Football games are won in the trenches. Year in and year out, the majority of dominant programs in college football are elite up front. Heading into 2023, this should continue to stand true. For LSU football, this is a very good thing, as coach Brian Kelly has placed a significant emphasis on the offensive line and defensive line.
LSU football preview: Few offensive lines in college football bring back as much talent as the Tigers
One of the greatest luxuries a team can have is continuity up front. For coach Brian Kelly and LSU football, this is a luxury they can afford.
The Tigers lost one of their more flexible offensive linemen to the NFL draft this past offseason, as the Seattle Seahawks selected Anthony Bradford. However, aside from the loss of Bradford, the Tigers return a ton of starting experience.
Barring any significant shakeups over the next few days, the likely starting group at offensive line is:
- LT: So. Will Campbell
- LG: Jr. Garrett Dellinger
- C: 5th-year Charles Turner III
- RG: Jr. Miles Frazier
- RT: So. Emery Jones Jr
For context, that group of five alone brings back a total of 73 college football starts, with all having started at least six games for the Tigers in 2022.
Furthermore, the room is deep, with plenty of talent backing up that group this season. Among them are several high-potential freshman offensive linemen. Leading the charge for the freshmen are likely five-star Lance Heard and four-star DJ Chester.
While they’re young and have lots to learn, they have both the size and athleticism to make an early impact if given the opportunity.
Finally, the Tigers have several veteran pieces who could step in if need be in 2023. Among them are senior Marlon Martinez (four career starts) and junior Mason Lunsford, who recorded 24 total starts in his four seasons with the Maryland Terrapins.
Defensive line could be a strength for the Tigers all year
The LSU football defensive line has been subject to some less-than-ideal news recently. Last week, news came out that former five-star Maason Smith would be unavailable for the Tigers’ game versus Florida State. However, while it’s never ideal to be missing one of your star players, the Tigers could be much stronger at defensive line than people realize.
For starters, Smith should be back in action in week two and could be one of the best defenders they have all year. Additionally, junior defensive tackle Mekhi Wingo returns and should be productive in his own right.
However, it’s the group behind those two stars where things start to look surprisingly good.
More specifically, there are three defensive linemen behind the two starters who could make massive splashes in 2023. Those players are senior Jordan Jefferson and juniors Jacobian Guillory and Jalen Lee.
Guillory is the only one out of those three who returns from last season’s team. While he hasn’t necessarily broken out as a star for the Tigers, he is undoubtedly one of the strongest players on the roster and could be an integral piece of the defense while Maason Smith is out.
Jefferson and Lee, on the other hand, make their way to the team this season via the transfer portal. Jefferson came to Baton Rouge from West Virginia, where he appeared in 42 games for the Mountaineers in four seasons. Lee, while slightly younger, is still incredibly experienced, having appeared in 25 games in three seasons while at Florida.
Both the offensive line and defensive line groups are incredibly deep and versatile for LSU football in 2023. If the Tigers can take a step forward from their 10-win season in 2022, these two groups will be a big part of it.
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