By ANDRE CHAMPAGNE, TIGER RAG STAFF WRITER
Though many often overlook the importance of special teams in college football, LSU didn’t this past offseason. Head coach Brian Kelly said his Tigers need to do a much better job of flipping the field in the return game this season.
“We didn’t flip the field often with our punt game. We need to flip the field, put pressure on offenses, and we didn’t do a good job of that last year,” Kelly said.
LSU’s Zavion Thomas returned 14 punts for only 66 total yards. Despite being one of the speediest players on the team, LSU couldn’t find a way to let him be explosive on returns. So, Kelly hired senior special team analyst Aman Anand from Grambling, who helped lead the SWAC in kick return yards in 2024.
“I think Aman is very bright. He breaks special teams down to their fundamental form. Many coordinators I’ve had at the position were more unit driven,” Kelly said.
In previous years, LSU’s special team unit would practice as one unit during certain periods of practice. This year, Kelly says special teams is more group oriented.
“We’re in pods, working the right up back and the left up back, working the wall, and working the gunners on techniques,” Kelly said.
Anand is helping the Tigers from both an analytical and technical standpoint. Kelly says his team is starting to see Anand’s efforts pay off in his short time in Baton Rouge.
“It’s really resonated with our players in the sense that they feel like they’re being coached from a technical standpoint,” Kelly said. He added, “I think he’s done an incredibly great job of utilizing the entire coaching staff and breaking it down to its details.”
LSU has an abundance of speedy playmakers who can change a game, particularly with the return game. Kentucky senior transfer Barion Brown and senior wide receiver Zavion Thomas were recently named to the 2025 Preseason Coaches All-SEC Team as return specialists. Brown is one of the best kick/punt returners in the country, and Thomas was one of the top returners in the SEC during his time at Mississippi State. Thomas also returned a kick for a touchdown against Baylor in the Texas Bowl.
Kelly knows he has the right players to be successful in flipping the field.
“We’re working diligently with the knowledge that we have game breakers. We know they can flip the field,” Kelly said.
In comparison to last season, LSU wants to establish its presence in the return game.
“When you punt it to us, we want to return that every single time,” Kelly said.
So, don’t be surprised when the Tigers try to change games on special teams this season.
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