20th ranked LSU will not have its starting left tackle for its matchup against third ranked Texas A&M. Tyree Adams injured his ankle in the Vanderbilt loss and Coach Brian Kelly has already ruled him out for Saturday.
DJ Chester replaced Adams when he went down against the Commodores and did not perform well according to Pro Football Focus. His grade was 49.9, the lowest among LSU’s offensive linemen.
On Monday, Coach Brian Kelly was asked about giving true freshman Carrius Curne a start at left tackle. Kelly responded by saying Chester will start at left tackle for the injured Adams.
“We’re in a situation now where we have to matchup this weekend against a veteran team and a great pass rusher certainly and Carrius is coming on, but to throw a true freshman in there, I don’t want to put him in that situation, I can see him playing, but I prefer to play a guy who has a lot of experience at that position,” Kelly said.
Chester started at 13 games at center last season. He’s appeared in four games this season. Two of those occasions he filled in at left tackle for Adams against Clemson and last Saturday versus Vanderbilt.
It’s not like he has a tone of experience at left tackle, but Kelly said starting Chester would give LSU its top five available offensive linemen on the field.
“DJ has played a full game at tackle already, but by and large he did what was expected of him and I have confidence he can go out there and do the job,” Kelly said.
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The offensive line struggled against Vanderbilt as the Tigers only rushed for 100 yards and quarterback Garrett Nussmeier faced constant pressure.
On Saturday night in Tiger Stadium, the Tigers will face a Texas A&M team that tied for sixth in the country in sacks with 25 and tackles for a loss, 55 in seven games.