BATON ROUGE - LSU head coach Lane Kiffin says the Tigers are ramping up the physicality this week as they prepare for their first scrimmage of fall camp.

The team is putting on full pads this week, giving the coaching staff its first opportunity to evaluate the Tigers in more live-contact situations.

"We have got to tackle, which we avoided a lot in the spring," Kiffin said. "Just trying to get things done and stay healthy, and you know you have to at some point because we got to make sure that we're ready."

Kiffin said the Tigers can't afford to ease into the season when they open against Clemson, one of the top programs in the country.

"Especially with our schedule set up, you have an extremely hard opener, one of the best programs in the country," Kiffin said. "You don't really have a progression to try to maybe treat that game a little bit differently, you know, where you can start tackling in the game more and maybe be a little bit rusty. We can't afford that in this opener."

LSU will get its first chance to put that increased physicality on display Saturday, when the Tigers hold their first scrimmage.

"This will be a week in pads where we see them tackle on Saturday, and also see them go against tackling."

Kiffin also provided an encouraging update on starting quarterback Sam Leavitt, who is now practicing fully after recovering from offseason foot surgery.

"Sam's had a great week. Had a great practice today, taking care of the ball, really throwing the ball really accurately and on time, and I am extremely pleased with his week and how he looks," Kiffin said.

Kiffin acknowledged that his expectations for Leavitt earlier in camp may have been unrealistic while the quarterback was still limited by his recovery.

"We have high standards on how we want things and what we want them to look like, and it was probably unrealistic what I was expecting him to look like when you can't move, and he's just throwing without really having his weight to be able to push into," Kiffin said.

Now that Leavitt is healthy and moving around again, Kiffin said the quarterback has taken another step forward.

"So now that he's healthy, he said he's had a great week. We're really excited about him."

LSU will open the 2026 season at home against Clemson on Sept. 5 at 6:30 p.m. The game will be played in Tiger Stadium and will air on WBRZ.

BATON ROUGE — LSU men's basketball player Jalen Reed will miss the rest of the 2025-26 season after tearing his Achilles tendon on Friday. 

The redshirt junior forward suffered the injury in the second half against Drake in the Emerald Coast Classic in Niceville, Fla. Head coach Matt McMahon said Reed underwent successful surgery on Tuesday morning in Baton Rouge. 

“Jalen is a team captain and leader as well as a soon-to-be LSU Graduate. He represents everything that is great about college athletics. While I cannot convey the depth of my disappointment for Jalen, I remain in admiration of his spirit and mental toughness. We look forward to supporting him in his recovery and cannot wait to see him back on the basketball court," McMahon said. 

Reed averaged 9.5 points and 5.7 rebounds in 18 minutes per game through the first six games of the season. 

The Tigers' next game will be at Boston College at 6:15 p.m. on Wednesday in the ACC/SEC Challenge. 

BATON ROUGE — LSU cornerback Mansoor Delane was named one of three finalists for the Jim Thorpe Award on Tuesday, an annual award given to the best defensive back in the country. 

Delane transferred to LSU from Virginia Tech before the 2025 season. As a Tiger, Delane has two interceptions and 10 pass breakups before the end of the season. He has yet to allow a touchdown and has given up 13 receptions for 147 yards. He has held opposing quarterbacks to a 38.2 completion percentage when they throw his way. 

The other Jim Thorpe Award finalists were Ohio State safety Caleb Downs and Notre Dame cornerback Leonard Moore. If he were to win, Delane would join fellow LSU Jim Thorpe Award recipients Grant Delpit, Morris Claiborne and Patrick Peterson.

NASHVILLE, Tenn. — LSU soccer moved on to the Sweet 16 round of the NCAA tournament for the first time in school history with Friday's comeback win over the Iowa Hawkeyes. 

Iowa scored the first goal of the match in the 14th minute, but the Tigers answered quickly when midfielder Ida Hermansdottir scored on a penalty kick in the 17th minute. Forward Ava Galligan took the lead for the Tigers with a 66th-minute near-post goal from six yards out.

LSU held on to win 2-1.