GLENN GUILBEAU, Tiger Rag Editor
The last thing LSU defensive end Sai’vion Jones wants to be doing in his last game in Tiger Stadium tonight will be chasing around Oklahoma sophomore quarterback Jackson Arnold in front of the line of scrimmage.
Jones and 20 other LSU seniors will be honored before the regular season finale between the Tigers (7-4, 4-3 Southeastern Conference) and Oklahoma (6-5, 2-5 SEC) in a 6 p.m. kickoff on ESPN.
“We have to keep him contained in the pocket,” Jones said. “Or if it’s a running play, we need to follow our assignments.”
Arnold (6-foot-1, 211) is the Sooners’ second leading rusher with 369 net yards on 133 attempts with three touchdowns. But he has been sacked 30 times for -247 yards. He is not a major threat through the air as he is No. 90 in the nation in passing efficiency with a 126.1 rating on 140 completions in 225 attempts for 1,311 yards and 12 touchdowns with three interceptions.
But in Oklahoma’s stunning, 24-3 upset of No. 7 Alabama last week, Arnold sliced the Tide’s defense with 131 rushing yards on 25 carries while completing 9 of 11 passes for 68 yards.
“I think everybody here knows our history with quarterbacks who run the football,” LSU coach Brian Kelly said sardonically at his weekly press conference Monday. “That will be a challenge for us.”
Texas A&M quarterback Marcell Reed and Alabama quarterback Jalen Milroe virtually beat LSU by themselves this season. But the Tigers finally got it righted in a 24-17 win over Vanderbilt last week as it held dangerous dual threat Diego Pavia to a mere 43 yards on six carries.
“How we stopped him gives us confidence,” Jones said. “They (Pavia and Arnold) are both definitely runners, and they’re relentless when they run. They’re not the type of quarterback to slide in front of you once you get close to them. We’re better now against running quarterbacks. We know what to do. We’ve simplified things.”
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Jones signed with LSU before the 2021 season out of St. James High in Vacherie and has been a starter the last two seasons. He will be playing in his 50th career game tonight. The Tigers are 23-4 in Tiger Stadium over that span. And he has finished strong this season with 4.5 sacks, 6.5 tackles for loss, eight quarterback hurries, two forced fumbles and a fumble recovery.
“Sa’ivion Jones has just had a monster year. His pass rush has been great,” Kelly said.
Never thought this day would come. Them 4 years definitely came faster than I thought but it has also been the best 4 years of my life and I will always cherish these memories. Forever LSU ???? pic.twitter.com/enc7PSA1iO
— Saivion Jones (@SaivionJ) November 30, 2024
“I don’t think it’s hit me just yet,” Jones said of his last home game. “I feel like once I’m playing and those last few seconds ring off, I feel like that’s when it’s definitely going to hit me.”
Jones plans on taking a few last looks.
“Almost every time I step out onto the field, I take a good look around and just look at the fans cheering us on,” he said. “That’s one of the things I’m really going to remember.”
The other 20 seniors to be honored tonight are wide receivers Kyren Lacy and CJ Daniels, tailback Josh Williams, left guard Garrett Dellinger, right guard Miles Frazier, defensive end Paris Shand, defensive tackle Gio Paez, defensive end Bradyn Swinson, linebacker Greg Penn III, defensive back Major Burns, cornerback Zy Alexander, safety Quad Wilson, linebacker Kenzell Kelly, safety Skip Velotta, offensive linemen Thomas Crawford and Kobe Roberts, Aaron McDaniel, defensive tackle Jalen Lee, punter Blake Ochsendorf and snapper Slade Roy.
Three other seniors – linebacker West Weeks, defensive tackle Jacobian Guillory and tailback John Emery Jr. – are expected to get additional seasons after injuries this season, if they choose to come back.
“Zy Alexander has been a great addition coming in from Southeastern Louisiana,” Kelly said. “Garrett Dellinger has been a stalwart for us. We all know about Kyren Lacy and what he’s done. Miles Frazier – three-year starter. Bradyn Swinson – what a year he’s had. Paris Shand, I mean, a Swiss Army knife for us. He’s done a little bit of everything – kind of unsung. He’s played end, tackle. Invaluable to us.
“Gio Paez has given us snap after snap. Hasn’t missed a snap. He has just been a workhorse. He’s a guy that eats innings up. Sa’ivion Jones has just had a monster year. His pass rush has been great. And there’s others. Those guys have met so much. Really proud of what they’ve done. It will be a great tribute to them.”