LSU Football: The Injury Watch List

The LSU football team was bitten by the injury bug right out of the gates when sophomore defensive lineman Maason Smith suffered a season-ending knee injury on the first defensive drive of the season opener against Florida State.

Smith, who underwent knee surgery this past week, will be sidelined the rest of the season, putting an end to his second year before it ever began – which in turn took away arguably LSU’s best player on the defense.

Still, the Tigers have buckled in on defense, most recently putting the clamps on Mississippi State’s Air Raid attack before holding New Mexico to zero points this past weekend.

The game against the Lobos saw a number of LSU players get banged up, but where do things stand moving forward into Week 5 as the Tigers prepare for the Southeastern Conference road opener against Auburn on Saturday?

Daniels good to go, though Goodwin remains day-to-day

LSU starting quarterback Jayden Daniels left the game against New Mexico after taking a hit in the third quarter. LSU head coach Brian Kelly said Daniels suffered a strain in his lower back and was cleared to return to the field, but by that time, the Tigers had just gone up 24-0. From there, backup quarterback Garrett Nussmeier operated the offense the rest of the way in a 38-0 victory.

“Jayden (has) no residual effect from Saturday,” Kelly said. “He will be able to practice.”

Daniels has started in all four games for LSU, completing 81-of-111 of his attempts (73%) for 835 yards, six touchdowns and no interceptions. He’s added 262 yards and two touchdowns on 44 carries.

For LSU starting running back Armoni Goodwin, the news isn’t as optimistic.

Goodwin appeared to suffer a hamstring injury in the win over the Lobos, and he never returned to the game after departing in the second half.

Kelly didn’t indicate the injury was serious, but did say the medical staff will be monitoring the sophomore as he goes through practice this week.

“It will be a day-to-day situation with him.”

Goodwin has led the way in LSU’s backfield with 34 carries for 199 yards and five touchdowns across the first four games.

Backup Noah Cain has logged 28 carries for 168 yards and four touchdowns in three games played, while John Emery returned from a 15-game academic suspension to log a combined 20 carries for 77 yards over the past two games. Josh Williams, part of LSU’s four-man rotation at running back, has carried the ball 11 times for 45 yards and two touchdowns across the team’s 3-1 start.

Burns out, but Foucha returns at safety

LSU starting safety Major Burns had been a key piece to the secondary across LSU’s first three games, but a neck injury suffered in week three’s win over Mississippi State kept him sidelined for the game against New Mexico.

Brian Kelly later revealed Burns was cleared by the medical staff from needing surgery, but the lone approach now is letting the Baton Rouge native rest. Kelly said Burns could be sidelined anywhere from 3-6 weeks.

The silver lining: LSU gets a safety back on the field who has starting experience in the SEC.

Arkansas transfer Joe Foucha had to sit out the first four games of the season as a result of academic hurdles involving his transfer from Arkansas to LSU.

Now, he’s cleared to return to the field this weekend, and Kelly is confident the longtime SEC starter will be ready to carry a heavy workload this weekend against Auburn.

“He has been actively involved. He has been involved in any articulation between our offense and defense that hasn’t involved game plan, which is quite a bit,” Kelly said.

“Every day we’ll have some 11-on-11 work where there is no, hey, we’re getting ready for New Mexico or we’re getting ready for Mississippi State. He is involved in that. He is in our defensive structures.

“When we start to over the past month when we got ready for team time for our opponent, he would come over on to scout. He was a pain to deal with because he was so good playing so hard as a scout team member that he made us better, so I have been able to firsthand see his action on a day-to-day basis, and he will be ready to play right away.”

LSU is also without safety Matthew Langlois, who was injured earlier this season and was spotted in a knee brace and crutches on Saturday.

Ward, Ojulari set to return to the field

LSU was without a pair of starters against New Mexico in nickel Jay Ward and JACK BJ Ojulari, who were both resting up after suffering minor injuries in the win over Mississippi State.

Ward’s move to nickel will likely see the Tigers turn to Greg Brooks Jr. and Joe Foucha as the starting safeties against Auburn. Ojulari’s return will give the defense the unit’s top pass-rushing player back into the fold, and his absence from a pair of games has also allowed true freshman Harold Perkins to see extended action early in his college career.