The Newest Offensive Strategy
After Jayden Daniels leaves the team in 2024, the LSU offense will function substantially differently. Joe Sloan and Cortez Hankton, the team’s recently appointed co-offensive coordinators, have the responsibility of changing the team’s running game strategy to place more emphasis on the running backs. Luckily for them, Kaleb Jackson, a returning sophomore running back, has only begun to show what he can do as LSU’s next great running back. The offensive’s ability to succeed will depend on him.
What’s in Store for Him
Jackson, who is listed as 6’0″ and 225 pounds, is the heaviest running back for LSU. Don’t think of him as a languid, lumbering ball carrier despite his size. Jackson is a one-cut back with the quickness to take the ball all the way home and the strength to force defenders into retirement. To advance as a young back, you must develop into a full back who can play all three downs.
For Jackson, there aren’t many excellent LSU parallels. He outpaces Alley Broussard in speed. Though Addai was faster in the short area than Jackson, Addai was still a decisive, one-cut back. Keiland Williams, a former Tiger, is the most similar to Jackson’s style. Williams possessed an uncommon combination of size and speed at 6’0″ and 221 pounds. Aside from the highlights, Williams lacked Jackson’s physicality.
The Year of Possibilities
The majority of coaches would rather let their running backs establish the ground rules and shield their quarterbacks from strong hits. Daniels was just too much of a dynamic runner to contain. As the starting quarterback for the Tigers going forward, Garrett Nussmeier will only play zone-read snaps on College Football 25.
This places the burden of production on the backs. Josh Williams, a former walk-on, will probably start the season as the starter. Williams is a complete back who has gained the confidence of the offensive staff in crucial circumstances. Nevertheless, he lacks Jackson’s long and burst speed. Barring an injury or problems with ball security, Jackson will probably overtake Williams as the best back.
The return of John Emery to LSU provided much-needed depth to the team following the loss of three running backs to the transfer portal. Throughout his career, Emery demonstrated big play ability and was a highly sought-after recruit. Regretfully, there are no guarantees for him while he heals from an ACL tear. Since Trey Holly’s return is uncertain, Caden Durham, a freshman speedster, is the only other back that LSU can rely on to be available.
Jackson was ranked 181st overall and 12th best running back in the class of 2023 by the Recruit 247Sports Composite rankings. Jackson at Liberty High School in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, averaged a gargantuan 14.7 yards per carry. Despite the fact that Liberty’s 4A district didn’t have particularly strong competition, schools from Georgia and Alabama continued to add to the list of more than 20 scholarship offers.
The drama surrounding Jackson’s commitment was minimal. The summer before his freshman year, he made a humble commitment and soon became a recruiter. Holly, a native of Louisiana as well, joined the team in 2023 as a running back when LSU finished with a fifth-ranked class. Jackson fractured his ankle in the opening game and missed the majority of his senior year. The following spring, he bounced back from that injury in time to run a 10.68 100-meter dash.
Arguments in Support
Impressively, Jackson gained five and a half yards per carry on average in 2023. Maintaining that average while greatly increasing his total of 31 carries from the previous season presents a new challenge. His receiving skills were also noted by scouts when he was a recruit, but he hasn’t had many opportunities to demonstrate his worth in that area. To be fair, with two first-round receivers on the field, that shouldn’t be shocking. This year, he ought to have more chances to make catches out of the backfield.
In LSU’s victory in the ReliaQuest Bowl, Jackson—who is renowned for his straight-line speed—made an outstanding cut to circumvent the left side of the Wisconsin defense. That play was a startling demonstration of his lateral quickness and vision. Jackson’s potential is limitless if he can keep releasing his hips and change directions smoothly.
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