March 28, 2026, 9:41 a.m. CT

LSU football began spring practice on Tuesday, with 13 more practices leading up to its spring game on Saturday, March 25.

This is a crucial part of the offseason for any program, but especially for LSU. The Tigers’ new staff needs to understand how each individual in their 40-player transfer class will fit with the rest of the team and determine how best to utilize their talents come fall. Naturally, things will change between now and September, but these initial impressions are extremely important and will play a huge role in what the team looks like next season.

Here are two things on my mind as Lane Kiffin and Charlie Weis Jr. begin to figure out what their offense will look like in 2026.

Who will make up the starting five along the offensive line?Sep 20, 2025; Baton Rouge, Louisiana, USA; LSU Tigers offensive tackle Weston Davis (75) blocks Southeastern Louisiana Lions defensive lineman Max Elkman (48) during the first half at Tiger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Stephen Lew-Imagn Images

LSU saw significant turnover this offseason all across the offense, and the offensive line is no exception. Only two starters from last season are returning for 2026: center Braelin Moore and right tackle Weston Davis, and the latter doesn’t have the starting role locked up by any means.

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The surefire starters along the line are Moore and left tackle Jordan Seaton, who was the No. 1 tackle in the portal. Then there are a couple of likely starters in guards Aliou Bah and Devin Harper, but right tackle is a significant concern, with the trio of Sean Thompkins, Darrin Strey and Weston Davis competing for the role.

Davis was the Tigers’ starter last year, but he was replaced by inexperienced younger tackles late in the year due to his poor play. Unless he can seriously improve his play strength next season, it’s hard to see a world where he’s a quality starter. However, the other two players competing for the role, Thompkins and Strey, also have major question marks.

Strey played 14 offensive snaps last season at Kentucky. Though his lack of experience is a concern, between his four-star rating out of high school and LSU’s new offensive line coach, Brad Davis, deciding to bring him along from Kentucky, there’s reason to believe Strey has the potential to be a quality starter in Baton Rouge next season.

Thompkins has more experience than Strey, with 11 appearances and five starts across his three seasons at Baylor, but that experience didn’t exactly feature quality play. In his five-week starting stretch in 2025, Thompkins earned the 116th-graded PFF offensive grade (55.4) among Power Four tackles, with his poor run-blocking grade dragging that number down significantly. Thompkins was listed as an interior lineman during the transfer process, but LSU has him as a tackle on their roster.

Harper came with Kiffin and Weis from Ole Miss, and Bah has a lot of experience, but there’s a chance that rising redshirt freshman Solomon Thomas could take over one of the two guard spots instead.

Thomas was the No. 2 IOL recruit in the nation in the 2025 recruiting class. What could hinder his ability to slot into the starting role is an injury that has plagued him since he arrived in Baton Rouge, sustaining a foot injury during 2025 fall camp, keeping him off the field for all of last season. Recently, Thomas was seen riding a scooter with a boot on during LSU’s Pro Day. It’s unclear whether this injury is a re-aggravation of his foot injury from last season or a new issue.

Any LSU fan who watched the team last season knows how destructive a poor offensive line can be to a team reaching its potential. Kiffin, Weis, and Davis must be confident in their starting five, because this unit cannot be a problem again if the Tigers want to reach the 2026 College Football Playoff.

Is Harlem Berry ready to take over the starting role?HOUSTON, TEXAS - DECEMBER 27: Wrook Brown #24 of the Houston Cougars tackles Harlem Berry #22 of the Louisiana State Tigers forcing a fumble in the first half during the Kinder's Texas Bowl at NRG Stadium on December 27, 2025 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Tim Warner/Getty Images)

Harlem Berry arrived in Baton Rouge ahead of last season with loads of hype, ranked as the No. 1 running back in the country in the 2025 recruiting class by 247Sports. When he took on a bigger role in the final five games of last season, Berry ran for 256 yards at 4.4 yards per attempt, forcing 14 missed tackles in the process. He showcased the superstar potential Tiger fans hoped to see from him when he first signed, but he also showed a lack of experience. In that same five-game stretch, Berry recorded three fumbles—a turnover rate that simply can’t happen as the lead back on a team with championship aspirations. 

The team that wins the turnover battle usually wins the game, and if Berry still can’t avoid them in 2026, then he can’t be trusted with the starting job. The good news is that LSU retained Caden Durham this offseason, and while he’s less shifty and elusive than Berry, Durham has recorded zero fumbles across 295 career touches. If Berry can’t fix his ball security issues this offseason, things will still be fine with Durham as the starter.

However, it still would be quite the disappointment if Berry can’t get things figured out for another season, given how his explosive ability in the starting role could impact the offense’s ceiling.