Kyren Lacy: LSU’s Catch

Grab a brush and paint this picture: it’s a sunny day in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, and the LSU Tigers are playing in their annual Spring game. The stands are… well, they’re pretty empty because of an incorrect weather forecast. And then, out of nowhere, a player emerges from the second string shadows, catching a one-handed, 70-yard touchdown pass that leaves everyone stunned. Who is this mystery man, you ask? None other than LSU’s own underdog wide receiver Kyren Lacy, who caught just one pass on nine targets in last year’s Spring game. Yes, you heard that right. One catch on nine targets. He might’ve been playing blindfolded back then, but he certainly isn’t now.

Spring Game Recap

The LSU Spring Game ended in a 32-32 tie, with the defense having its own set of scoring rules. The offense featured some notable players, including Lacy, but we’ll get to him. Malik Nabers and Brian Thomas Jr. looked to be in their usual, impressive form at the wide receiver position.  

Quarterback Jayden Daniels looked nearly perfect and showed improvement in his precision when throwing to the flats, out routes, and crossing routes. He also demonstrated a willingness to throw deep, although he did overthrow his longest pass. Daniels finished the game with two touchdowns and no turnovers. Backup quarterback Garret Nussmeir also put up decent numbers, also finishing with two touchdowns and no turnovers.

Linebacker Harold Perkins Jr. stood out as a natural at the Mike Linebacker position and made some impressive plays, including a TFL on a blitz through one of the inside gaps. Perkins, Greg Penn III, and Omar Speights will head up the linebacker room when fall rolls around.

The secondary was led by Zy Alexander and JK Johnson, with Laterrance Welch and Denver Harris playing on the second team. Welch was the only player to have any pass breakups in the game and looked fantastic. However, Coach Brian Kelly mentioned in his press conference that there is work to be done in the secondary. Specifically in regard to tackling. 

Field goal kicking was a weakness for both Damian Ramos and Nathan Dibert as they both missed their only attempt beyond 40 yards, leaving the starting position up in the air. The punt returner position is also undecided after trying out several players, including last year’s Greg Clayton.

Overall, there were some standout performances, but there is still work to be done before the team is where it needs to be. 

More on Lacy

Back to the star of the show. Lacy, a three-star recruit out of high school, wasn’t heavily recruited by LSU. He mentioned in an interview with Matt Moscona on After Further Review that he’d been to a few LSU camps in high school, but nothing more. Lacy ended up playing at Louisiana Lafayette, transferred after his sophomore season, then had a pretty ugly junior year at LSU. He looked especially rough in the Texas A&M game with a few critical dropped passes. All things considered, last year’s mistakes were nearly forgotten because of this: