Injuries have decimated the LSU Tigers this season. On defense, they suffered key injuries at linebacker, including Whit Weeks, Charles Ross II, and Tylen Singleton.
On offense, the Tigers lost Phillip Wright III for the season, and tight end Trey'Dez Green will miss his fourth consecutive game this week.
Of all the injuries LSU is nursing, Green's might have the largest impact. But his injury has created an opportunity for someone else.
LSU is Still Missing Green Mightily
No one can replicate Green's abilities on the field. Green is impossible to miss at 6'7" and can create mismatches all over the field. The only other traditional tight end with a catch is Zach Grace.
However, Green's absence sparked a creative idea from Lane Kiffin. 6'5" wide receiver Roman Mothershed has embraced a tight end role and was in a three-point stance on Saturday.
"It's probably the first time I've put my hand in the dirt," Mothershed said. "That part of it is kind of new to me, to be honest. I just had to expand my mental and my understanding of the offense, especially in the run game, because I'm in a lot of blocking schemes. So, knowing where to go and what guy I'm getting and being able to move out of that stance, because I'm not really used to being that low..."
Mothershed caught a touchdown pass from Jackson Harris in Saturday's game. It may not have been the role he envisioned, but he's adjusting quickly, and Mothershed said Green has been a big help.
"He's like eyes off the field," Mothershed said. "The things that I'm being exposed to now, like the looks I'm getting, seeing linebackers in the box move different ways, he's been able to calm my eyes down – so what I'm seeing, I see slower and I'm able to do my job quicker."
It was a bold decision by Kiffin to move Mothershed to a position he had never played before. While he may not replace Green's production, it's worked out better than most people thought.
After Green went down, Kiffin was concerned about the lack of depth. It's still certainly an issue, but Mothershed's willingness to learn the position has helped. However, Kiffin would love to have Green back in the picture because he opens up the offense in the pass and run game.
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