Kayshon Boutte leg injury expected to cost him significant time

The LSU Tigers are losing star wideout Kayshon Boutte for the rest of the season, according to On3 national college football reporter Matt Zenitz.

One of the top receivers in college football and the top receiver on LSU’s roster, Boutte was carted off the field during Saturday’s game at Kentucky.

LSU star wide receiver Kayshon Boutte is expected to miss the rest of the season with a lower leg injury suffered on Saturday, a source told @On3sports https://t.co/WZRkcY5Ajd

— Matt Zenitz (@mzenitz) October 11, 2021

Trying to make a catch near the LSU sideline, Boutte landed awkwardly when he was working to get a foot inbounds. The sophomore receiver and Louisiana native has been a bright spot this season on an LSU team that is 3-3 overall and 1-2 in SEC play.

In just two seasons in Baton Rouge, Boutte has 75 receptions for over 1,100 yards and 14 touchdown catches. An electric receiver, he was a five-star recruit coming out of high school and ranked as the No. 24 overall player in the class of 2020.

The 6-foot, 180-pound receiver has been a key target for Max Johnson in an offense that has struggled to establish the run.

There are six wideouts on the roster behind Boutte who have amassed over 100 yards receiving. Jack Bech leads them with 272 yards and one touchdown on 22 receptions. Deion Smith and Trey Palmer have two touchdowns apiece but no one else is close to Boutte’s nine this season.

Tigers reeling before Boutte loss

The LSU Tigers really did not need any more bad news. Ed Orgeron’s squad is .500 since winning the national title in 2019 and the head coach’s seat is hotter than ever.

In addition to Kayshon Boutte’s injury, the Tigers’ top cornerback, All-SEC star Derek Stingley is out for the season with a foot injury. He’s going to try to recover in time to play again, but odds are he’s played his last snaps in purple and gold.

There’s never a good time to lose your top receiver but it couldn’t be worse for LSU right now. The Tigers have a gauntlet ahead of them over the next five weeks. They face No. 20 Florida, No. 13 Ole Miss, No. 5 Alabama and then No. 17 Arkansas after a bye week.

SEC analyst Paul Finebaum went so far as to say that the Tigers are “crashing and burning.”

“LSU had to win that game to stop the bleeding, he didn’t. I don’t think there’s a path for him, I really don’t. The 2019 comparisons just don’t matter anymore. The program isn’t ascending, it’s descending, it’s crashing and burning.”

Ed Orgeron is doing what he can to keep the troops together.

“Stay together. Stay together. It’s going to be tough, I understand that. Just stay together,” Orgeron said when asked what he told the Tigers postgame. “Let’s look at the film, let’s coach better, let’s play better and let’s get ready for Florida. That’s all we can do.”