Ed Orgeron provides injury update on Chasen Hines, Anthony Bradford
As if there is already not enough going on in Baton Rouge, LSU may be heading to Ole Miss this weekend without a fully healthy offensive line.
On Monday, LSU head coach Ed Orgeron provided an update on linemen Anthony Bradford and Chasen Hines.
“Anthony is fine,” Orgeron said. “I thought we would have to get half the team to pick him up off the field he’s so heavy. I tease him all the time. I love Anthony. I recruited him from Michigan. He’s a great young man, and he’s playing really good right now. But he’s fine. He can play.”
Bradford is a 6-foot-5, 365-pound offensive lineman in his third year in Baton Rouge. He left for a brief moment in last weekend’s game against Florida with an injury, but he returned for the following series. He wore a no-contact jersey at practice on Monday, per Leah Vann.
Bradford made his first start against Auburn on Oct. 2, becoming the fourth left tackle to start a game for LSU this season. Junior Cameron Wire suffered an undisclosed injury in the first game, and redshirt freshman Xavier Hill and freshman Garrett Dellinger have also filled in at the position in addition to Bradford.
Orgeron shared a more negative report on guard Chasen Hines, who was not at practice on Monday. Specifics of his injury remain under wraps.
“Chasen Hines is questionable right now,” Orgeron said. “We’re doing some more research. He’s getting more tests. I don’t know if he’s going to be available this week. Right now, it’s questionable.”
Another big body up front on the offensive line, Hines is 6-foot-3 and 349 pounds. The senior has been in a staple on the LSU offensive line for the duration of his LSU career, and he became a full-time starter as a junior last season.
Luckily for LSU and a beat up offensive line, they are facing one of the worst defenses in the SEC this weekend. Ole Miss has allowed 157 first downs this season, which is 119th in the FBS. The Rebels are giving up 436 yards and 30.2 points per game, both of which are 12th in the SEC.
Tigers run game coming alive after slow start
LSU’s rushing attack through the first four games was absolutely dismal. The Tigers were topping only Mississippi State within the SEC, a team that runs the Air Raid offense and rarely runs the ball.
The offensive line has struggled to open holes for its backs, but the tide is beginning to turn in Baton Rouge as a run game is quickly emerging.
While LSU lost 42-21 to Kentucky, Tyrion Davis-Price had 147 yards against the Wildcats. His previous season high was just 51 yards. Against Florida in a wild 49-42 upset victory, Davis-Price broke an LSU rushing record with 287 yards. Davis-Price has five touchdowns and is averaging 7.4 yards per carry in the last two games.