What LSU’s First Fall Scrimmage Means for Lane Kiffin’s Biggest Position Battles

Fall camp rolls on at LSU, and so does roster development.

Jul 23, 2026; Tampa, FL, USA; LSU Tigers head coach Lane Kiffin speaks to the press during SEC Football Kickoff Media Day at the Tampa Marriott. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The 11th-ranked LSU Tigers closed the books on week two of fall camp with their first scrimmage of the Lane Kiffin era on Saturday. The session was closed, but clips from LSU’s socials still served as the first public proving ground at game-speed for Kiffin’s first LSU team.

Kiffin took the chance to talk to media to preview the final stretch of camp before LSU opens the season against Clemson on September 5.

With that clock ticking, three offensive units in particular still have jobs up for grabs: the offensive line, the running back room and the completely retooled receiver corps.

Offensive Line’s Two Unfilled Positions

Sep 20, 2025; Baton Rouge, Louisiana, USA; LSU Tigers offensive tackle Weston Davis (75) blocks Southeastern Louisiana Lions defensive lineman Max Elkman (48) during the first half at Tiger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Stephen Lew-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Left tackle and center appear set, with Colorado transfer Jordan Seaton entrenched after an offseason body transformation and Braelin Moore holding down the middle. Left guard is a different story, with Bo Bordelon and Ole Miss transfer Devin Harper continuing to battle for the job into fall camp.

Right tackle carries even more uncertainty after Weston Davis struggled there last season, and transfer Darrin Strey has pushed his way into real competition for the spot. The right side of the line is definitely the group Kiffin’s staff is watching most closely as practices ramp up in physicality.

A Newcomer Running Back Leads, But Returners Aren’t Fading

Runningback Harlem Berry 22, LSU Tigers take on the Arkansas Razorbacks. November 15, 2025; Baton Rouge, Louisiana, USA; at Tiger Stadium. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Wisconsin transfer Dilin Jones was the biggest riser of the spring and has carried that momentum into fall camp under new running backs coach Kevin Smith, who followed Kiffin from Ole Miss. Fall camp has consistently shown Jones as the first in backfield drill rotations, ahead of returners Caden Durham and Harlem Berry.

Still, fall camp has been clear in that this will not shake out as a true one-man show, despite Kiffin’s past tendencies. Both Durham and Berry offer receiving skills that fit Kiffin’s up-tempo scheme.

Wide Receiver’s New Pieces

Sep 12, 2025; Tucson, Arizona, USA; Kansas State Wildcats wide receiver Jayce Brown (1) scores a touchdown during the third quarter of the game against the Arizona Wildcats at Arizona Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Aryanna Frank-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Kiffin brought in nine wide receivers through the transfer portal this offseason, and he has said the competition in that room has been as tight as any position on the roster.

Names like Kansas State’s Jayce Brown, Hawaii’s Jackson Harris and Florida’s Eugene Wilson have begun to separate themselves from the pack through the first two weeks of practice.

Winston Watkins Jr., who followed Kiffin from Ole Miss and is also a likely starter, but recently has missed practice time with an injury, which has opened up extra reps for players like Malik Elzy and Tre Brown.

The receivers continue to step up every day and further prove themselves as the deepest position on the roster.

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