LSU’s start of spring camp is just three days away as the Tigers look to turn their attention to the start of the 2023 season when they take on Florida State. The SEC West champions are returning a lot of talent on both sides of the ball heading into next season. One of those talents that LSU is expected to get back is defensive tackle Maason Smith. Brian Kelly provided an encouraging update on the third-year starter for the Tigers as he continues to recover from an injury that sidelined him during the 2022 season:
“Defensive tackle Maason Smith is probably going to be cleared for “everything but contact” next week. Getting him back defensively will be a big, big plus for us.”
Maason Smith Misses Out on 2022 Season:
Smith had a lot of expectations heading into the 2022 season and was going to be one of the best defensive tackles in the nation. After earning Freshman All-America honors in 2021 he was positioned for a breakout season during his sophomore season.
On the first defensive possession for LSU, Smith would go down with a torn ACL injury that would effectively end his sophomore year. The Houma, Louisiana native wouldn’t let the injury from stopping him of still being involved with the team as he was able to stay on the sidelines. He was able to encourage the defensive lineman and be able to serve as a leader to those who stepped on the field.
LSU saw the emergence of Mekhi Wingo due to Smith being absent for all of the 2022 season. Smith was able to redshirt during the 2022 season and he will be set up to have a bounce-back year heading into the 2023 season. Smith is expected to be at full strength and will be a part of a talented defensive front for the purple and gold.
Maason Smith’s Sensational Freshman Campaign:
Coming out of high school, Smith was one of the nation’s top defensive line prospects before committing to LSU. He was regarded as one of the top prospects in the state of Louisiana for the Class of 2021. Smith would go on to have a dominant career at Terrebonne. During his time at Terrebonne, Smith registered over 200 tackles, 60 tackles for loss and 26 sacks. In his final year, he would register 63 tackles, 24 tackles for loss, nine sacks and 22 quarterback hurries.
There was a lot of promise for Smith heading into his freshman season with the Tigers as he possessed size and athleticism to become the next great defensive line prospect. During his freshman year in 2021 for LSU, Smith would appear in nine games for the Tigers, with four of them being starts. In his first year with the Tigers, Smith recorded 19 tackles, 5.0 tackles for loss and 4.0 sacks as a true freshman.
He would see his first collegiate start against Kentucky. Other starts during his debut season with LSU came against Florida, Ole Miss and Kansas State in the Texas Bowl. In his debut appearance in front of the home fans, Smith had six tackles, 3.5 tackles for loss and 3.0 sacks in the win over McNeese. Against Kentucky he recorded five tackles and a half-tackle for loss. In the win against Florida, Smith recorded a sack and a pair of tackles.
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