Tag: Saivion Jones

LSU adds to transfer portal class with veteran Nebraska pass rusher

LSU added another defender in the portal, securing a commitment from DE Jimari Butler

LSU football was busy in the transfer portal on Saturday, securing three commitments from Power Four transfers. The third commitment came from Nebraska defensive end Jimari Butler. On3’s Hayes Fawcett broke the news on social media.

Butler is the first front-seven addition for LSU this transfer season. Defensive end is a position of need with [autotag]Bradyn Swinson[/autotag] and [autotag]Sai’Vion Jones[/autotag] moving on to the NFL and [autotag]Da’Shawn Womack[/autotag] transferring to Ole Miss.

Butler, who has one year of eligibility remaining, chose LSU over Florida State and Texas A&M.

According to PFF, Butler notched 22 pressures in 2024, ranking 26th among Big Ten edge defenders. In his time with the Huskers, he notched nine sacks and 33 stops.

Butler brings a much-needed veteran presence to LSU’s defensive line. The Tigers aren’t done in the portal, but he has a chance to earn a starting spot next to Gabe Reliford, who’s coming off an impressive freshman campaign.

LSU’s busy day began with former Florida cornerback Ja’Keem Jackson signing on Saturday morning before former Kentucky wide receiver Barion Brown put pen to paper on Saturday afternoon.

LSU head coach Brian Kelly said the Tigers would be aggressive in the transfer portal. Actions have reflected that so far.

Why LSU makes sense for five-star transfer Williams Nwaneri

Williams Nwaneri was one of the top recruits in 2024. Here’s why a transfer to LSU makes sense.

A big name hit the portal on Tuesday — Missouri EDGE Williams Nwaneri hopped in.

Nwaneri was one of the top prospects in the 2024 recruiting class. According to 247Sports, he was the No. 6 overall recruit in the class and No. 2 at his position. He signed with Missouri, where he was recruited by current LSU coaches [autotag]Blake Baker[/autotag] and Kevin Peoples.

Given LSU’s need at defensive end, along with Nwaneri’s ties to Baker and Peoples, LSU makes sense.

Nwaneri didn’t see the field much as a true freshman. He played in just four games and never saw more than ten defensive snaps in conference play. Most of his action came against UMass and Murray State. In 38 snaps, Nwaneri registered two pressures, a sack, and a stop.

It’s rare for a talent of Nwaneri’s caliber to hit the portal, especially with several years of eligibility remaining. That’s something LSU needs to prioritize, especially with all the exits from the 2023 recruiting class.

If LSU can land Nwaneri, it gains a talented player at a major position of need. People’s tracked record speaks for itself when it comes to developing pass rushers. Even if Nwaneri is more of a project than once thought, LSU could be the right situation for a breakout.

With [autotag]Bradyn Swinson[/autotag] and [autotag]Sai’Vion Jones[/autotag] moving on to the NFL and [autotag]Da’Shawn Womack[/autotag] in the transfer portal, LSU needs an influx of talent at EDGE.

LSU will host Purdue DE Will Heldt on a visit and has expressed interest in Kent State’s Kameron Olds.

LSU getting visit from one one of the portal’s top transfers

One of the top available transfers is showing interest in LSU

LSU head coach [autotag]Brian Kelly[/autotag] said the Tigers plan to be aggressive in the transfer portal. That wasn’t the case last year, but LSU is off to a good start this cycle, earning a visit from one of the top names in the portal.

Purdue edge rusher Will Heldt is set to visit LSU, according to ESPN’s Pete Thamel. 

Defensive end is a big need for LSU. [autotag]Bradyn Swinson[/autotag] and [autotag]Sai’Vion Jones[/autotag] are moving on to the NFL, and LSU lost former five-star Dashawn Womack to the transfer portal.

According to On3, Heldt is the No. 22 ranked transfer on the market. As a sophomore, Heldt racked up 26 pressures and six sacks. 2024 was a breakout year, and Heldt has the size to play in the SEC.

Thamel’s report says Heldt is planning to visit Texas A&M, too. Last year, the Aggies made a big portal splash, landing Nic Scourton — another Purdue edge defender.

LSU will look to seal the deal with Heldt and hope his impact is similar to the one Scourton made in College Station.

To stay updated with our full LSU transfer tracker, click here.

What does Da’Shawn Womack’s transfer mean for LSU

Where does LSU’s DE room stand after Womack’s transfer?

LSU DE Da’Shawn Womack announced his intention to enter the transfer portal. Womack was a five-star recruit in 2023 and served as a rotational piece for two years in Baton Rouge.

Womack’s talent is clear. While he was yet to become a major contributor, he had all the tools.

Womack isn’t the only defensive end LSU is losing. The Tigers are losing seniors [autotag]Bradyn Swinson[/autotag] and [autotag]Sai’Vion Jones[/autotag] to the NFL, both starters. [autotag]Paris Shand[/autotag], a versatile lineman who played on the interior and the edge, is also graduating.

As it stands, [autotag]Gabe Reliford[/autotag] is the only LSU DE slated to return who played 50+ snaps in 2024.

That leaves LSU with a big hole to fill on the edge. Not just when it comes to depth, but at the starting level.

Reliford will be a breakout candidate in 2025. His seven pressures ranked fourth among true freshman pass rushers in the SEC this year.

LSU will add one DE in its high school signing class — four-star Damien Shanklin. The Tigers will need Shanklin to make an immediate impact. Last year, LSU signed four-star CJ Jackson out of high school. LSU will count on his development, too.

But LSU will have to hit the portal hard. Brian Kelly said LSU plans to be aggressive on the transfer market and I’d expect a handful of those resources to be spent on 2-3 defensive ends.

The portal won’t be overflowing with elite defensive ends, but it’s a position where you can find impact transfers. Texas A&M did it with Nic Scourton, South Carolina with Kyle Kennard.

LSU needs to find this year’s version of Scourton and Kennard.

Portal Update: LSU DE Da’Shawn Womack planning to transfer

Five-star LSU DE Da’Shawn Womack is hitting the transfer portal

The transfer portal news continues out of LSU where defensive end [autotag]Da’Shawn Womack[/autotag] is the latest Tiger to hit the transfer portal. 

Womack was a five-star recruit in the class of 2023. Womack didn’t take long to enter the rotation as a true freshman. He finished with eight pressures and two sacks in 79 snaps last year.

In 2024, Womack took a step forward but didn’t start with [autotag]Bradyn Swinson[/autotag] and [autotag]Sai’Vion Jones[/autotag] holding down the starting edge spots. Womack totaled 13 pressures and two sacks in 100 snaps this year.

Womack’s talent is undeniable. When he’s on the field, he has all the tools of a future first-round pick. LSU doesn’t want to lose a guy like this, especially with Womack preparing to enter his junior year. If Womack puts it all together, he’s going to be a serious player.

LSU was deep at the defensive end this year, thanks to guys like Womack providing depth. Swinson and Jones are off to the NFL now while Womack looks for another home.

It’s a clear position of need for LSU as we enter the transfer season.

5 takeaways from LSU’s Week 5 win over South Alabama

Here are five takeaways from LSU’s 42-10 win over South Alabama.

LSU took care of business on Saturday night, beating South Alabama 42-10 to cover a 20.5-point spread and move to 4-1 on the year.

It was LSU’s final nonconference contest of 2024. The Tigers went 3-1 in those games with the only loss coming in the opener to USC.

Thanks to LSU scheduling USC and UCLA, this was just LSU’s second game vs. a school not in the Power Four. LSU didn’t play up to standard in its first such game, playing with its food against Nicholls. LSU didn’t do that on Saturday night, coming out strong and starting fast.

The emphatic win should ease some concerns heading into the bye week. For the first time all year, LSU played a complete game. The Tigers were explosive and efficient on offense and allowed just 10 points on defense. That’s what you want to see.

Here are five takeaways from LSU’s 42-10 win over South Alabama before LSU’s season heats up coming out of the bye.

Caden Durham is a rising star

LSU has something special in [autotag]Caden Durham[/autotag]. The true freshman looked the part and wasted no time making his mark on Saturday.

On LSU’s first play from scrimmage, Durham took a 71-yard swing pass to the house. On the next drive, Durham opened with an 86-yard burst that set LSU up at the one.

That was 157 yards on two plays to start the game for Durham. Pretty good.

Durham showcases a rare blend of speed and power at running back. He was a track star in high school and the wheels show up every time he finds a crease. Durham is ahead of schedule and that could be big for LSU with conference play heating up.

LSU stopped the run

There were concerns about LSU’s ability to slow South Alabama on the ground. The Jaguar rushing attack was among the most efficient in the nation entering week five and a few have found success running the ball on LSU.

But the LSU defense came to play. South Alabama ran it 33 times for 3.2 yards per carry. South Alabama’s EPA/rush of -0.22 put the Jags in the 15th percentile.

According to GameOnPaper.com, LSU didn’t allow a single explosive run.

LSU linebacker Greg Penn led the way. According to PFF, he notched 11 tackles, ranking first among SEC LBs in week five.

Garrett Nussmeier was prolific

Garrett Nussmeier racked up 409 yards in the win — a career-high for the redshirt junior and his first time surpassing the 400-yard mark. With 1,652 passing yards, Nussmeier sits second in the SEC. He leads the league in passing touchdowns with 15.

Nussmeier was expected to put up big numbers against a middling South Alabama defense and he did just that.

He threw two picks, but it’s hard to find much else wrong with this performance. Nussmeier finished 26 of 39 with 409 yards and two scores.

LSU front seven gets busy

LSU racked up three more sacks on Saturday, continuing a red-hot stretch for the front seven.

[autotag]Da’Shawn Womack[/autotag] led the way with six pressures while [autotag]Gabe Reliford[/autotag], [autotag]Whit Weeks[/autotag], [autotag]Sai’Vion Jones[/autotag] and [autotag]Greg Penn III[/autotag] all had three.

LSU’s defense isn’t perfect, but this group has proven it can put pressure on the quarterback. They’ll need to develop some key plays once LSU gets deep into SEC play.

LSU plays a complete game

All year, we’ve been waiting for LSU to put the package together. No matter the opponent, level, or conference, LSU needed it to show it could string four consistent quarters together on both sides of the ball.

Saturday was the most dominant LSU’s looked all year. The Tigers raced to 21 points in the first quarter and added 14 more in the second. That gave LSU a 35-3 lead at halftime.

The foot came off the gas a little in the second half, but the damage was already done.

LSU finished with 667 yards on the day — 430 through the air and 237 on the ground.

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5 stats that defined LSU’s Week 4 win over UCLA

These five stats defined LSU’s win over UCLA.

LSU moved to 3-1 on Saturday with a 34-17 win over UCLA. The first half wasn’t pretty, but LSU handled business over the final two quarters.

On offense, [autotag]Garrett Nussmeier[/autotag] was the standout. He completed 32 of 44 passes for 352 yards and three scores. He didn’t throw a pick or take a sack all day and led LSU on two 90+ yard touchdown drives in the second half.

Defensively, it was [autotag]Bradyn Swinson[/autotag] proving to be the difference maker yet again. With six more pressures, he’s now tied for the SEC lead with 16 on the year.

LSU failed to cover the spread, but there wasn’t much doubt about this one by the end. Yes, some issues remain and the [autotag]Harold Perkins Jr.[/autotag] injury complicates things on defense, but LSU should be happy with the progress its seen in recent weeks.

The Tigers will be heavy favorites in Tiger Stadium against South Alabama this week before SEC play ramps up.

Here are five numbers that defined LSU’s win over UCLA.

UCLA’s 4.83 yards per play

UCLA had moments here and there, but when it was all said and done, the Bruins averaged just 4.83 yards per play. According to GameOnPaper.com, that number sits in the 23rd percentile.

That’s a solid performance for an LSU defense that’s struggled to slow offenses. UCLA hit some big plays, but outside of that, LSU controlled the game.

On the year, LSU is allowing six yards per play, which ranks 103rd nationally. The second half against UCLA offers some hope for that number improving.

0.95 EPA without explosive plays

The best offenses manage to score even when they aren’t explosive. That’s what LSU did on Saturday.

The Tigers maintained a positive EPA/play even when you take out the explosive plays. That speaks to the high floor of this offense.

Down to down, Nussmeier plays clean football. He doesn’t take sacks and he doesn’t put the ball in jeopardy.

On the day, LSU had just three plays that went for negative yards. This offense kept moving it allowed the Tigers to score despite some bad field position.

LSU was 10/15 on third down

LSU found itself in quite a few third downs. The offense wasn’t phased and delivered several key conversions throughout the day.

It helps that LSU’s average third-down distance was just 6.44 — a lot better than UCLA’s mark of 9.08.

The best way to be good on third down is to be good on first and second. LSU put itself in the best position to convert on Saturday.

Swinson and Jones combine for 9 pressures and 3 sacks

This LSU defense is built on creating havoc. LSU was able to do that thanks to its defensive ends on Saturday.

Swinson and [autotag]Sai’Vion Jones[/autotag] combined for nine pressures and three sacks. When UCLA QB Chase Garbers started to get comfortable, LSU started creating pressure.

A couple of the sacks were well-timed too, knocking UCLA out of field goal range and preventing points.

LSU’s defense will experience some growing pains this year, but if it gets these types of games from its veteran pass rushers, the upside is there.

LSU Offense: Pressure rate of 15.9%

Despite the occasional run-blocking struggles, LSU’s offensive line remains an elite pass-protection unit.

Nussmeier was only pressured on 15.9% of his dropbacks vs. UCLA. That was the best mark in the SEC last week.

On the year, Nussmeier’s been pressured on just 17.8% of his dropbacks — also the best mark in the SEC.

If LSU’s offensive line continues to protect like this, Nussmeier will put up gaudy numbers all year.

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Sai’vion Jones a standout for LSU’s defense in season-opening loss to USC

Sai’vion Jones was a bright spot for LSU’s defense on Sunday night as he totaled five tackles and two sacks.

Though the defense looked improved overall, it wasn’t exactly a confidence-inspiring showing for LSU in its 27-20 season-opening loss to USC on Sunday night.

The Tigers gave up 450 yards of total offense and were picked apart by quarterback Miller Moss. But the front seven seemed to be the bright spot, and one player in particular stood out.

Defensive end [autotag]Sai’vion Jones[/autotag] is a veteran on this defense and one of the few players who started every game last year. He certainly impressed in the first game of his final season, finishing with five tackles and two sacks.

That caught the attention of his teammates.

“Outstanding,” Linebacker [autotag]Whit Weeks[/autotag] said of Jones’ outing. “I was telling those guys up there I think he had the best performance on our defense, and to see a guy like him who a lot of people look up to on the defense play like that it brings everyone else up around him. So it was great to see him play like that.”

For Jones’ part, he’s not thinking about it too much and remains focused on the bigger picture entering the Tigers’ Week 2 home opener against Nicholls on Saturday night.

“The key for me is to just not get a big head,” Jones said. “Just as people can have one bad game and the rest of the season be good, somebody could have a good game and the rest of the season be bad. And I feel like I understand that, so I just need to continue working on the little things and try to be consistent.”

If LSU is going to be improved on defense this fall, it seems Jones, who is already just half a sack away from matching last year’s total, will be a major reason behind it.

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Instant analysis from LSU’s heartbreaking season-opening loss to USC

The Tigers lost their fifth-straight season opener on Sunday night as they couldn’t stop a game-winning Trojans drive.

LSU will have to wait another year to earn its first season-opening win since 2019.

On Sunday night, the Tigers fell 27-20 to USC in Las Vegas to begin the 2024 season after the Trojans scored a go-ahead touchdown with eight seconds to play to clinch a win and hand LSU a heartbreaking defeat.

The Tigers had their chances in this one, driving down the field while trailing by three in the final minutes. But due to a few mistakes, the drive stalled out in the red zone and LSU had to settle for a game-tying field goal.

USC responded quickly on the other end, moving down the field despite holding just one timeout and a 13-yard run from Woody Marks capped off the drive.

LSU’s defense proved to be stronger in this game than in many contests last year, but it still wasn’t enough. The Trojans totaled 447 yards with quarterback Miller Moss accounting for 378 of those through the air.

It overshadowed what was an overall strong regular season starting debut for [autotag]Garrett Nussmeier[/autotag]. He looked poised and played efficiently, finishing 29 of 38 for 304 yards and two touchdowns with an interception, which came on a desperation play with less than 10 seconds to play.

[autotag]Kyren Lacy[/autotag] was LSU’s clear top option in the passing game, finishing with 94 yards and a touchdown on seven catches. [autotag]Mason Taylor[/autotag] also had seven catches with 62 yards, while [autotag]Aaron Anderson[/autotag] managed 64 with a touchdown.

The Tigers also ran the ball with some success, totaling 117 yards on 26 carries with [autotag]John Emery Jr.[/autotag] leading the way with 61 yards on 10 carries.

It looked like an improved product in some ways, particularly when it came to a defensive line that got pressure, headlined by a two-sack day from [autotag]Sai’Vion Jones[/autotag]. Ultimately, the Tigers will start another season 0-1 and will now have to dig themselves out of an early hole, with Nicholls coming to town for next weekend’s home opener.

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Instant Analysis: Malik Nabers, Jayden Daniels star as LSU blows out Mississippi State in SEC opener

LSU put on a clinic on both sides of the ball in Saturday’s SEC-opening win over the Bulldogs.

LSU reminded the college football world that this team is still very much a threat on Saturday.

Facing Mississippi State in a morning kickoff on the road, the Tigers shrugged off any potential sluggishness. They jumped on the Bulldogs early and never let up, ultimately earning a statement 41-14 win over their SEC West rival.

It was perhaps the best and certainly the most efficient game of [autotag]Jayden Daniels[/autotag]’ career as he completed 30 of 34 passes for 361 yards and two touchdowns while adding 64 yards and two more scores on the ground. A lot of his production through the air had to do with the play of [autotag]Malik Nabers[/autotag], who was seemingly unguardable.

Nabers finished with 13 catches for 239 yards and a pair of touchdowns, doing most of that damage in the first half. As far as the rest of the ground game goes, it wasn’t prolific but [autotag]Logan Diggs[/autotag], [autotag]Josh Williams[/autotag] and [autotag]Kaleb Jackson[/autotag] all had solid contributions, with Williams finding the end zone.

As explosive as the offense was, the defense was just as impressive. LSU pitched a shutout until the final minutes of the second quarter, and even then, Mississippi State never really got things rolling.

The Bulldogs are a far cry from the air raid team we’ve seen in recent years. Will Rogers struggled with efficiency, completing just 11 of 28 passes for 103 yards. Running back Jo’Quavious Marks got his, finishing with 75 yards on just eight carries, but it wasn’t nearly enough.

MSU went 3 of 13 on third downs, and with quick three and outs, LSU established an early two-score lead and took control of the game.

The team also had promising signs in the pass-rushing game with [autotag]Harold Perkins[/autotag], [autotag]Saivion Jones[/autotag], [autotag]Major Burns[/autotag] and [autotag]Mekhi Wingo[/autotag] all recording sacks.

LSU begins SEC play 1-0 and will return home next weekend to host Arkansas.

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