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Brian Kelly updates injury status of Mason Taylor, Omar Speights for Week 3
By Sydney Hunte
Published:
Brian Kelly on Thursday provided the latest on LSU tight end Mason Taylor and linebacker Omar Speights as the Tigers prepare to face Mississippi State on Saturday.
Against Grambling in Week 2, Taylor suffered a sprained ankle in the 2nd quarter and left the game but did not re-enter. Speights didn’t play in the 2nd half of that one with the reason undisclosed. On Monday, Kelly declared both players “questionable” against the Bulldogs.
During his press conference on Thursday, Kelly provided a promising update for 1 player and a not-so-promising update for the other.
Taylor is a “game-time decision” and is making progress, Kelly said.
“Where is that? I think he’s still questionable,” the head coach continued. “We’re gonna have to see him move around and see what he looks like in pregame.”
Speights is not as far ahead, according to Kelly. The Tigers plan to bring Speights on the road for the game and dress him for the game.
“I’m less optimistic about him,” Kelly said, adding he is likely to be doubtful.
Last season, Taylor made 38 catches for 414 yards and 3 touchdowns as a true freshman. Thus far in 2023, he has made 5 catches for 39 yards. Speights, an offseason transfer from Oregon State, has been credited with 9 tackles thus far with the Tigers. He made 83 tackles — 8.0 for a loss — with Oregon State in 2022 en route to the coaches’ 1st-team All-Pac-12 list.
Kickoff on Saturday is set for noon ET on ESPN.
Sydney is an Atlanta-based journalist who has covered everything from SEC and ACC football to MLS, the U.S. men's national soccer team and professional tennis. His work has appeared on such platforms as SB Nation, Cox Media Group and FanSided.
