On the August 17 episode of LSU Football Fix, hosts Preston Guy and Chris Marler dug into the latest from Lane Kiffin’s Tigers as they move through fall camp. The conversation centered on Saturday’s closed 170-play scrimmage inside Tiger Stadium (half of it live tackling), emerging players on both sides of the ball, Blake Baker’s defense, the pass rush, the heavily revamped roster, remaining weak spots, and what LSU’s No. 11 preseason AP ranking actually signals heading into the Clemson opener.

The Scrimmage: Defense Sets the Tone

Kiffin’s public comments after Monday’s practice aligned with what the hosts examined. The first-team defense “played extremely well,” generating consistent pressure and playing well in coverage. The first-team offense started slowly before finding a rhythm later—a typical script in a long intra-squad session designed more for evaluation than highlight reels.

Kiffin has been characteristically tight-lipped about specifics and even expressed mild annoyance that LSU released a short, tightly edited clip from the scrimmage. The footage showed Sam Leavitt’s mobility and a Harlem Berry touchdown run but revealed almost nothing about formations or scheme. That secrecy itself became part of the discussion: this staff is still in evaluation mode and not eager to show its hand.

What’s Real vs. What’s Hype

The hosts framed the camp as a mix of encouraging signs and necessary caution. Several names keep surfacing as legitimate risers rather than just camp hype:

• True freshman DT Deuce Geralds has taken first-team reps alongside veterans and continues to impress with his physicality.
• Safety Jhase Thomas (sometimes referred to as Jace) has rotated well and earned positive mentions from Kiffin for his versatility.
• Running back Harlem Berry, still young after a solid freshman year, produced a long touchdown run and continues to show burst. Wisconsin transfer Dilin Jones remains in a competitive mix in the backfield.
• The offensive line, featuring Jordan Seaton and others, is a point of focus as the staff looks for consistent rotation and depth.

On defense, Baker’s unit is drawing the most consistent praise. The pass rush and secondary have looked disruptive, which matches Kiffin’s comments about pressure and coverage. The roster’s heavy portal infusion—many of them familiar faces from Kiffin’s previous stop—has given the Tigers a more experienced, physical look than a typical Year 1 rebuild.

Hype still needs to be tempered. Backup rotations and some position groups haven’t fully separated yet. Kiffin noted the need for more reliable depth so the staff can rotate more freely. The offense’s early-scrimmage struggles are a reminder that timing and cohesion with Leavitt and the new pieces are still developing.

The Ranking and the Bigger Picture

LSU opened the preseason at No. 11 in the AP poll. Guy and Marler used that as a jumping-off point: is this roster built to compete for an SEC title and a College Football Playoff berth in Kiffin’s first year? The talent level—especially on defense and along the lines—suggests yes. The question is how quickly the new pieces mesh and whether the offense can become consistently explosive.

The remaining work is straightforward: tighten up the early-down offense, develop more reliable backups, and keep the physicality high as practices intensify. Monday’s session after the scrimmage was another data point in that process.

Kiffin’s group is still early in camp, but the first live look produced more encouraging tape than warning signs. The defense looks like it can be a difference-maker. Several young and transferred players are forcing their way into the conversation. And the staff is treating every practice like an evaluation rather than a showcase. That’s the real takeaway from this edition of the Football Fix: the Tigers have pieces that can compete at a high level, but the next two weeks will determine how many of those pieces are ready for Clemson.