Caden Durham already has 1,258 rushing yards, 1,609 yards from scrimmage and 11 total touchdowns in only two seasons at LSU. He has four career runs of at least 50 yards, an 86-yard burst, a 71-yard touchdown reception and two 100-yard rushing games. He has led LSU in rushing in each of his first two seasons.

Durham is not waiting to become a good SEC running back.

He already is one.

Now, in 2026, the 5-foot-9, 200-pound junior has a chance to become one of the most explosive weapons in LSU’s offense and a major piece of a backfield that could be among the deepest in college football.

Durham enters the season with 251 career carries for 1,258 yards and nine rushing touchdowns. That works out to almost exactly 5.0 yards per carry for his LSU career. Add 44 receptions for 351 yards and two more touchdowns, and Durham has generated 1,609 yards from scrimmage on 295 offensive touches.

That is nearly 5.5 yards every time LSU has put the football in his hands.

The explosiveness showed immediately.

As a true freshman in 2024, Durham led LSU with 753 rushing yards and six touchdowns on 140 carries. His 5.4 yards per carry ranked eighth in the SEC, while his 753 rushing yards were the most by any freshman in the conference.

He earned Freshman All-SEC honors while making only six starts.

But rushing statistics tell only part of the story.

Durham also caught 28 passes for 260 yards and two touchdowns as a freshman. He finished his first college season with 1,013 yards from scrimmage and eight total touchdowns.

Durham surpassed 1,000 yards from scrimmage as a true freshman playing in the SEC.

His breakout moment came against South Carolina.

LSU fell behind 17-0 on the road, and Durham helped ignite the comeback. He rushed for 98 yards and two touchdowns as the Tigers rallied for a 36-33 victory.

Two weeks later against South Alabama, Durham showed just how frightening his big-play ability can be.

On LSU’s first offensive snap, he caught a screen pass and raced 71 yards for a touchdown.

On LSU’s next possession, Durham exploded through the middle for an 86-yard run.

Two touches.

157 yards.

Durham finished the game with a career-high 128 rushing yards on only seven carries. He added 89 receiving yards, giving him 217 all-purpose yards.

He became one of only two FBS players during the 2024 season to record both an 80-yard run and a 70-yard reception. Durham accomplished both in the same game.

Then came Arkansas.

Durham carried 21 times for 101 yards and a career-high three rushing touchdowns in LSU’s road victory.

Against Florida later that season, he rushed for 95 yards on 21 attempts. Against Oklahoma, he gained 80 yards on only 11 carries, including a 50-yard run.

This was not a freshman flashing potential against weak competition.

Durham was producing against SEC defenses.

He returned in 2025 and again led LSU in rushing despite sharing carries and dealing with an ankle injury. Durham finished with 505 rushing yards and three touchdowns on 111 carries, averaging 4.5 yards per attempt. He added 16 receptions for 91 yards.

He appeared in 12 games and made six starts.

Against Florida, Durham rushed 15 times for 93 yards, including a 51-yard run.

Against South Carolina, he carried 15 times for 70 yards.

Against Vanderbilt, he gained 59 yards on only seven carries and broke another 51-yard run.

Against Arkansas, he rushed for 65 yards and scored on a 27-yard touchdown run.

The long runs are not accidents.

Durham has four career rushing plays of at least 50 yards: 86 against South Alabama, 50 against Oklahoma, 51 against Florida and 51 against Vanderbilt.

He also owns a 71-yard touchdown reception.

That is what makes Durham different.

He has the strength and compact build to run between the tackles, but if a crease opens, he can turn an ordinary run into a 50, 70 or 80-yard gain.

That speed was obvious long before he arrived in Baton Rouge.

Durham starred at Duncanville High School in Texas, where he helped the Panthers win consecutive Class 6A Division I state championships in 2022 and 2023.

As a junior, he rushed for 1,960 yards and 36 touchdowns.

In the 2023 state championship game, Durham rushed 22 times for 243 yards and three touchdowns. He gained 200 yards and scored all three touchdowns before halftime and was named the game’s offensive MVP.

He had also earned offensive MVP honors in the 2022 championship game after rushing for more than 100 yards and three touchdowns.

Durham was a four-star prospect and one of the top running backs in the country.

He also brought legitimate track speed to LSU. Durham advanced to the state championships in the 100 meters and 4×100 relay and recorded a personal best of 10.28 seconds in the 100.

That track speed shows up every Saturday.

Durham can attack between the tackles, catch passes out of the backfield and take the football the distance when a defense loses its leverage.

And now LSU can pair him with Harlem Berry.

That combination gives LSU two explosive running backs with different strengths and the ability to keep each other fresh throughout a game. Defenses cannot simply prepare for one style of runner.

Durham does not need 25 carries every Saturday to change a game.

Sometimes he needs one.

He enters 2026 with 1,258 rushing yards, 1,609 yards from scrimmage, 11 total touchdowns, four runs of at least 50 yards, two 100-yard rushing games, Freshman All-SEC honors and two consecutive seasons as LSU’s leading rusher.

The breakout has already started.

Now LSU gets to see just how dangerous Caden Durham can become.