LSU awards No. 7, No. 18 jersey numbers for 2024 season

The LSU Tigers decided some of their most important jersey numbers for their 2024 football campaign on Thursday night. First, they honored star linebacker Harold Perkins, Jr. with the No. 7, the old number of Tiger great Patrick Peterson.

That’s a change from the No. 4, which Perkins wore last year in Baton Rouge. He wore No. 40 his freshman year for the Tigers. On Thursday evening, the team also awarded No. 18 to LSU running back Josh Williams. That was for the offensive side of the ball.

CLICK HERE to go to PrizePicks and use code ON3 to receive a guaranteed $50 once you play $5 in lineups!

Then on the defensive side of the ball, the Tigers awarded No. 18 to Greg Penn III, yet another linebacker. Penn was dominant in 2023, racking up 89 tackles, 6.5 tackles for loss, four sacks, and two interceptions.

Will Campbell has the other No. 7 on the offensive side of the football. He returns as one of the top left tackles in all of college football rolling into the 2024 season. He hasn’t allowed a sack in 15 straight games heading into this season. Campbell is one of four returning starters on the offensive line in 2024, joining Garrett Dellinger, Mike Frazier, and Emory Jones. The Tigers should have one of the best offensive lines in the country.

With both Campbell and Harold Perkins being awarded No. 7, that means the Tigers will have two players with the number for the first time since the team began awarding the jersey.

Recently, Tigers head coach Brian Kelly discussed what it meant for the Tiger players to honor their teammates with the No. 18.

More on LSU star LB Harold Perkins entering 2024

Perkins is a big star for LSU, but plenty of people, including SEC Network’s Roman Harper, want to see his production match up to the hype surrounding him. He was disappointed when the star linebacker was named preseason All-American recently by the Associated Press.

“Harold Perkins, he’s been really good at LSU,” SEC Network’s Roman Harper said Monday. “I don’t think he should be a preseason All-American. If we keep stats, numbers for a reason — he didn’t have a great year, last year. If you want to pick All-American based on potential, then why you keeping the stats and the numbers?

“And if we want to say that, then let’s say that. But let’s call a spade a spade. This man has the opportunity to be a postseason All-American but preseason, he should not be there.”

The numbers from Perkins in 2023 looked similar last season to what he did as a true freshman. He recorded 75 tackles, 13.0 tackles for a loss, and 5.5 sacks while forcing three fumbles, and recording five PBUs.

Another position change will be coming, though. Perkins began the year at inside linebacker against Florida State but really struggled in the opener. LSU moved their star player to outside linebacker for the rest of the year, but head coach Brian Kelly made the switch back to ILB with Blake Baker back in the program.

On3’s Griffin McVeigh also contributed to this article.