Seniors Josh Williams and Greg Penn will wear No. 18 for LSU, while juniors Will Campbell and Harold Perkins have been awarded the No. 7 jersey, head coach Brian Kelly announced.
Kelly presented the No. 18 and No. 7 jerseys to the four LSU leaders following an evening practice in Tiger Stadium on Thursday.
It’s the second consecutive year Campbell, LSU’s All-America left tackle, has been presented the No. 7 jersey. As an offensive lineman, Campbell will continue to wear his original No. 66 jersey which will be accompanied by a No. 7 patch.
“The number 18 jersey has great historical significance with our program,” Kelly told the team at midfield in Tiger Stadium. “Matt Mauck was the first to wear it. He came to this program after playing professional baseball and won a national championship wearing the number 18. He epitomized all the intangibles of a teammate – he had all the things we talk about when it comes to great traits. He passed that number on to another great LSU player in Jacob Hester who led his team to another national championship.
“Throughout the last 25 years the number 18 has been passed down to a player who brings all those traits of a great teammate. Somebody who has given himself up for the team. A guy you can count on, a guy you want next to you when adversity hits, a guy that’s going to be there when you need him. That’s number 18.”
Williams, a two-time LSU graduate and four-time member of the SEC Academic Honor Roll, told his teammates after being presented with the number 18 jersey, “I’ve had a long journey, coming here as a walk-on in 2019 and now in my sixth season. Being able to represent LSU with the number 18 jersey means a lot to me. Seeing the number 18s that I have played with over the years and seeing what they meant to the team and what they mean to LSU, I just want to thank coach Kelly and the coaching staff for giving me the opportunity to wear this special number.”
Penn was one of the most productive players on LSU’s defense last year with 89 tackles, 6.5 tackles for loss, 4.0 sacks and an interception that helped spark the Tigers to a comeback win over Texas A&M.
“He (Greg Penn) kept our defense together last year,” Kelly said. “We won 10 games last year and he kept our unit together through some difficult times, because he was about LSU football. He was about, when we brought a transfer in at his position, all he did was work harder. He represents all the principles of being a great teammate and a guy you can count on.”
When presenting the number 7 jersey, Kelly told the team, who were all huddled in the middle of the field in Tiger Stadium, “(this number) is about somebody that brings an incredible ability, is from the state and calls Louisiana his home. This number is about a player that brings up others around him. You can’t just be a great player – if it’s just about him – the number 7 jersey doesn’t work. You have to bring others up around him and that’s what these two do. They elevate the play of those around him.”
Before Kelly presented Perkins with his jersey, Campbell offered the following about the newest number 7, “he comes to work and sets the tone for us every day on defense. I think he’s the most electrifying player in college football and this year’s he going to show it.”
Perkins, also a first-team preseason All-America, has become a game-wrecker for opposing offenses in his first two seasons with the Tigers, tallying 26 tackles for loss, 13 sacks and being credited with nine forced turnovers. It’s what Perkins has done during the offseason and in preseason camp that made him a natural selection for number 7.
“He has uplifted the other 10 players on the defensive side of the ball and he’s ready to wear this jersey,” Kelly said.
Outside of Billy Cannon’s retired No. 20 jersey, the Nos. 18 and 7 are two of the most iconic LSU football numbers and have been worn by some of the all-time greats in school history.
LSU’s No. 18 (since tradition started in 2003)
Matt Mauck (2003)
Jacob Hester (2004-07)
Richard Dickson (2008-09)
Richard Murphy (2010)
Brandon Taylor (2011)
Bennie Logan (2012)
Lamin Barrow (2013)
Terrence Magee (2014)
Tre’Davious White (2015-16)
Christian LaCouture (2017)
John David Moore (2017)
Foster Moreau (2018)
K’Lavon Chaisson (2019)
Lloyd Cushenberry III (2019)
Chris Curry (2020)
Damone Clark (2020-21)
BJ Ojulari (2022)
Mekhi Wingo (2023)
Greg Penn (2024)
Josh Williams (2024)
LSU No. 7 (since tradition started in 2008)
Patrick Peterson (2008-10)
Tyrann Mathieu (2011)
Leonard Fournette (2014-16)
DJ Chark (2017)
Grant Delpit (2019)
Ja’Marr Chase (2020)
Derek Stingley Jr. (2021)
Kayshon Boutte (2022)
Will Campbell (2023, 2024)
Harold Perkins (2024)
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