LSU Tigers suffer another major blow to defensive backfield

Tigers starting safety Major Burns will be unavailable against Kentucky this weekend after suffering a foot injury against Auburn on Saturday, per Shea Dixon of 247Sports.

Burns, a redshirt freshman, has 25 tackles this year and an interception against Central Michigan. He leads the LSU secondary in total tackles on the season, and he is LSU’s third overall leading tackler. Last season, the Baton Rouge native appeared in six games and recorded five tackles. He was a four-star recruit.

Depleted LSU secondary has upcoming gauntlet of games

The news comes shortly after LSU head coach Ed Orgeron announced the Tigers will be without star cornerback Derek Stingley Jr. for an indefinite period of time. The presumed first-round draft pick had foot surgery after suffering an injury in practice on Sept. 22. 

“I appreciate all of the support from LSU and the fans,” Stingley said. “I’m doing all that I can to return to the field as soon as possible. I want to finish out the season with my teammates, and I will do everything I can to get healthy so that I will be able to play again this year.”

Safety Jay Ward has stepped up since his return from an injury in the UCLA game, notching 17 total tackles against Mississippi State and Auburn. He will need to continue to improve and be a leader for the ailing position group.

LSU is 3-2 with wins over Mississippi State, Central Michigan and McNeese State. The only team they have played that is currently ranked is Auburn, which resulted in a come-from-behind 24-19 loss last weekend. Their next five opponents? No. 16 Kentucky, No. 20 Florida, No. 17 Ole Miss, No. 1 Alabama and No. 13 Arkansas. Put simply, it doesn’t get any easier from here. 

Ole Miss and Alabama have suffocating passing attacks, a big issue for the secondary already allowing 248 yards per game through the air. That is last in the SEC. Their run defense falls in the middle of the pack in the conference, giving up 119 yards per game on the ground. Florida, Ole Miss and Arkansas are all averaging over 200 rushing yards per game.

LSU is a 3.5-point underdog in Lexington this weekend in a game that kicks off at 7:30 p.m. ET. Kentucky is 5-0 and fresh off a statement win over then No. 10 Florida.