Brian Kelly addresses Duce Chestnut's status with LSU program

LSU head coach Brian Kelly offered an update on the status of cornerback Darian “Duce” Chestnut after the transfer has been away from the team. Kelly didn’t have any definitive answers, though.

According to Jacques Doucet, Kelly will be meeting with Chestnut on Friday morning. There is a chance Kelly will have an update with more substance on Chestnut come next week.

LSU hosts Auburn on Saturday with kickoff set for 7 p.m. EST, and Chestnut is not expected to play.

Chestnut transferred to LSU from Syracuse ahead of the 2023 season.

Kelly shared last week that Chestnut is away from the team

“Duce is not with our team right now and we’ll make a decision on his status in the next few weeks,” Kelly said last Thursday.

Chestnut did not travel with the team to Ole Miss or to Missouri. In the 55-49 loss to the Rebels, the Tigers gave up 389 passing yards. In two appearances this season, Chestnut recorded six tackles and one interception.

Chestnut played with the Orange for two seasons, and landed on the On3 Freshman All-America Team following the 2021 campaign. He also began his debut season on the On3 Preseason All-America Team. As a freshman, Chestnut started in every game for the Orange, finishing the year with three interceptions and eight pass breakups.

After the 2022 season concluded, Chestnut put his name into the transfer portal.

In two seasons with the Orange, Chestnut started in all 24 games he appeared in, tallying 83 tackles, including 59 solo stops, five tackles for loss and four interceptions. 

Chestnut left high school in New Jersey ranked as the No. 459 overall recruit in the 2021 cycle, according to On3 Industry Ratings. He joined Syracuse as a three-star and the No. 39 cornerback prospect in the class.

“I always told everybody I was trying to go to LSU,” Chestnut said. “It didn’t work out coming out of high school, but God’s plan is different than what you might want it to be. Just growing up and wanting to be part of DBU. That’s always been a thing for me.

“I almost broke into tears,” Chestnut said. “Just hearing that LSU wanted me, that I had a chance to come and start for DBU, and be one of the next guys, was like a dream come true for me.”

That dream will have to wait. With Chestnut away from the team, Kelly is moving forward with four cornerbacks.