Arkansas at No. 13 LSU: Players to watch on Saturday
Steve Andrews
·4 min read
Arkansas (2-1) will go into Saturday’s SEC conference opener against LSU in Death Valley as enormous underdogs, having just gotten beat at home by BYU.
But quarterback KJ Jefferson and crew will try to rebound on the road and get the train headed back in the right direction.
No. 13 LSU (2-1) has rebounded impressively with two breezy wins, after a season-opening loss to No. 3 Florida State. The Tigers walloped host Mississippi State 41-14 last Saturday, in their conference opener.
The game will also feature players on both teams, who used to play at the other school. Junior Landon Jackson and Dwight McGlothern jumped ship from LSU to Arkansas prior to last season. Senior Greg Brooks Jr. left the Razorbacks to join the Tigers last season, but Head Coach Brian Kelley has announced that Brooks will not be available for the Arkansas game.
Here are 12 players to watch in Saturday’s showdown:
The 6-foot-3, 247-pound senior will try to inspire the Razorbacks in a tough environment, just a week after blowing a two-possession, second-half lead to BYU. He did throw his first interception of the season against the Cougars, but still managed to pass for 247 yards and a touchdown. He has thrown for 629 yards and six touchdowns on the season.
The 6-foot-4, 210-pound senior has completed 73.7 percent of his passes this season, for 976 yards and eight touchdowns — including seven of those in the past two games. He also leads the team in rushing with 157 yards and two scores.
TE Luke Hasz, Arkansas
The 6-foot-3, 242-pound true freshman has already made a strong statement for Arkansas, hauling in nine passes for 123 yards. He shined brightest against the Cougars on Saturday, catching four balls for 78 yards and his first career touchdown.
The 6-foot, 200 pound junior leads the team with 24 receptions for 393 yards and three touchdowns this season. He had a huge game against Mississippi State on Saturday, catching 13 balls for 239 yards and a pair of TDs.
WR Isaac TeSlaa, Arkansas
The 6-foot-4, 216-pound senior transfer was brought in as a play-maker this season, but was held in check by BYU. TeSlaa managed just four catches for 26 yards against the Cougars, but he will have to get going to help generate the Razorbacks’ offense. He has 10 catches for 143 yards and a touchdown this season.
WR Brian Thomas Jr., LSU
The 6-foot-4, 205-pound junior began the season with a monster game against Florida State, catching seven passes for 142 yards and a score. He has been steady in each game, giving the Tigers a needed weapon. He now has 20 receptions on the year for 280 yards and three touchdowns.
LB Jaheim Thomas, Arkansas
The 6-foot-4, 240-pound Cincinnati transfer has been the biggest surprise for the Razorbacks this season, averaging nearly 10 tackles a game. He tallied nine stops against BYU, including six solos. He now leads the team with 29 tackles, with 1.5 sacks, on the season.
CB Zy Alexander, LSU
The 6-foot-2, 188-pound junior transfer, from McNeese State, has been a pleasant surprise, leading the Tigers with 16 tackles and two pass deflections in the defensive backfield.
DE Landon Jackson, Arkansas
The 6-foot-7, 281-pound junior will be facing his old school for the second straight year. He leads the Hogs in sacks with 2.5, totaling minus-27 yards. He has 11 tackles on the season, but Arkansas will need him to come in motivated and put pressure on the quarterback.
LB Harold Perkins Jr., LSU
The 6-foot-1, 220-pound sophomore is a possible SEC Defensive Player of the Year candidate after making first-team All-SEC last season. His numbers have fallen off a bit in the early season with just 10 tackles for the Tigers. But he did register his first sack against Mississippi State last week, and may be set to pick back up.
DB Dwight McGlothern, Arkansas
The 6-foot-2, 188-pound senior will also be facing his former school in this matchup. He led the Razorbacks with four interceptions a year ago, but has been hampered by injuries this year. He missed the Kent State game, but came back to make three tackles against BYU.
S Major Burns, LSU
The 6-foot-2, 193-pound junior is second on the Tigers with 15 tackles, while adding in a sack for minus-3 yards, which came against Mississippi State last Saturday.
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