Costly victory
Chaisson lost for season
<p class="indent">It led to a historic jump in both major polls, but LSU paid a hefty price for its dominating performance in the 33-17 victory over then-No. 8 Miami at AT&T Stadium Sunday night in Arlington, Texas.</p><p class="indent">Head coach Ed Orgeron confirmed Tuesday that the Tigers lost star outside linebacker K’Lavon Chaisson for the season after he went down late in the game with what appeared to be a non-contact injury.</p><p class="indent">It’s a major loss for the defense as the 6-foot-4, 238-pound Chaisson was considered the Tigers’ best pass rusher — several teammates predicted in August that he would break the school’s single-season sack record set by Arden Key (12 in 2016), the man he replaced in the lineup this year.</p><p class="indent">As a freshman, Chaisson had 4 1/2 tackles for loss and two sacks in 12 games.</p><p class="indent">Instead, the speedy sophomore, a former five-star recruit out of Houston, will undergo knee surgery for what has been widely reported as a torn anterior cruciate ligament.</p><p class="indent">“I feel bad for him,” Orgeron said at his weekly news luncheon, adding that he had recently talked with Chaisson and spoken with his grandmother. “Great young man who had totally dedicated himself to this year. But he is going to get through this. This will pass and he will have a great career down the road.</p><p class="indent">“I know his teammates are very sad that he’s going to be out, but we’ve got to step up and guys will step up at that position.”</p><p class="indent">Orgeron said he was not certain who will take Chaisson’s spot beginning this week for the home opener Saturday against Southeastern Louisiana (0-1).</p><p class="indent">After Chaisson went down with just over 6 minutes left in the game against Miami — after recording five tackles, including a sack for an 8-yard loss — sophomore Andre Anthony (6-4, 238) played the remainder of the game.</p><p class="indent">But Orgeron said Ray Thornton (6-4, 226), the backup at the other outside linebacker spot, might move over.</p><p class="indent">Freshman Jarell Cherry (6-3, 235) and junior college transfer Travez Moore (6-4, 253) are also possibilities, he said.</p><p class="indent">“We have several guys there,” Orgeron said. “That’s a spot we have some depth. We’re going to see this week who is the best guy to put there.”</p><p class="indent">The other injury Saturday wasn’t as serious, although starting right tackle Adrian Magee (6-4, 335) will miss 2-3 weeks with a leg injury.</p><p class="indent">He will be replaced for the time being by junior college transfer Badara Traore (6-7, 335), with whom he was in a tight battle for the starting job right up until Sunday’s kickoff.</p><p class="indent">Traore went out early in the game. He returned to the sideline, but not to the game.</p><p class="indent">Orgeron said the original plan was play both at the tackle spot anyway.</p><p class="indent">“I thought Badara stepped in, showed some maturity, showed some physicality,” Orgeron said.</p><p class="indent">“Solid. Made a couple mistakes. But you know what? There were a lot of mistakes made when we looked at the film.”</p><p class="indent">It didn’t keep the Tigers, who began the season ranked No. 25 in The Associated Press Top 25 Poll and No. 24 in the coaches poll, from making a significant leap in both.</p><p class="indent">Tuesday’s AP poll moved LSU up 14 spots to No. 11 while the coaches have the Tigers up nine spots to No. 15.</p><p class="indent">According to LSU, the jump in the AP poll was biggest single-week bump the Tigers have had since the poll started in 1936.</p>