GLENN GUILBEAU, Tiger Rag Editor
So, we have established that love, or at least a lot of like, will be in the air when LSU plays at Ole Miss Saturday with Tigers’ linebacker Whit Weeks now dating Ole Miss coach Lane Kiffin’s daughter Landry.
There is often a lot in the air when LSU plays Ole Miss – bottles, cans, beer, bourbon, coins, batteries. But usually no Love in the air:https://t.co/kW18oc6cI4
— Glenn Guilbeau (@SportBeatTweet) September 24, 2025
Well, revenge could also be wafting through the autumnal afternoon at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium in lovely Oxford, Mississippi, as three former LSU players are now playing for the Rebels – senior starting safety Sage Ryan, junior backup defensive end Da’Shawn Womack and senior backup running back Logan Diggs.
Kickoff between No. 4 LSU (4-0, 1-0 Southeastern Conference) and No. 13 Ole Miss (4-0, 2-0 SEC) is at 2:30 p.m.
“I can’t wait,” Ryan told Ole Miss reporters, and that was last April. “I’m seeing red already. I’m ready. I can’t wait to go against my former teammates.”
Ryan was one of LSU’s most celebrated signings in its Class of 2021. He was the No. 3 safety in the country out of Lafayette Christian as well as the No. 38 overall prospect and the No. 2 player in Louisiana. Ryan never quite lived up to that billing, but his development was likely slowed by a coaching change as Ed Orgeron resigned during the ’21 regular season before finishing it out.
Brian Kelly replaced Orgeron and hired defensive coordinator Matt House, who by his second season in 2023 had failed miserably with one of the worst defenses in LSU history. When Missouri defensive coordinator Blake Baker replaced House for the 2024 season, Ryan was on his third DC in four seasons. Baker also mistakenly played him at times at cornerback as he is better suited at safety, where he is now for Ole Miss.
Ryan struggled at cornerback last season as LSU frequently suffered in the secondary. That has all changed as Kelly and Baker added three of the best defensive backs in the entire NCAA Transfer Portal with senior cornerback Mansoor Delane, senior safety A.J. Haulcy and sophomore Tamarcus Cooley. The fact that junior, two-year starting cornerback Ashton Stamps has played only sparingly this season (one tackle, two pass breakups) is proof the personnel is better.
If BS were music, Lane Kiffin would be a marching band. https://t.co/BG2OtQZ2tW
— REALSaintDaveNOLA (@dmendrek) September 23, 2025
Ryan also would likely not be playing a lot this season for the Tigers after starting 21 times during his LSU career with 10 at cornerback, seven at nickel (a fifth defensive back) and four at safety.
“I haven’t watched him particularly,” Kelly said on Wednesday. “I’ve looked at their structure. I know who the player is, but I really couldn’t give you a deep dive on him at this point.”
Ryan has started four games at safety and has six tackles and two pass breakups while allowing six receptions for 49 yards this season.
“Sage is a really savvy player who’s played a lot, plays a lot of different spots,” Kiffin said. “We’re pleased to have him. He’s great to be around and is a really good team guy.”
Ryan is looking forward to covering his former teammates, such as junior wide receiver Aaron Anderson, whom he mentioned last spring.
“I’m ready to compete,” he said. “It doesn’t matter who lines up in front of me.”
Upon further review, Garrett Nussmeier could’ve gone 31-of-31 passing Saturday night, if his receivers could’ve caught up to his fastball. COLUMN:https://t.co/28z5bdLfHS
— Glenn Guilbeau (@SportBeatTweet) September 22, 2025
LSU quarterback Garrett Nussmeier also signed with LSU in 2021.
“My guy’s back there, so it’s going to be fun,” Ryan said. “We came in in the same class, so it’s going to be a good battle, and I’m ready.”
Womack entered the NCAA Transfer Portal last December less than a week after the regular season ended. He also did not answer his potential as the No. 16 edge rusher in the nation and No. 120 propsect overall in the country when he signed with LSU in 2023 from St. Frances Academy in Baltimore. In two seasons at LSU, he started no games. Last season, he made eight tackles in eight games with one sack. As a freshman, he made 13 tackles in 12 games with 1.5 sacks.
Womack has 10 tackles with one for a loss and three quarterback hurries in four games as a backup this season at Ole Miss.
“That’s my boy,” Ryan said. “I mean, he’s a destroyer. He’s going to disrupt plays. Just destruction, that’s all I can say. He’s going to come off the edge and give it his all each and every play. It’s a win-win for us.”
Brian Kelly predicts LSU win at Ole Miss.
— Glenn Guilbeau (@SportBeatTweet) September 26, 2025
“We’re going to keep that Magnolia Trophy right here in Baton Rouge,” Kelly said to close his radio show Thursday night. https://t.co/uAtxZCb888
With LSU losing backup defensive end Gabriel Reliford for the season because of a shoulder injury this week, Womack would likely be in LSU’s edge rotation now, if he wasn’t already.
Diggs is in his second season at Ole Miss after starting eight games at LSU in 2023 and leading Tiger running backs with 653 yards on 119 carries and seven touchdowns. He also caught eight passes for 82 yards. Diggs, a Boutte native who led Rummel High in Metairie to 2019 state title, had signed with and played for Kelly at Notre Dame in 2021. But he left LSU following the ’23 season after tearing the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) in is knee in LSU’s win over Wisconsin in the ReliaQuest Bowl.
This season, Diggs has 117 yards on 13 carries with two touchdowns and a 13-yard reception as a backup to Kewan Lacy. A sophomore transfer from Missouri, Lacy leads the Rebels with 358 yards on 79 carries and has scored seven touchdowns while catching eight passes for 47 yards.
Brian Kelly has options should starting tailback Caden Durham not play at Ole Miss with ankle injury – a “dynamic” back, a “home run” back and a bruiser.https://t.co/AdHiZQEmrD
— Glenn Guilbeau (@SportBeatTweet) September 25, 2025
Diggs missed all of the 2024 regular season because of the ACL injury and would likely not be starting ahead of Caden Durham at LSU this season. Without the ACL injury, though, who knows? Diggs might still be at LSU and starting Saturday as Durham is questionable for Ole Miss with an ankle injury.
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