LSU's Special Teams Received A Much Needed Overhaul This Offseason

LSU hopes it doesn’t need to role out special teams as much as last year, but if it does, it has built a strong unit.

Sep 20, 2025; Baton Rouge, Louisiana, USA; LSU Tigers long snapper Jonathan Ferguson (49) and LSU Tigers place kicker Damian Ramos (34) during warmups before the game against the Southeastern Louisiana Lions at Tiger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Stephen Lew-Imagn Images | Stephen Lew-Imagn Images

LSU football fans have been sick at the thought of their special teams units coming to the field for the last few years. The feeling isn't just from a failed third-down conversion; it's from a concern that the unit wouldn't do a good job when on the field.

When LSU's offense was the best in the country, scoring over 40 points a game, the fourth-down kicks didn't matter. LSU barely saw the punt team, coming out just 26 times in 2023.

LSU only had to kick 15 field goals in 2023, making 12 of them.

2023 is a season defined and immortalized by its offense, so these low numbers are just a reflection of that. But in later seasons, when more attempts came around, a nearly identical unit dropped its efficiency and felt like a toss-up was coming for quality plays on fourth downs.

Rock Bottom

Oct 26, 2024; College Station, Texas, USA; LSU Tigers place kicker Damian Ramos (34) looks on prior to a snap in the second quarter against the Texas A&M Aggies. The Aggies defeated the Tigers 38-23; at Kyle Field. Mandatory Credit: Maria Lysaker-Imagn Images. | Maria Lysaker-Imagn Images

In 2024, LSU ranked last in the SEC in punting average at just 39.6 yards per punt and No. 15 in the SEC in net punting at 35.5 yards.

The Tigers also ranked No. 10 in the SEC and No. 56 nationally in field goal percentage.

While those numbers are really bad, LSU had just one bright spot when kicking the ball.

Aeron Burrell ranked first in the SEC and fourth nationally with a 64.8-yard kickoff average, with 66 touchbacks, college football's sixth-best total. He was also good for an 87% touchback percentage, the second-best out of the top-10 kickers with total touchbacks.

Progress In Bulk

Nov 8, 2025; Tuscaloosa, Alabama, USA; Louisiana State Tigers punter Grant Chadwick (90) punts the ball against the Alabama Crimson Tide during the fourth quarter of the game at Saban Field at Bryant-Denny Stadium. Mandatory Credit: David Leong-Imagn Images | David Leong-Imagn Images

Grant Chadwick, a transfer from Middle Tennessee, was an immediate upgrade at punter in 2025.

He punted 62 times, almost double the amount of punts in 2025, for a 45.7-yard average, which ranked second in the SEC and third in single-season LSU history. He had 21 punts travel 50-plus yards and 20 downed inside the 20-yard line.

LSU had found improvement there.

And senior placekicker Damian Ramos broke LSU's records for field goals made and total points scored in 2025, going 24-for-29 on field goals, which ranked No. 8 in the SEC and No. 49 nationally for field goal percentage among kickers with at least 10 attempts.

It wasn't a great kicking season, but it surely was reliable enough to keep LSU out of trouble on most drives.

But it wasn’t enough to give LSU the peace that failed drives past the 50-yard line can end in points.

That was a huge difference for LSU fans who spent their Saturdays watching the Tigers.

The Rebuild

Sep 6, 2025; Little Rock, Arkansas, USA; Arkansas Razorbacks kicker Scott Starzyk (80) kicks an extra point in the third quarter against the Arkansas State Red Wolves at War Memorial Stadium. Arkansas won 56-14. Mandatory Credit: Nelson Chenault-Imagn Images | Nelson Chenault-Imagn Images

LSU has rebuilt this unit for 2026, with Ramos and Burrell leaving this offseason.

LSU has competition at punter this season, with Chadwick returning and redshirt freshman Florida transfer Hayden Craig, who followed his special teams coordinator, Joe Houston, to Baton Rouge.

Now, for the kicking, LSU will have a new placekicker.

Scott Starzyk arrived at LSU from Arkansas, where he was rated the No. 1 kicker in the 2025 recruiting class by Kohl's Kicking.

As a true freshman at Arkansas, he made 14 of his 18 field goals and all 47 extra points. He went 2-of-3 on attempts over 50 yards, and scored a team-leading 89 points during his Freshman All-SEC season.

He brings an assurance to the special teams unit that LSU just didn’t have with Ramos.

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