Injured wide receiver Terrace Marshall Jr. and offensive guard Damien Lewis returned to practice Wednesday ahead of LSU’s College Football Playoff national championship game against Clemson Monday in New Orleans.
Both starters suffered injuries in LSU’s 63-28 Chik-Fil-A Peach Bowl CFP semifinal victory over Oklahoma that sent the Tigers to the national title contest.
Lewis’ injury appeared to be most severe of the two, needing to be carted off during the first quarter of the Peach Bowl. During practice Wednesday, he had both ankles taped heavily, but was taking reps with the first team.
Marshall sustained a stinger to neck vs. the Sooners and was held out as a precautionary measure.
LSU coach Ed Orgeron confirmed Wednesday afternoon that both players will be available to play against Clemson.
“Terrace is a little bit further ahead of Damien,” Orgeron said. “I think both of them are going to play. Damien is running straight ahead, he was running straight ahead yesterday on his own. I think his cutting is going to be the thing he’s going to have to get used to. But it’s only Monday of the game week, I expect them to play.”
Marshall is LSU’s third leading receiver with 43 catches for 625 yards, averaging 14 yards per catch with 12 touchdowns.
He caught six passes for 123 yards and a touchdown against Texas early in the season. Had he not left the Oklahoma game in the third quarter, he could have surpassed his Texas performance since he had six catches for 80 yards and two touchdowns before sustaining the injury.
Lewis, a second-team All-SEC selection, is 24-3 starting 27 consecutive games at right guard. He’s a senior leader on an O-line that won the Joe Moore Award as college football’s best offensive line.
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