By ANDRE CHAMPAGNE, Tiger Rag Staff Reporter
LSU’s defensive end rotation had been working well with Jimari Butler and Gabriel Reliford behind starters Jack Pyburn and Patrick Payton.
Defense has been the main reason the Tigers are No. 4 in the nation and off to a 4-0 start with a 1-0 mark in the Southeastern Conference going into their game at No. 13 Ole Miss (4-0, 2-0 SEC) on Satuday (2:30 p.m., ABC).
The last time LSU went to Ole Miss, the Rebels basically put The Grove in the end zone and partied to a 55-49 win as LSU allowed a school record 706 yards. This year, “We bring a defense with us,” Brian Kelly said.https://t.co/jb9n3NCfEI
— Glenn Guilbeau (@SportBeatTweet) September 23, 2025
But Reliford suffered a dislocated shoulder in LSU’s 56-10 win over Southeastern Louisiana on Saturday and will miss the Ole Miss game. LSU’s medical staff is considering surgery for the sophomore from Evangel Christian in Shreveport. That would mean he would miss the rest of the season. Reliford has played in all four of LSU’s games and has made eight tackles with one for loss.
“We’ve been really good because those guys have done their jobs and not gone outside the lines to try and get individual statistics,” LSU coach Brian Kelly said.
Pyburn, Payton, Butler and Reliford have totaled 31 tackles, 5.5 for loss and 1.5 sacks.
“Really proud of all of them,” Kelly said.
SO, WHO STEPS UP IN GABRIEL RELIFORD’S ABSENCE?
But now Kelly and edge coach Kevin Peoples are looking for Reliford’s replacement. Redshirt sophomore Dylan Carpenter of St. Amant High is a candidate. He has played in two games and has two tackles, including a sack against Southeastern.
Another is redshirt freshman CJ Jackson of Tucker High in Atlanta and Kolaj Cobbins, a redshirt freshman from Destrehan High near New Orleans. Jackson has played in only the Southeastern game and has no tackles. Cobbins played in the Louisiana Tech and Southeastern games and has three tackles. And there is true freshman Damien Shanklin, who was the No. 31-ranked edge in the nation by 247sports.com out of Central High in Indianapolis.
“Dylan played quite a bit,” Kelly said of the SLU game. “We’re excited about Dylan. Here’s a guy who has waited for his opportunity. We went into the portal and took some guys, and he just kept working hard every day. I think he’s built trust with our defensive staff, and everybody, including myself, feel that we can put him in the game, and he’s going to be a good solid player for us.”
Jackson and Cobbins may get a chance Saturday or in the near future.
“We’ll take a look at CJ and Kolaj. They’re both ready to play for us as well,” Kelly said. “We’ll take a look at Damien Shanklin. We think we have some really good options for that fourth position.”
Reliford was projected to develop well this season after playing in 13 games last season as a true freshman with one start. He made 10 tackles with a half sack and a quarterback hurry in 2024.
“We’ll miss Gabe this week, and certainly until we decide what his fate is moving forward relative to the shoulder,” Kelly said. “But we feel really good that we’re going to be able to find that fourth guy.”
So far, Kelly likes what he has seen from Pyburn and Payton, who could each play more without Reliford. Pyburn has 12 tackles and a sack. Payton has six tackles, a half sack, three quarterback hurries and a pass breakup.
“He’s shown unselfishness,” Kelly said of Payton. “He’s not out there looking for sacks. He’s out there playing the defense, and that’s going to serve him well down the road when NFL teams start to really look at his effectiveness. He’s been really effective as being a one-eleventh of that defense.”
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