Five players to watch vs the Longhorns

LSU will return two key starters this week against No. 9 Texas and hope to get stellar play from a few youngsters that made quite the impression in week one. Here are five players to watch out for when the Tigers take the field against the Longhorns.

Michael Divinity (junior inside linebacker)

Divinity was one of two Tigers suspended for the home opener against Georgia Southern and will likely start the game at inside linebacker along side Jacob Phillips. The junior linebacker made the switch to the inside for the teams final two games of the season and recorded seven tackles with two fumble recoveries.

A full offseason of development at the position has the coaching staff and teammates alike excited for the year Divinity could have in store. As one of the leaders on the defensive side of the ball, sophomore Damone Clark recalled in player interviews Tuesday how big of a help Divinity was on the sidelines, even though he didn't see the field.

"I had Michael on the side telling me things I did well and things I need to work on," Clark said. "That's Mike, he's vocal. He wasn't even playing and he was still telling all of us what we did well and what we could work on."

Stopping Texas quarterback Sam Ehlinger will prove to be no small task but with a fully stocked linebacker core with no major injuries on either side of the ball, LSU has to like the depth.

Terrace Marshall

The sophomore Marshall had the best game of his young career in the season opener, hauling in four catches for 31 yards, the first three of which went for touchdowns. The three touchdown receptions were the first of Marshall's career and perhaps a bigger sign that Burrow and he have built quite a rapport over the offseason.

The senior quarterback admitted that he was looking for Marshall on the first touchdown pass but that the others were based off what the Georgia Southern defense was giving to the Tiger offense.

Marshall became the first LSU receiver to haul in three touchdown passes in a single game since 2014, when Travin Dural accomplished the feat against Sam Houston State.

Saturday will provide a different challenge for the sophomore receiver, as all eyes will be on him to see if consistency is a part of his game or still a work in progress.

Damone Clark

Clark, much like Marshall, had a breakout game against the Eagles in game one, racking up nine tackles in the in his first start at inside linebacker with Divinity suspended.

Orgeron couldn't go one press conference without saying how important Clark will be to the defense so it's hard to imagine his role will be diminished too much, especially after such a strong opening performance. The Tigers could elect to move Divinity to the outside in some cases, allowing two of Clark, Phillips or Patrick Queen to also be on the field.

While Clark may not start the game, coach Ed Orgeron said all four inside linebackers will play and it will be interesting to follow what kind of impact he can have with fewer snaps against the Longhorns Saturday night.

Saahdiq Charles

Charles, like Divinity, was suspended for the season opener but figures to slide back into the left tackle spot after starting 23 games over the last two years at the position.

It wasn't exactly the sophomore season many within the program thought it'd be for the now junior offensive lineman, as an injury forced him to miss three games and consistency and footwork were issues that continuously arose in his sophomore season.

If struggles continue for Charles, it's not inconceivable the Tigers could look elsewhere as freshman Dare Rosenthal and senior Badara Traore filled in admirably in Charles' absence in the Georgia Southern 55-3 win.

Derek Stingley (punt returner)

There were no ifs, ands or buts about Stingley's first career game as a Tiger, as the freshman was electric in the punt return game. As for pass protection, an incomplete grade should be given to all defensive backs in week one as only 11 passes were thrown by Shai Werts.

Sam Ehlinger won't be throwing 11 times so it'll be a strong first test for the freshman, who may be thrown into the fire at times and asked to cover 6-foot-6 Longhorn receiver Collin Johnson, one of Texas' most dynamic weapons.

The punt return game is what really left a lot of fans and media excited about the potential to flip the field on opposing defenses. After just 99 punt return yards in 2018, Stingley returned the first two punts he saw for 52 yards, flipping the field both times as a result of his effort.

If he can do something similar against No. 9 Texas on Saturday, even just once, it would be a game changer.