LSU Practice Report: August 11

LSU Athletics on X

By Hunt Palmer and Matt Moscona

After an extended workout on Saturday, LSU took the pads off Monday morning. The team worked in helmets and went about two hours, the first 45 minutes of which came indoors.

HEALTH UPDATES

Let’s keep the main thing the main thing. Garrett Nussmeier went through every drill full speed and even tucked the ball and ran once in 11-on-11 action. He’s got that sleeve on his knee, but he wasn’t limited at all in a no-contact practice. I missed Saturday’s workout, so I wanted to get my eyes on 13 today. He looked just fine.

Aaron Anderson is officially a full go, as well. The only noticeable absence today was Ja’Keem Jackson who is dealing with a sore hamstring. He was riding the stationary bike and doing some light calisthenics with training staff.

Barion Brown tweaked his ankle fielding a punt on the run. He got retaped and returned to practice but was a little bit gimpy.

PRECISION PASSING

Indoors, I focused on the offense, specifically the passing game. In the session where the defense wasn’t present and the pass catchers went through the route tree on air, the ball only hit the ground once. Colin Hurley overshot Donovan Green. Everything else was crisp and clean. After drops were an issue on Saturday, there were no issues to begin Monday.

Ju’Juan Johnson is now working exclusively with the running backs as JT Lindsey is suspended. He looks comfortable catching the ball and making cuts. That should come as no surprise. Also, at 6-feet and 210 lbs., he’s got plenty of size. He doesn’t look at out place at all.

1-on-1s

In the 1-on-1s, I thought both the offense and the defense had their moments. Two things stood out.

Trey’Dez Green had a monster day. He made plenty of impressive catches. The first of which came in a goal line period where he used his full catch radius over Harold Perkins. It was a slant that looked ticketed for the back wall of the facility, and Green’s “go-go Gadget arms” just snared it.

Zavion Thomas also had a great day. He got it going by beating Mansoor Delane on a fade in the corner.

DJ Pickett did not allow a single catch in the period. He was very physical, and I can’t promise he would not have drawn one or two pass interference calls. Still, he was in position and wasn’t afraid to mix it up. The notable PBUs were against Nic Anderson and Destyn Hill, both fourth-year players.

OUTSIDE ACTION

To begin the outdoor periods, the first team offense took the field. Paul Mubenga saw some reps at left guard in place of DJ Chester. That competition is ongoing. Mubenga also played some second team center and struggled with low snaps. That’s been a theme.

When the first team defense joined the offense, Jack Pyburn went out to end opposite Gabriel Reliford. Bernard Gooden and Jacobian Guillory started in the interior. Davhon Keys, Whit Weeks and Harold Perkins were the linebackers, and the secondary left to right was Ashton Stamps, Tamarcus Cooley, AJ Haulcy and Delane. PJ Woodland and Pickett got some run with the first team later on.

SPECIAL TEAMS

We got a look at some punting Grant Chadwick is the significant favorite to handle those duties. Badger Hargett and Aeron Burrell do a little as well. Burrell is a talented dude. He may not handle field goals or punts this year, but he looks talented enough to do both. Chadwick’s long was 42.

The punt returners were Aaron Anderson, Barion Brown, Chris Hilton, Jelani Watkins, Kyle Parker and Zavion Thomas. All five minus Hilton were back on kickoff return and were joined by Kaleb Jackson and Caden Durham.

SCREEN PLAYS

LSU spent an entire period working screens today. They included throws to the running backs, tight ends and wide receivers. We saw middle screens, tunnel screens, jet sweep throwbacks and more. LSU may have to use the screen game a good bit to keep pass rushes honest. It’s a great way to get the ball to playmakers with room to roam. Joe Sloan loved the period, applauding the guys when the horn sounded.

TIGHT ZONE

The defense really did a nice job in the passing period inside the 10 yard line. Nussmeier took a pair of snaps, and the twos came in for three more. No pass was completed. Woodland got very physical with Hill on one rep that could have been flagged, but I’ll take a DB doing too much with his hands as opposed to getting beat.

TWO MINUTE

Nussmeier piloted a good two-minute drive late in practice. He checked a ball down to Durham early. Bauer Sharp made a diving catch over the middle of he field for a first down (I think. The chain gang got blasted afterward for indecision). The capper was a shot play down the field for Barion Brown that he hauled in sliding near the right sideline in the endzone. Even if he was fractionally out of bounds (and I couldn’t tell), it was a great throw and catch. The entire offensive celebrated it and had some fun.

OVERALL THOUGHTS

Today was light on physicality, but it was competitive. Again, the standouts were Trey’Dez Gren and Thomas. Both made a number of productive catches. I’m growing more and more bullish on Trey’Dez every day. He’s going to be a star.

Gooden did get into the backfield for his daily tackle for loss.

The ball was caught well all day.

Carius Curne did leave a period because he committed two false starts. He was visibly frustrated and was taken away from the team for a few minutes.

LSU is very, very close to turning its attention fully to Clemson, and at this point should do so with a team that hasn’t been overworked and has stayed largely out of the training room.