Tiger Stadium’s south end zone facade has added two names over the last eight years. A third is coming in November when Bert Jones is honored.
From 1959 to 2009, only Billy Cannon’s number was retired at LSU. Tommy Casanova followed in 2009, and Jerry Stovall (2018), Charles Alexander (2025) and Jones (2026) have or, in Jones’ case, will join them.
Only Cannon’s No. 20 is no longer worn by the Tigers. Joe Burrow’s No. 9 hasn’t been issued since 2019, either. But that’s not official.
Burrow will soon join Cannon, and Jayden Daniels will follow. That Heisman Trophy carries some weight with it.
There are other non-Heisman winners who deserve serious consideration to the honor that Casanova, Stovall, Alexander and Jones now share. Here are the top three jerseys that should be retired by LSU. Call it the “Non-Heisman Division”.
KEVIN FAULK
“All Eyes on Three.” That was a big deal in Baton Rouge at a time where the football program had fallen asleep. As the legend goes, Gerry DiNardo left his introductory press conference and drove straight to Carencro. It wasn’t to get boudin. He had to make sure Kevin Faulk didn’t follow the paths of Warrick Dunn and other Louisiana standouts to leave the state.
Faulk showed up in Baton Rouge and rewrote the record books. When he left LSU, he trailed only Herschel Walker in career rushing yards by an SEC back. He set the conference record for all-purpose yards with 6,833. Tim Tebow eventually broke his touchdowns record of 53.
The golden era of 2001 through present day was started in part due to Faulk’s decision to stay in state. Nick Saban, Marcus Spears, Michael Clayton and Co. took the baton from there. Faulk’s No. 3 should be prominently displayed in Death Valley.
GLENN DORSEY
If there was an award for a defensive tackle to win in 2007, Dorsey won it. He was a unanimous All-American that season after an All-American season in 2006. Only 10 players in school history have been named All-Americans in multiple seasons. Only 12 have been unanimous All-Americans. Dorsey falls under both categories.
He won the Nagurski, Lombardi, Outland, and Lott Awards as well as being named the SEC Defensive Player of the Year. Plus, his team won a national title. Obviously, that’s a team accomplishment, but none of the currently retired jerseys beyond Cannon have that to their name.
There’s a pretty easy argument to be made that Dorsey is the greatest defensive player in school history.
WENDELL DAVIS
Entering the 1986 season, LSU hadn’t won a conference title in 15 seasons. Tommy Hodson and Wendell Davis helped changed that. In the process, Davis set LSU single-season records for catches (80), receiving yards (1,244), receiving touchdowns (11) and catches in a game (14).
He was a two-time All-American including consensus honors in 1987 before becoming a first round pick of the Chicago Bears.
In a new era, Davis’s receiving numbers have been surpassed by names like Josh Reed, Dwayne Bowe, Justin Jefferson, Ja’Marr Chase and Malik Nabers. Honoring Davis’s accomplishments could open the floodgates. However, among the group, Davis is the only two-time All-American.
