LSU Offensive Line May Have New Faces For Next Game Against South Carolina

GLENN GUILBEAU, Tiger Rag Editor

LSU may not have starting right tackle Weston Davis for the South Carolina game a week from Saturday, and that may not be a bad thing.

Because LSU coach Brian Kelly and offensive line coach Brad Davis and run game coordinator Alex Atkins may have found something in backup right tackle Carius Curne via some serendipity – accidentally.

“I don’t think it worries me. They’re just struggling right now. Coach (Joe) Sloan (offensive coordinator) is a great coach. They’ll figure it out.”
-No. 1 QB recruit in nation for Class of 2027 Elijah Haven of Baton Rouge @andrechampagnee https://t.co/sUk9TNZB3p

— Glenn Guilbeau (@SportBeatTweet) October 2, 2025

Davis suffered a fractured nose and concussion in an accidental collision with a teammate during pre-game warm-ups before the loss at Ole Miss on Saturday. And he will have to get through concussion protocol before he can get in the game when No. 13 LSU (4-1, 1-1 SEC) next plays against South Carolina (3-1, 1-2 SEC) on Oct. 4 in Tiger Stadium.

About 20 minutes before kickoff at Ole Miss last Saturday, true freshman offensive tackle Carius Curne was told he would be starting at right tackle. And he graded an 80.5 in pass blocking, or a letter grade of a low B, according to Pro Football Focus on a scale up to 100. His run blocking was failing by a lot at 42.

But Davis’ grades have been failing or close to it for most of the season through the redshirt freshman’s four starts. Davis (6-foot-7, 317 pounds) had a 65.2 pass blocking grade and a 44.1 run blocking mark against Florida, for example. The No. 13 offensive tackle in the nation in 2024 by 247sports.com from Beaumont United High in Beaumont, Texas, has been pushed by Curne since August camp.

Curne (6-5, 320), the No. 3 interior offensive lineman in the country by 247sports.com last year from Marion High in Marion, Arkansas, may get another start against South Carolina.

Through three games this season with one start and two backup appearances, Curne has allowed only ne quarterback pressure and one hurry throug 57 pass blocking situations, Pro Football Focus states. Davis, meanwhile, has given up 11 quarterback hurries and 14 pressures over 150 pass blocking plays – easily the worst on the team.

“He reminded me of Emery Jones (Jr.) as a true freshman,” LSU coach Brian Kelly said of Curne after practice on Wednesday.

Jones started 11 games in 2022 for the Tigers at right tackle and remained the starter there for the next two seasons. The Baltimore Ravens picked him in the third round of the NFL Draft last spring as he was one of four LSU starting offensive linemen to be drafted in 2025.

“If you remember Emery, technically, he was not very sound, but he was fighting for dear life and was really active,” Kelly said. “He (Curne) had a lot of hustle errors, but he’s hustling. And playing physical. It’s hard to be a technician at this point. So, we’re going to take what we can get from him. And that’s hard, physical play. He can move some people.”

LSU also lost starting left guard Paul Mubenga in the first half at Ole Miss to a high ankle sprain. He may also not play against South Carolina.

“Some respond better than others,” Kelly said. “So, we’re going to play it day by day.”

Rumors of Garrett Nussmeier being lost for season with pending surgery, “silly,” says Brian Kelly:https://t.co/wGqDJhE7Wk

— Glenn Guilbeau (@SportBeatTweet) October 1, 2025

Redshirt freshman Coen Echols, who was the No. 5 interior offensive lineman in the nation by 247sports.cm in 2024 from Katy High in Katy, Texas, replaced Mubenga at Ole Miss. Sophomore center/guard DJ Chester, who has been considered the offensive line’s sixth man, became available in the second half after serving a half suspension for targeting in LSU’s previous game. But Echols stayed in the game in the second half. Chester, who is LSU’s lone returning starter from last season when he played center, did not play for the second time this season.

Echols had LSU’s best grade in pass blocking at Ole Miss with an 84.6 and had a run blocking grade of 55. Mubenga, meanwhile, had a 62 grade in pass blocking and a 57 in run blocking.

LSU’s worst offensive lineman grade was from starting left tackle Tyree Adams with a 39 in pass blocking as he allowed four quarterback pressures and a 57 in run blocking.

The Tigers were held to a season-low 57 rushing yards on 22 carries in the loss to Ole Miss, and those numbers reflect the low offensive line grades. LSU is 118th in the nation in rushing offense with 104.8 yards a game. In the SEC, only South Carolina is worse at No. 123 with 99.8 yards a game.

“Everybody wants to talk about the running game, and I get it,” Kelly said. “I get it. We’re working diligently there, but our passing game has to be much more explosive than it has been up to this point.”

And that can be aided as well by better offensive line play. Perhaps Curne and Echols could help. Looking at some of the offensive line grades, they may not be any worse.