There will be a strong contingent of LSU fans in Lexington for Saturday night’s SEC matchup against Kentucky. Lexington is one of the league’s great road-trip destinations, and LSU has played just two football games there since the Bluegrass Miracle in 2002.
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But the Tigers won’t be the only ones with Louisiana connections on the field.
Several members of the Kentucky football program have ties to LSU, including former Tigers offensive coordinator Joe Sloan.
The 39-year-old spent four seasons at LSU after being hired by Brian Kelly following nine years at Louisiana Tech. The former East Carolina quarterback started as LSU’s quarterbacks coach and played a role in developing Jayden Daniels, who won the Heisman Trophy in 2023.
Sloan was promoted to offensive coordinator when Mike Denbrock left LSU to return to Notre Dame.
In 2024, with Sloan calling plays and Garrett Nussmeier at quarterback, the Tigers ranked seventh nationally in passing offense, averaging 315 yards per game.
But the 2025 season took a different turn. Nussmeier had an injury that limited his throwing ability, while LSU struggled to establish a consistent running game. Sloan was ultimately dismissed when Kelly was fired.
Now, Sloan is calling plays for a Kentucky offense led by head coach Will Stein. The Wildcats are averaging nearly 35 points per game, ranking 10th in the SEC in scoring and ninth in total offense.
One of Sloan’s key weapons is freshman wide receiver Kenny Darby, a former Airline High School standout from Bossier City.
Darby never played for LSU, but he was once committed to the Tigers. That commitment ended when his scholarship offer was rescinded after Lane Kiffin took over the program.
Sloan knew Darby’s ability and encouraged Stein to offer him a scholarship at Kentucky.
Darby has made an immediate impact, catching 25 passes for 322 yards and three touchdowns. He was particularly productive in last week’s come-from-behind overtime victory over South Carolina, hauling in 12 receptions for 96 yards and a touchdown.
Another familiar face in Kentucky’s receiving room is Nic Anderson, who spent last season at LSU after transferring from Oklahoma.
Anderson caught 12 passes for 106 yards and two touchdowns with the Tigers. This season, the 6-foot-4, 208-pound receiver has nine catches for 120 yards and a touchdown, which came during Kentucky’s second-half rally against South Carolina.
The Wildcats also have a former LSU offensive lineman in Lance Heard.
The Monroe-area native starred at Neville High School and arrived at LSU as a consensus five-star prospect. But with Will Campbell and Emery Jones established at offensive tackle, Heard left after one season in Baton Rouge in search of a starting opportunity at Tennessee.
After two seasons with the Volunteers, Heard transferred to Kentucky, where he is making an impact up front.
Last week, Heard was named SEC Offensive Lineman of the Week after recording five knockdown blocks, including two on the same play. When Kentucky needed one yard on fourth down, the Wildcats ran behind Heard to get it.
Saturday will mark his 30th career start.
Kentucky also features former LSU defensive tackle Ahmad Breaux, a former Ruston High School standout. The junior has recorded six tackles and one-and-a-half sacks this season.
From Sloan’s role directing the offense to the contributions of Darby, Anderson, Heard and Breaux, the LSU-Kentucky matchup features plenty of familiar names and Louisiana connections.
For the Tigers, those connections will add another layer of intrigue to Saturday night’s SEC showdown in Lexington.
