LSU football: Tigers to watch vs. Mississippi State

Sep 5, 2015; Baton Rouge, LA, USA; LSU Tigers wide receiver Donte Jackson (1) is tackled by McNeese State Cowboys defensive back Dominique Hill (7) and linebacker Wallace Scott (20) the first quarter of a game at Tiger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Derick E. Hingle-USA TODAY Sports

Donte Jackson

In less than five minutes of action against McNeese State, head coach Les Miles provided fans with a glimpse of how the LSU football team is going to utilize versatile true freshman Donte Jackson this season.

Jackson was among several freshmen to see the field for the Bayou Bengals, and the former four-star prospect made an immediate impact. He returned the opening kickoff, then took a handoff on a reverse sweep for a gain of four yards a few plays later. While the Tigers did not reveal much before severe weather ended their season opener early, they definitely placed an emphasis on getting their dynamic three-way threat involved in the game.

Before the game, it appeared as if he would be seeing the majority of his playing time on kick return and in the secondary on nickel and dime packages. Miles had mentioned that he would not waste Jackson’s blinding speed by limiting him to the defensive side of the ball, but few expected to see him lining up at receiver and taking handoffs on the first series of the season.

Against a Mississippi State secondary that is prone to giving up big plays, he could be a game-changer on offense for the LSU football team this weekend. It will be interesting to see how frequently Jackson is used on defense, however, as he will have more than a 60-pound size disadvantage against Dak Prescott, Mississippi State’s star dual-threat quarterback.

Next: Kendell Beckwith