Injuries were already a concern for LSU's defense with the news that star pass rusher Arden Key -- who notched 12 sacks for first-year defensive coordinator Dave Aranda -- will miss the season opener vs. BYU.
Now there are even more injured Tigers to worry about.
Coach Ed Orgeron confirmed Thursday that Andre Anthony, a 6-foot-5, 242-pound redshirt freshman -- one of three players vying for playing time in place of Key -- will miss Saturday's game with an undisclosed injury. Freshmen K'Lavon Chaisson and Ray Thornton are the two candidates to get playing time in Key's "Buck" position -- a hybrid defensive end/linebacker pass-rush specialist in Aranda's 3-4 scheme.
"Andre Anthony sustained an injury during the week, so he's probably not going to play," Orgeron said, according to the Advocate. "It's a toss-up right now (between Chaisson and Thornton). I'll make a decision before game time."
Anthony, a native of nearby New Orleans, was a 4-star prospect in the class of 2016.
With Key's status still uncertain and the position now razor thin because of Anthony's injury, keep an eye on how the Tigers' pass rushers do against BYU. After a tune-up next week against UT-Chattanooga, the Tigers will travel to Mississippi State in Week 3 in a big conference game against Bulldogs star quarterback Nick Fitzgerald.
LSU and BYU will kickoff at 9:30 p.m. ET in New Orleans after the game was moved from Houston due to the impact of Hurricane Harvey.
