Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
By Hunt Palmer
One of the quickest on-field changes for the LSU football program under Lane Kiffin will be the running game.
LSU’s anemic ground game helped wreck the last two seasons under Brian Kelly. That’s sure to change in 2026. Ole Miss finished in the top six in the SEC in rushing every season under Kiffin. He’s committed to the run and does it successfully.
There are plenty of elements that go into cultivating a successful ground game. Great offensive line play, talented back and relentless tempo all help. So do sound scheme and quality execution.
LSU has lacked nearly all of that for a pair of seasons.
WHAT WE KNOW
Kiffin is going to run the ball, and he is going to do it out of multiple formations.
Zach Grace comes in from Oregon as a 6-foot-3, 238 lbs., chess piece that LSU can use at tight end of fullback.
Grace spent three seasons at Oregon. He redshirted his first and played a pair of years on special teams and in short yardage. In 2024, he played in 10 games logging 41 offensive snaps. Twenty came at fullback, and 21 came at tight end.
He snaps number increased to 60 last season; 32 of those came at fullback.
He was a high school discus thrower and isn’t afraid to stick his facemask into the chest of a defender.
Grace also played on three special teams units for the Ducks in 2025.
THE FIT
When the gathered media votes on the pre-season All-SEC team at SEC Media Days in July, Grave won’t make the cut. Over four days in Tampa, he won’t even be mentioned.
That’s not why he’s a Tiger.
Kiffin was putting together a roster and saw a use for Grace as a fullback and special teams contributor. That’s what he’ll do.
HUNT’S PROJECTION
Grace probably won’t log an offensive statistic. He never did at Oregon.
That doesn’t mean he won’t play a role.
Only 12 teams in the country ran the ball for fewer yards per carry in the red zone than LSU last year. Short yardage was a disaster. A fullback can help with that. Grace is big and physical. He’ll play in those situations.
He’s got tight end experience, but Trey’Dez Green, J.D. LaFluer, Malachi Thomas and J.C. Anderson for a pretty solid quartet there.
Every great team has special teams aces. That could also be in the cards for the former Oregon Duck. Not every addition earns postseason accolades or generates NFL Draft buzz.
Grace will carve out a specific role that will likely fall under the radar and be significant at the same time.
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