Chris Hilton injury update: Brian Kelly addresses timetable for return of LSU receiver

It’s been a touch-and-go start to the 2024 season for LSU wideout Chris Hilton as he continues to recover from a bone bruise in his ankle. And for as frustrating as it might be, head coach Brian Kelly explained that Hilton has done just about everything possible to get healthy.

Speaking on the SEC coaches teleconference on Wednesday, Kelly explained that while it might be frustrating to see Hilton get close to full go, play some, then be back on ice, everything possible has been happening behind the scenes to get him ready to play. It’s just been a matter of an injury not healing as the rate people hoped.

“And let’s get the record straight, just so everybody knows: Chris has done everything to get back as quickly as possible,” Kelly said. “This has been an injury that we’ve done scans and we’ve done MRIs and the healing has just been slow. If he had the proper healing and was ready to go, he’s put in the time and has the want to to want to be out there. So I want to be clear that everyone should understand that Chris, if he’s able to be out there, he would be out there. It’s just, this has been one of those unusual injuries that has taken so much longer to heal than normal.”

So far, the redshirt junior has appeared in one game this season and hasn’t made a catch. Either way, his absence hasn’t been terribly notable until this season, as LSU had plenty of other receivers to fill in production.

In 2024, though, the ideal was that Hilton would be a key piece of the passing attacking, which so far he’s been absent from.

“Well it really hasn’t affected us much until this season,” Kelly said. “Clearly last year he was a rotational player for us because Brian Thomas had secured that vertical threat if you will with Malik [Nabers] and Kyren Lacy. And then Year 1, he had some of the injuries and really wasn’t in the rotation.”

And for all the time Hilton has spent healing and trying to get in the lineup, Kelly still hasn’t given up hope that the wideout will be healthy and making a meaningful impact for LSU at some point this season.

“But we’re going to get him back out there and when he does, I’m certain that he’s going to be a welcome addition to our offense,” Kelly said.