(Photo Credit: Nate Bell)
By Hunt Palmer
After a dismal season running the football, LSU is looking for answers in the spring.
One of those answers may be freshman Harlem Berry. Through one spring, the nation’s top prep running back has impressed his new coaches.
“He’s a natural runner of the football,” said LSU head coach Brian Kelly. “He sees things that you just don’t coach. The great backs just have that natural uncanny ability to see things on the move, and you just let it go.”
Starring at St. Martin’s, a lower-level high school program, Berry’s natural talent allowed him to dominate by just being the quickest, fastest player on the field. At the college level more nuance is required. Kelly says the staff is working with Berry on all of that.
“He’s got to be coached on protections,” Kelly started. “He’s got to be coached on schemes. He’s got to be coached on how to eat. And we’re doing it, and he’s very receptive to that.”
With Caden Durham out resting a sprained ankle, Trey Holly still away from the team dealing with a legal matter and fellow freshman J.T. Lindsey not enrolled yet, Berry has taken a large share of the reps this spring.
Durham enters the season as the lead back having run for 753 yards and nine touchdowns as a freshman in 2024. Junior Kaleb Jackson provides a physical presence at 6-feet and 235 pounds. Berry is a a lean 185 pounds but is easily LSU’s most polished pass catcher among the backs.
He has spent time in the slot as well as catching the ball out of the backfield and could be a dynamic option replacing Durham on some third downs. Josh Williams led Tiger running backs in receiving last season with 31 catches.
One way or another, LSU will try to get the ball in Berry’s hands.
“He’s really good,” Kelly said. “I think he lives up to the billing as the best running back in the country because of his natural instincts running the ball. He’ll play for us as a freshman.”
