Brian Kelly Teases the Idea of a New LSU Football Starter Along the Offensive Line

Kelly and Co. continue navigating a critical offseason, replacing four offensive line starters from 2024.

Sep 14, 2024; Columbia, South Carolina, USA; LSU Tigers head coach Brian Kelly smiles after defeating the South Carolina Gamecocks at Williams-Brice Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Scott Kinser-Imagn Images / Scott Kinser-Imagn Images

Brian Kelly and the LSU Tigers are in the midst of a critical offseason in Baton Rouge with the program replacing multiple key components from the 2024 roster.

During the winter window of the NCAA Transfer Portal, the Bayou Bengals added 16 newcomers while reeling in the No. 1 haul in America.

Fast forward to Spring Camp and the program utilized a unique blend of returning talent and first-year Tigers across the 15-plus practice schedule.

The position group of intrigue: Offensive line.

LSU will be replacing four starters from the 2024 season with the lone returning piece coming in redshirt-sophomore DJ Chester.

The rotation down the stretch of Spring Camp consisted of: LT Tyree Adams, LG Paul Mubenga, C DJ Chester, RG Coen Echols and RT Weston Davis with the first-team

Second-team: LT Carius Curne, LG Ory Williams, C Braelin Moore, RG Bo Bordelon and RT Josh Thompson.

Now, with a blend of returning talent and newcomers working in the mix, LSU will utilize the remainder of the offseason to find the right combination.

"Paul (Mubenga), DJ (Chester), Coen Echols, you know, obviously (Josh) Thompson, those four guys in particular, (Bo) Bordelon, five. We've got five, six guys that can compete in there and help us win. We're just going to have to find out what the right combination is," Kelly said last Saturday.

"After the game, I said it wasn't really about who's the starter. It's about what's going to be the best five. What that combination is. We can get to the best five. That's easy. Let's get them in there and really develop them.

"I think what we feel like we leave the spring with is really good depth. We're going to have great depth on the offensive line. Now it will be about who are those starting five? And that will be established as we go into preseason camp."

In an interview with the Baton Rouge Advocate, Kelly hinted at the idea of sophomore right tackle Weston Davis earning starting duties in 2025. He's handled first-team reps during the offseason.

LSU also added a pair of transfer offensive linemen this offseason after signing Northwestern's Josh Thompson and Virginia Tech's Braelin Moore.

Thompson is currently being cross-trained as a guard and tackle with the newcomer competing for starting duties.

Across the next handful of months, the LSU Tigers will continue searching for the ideal offensive line with a Week 1 clash at Clemson set to be a headliner to open the 2025 season.

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