LSU football is grappling with a significant setback as it lost its starting defensive tackle, Jacobian Guillory, to a season-ending injury in a win over Nicholls State. Guillory, who suffered a torn Achilles tendon during the Tigers’ 44-21 victory, will be watching from the sidelines for the rest of the 2024 season. Brian Kelly's Tigers defense will be looking to patch holes that were exploited by the seemingly overmatched Colonels and USC Trojans.
Guillory, a loyal fifth-year senior, has been a cornerstone of LSU’s defensive line. His absence leaves a considerable void in the Tigers’ defense with a huge SEC test against South Carolina coming up. ESPN's College Gameday will be in Columbus, SC so the fans are sure to be in a Paul Finebaum-like frenzy over the decision. Kelly had to admit this was a huge loss for a team looking to get back on track.
“You're losing a very strong inside presence to your defense and so you've got to look at who can make up for that…” Kelly said. “With College Gameday, it’s gonna be a great environment. A great opportunity for us to take a step in the development of our football team, and continue to work to get better.”
The Tigers will have to find solutions in a hurry. Sure, they were playing without a key starter but an FBS team still had a 13-play, 84-yard touchdown drive in the first quarter. Nicholls State had another clock-controlling seven-minute, 13-play touchdown drive late in the first half. LSU gave up a 67-yard touchdown run to open the second half.
Kelly has emphasized the need for adaptability in response to Guillory’s injury. While the loss of Guillory is a significant blow, LSU football has a roster full of five-star recruits and highly sought-after transfers to fill the void. The team’s ability to adapt and overcome this challenge will be crucial to getting back into College Football Playoffs contention.
LSU fans will be watching closely to see how Brian Kelly's Tigers respond. They'll also be expecting wins no matter who is available.
LSU football going into ESPN Gameday with a committee approach
Several players are expected to step up in Guillory’s absence, per Kelly, and most will have a different skill set to bring into the huddle.
“(Guillory) was a stalwart for us,” Kelly said Monday. “Big, physical, point-of-attack guy…Jacobian was a very technically sound, physically strong football player. You know what you're losing from that standpoint, but we know what he wasn't as well. He wasn't a dynamic pass rusher, and he would be the first to tell you.”
“We've got some ideas about how we can do things with our front that can make up for his loss,” Kelly added.
The obvious choices are Ahmad Breaux, Jay'viar Suggs, and Jalen Lee. All three played snaps in the last-second Las Vegas loss to the USC Trojans. Junior college transfer Shone Washington got some on-field action against Nicholls State. Dominick McKinley and Paris Shand could also be moved around the defensive line to give SEC rivals a different look.
A win in South Carolina is necessary or the injury-riddled Tigers will be looking at slim-to-none chances of winning the SEC West. Two top-five teams (Alabama and Ole Miss) that remain on the schedule will be far tougher tests than Nicholls State, who hung around longer than most fans in Tiger Stadium.
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