LSU Spring Practice Report: April 16

By Hunt Palmer and Matt Moscona

Temperature and tempo were up on Thursday.

Lane Kiffin’s Tigers worked for nearly two hours as the media was allowed to look on.

ATTENDANCE

A familiar face joined in on some of the action. Whit Weeks returned to practice in a limited capacity. He ran with the ones in the first 11-on-11 session. He also did some of the walk throughs and drills with the linebackers in individual periods. When the team broke for 11-on-11 for some more physical work, Weeks headed to another field and did some conditioning with a staffer alone.

Tamarcus Cooley was not at practice. Jhase Thomas took most of his reps at safety.

Tre Wilson was in a gold no-contact jersey but participated in what appeared to be every period.

MAKING A MOVE?

Wisconsin transfer Dilin Jones is getting a lot of work with first team on offense. Substitutions are liberal in every 11-on-11 period. Plenty of players are getting looks all over the field, but Jones’s workload suggests that he could be in line to be the lead back.

That decision is obviously months away, but at this point it’s something to keep an eye on.

QUICK PICKS

The team went to an 11-on-11 period early in practice, and it ended quickly.

Huson Longstreet was intercepted on the first two plays of the period. DJ Pickett nabbed one on the sideline, and Ty Benefield cut underneath a throw and hauled it in. That ended the period.

11-ON-11

Here’s some play-by-play of the next 11-on-11 period.

First Team

Dilin Jones for a short run.
Jet sweep to Jayce Brown for no gain. Tackle by DJ Pickett.
Harlem Berry carry for no gain. Stephiylan Green tackle.
Pop pass to a wide-open Malachi Thomas, but Landen Clark overthrew him. Clark was visibly upset.
Short run by Dilin Jones
Berry carried wide left for about 5.

Second Team

Short run by Stacy Gage
Another short run by Gage stopped by Deuce Geralds.
Sack by Geralds. He’s have a great spring.
Caden Durham short run.
Jet sweep to Brown for a good run.
Durham for five yards

Third Team

Not every play charted here, but Rod Gainey busted a nice run to end the period.

1-on-1s

The WRs and DBs took a period for 1-on-1s

DJ Pickett and Tre Wilson matched up twice. The first was a deep ball to the pylon on the money, and Pickett recovered to break it up. The second rep Pickett blanketed Wilson him for an incompletion.
Havon Finney had three great reps. He had an INT, would have had another pick, but Josh Jackson basically tackled him to prevent it. Finney had another PBU on Jackson
Winnie Watkins beat Dashawn Spears for a touchdown. Tight coverage but a great throw from Longstreet.
Jayce Brown beat Faheem Delane deep for a touchdown from Landen Clark.

7-ON-7 (Notable reps)

Ty Benefield picked Longstreet off intended for Corey Barber
Winnie Watkins came open on a coverage bust but Clark missed him long.
Malik Elzy caught a 20-yard dig route over the middle of the field
Jackson Harris caught a 20-yard touchdown from Longstreet on a very nice throw.
Jayce Brown scored on a slant from the five yard line. Throw by Longstreet.
Jhase Thomas picked Clark off on a seam route for Tre Harris.
Trey’Dez caught a touchdown under the goalpost on a jump ball from Clark.

MORE 11-ON-11

Winnie Watkins hit a big play on a wide receiver screen.
Five straight running plays were stuffed at or near the line of scrimmage. Davhon Keys and TJ Dottery were involved in plenty of them.
Jackson Harris caught a slant, and the safeties (Jhase Thomas and Faheem Delane) were nowhere to be found. He took it in from about 25 yards out.
Damien Shanklin had a pass breakup at the line and made a stop on a designed QB run.

RED ZONE (Notable Reps)

PJ Woodland had good coverage on a fade to Trey’Dez Green.
The first defense held the first offense to a field goal on the first drive.
Caden Durham was stuffed on a direct snap on third down by the second team defense. That forced a field goal.
Dilin Jones ran with the first team again and had a nice 15-yard run on the offensive left side.
On third and goal, they isolated Trey’Dez Green and DJ Pickett. A jump ball was thrown, and Green went up to haul it in while Pickett contested and pushed him out of bounds for the incompletion.
Malik Elzy beat Ja’Keem Jackson for a score.
Phillip Wright beat PJ Woodland on a go route for a score.

LAGNIAPPE

Jordan Ross missed a couple of periods after seeing a trainer. He did return.
Devin Harper and Ja’Quan Sprinkle swapped sides with the second offensive line. Harper went to the right, and Sprinkle went to left.
Jamarcus Russell and Will Campbell were there.