GLENN GUILBEAU, Tiger Rag Editor
LSU will be without sophomore defensive end Gabriel Reliford for the rest of the season after suffering a shoulder injury on Saturday night against Southeastern Louisiana that will require surgery.
“He has a torn rotator cuff, so he’ll have surgery next week,” LSU coach Brian Kelly said on his weekly radio show on Thursday night. “That’s generally four to six months. If you look at it on the long end, he’ll be back for spring ball. Certainly disappointing for him, feel for him, because he’s worked so hard.”
If you’re not (set) first against Ole Miss offense, you’re last, as Ricky Bobby would say:https://t.co/muxvxcrutS
— Glenn Guilbeau (@SportBeatTweet) September 25, 2025
No. 4 LSU (4-0, 1-0 Southeastern Conference) plays at No. 13 Ole Miss (4-0, 2-0 SEC) on Saturday (2:30 p.m., ABC) in Oxford, Miss.
HOW WILL LSU REPLACE GABE RELIFORD?
The rotator cuff is a group of muscles that surround the shoulder joint. Reliford was in LSU’s defensive end rotation in all four games this season and had eight tackles with one for loss.
Reliford signed with LSU in 2024 out of Evangel Christian Academy in Shreveport and played in 13 games last season as a true freshman with one start. He made 10 tackles with a half sack and a quarterback hurry.
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
Kelly did not mention the injury at his press conference after practice earlier Thursday.
“We’re very blessed at that position to have three outstanding fifth-year seniors,” Kelly said of starting defensive ends Jack Pyburn and Patrick Payton and backup Jimari Butler – all transfers. Reliford had been rotating in with Butler.
“Pyburn, Payton and Butler have been really outstanding for us all year,” he said. “Now, there will be a rotation for that fourth spot.”
Sophomore Dylan Carpenter, who had a sack Saturday, will likely replace Reliford in the rotation first.
Kelly mentioned Carpenter, redshirt freshman Kolaj Cobbins and true freshman Damien Shanklin, who had two sacks against Southeastern, as possibilities.
“Dylan Carpenter played a lot (Saturday) and was really solid for us,” Kelly said. “Kolaj Cobbins now gets an opportunity. And Damien Shanklin, he’ll have an opportunity. That fourth player for us – that’s the depth of a roster, right? If we lost a Gabe Reliford last year, you’re in trouble. But this year it’s a whole different roster, and we’ll be able to manage.”
BRIAN KELLY PROMISES LSU WIN OVER OLE MISS
Kelly closed the radio show with a prediction about the Magnolia Bowl Trophy that since 2008 has gone to the winner of the LSU-Ole Miss game, which has been called the Magnolia Bowl.
“We’re going to keep that Magnolia Bowl Trophy right here in Baton Rouge, where it deserves to be,” Kelly said before signing off of his radio show on Thursday night. “Our guys are excited about the opportunity.”
LSU won back the Magnolia Trophy last year with a 29-26 win in overtime in Baton Rouge. Ole Miss won the trophy back in 2023 with a 55-49 win in Oxford. LSU got the trophy back with a 45-20 win in 2022 after Ole Miss won, 31-17, in 2021. LSU won five straight games in the series from 2016-20. LSU leads the all-time series 66-43-4 and 11-10-1 in Oxford.
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