It has been a tough season for LSU and things didn’t get any better Wednesday, as Tigers coach Ed Orgeron announced that sophomore cornerback Eli Ricks would be out for the season due to injury.

Orgeron didn’t get into the specific nature of the injury, but did say, “It’s a sustained injury that just kept coming back. He and his family decided to get it operated on and get it fixed. … It’s a nagging injury that just kept reoccurring.”

As for what LSU will do on defense to replace Ricks, Orgeron  said it’s the same situation that you deal with when it comes to any injury.

“It does make it tough, but next man up,” Orgeron said during the SEC coaches teleconference Wednesday. “Somebody’s got to rise up to the occasion. … We’ve got some young guys who have to step up.”

Ricks, a 3rd-team All-American a season ago, had played in all 6 of LSU’s games to this point in the season, recording 11 tackles and 2 pass defenses, and an interception.