One of the top safeties in the 2025 recruiting class recently released his top five list of schools after his junior year ended.

One of the top safeties in the 2025 recruiting class recently released his top five list of schools after his junior year ended.

[autotag]Faheem Delane[/autotag] is a 6-foot-2, 200-pound, four-star safety from Olney, Maryland, who plays high school football for Our Lady of Good Counsel. The Falcons won the 2023 Capital championship with a 7-0 win over DeMatha in the finals. Since then, Delane has narrowed down his list of finalists for his recruitment and the LSU Tigers have made the cut.

LSU joins Alabama, Ohio State, Tennessee and Virginia Tech as the final five schools in the running for the talented defensive back. [autotag]Brian Kelly[/autotag] could use all the help he can get in the secondary as the Tigers are losing players left and right. [autotag]Sage Ryan[/autotag] just entered his name into the transfer portal. It looks as if LSU will have to go back into the transfer portal for an all-new secondary once again.

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LSU to host Mississippi State cornerback transfer for visit, per report

The Tigers are hosting one of the best cornerbacks in the portal this weekend.

LSU has already landed one Mississippi State transfer this offseason in receiver [autotag]Zavion Thomas[/autotag], and its looking to land one of his teammates as well in cornerback [autotag]Decamerion Richardson[/autotag].

According to a report from 247Sports’ Matt Zenitz, the Tigers will be hosting the veteran transfer. Like Thomas, he’s a Louisiana native who hails from Cullen and played his high school ball at Bossier.

Richardson will be a fifth-year senior in 2024, and he brings quite a bit of SEC experience to the table. He’s appeared in 45 games in four years in Starkville, making 26 starts including every game over the past two seasons.

According to Zenitz, Richardson has also visited Oregon.

Cornerback depth was a major issue for the Tigers in 2023, and with one of its top contributors entering the portal in [autotag]Sage Ryan[/autotag], landing a plug-and-play starter like Richardson would be huge.

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LSU defensive back enters his name into the transfer portal

Sage Ryan has appeared in 30 games, starting in 12, and made 64 total tackles in three years on the Bayou.

LSU’s secondary struggled mightily in 2023 and now one of the best defensive backs on the team has entered the transfer portal.

[autotag]Sage Ryan[/autotag] is a redshirt sophomore who has been in Baton Rouge for three years and this season was the best year of his career. In 12 games played, he made nine starts and made 35 tackles, 4.5 tackles for loss and three passes deflected.

Ryan has appeared in 30 games, started in 12 games, and made 64 total tackles in three years on the Bayou. With Ryan leaving the Tigers in the transfer portal, a depleted LSU secondary now gets even thinner.

[autotag]Brian Kelly[/autotag] has received six commitments from defensive back prospects in the 2024 recruiting class. Kelly will surely be looking to the transfer portal to find more talented defensive backs that could make an immediate impact in Baton Rouge and could show the new kids how to be successful in the SEC.

With Texas and Oklahoma entering the conference, it will be all hands on deck for the Tigers.

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Brian Kelly expresses confidence in his defensive backs despite being shorthanded

The injury report for this weekend’s high-profile matchup against Alabama was released Monday morning, and it isn’t good news for the secondary.

The injury report for this weekend’s high-profile matchup against Alabama was released Monday morning. Out of LSU’s four transfer portal defensive backs still available ([autotag]JK Johnson[/autotag] suffered an injury before the season started), only [autotag]Andre Sam[/autotag] is going to play.

[autotag]Zy Alexander[/autotag], [autotag]Denver Harris[/autotag] and [autotag]Duce Chestnut[/autotag] are all out.

Even with all of those injuries, [autotag]Brian Kelly[/autotag] still believes that his secondary is capable of getting the job done. Sam, [autotag]Sage Ryan[/autotag] and others will have to step up in a big way to stop Jalen Milroe, Jermaine Burton and the rest of the Tide offense.

Alabama doesn’t have the best offense in the country, as a matter of fact, LSU does. The Tide have had issues blocking for Milroe. Left Tackle has been a big point of contention for the Tide and Tommy Rees is still working out who fits best at what position. LSU/Alabama will kick off at 6:45 on Saturday night.

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Latest update on injury to LSU cornerback Zy Alexander

Zy Alexander exited the Army win with a lower leg injury, and his status moving forward is unclear.

LSU got the big 62-0 win over Army on Saturday night in Week 8, but the team didn’t emerge entirely unscathed despite not giving up a point.

Cornerback [autotag]Zy Alexander[/autotag], a transfer from Southeastern Louisiana who has started all eight games on the outside, left the game with a lower leg injury. He reportedly could not put weight on his ankle and was ruled out.

[autotag]Brian Kelly[/autotag] didn’t have much to update about Alexander immediately following the game. He said the team would have a clearer picture surrounding the extent of his injury in the coming days.

It’s unclear if Alexander will return for the Alabama game, and if he doesn’t, LSU’s depth will be strained. With [autotag]JK Johnson[/autotag] already out for a lengthy period of time, [autotag]Duce Chestnut[/autotag] away from the team and [autotag]Denver Harris[/autotag] inactive against Army, the Tigers had to rely on two true freshmen in [autotag]Jeremiah Hughes[/autotag] and [autotag]Javien Toviano[/autotag], as well as [autotag]Laterrance Welch[/autotag].

Safety/nickel [autotag]Sage Ryan[/autotag] can also play outside corner, and [autotag]Ashton Stamps[/autotag], who missed Saturday night’s game with an injury, is expected to return during the bye week.

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Brian Kelly discusses young players gaining confidence

When it comes to young guys getting playing time in big games, confidence can be a huge key to them playing at their highest level.

When it comes to young guys getting playing time in big games, confidence can be a huge key to them playing at their highest level.

Guys like [autotag]DaShawn Womack[/autotag] and [autotag]Sage Ryan[/autotag] are getting reps against some of the best offenses in the SEC. That will pay off in a big way as the season wears on.

When the Tigers go to war against Alabama, the confidence these guys gain in the earlier season games will help them compete in a tough game like that.

[autotag]Brian Kelly[/autotag] was asked what role confidence has played for his young guys against a team like Missouri.

“Absolutely. No, absolutely, confidence is one where you need to make some plays to gain confidence, too,” he said. “So, they saw that happening for the first time against a really good opponent that, back to back weeks, the two offenses that we’ve seen, are top offensive in the country, and we’ve been challenged and we certainly know that we have to be better. But these kids now are starting to see that they can make some plays. And as you know, we made another change at corner, moved Sage Ryan out to corner. And he gives us a real good tackler out in the big field. And we just need to continue now to work on that and getting some consistency.”

The young guys will use the confidence they have gained to take on the Auburn Tigers this Saturday in Baton Rouge.

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Greg Brooks Jr. out for Arkansas game, Brian Kelly says

Greg Brooks Jr. was unavailable against Mississippi State with what Brian Kelly called a “medical emergency” after the game.

LSU will be without starting nickel [autotag]Greg Brooks Jr.[/autotag] when it hosts Arkansas in Week 4 on Saturday, coach [autotag]Brian Kelly[/autotag] said Monday.

Brooks was not with the team during Saturday’s 41-14 win over Mississippi State as he is dealing with what Kelly referred to after the game as a “medical emergency.”

Speaking to the media Monday, Kelly couldn’t provide many details about Brooks’ condition other than to say he will not be available when the Tigers take on the Razorbacks.

“I don’t have a lot that I can report on Greg, it is a family matter so I am not going to speak on the family’s behalf,” Kelly said. “If there’s anything I can get to you further after I speak with the family, we’ll certainly give you the information. But Greg is dealing with a medical emergency, and he will not be available.”

Without Brooks, LSU started transfer [autotag]Andre Sam[/autotag] at safety with [autotag]Sage Ryan[/autotag] and true freshman [autotag]Ryan Yaites[/autotag] seeing reps at nickel. That dynamic will likely continue into the near future with Brooks’ status unclear.

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BREAKING: Pair of key defensive starters out for LSU against Mississippi State

The Tigers are missing two major contributors on defense for Saturday’s SEC opener.

LSU’s defense will be without two of its most impactful players on Saturday when the Tigers face a new-look Mississippi State offense.

Linebacker [autotag]Omar Speights[/autotag], who was listed as doubtful on Thursday but still traveled with the team, didn’t dress and won’t play Saturday. Starting nickel [autotag]Greg Brooks Jr.[/autotag] also won’t play against the Bulldogs for undisclosed reasons.

Mason Taylor reportedly went through warmups and remains a game-time decision.

These are two very tough losses for the Tigers. Both are very experienced players and major contributors on the defensive side of the ball. With Speights out, you’re likely to see a heavy dose of [autotag]Greg Penn III[/autotag], Whit Weeks and [autotag]West Weeks[/autotag].

Without Brooks, [autotag]Sage Ryan[/autotag] is likely to get the start at nickel.

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