Austin Deculus, Ali Gaye Among Five Out for McNeese

When LSU opens up Tiger Stadium against McNeese State (7:00 P.M., ESPN+/SEC Network+) they’ll be doing so without at least five players for various reasons.

Both starting left tackle Cam Wire and right tackle Austin Deculus will miss Saturday’s game against the Cowboys. Both players were injured during Saturday’s loss against UCLA though Deculus later returned. Expect Charles Turner to man one of those spots and possibly true freshman Garrett Dellinger to assume the other.

LSU is also banged up along the defensive line, as pass rusher Ali Gaye will be out due to injury as well. Gaye had four tackles in the season opener including a sack. Safety Jay Ward’s status for Saturday is up in the air. Ward left the UCLA game early after attempting to make a tackle and LSU tried using both Todd Harris and Jordan Toles to fill the void.

Two players, senior defensive end Soni Fonua and senior wide receiver Jontre Kirklin, continue to be out due to academic issues. Both players missed the UCLA game. Orgeron didn’t say in his weekly Tuesday press conference whether or not junior running back John Emery would be available. Emery, like Fonua and Kirklin, was withheld from the UCLA game because of academics but his status was referred to as “week-to-week” during the broadcast.

Also senior linebacker Jared Small will miss the entire season after suffering a knee injury in the week leading up to the UCLA game.