LSU football: Guillory out for season
Published 9:00 am Tuesday, September 10, 2024
LSU will discuss a sixth year of eligibility for Jacobian Guillory after the defensive tackle was lost for the season to a torn Achilles heal early in the Tigers’ 44-21 victory over Nicholls State on Saturday.
Guillory, who underwent surgery Monday, could likely be granted a medical redshirt.
Head coach Brian Kelly said Monday they were discussing the possibility with Guillory’s family.
Meanwhile, with the Southeastern Conference play starting Saturday at South Carolina, the loss of the 6-foot-2, 320-pounder from Alexandria leaves a gaping hole in a defensive line that seemed to struggle against Nicholls. He was easily considered LSU’s best defensive lineman.
Shone Washington, a sophomore junior college transfer, replaced Guillory for most of the game after the injury. He made three tackles.
“Shone was not scheduled to play until Guillory went out,” Kelly said. “Shown picked him up, played it very, very well. So he’s going to be the first guy that picks up those snaps.”
The Tigers could also activate Dom McKinley, a 6-5, 315-pound true freshman from Acadiana High School in Scott.
“We have to make a decision there,” Kelly said.
“We have other guys that are going to have to step up … in terms of the rotation, we have some ideas in terms of what we might do in the next couple of days.”
Guillory was known as a classic run-stuffer, Kelly said, “Very technically sound, physically strong so you know what you’re losing.
“But we know what he wasn’t as well. He wasn’t a dynamic pass rusher — and he would be the first to tell you that.
“But you’re losing a very strong inside presence.”
True freshman Gabe Reliford, for instance, a defensive end, took some snaps in Guillory’s place Saturday, and could slide over in passing situations, Kelly said.
“We have some ideas about how we can do things with our front to make up for his loss,” Kelly said. “Anytime you lose a great player, you don’t necessarily make up for what he did. You try to do other things differently that can complement the guys that you have.”
a OTHER INJURIES: Kelly said OG Garrett Dellinger was cleared to practice today. Freshman WR Kyle Parker to be back. Another WR, Chris Hilton, an expected starter before missing the first two games with a bone bruise, is a possibility to return.
“There’s some pain associated with it,” Kelly said. “It’s a matter of what can you tolerate?”
a LEADER: Quarterback Garrett Nussmeier is tied for the national lead with eight touchdown passes after two games.
Syracuse’s Kyle McCord also has eight.
Nussmeier threw six against Nicholls, which tied him for second in the LSU single-game record books with a pair of Heisman Trophy winners, Joe Burrow and Jayden Daniels. Burrow owns the school record with seven in the 2019 Peach Bowl semifinal against Oklahoma.
a SAFETY SWITCH: The encouraging play of Zy Alexander at CB is leading Kelly to say Sage Ryan might move from CB to safety permanently.
“He’s a very versatile player for us,” Kelly said of Ryan. “But I think that (safety) is where he fits best for us right now.
“We’ve really focused in now with the level that Alexander is playing at the level that he has. I think it just makes sense for us to keep (Sage) at safety.”
BATTEN UP: Although he didn’t go into specifics, Kelly said the athletic department has made contingency plans in the event the Tigers’ preparations are affected by the tropical disturbance in the Gulf.
“We have a plan in place for Wednesday and Thursday because that’s win, it’s imminent,” he said. “We’re on top of that.
“The next stage is (possible) thunderstorms (in South Carolina) and their disruption of the game.”