Eddie Kennison could turn a short pass into a long gain, but some of his most memorable plays began when the other team had the ball. For three seasons, LSU’s No. 2 gave opponents a difficult choice: kick to him and risk a return, or give the Tigers better field position.
Kennison was a receiver, a return specialist and a member of an NCAA championship relay team. His speed made him exciting to watch. His production made him one of LSU’s most valuable players.
Background
Eddie Joseph Kennison III came to LSU from Washington-Marion High School in Lake Charles, Louisiana. He had been a Parade All-American in high school, and LSU put him on the field without a redshirt season.
As a freshman in 1993, Kennison played in all 11 games. He earned a place on the Knoxville News-Sentinel’s Freshman All-SEC team as an athlete, a fitting designation for someone contributing in several roles. He caught six passes for 195 yards and a touchdown against Utah State. In LSU’s 18 to 16 win at Mississippi State, he gained 202 all-purpose yards.
The return that still holds the record
On September 10, 1994, Kennison fielded a Mississippi State punt on a bounce near his own goal line. He escaped the coverage and ran 100 yards for a touchdown in Tiger Stadium. LSU won the game 44 to 24. More than three decades later, it remains the longest punt return in school history.
“I was just trying to make something happen to get the crowd into the game,” Kennison later told LSU Athletics. The play did that and much more.
His return numbers throughout 1994 showed how consistently dangerous he was. Kennison averaged 12.2 yards per punt return, which LSU listed as second in the SEC and fifth nationally. He also averaged 24.8 yards per kickoff return.
His strongest season as a receiver
Kennison’s final LSU season brought his receiving ability to the forefront. In the 1995 regular season, he caught 45 passes for 739 yards and two touchdowns. The SEC coaches named him a second-team All-SEC receiver, while LSU gave him the Percy E. Roberts Award as its most outstanding offensive player.
He could take over a game in several ways. Against Rice, Kennison gained a career-high 250 all-purpose yards and caught a 64-yard touchdown pass from Jamie Howard. The following week at South Carolina, he caught nine passes for 129 yards and finished with 249 all-purpose yards. According to LSU’s player biography, he led the SEC in punt returns that season.
Then Kennison delivered one last performance for the Tigers. In LSU’s 45 to 26 Independence Bowl victory over Michigan State, he returned a kickoff 92 yards for a touchdown. He also caught five passes for 124 yards, including a 27-yard touchdown from Herb Tyler. Those catches came in the bowl game, after the 1995 regular season totals listed above.
The numbers at LSU
- 98 career receptions for 1,554 yards and 10 receiving touchdowns
- 3,819 career all-purpose yards
- 947 career punt return yards
- A 100-yard punt return against Mississippi State that remains LSU’s school record
- Second-team All-SEC honors and LSU’s most outstanding offensive player award in 1995
Kennison also ran track for LSU. He was part of the Tigers’ 1994 NCAA championship team in the 4×100 meter relay, and LSU’s relay finished second nationally in 1995.
From LSU to the NFL
The St. Louis Rams selected Kennison with the 18th overall pick in the 1996 NFL Draft. He made an immediate impact as a rookie, catching 54 passes for 924 yards and nine touchdowns. He also returned two punts for touchdowns that season.
Kennison played 13 NFL seasons and had his most productive stretch with the Kansas City Chiefs. He exceeded 1,000 receiving yards in both 2004 and 2005. His career finished with 548 receptions, 8,345 receiving yards, 42 receiving touchdowns and three punt return touchdowns.
After his playing career, Kennison returned to LSU. He served as the football program’s director of player development from 2020 to 2022.
Why Eddie Kennison is No. 77
Kennison belongs in the Top 100 because he contributed at an exceptional level in every role LSU gave him. He became a proven receiver, set a punt return record that still stands, scored twice in his final LSU game and won an NCAA relay championship on the track. The Tigers had plenty of fast players over the years. Few used that speed to affect a game in as many ways as Eddie Kennison.
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