By LONN PHILLIPS SULLIVAN
Following LSU's regular season finale victory over A&M on Senior Day, finishing 9-3 over 12 games, yet another season is in the books, the final fall of the SEC West before conference realignment begins next August.
With just one more game remaining in the season, we now have a full picture of who stood out as the 10 best Tigers of 2023....without further explanation, we're going to dive right in, just as we've done every season in which we've covered the team:
2023 TOP 10 COUNTDOWN SO FAR
AND NOW....#4........
#4 WILL CAMPBELL
731 OFFENSIVE SNAPS (1ST)
17 PRESSURES ALLOWED
5 QB HITS
0 SACKS ALLOWED (1ST)
As a cornerstone pillar of LSU's 2023 offensive utopia, impenetrable left tackle Will Campbell has made our end of year Top 10 Tigers list in each of his two seasons wearing purple and gold, climbing from #6 last fall to a position inside the top 5.
Much like fellow list-mates Charles Turner (at #6) and Emery Jones Jr (at #9), Campbell's selection indicates our overwhelming view that Brad Davis' offensive line deserves plenty of credit for Mike Denbrock's unstoppable JD5 offense.
Playing the most snaps of any offensive player, the Tigers' "#7" isn't just a workhorse, he was a shield for Heisman-winning QB Jayden Daniels, refusing to allow a single sack throughout the entire season (on one rare occasion, Campbell was beaten by Florida State DE Jared Verse for a sack on JD5, only for the play to be negated by penalty).
Becoming a dependable leader, as he helped organize an offensive line that fronted the nation's highest scoring offense (46.2, only 2 points shy of LSU's 2019 scoring average), leading the country in yards per game (560), yards per play (8.2), while their quarterback averaged an otherworldly 10.7 yards per play.
Behind a wall of five fixed starting LSU trenchmen, with Campbell covering his blindside, Daniels exploded as a passer, tossing 40 TDs (also 1st), led the nation in deep ball passing, as WRs Malik Nabers and Brian Thomas Jr combined for over 2,600 yards and 29 TDs, each leading the nation in receiving and TDs respectively.
Thanks to his O-line's telepathic understanding of his game, Daniels also rushed for over 1,000 yards (holding the #1 average of any rusher in the past 3 collegiate seasons at 8.4 per carry), adding 10 game-deciding scores.
It wasn't just Jayden Daniels rushing with success either, running back Logan Diggs assumed control of the #1 RB job, tacking on 652 yards backed by 7 TDs through just 9 appearances.
Veteran back Josh Williams also scored 5 times alongside 233 yards, the bulk of his big plays stemming from key blocks inside the red zone.
Plus, the O-line were able to monster a variety of backs into the end zone, 22 TDs from running backs in total, destroying opponents around the goal-line, ushering close quarters scores from nearly every eligible rusher on the team (including backup QB Garrett Nussmeier), all as Campbell often forged the path forward.
Overall, Campbell and Co blocked for 6 different rushers averaging over 4.8 yards per attempt (minimum of 23 carries)....dominating through the air or on the ground as the undisputed #1 offense in America.
Once again making the All-American and All-SEC squads, as Brad Davis' O-line received a finalist honor for the Joe Moore Award, the former 5 star recruit is fast becoming one of the most decorated offensive linemen in LSU history...and he still has one game remaining to cap off his triumphant sophomore season.
By the end of 2024, Will's junior year, we could be talking about a young offensive lineman who started from day one as a freshman, played the most or 2nd most snaps across each season, the first O-lineman to be honored as LSU's #7 (only the 2nd Tiger to wear the #7 for consecutive years), annually named to the All-American and All-SEC squads, blocking for a Heisman winning QB as a sophomore, with major aims for the Joe Moore Award and, ultimately, a National Championship....
Crazily, at the end of 2024, he would still have a season left of eligibility as well.
On the horizon lies a variety of program records Campbell will likely snap, plowing his way to a top 10 NFL Draft selection in a few years' time.....
.....enjoy him while you can ......we're witnessing greatness.
By LONN PHILLIPS SULLIVAN
©️ 2023 Uninterrupted Writings Inc