By Hunt Palmer
Will Campbell doesn’t talk a whole lot.
He’s a mountain of a man, 6-foot-6 and 325lbs. He walks slowly, almost sauntering. When he does speak, it pours out of his mouth with that northeastern Louisiana drawl.
But like the All-American left tackle’s play on the field, his words often pack a punch.
“I like to lead by the way I set the tone every day and approach every day,” Campbell said. “I’ve never been a rah-rah guy that’s just talking to talk, because I don’t like those type of guys. Whenever I say something, I want it to be meaningful. I want guys to listen whenever I say something.”
Campbell had plenty to say Tuesday as his Tigers approach the season opener.
This will be Campbell’s third season opener at LSU. The first two were losses in the shadows of the French Quarter and Disney World. He’s committed to making this one, just off Las Vegas’s world-famous Strip, different.
“Everybody knows what we’ve got to do,” Campbell said. “We talk about it in the o-line room all the time. We’ve got to come out ready to fight, and that’s the end of it. As soon as we get off that plane, it’s a fight. We’re not there to go to Caesar’s Place. We’re there to get in a fist fight.”
Campbell’s declaration got the attention of USC defensive tackle Bear Alexander who responded on Twitter.
😈🥷🏾😈🥷🏾😈🥷🏾 https://t.co/Q7YAnGdu87
— Bear Alexander (@BearAlexander_) August 28, 2024
The response likely won’t matter much to Campbell who made his thoughts on opponents quite clear.
“We don’t have trouble blocking anybody,” Campbell said. “You line them up, we’re going to block them. That’s kind of how we feel.”
Tiger fans certainly hope that’s the case as LSU attempts to replace the three most impactful pieces of the nation’s best offense. LSU’s 2024 unit figures to lean heavily on the running game to help first-year starting quarterback Garrett Nussmeier.
At times last season, the Tiger rushing attack relied too heavily on Jayden Daniels. The Heisman winner accounted for 74 percent of the rushing attack in games against Florida State, Alabama and Texas A&M.
“Whenever we couldn’t run the ball last year, Jayden would just bust it 90 yards,” Campbell quipped.
This year, Campbell feels like those struggles won’t be an issue. And he doesn’t care who knows.
“We’re going to run the ball,” Campbell started. “That’s not something we’re trying to keep quiet. I’m telling everybody right now; we’re going to run the football.”
