DJ Chester prepares for starting role on LSU's offensive line
DJ Chester remembers his first career snaps in an SEC game at LSU. It came with the Tigers down two possessions to Missouri on the road as starting center Charles Turner was injured and backup Marlon Martinez was struggling. Chester, a highly-touted four-star freshman had been a standout in practices, but was yet to dive into the deep in – until that game.
Chester closed out the game with clean snaps, good blocking, and an experience that will carry him into 2024 where, as a sophomore, he is expected to be LSU’s starting center.
“Going into that Missouri game in crunch time was a crazy experience for me,” Chester said. “As a young guy, you don’t expect to be put in when you’re down two scores, but I just had to rely on the practices I’ve had with coach Davis and I had to go to work. You find out if your work pays off and we went on to win the game.”
Chester remembers trying to join Jayden Daniels and a few other offensive players at 5 a.m. when they would show up early to watch film and evaluate the offense before the day got started in the fall. Those moments were some of the foundational moments in being prepared on the practice field everyday, to the point where it became clear he was going to be too good to keep off the field in games sooner rather than later.
“In recruiting, I signed and I knew I’m not that tall so I was going to play on the inside and I had played center in high school,” Chester said. “Coach Davis called me one day during the year and asked if I wanted to play center. I said ‘Hey coach, wherever you want to put me, that’s where I’m gonna go.’ And it wasn’t a huge jump for me and now just playing one position has helped me hone in on my skills at this spot.”
Once LSU’s season ended, things moved quickly. Turner announced he was trying his hand at the NFL, while Martinez entered the transfer portal. Just like that, Chester was the new starting center at LSU.
“I learned a lot from Charles and Marlon, being experienced guys and I still talk to Charles a lot,” Chester said. “He really helps me with technical work, pass rush technique. Also, the energy. You have to be a leader, you have to command the offense, and that’s what he taught me. That’s what I have to step into, just being more of a leader. It’s been rough, but that’s what I have to get better at – just getting more vocal and telling the whole offense what we’re going to do. The guys respect me, so whatever I say we’re going to execute the right way.”
Chester is the only change to LSU’s starting offensive line entering 2024, with Emery Jones and Will Campbell manning the tackles spots for a third straight year, while Garrett Dellinger and Miles Frazier have both guard positions secured. Now, with Chester in place, the starting five is seemingly set in stone.
Behind Chester has been freshman Coen Echols, from Katy, Texas, a promising four-star who could be in a similar situation Chester was in last season.
“Coen is great,” Chester said. “That’s my little bro. We’ve seen his physicality and everyone loves it. He’s done a lot as an early enrollee to step in and be the No. 2 center. He’s learned the playbook and I love his approach every day.”
The new-look run game has been the talk of the spring on the offensive side of the ball, meaning new terminology, new schemes to learn, new techniques to perfect, and more for the sophomore center. It’s still early, but he’s put the work in and knows what it will take to get this LSU offensive line to lead the charge in the run game for 2024.
“We just need to be more physical, especially me,” Chester said. “That’s one of my learning curves for spring and fall camp. Be physical with the run and know how we’re going to execute it. Coach Davis has been more intent on teaching more than just the normal base runs. He’s been adamant on the technique and the changes in the run game. There’s a new emphasis on our run game.”
