Updating LSU football's running back depth chart after four-star freshman was suspended

USA Today

a day ago

LSU football's running back room is getting thinner.
Freshman running back JT Lindsey was suspended by the university after he turned himself in to campus police last Friday to face a count of accessory after the fact to second-degree murder.
According to NOLA.com, authorities allege Lindsey housed two suspects in his dorm after the suspects were involved in a killing near Alexandria, LA. Lindsey is not alleged to have been involved in the crime, and Lindsey's attorney told NOLA.com that Lindsey was unaware that the suspects were wanted for murder.
LSU is down to three scholarship running backs. LSU lost another back earlier this summer when Trey Holly enrolled at Southern after navigating legal issues of his own at LSU.
Running back isn't a good position to be thin. SEC rushers take a beating vs. NFL-level defenders and depth can be critical to surviving a 12-game schedule. In the playoff era, where teams can play 15 games, it's even more important.
While LSU lacks quantity, the Tigers have quality talent in the backfield. LSU's run game struggled in 2024 but with more experienced backs and the addition of run game coordinator Alex Atkins, LSU is counting on an improved ground attack this fall. Here's how LSU's running back depth chart is shaping up.
RB1: Caden Durham, Sophomore
Durham is LSU's clear-cut No. 1 back. Durham surpassed 1,000 total yards as a true freshman while dealing with a lingering toe injury. He was explosive as a rusher and a threat out of the backfield.
Durham ran for six scores and averaged 5.3 yards per attempt. His 3.48 yards after contact per run ranked top 10 among SEC rushers and was one of the best after contact marks among true freshmen. As Durham steps into a feature role, he'll have more on his plate, but he's ready to carry the load.
"I think having Caden Durham as a second-year player, obviously, he's an electric player and a really good football player, but he still was a true freshman last year that came in in June, right? So, having him as a second-year player, he's a lot better football player today than he was at this time last year," LSU offensive coordinator Joe Sloan said.
RB2: Harlem Berry OR Kaleb Jackson
Behind Durham, LSU has two talented backs whol will battle for carries.
Berry was the No. 1-ranked running back in the class of 2025 and will make an immediate impact as a true freshman. Kelly doesn't shy away from playing young running backs -- we saw the opportunity Durham got last year -- and LSU won't waste time getting Berry involved.
"I think we all know his traits, right? Very smooth. He's got elite speed, catches the ball well," Brian Kelly said when discussing the freshman running back.
Kelly added that Berry will need to adjust to facing SEC-level tacklers, but Kelly said Berry "will have to play for us this year."
Jackson was a blue-chip recruit in the class of 2023 who flashed his talent as a true freshman before struggling to carve out a role in 2024. Jackson is a big and physical runner who's not afraid to run through defenders. Durham and Berry are dynamic and explosive, but Jackson provides LSU with a power back.
"Kaleb's had a great camp. And, you know, he's 230-plus pounds. He's physical. He's smart. It's just about getting into, you know, game situations where he makes good cuts and good decisions," Brian Kelly said.