By Glenn Guilbeau
Tiger Rag Editor
Brian Kelly said recently that if he had his way, he and his 13th-ranked LSU football team would not arrive in Las Vegas for their game Sunday night against No. 23 USC (6:30 p.m. central, ABC) until … Sunday afternoon.
What better way to keep his players off the Vegas Strip, particularly with the Tigers staying at the luxurious Resorts World hotel on Las Vegas Boulevard with 3,500 rooms and a 5.5-acre pool? Instead, LSU is scheduled to arrive Friday for the Modelo Vegas Kickoff Classic at 65,000-seat Allegiant Stadium.
Perhaps, Kelly could designate 6-foot-6, 323-pound, junior left tackle Will Campbell as lead curfew cop for the Tigers. Campbell did not sound like he would be checking out the haunts the Rat Pack (Frank Sinatra, Sammy Davis Jr., Dean Martin) frequented back in the day – or night that is, or early morning.
“Everybody knows that we’re going for one reason only,” Campbell said Tuesday during player interviews. “We aren’t going to Caesars Palace.” That’s also on Las Vegas Boulevard, by the way.
LSU Football To Be Avoiding Vegas Night Life?
“That’s not what we’re there for,” he said. “We’re going to whatever the name of the stadium is to play USC. We’re there to play football. I’m not into all the other stuff. That’s the only time I’m going to go to Vegas – to play football.”
LSU, 10-3 last season, is a 4.5-point favorite to beat the Trojans, who were 8-5. Campbell sees the Tigers as an underdog overall, though.
“I like the underdog. I’m going to take him every time,” Campbell said. “Nobody’s expecting what they’re about to see on Sunday night. Everybody in this building knows what we have in here. And I don’t think a lot of the country knows what we have in here.”
LSU no longer has Heisman Trophy winning dual-action quarterback Jayden Daniels, but it returns seven starters on offense, including one of the best offensive lines coming back in the nation. Other than Campbell at left tackle, back are junior right tackle Emery Jones, senior left guard Garrett Delinger and senior right guard Miles Frazier. Frazier (ankle) is probable for the game. If he can’t go, Tyree Adams or Paul Mubenga – each redshirt freshman – could fill in.
Other returning offensive starters are senior tailback Josh Williams, senior wide receiver Kyren Lacy and junior tight end Mason Taylor. Another six starters return on defense, which is undergoing a heavy restructuring under new defensive coordinator Blake Baker.
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“I want people to be like that (seeing LSU as an underdog), because they’re going to be like, ‘Oh,'” Campbell said. “And we’re going to be like, ‘Yeah, that’s what we expected.'”
LSU will miss wide receivers Malik Nabers and Brian Thomas Jr., who like Daniels went in the first round of the 2024 NFL Draft. But Campbell, a Monroe native, likes where Lacy and junior part-time receiver starter Chris Hilton come from – Thibodaux and Zachary.
“Coach (Nick) Saban said it on ESPN the other day,” he said. “You can shake a tree and find players in this state. We’re going to reload.”
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