Preseason All-SEC team ends 34-year LSU football drought
By John Fye
The 2023 LSU football team includes 11 players named to the preseason All-SEC team. As such, one Tigers’ selection is an LSU first since the 1989 preseason.
Quarterback Jayden Daniels headlines the list of LSU football players appearing on the 2023 Preseason Media Days All-SEC First Team. Incredibly, Daniels is the first Tigers’ quarterback to earn first-team preseason honors since Tommy Hodson in 1989.
The preseason All-SEC team nods indicate that LSU football is exceptionally talented and well in the national championship hunt. As such, the expectations for the 2023 Tigers are the highest since the Les Miles era.
Indeed, a lot of pressure belongs to Daniels, who is expected to lead LSU football to a better finish than last season’s 10-4 record. Accomplishing such requires the 5th-year senior to perform in a Hodson-like fashion in 2023. However, we hope collective results are better than the Tigers’ 1989 season.
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Hodson lived up to the preseason hype and set an LSU football single-season passing record of 2,665 yards. He also set school records for single-game passing yards and single-game total yards. Unfortunately, Hodson’s records were overshadowed by LSU football’s 4-7 (2-5 SEC) finish.
Regardless, Hodson is regarded by LSUSports.net as “[arguably] the best quarterback in LSU history.” All eyes are now on Jayden Daniels to move into the conversation.
Receiver Malik Nabers, offensive lineman Will Campbell, defensive lineman Mekhi Wingo and Maason Smith, and linebacker Harold Perkins earned preseason All-SEC first-team selections. Tight end Mason Taylor, long-snapper Slade Roy, and kick-off specialist Nathan Dibert were named to the preseason second team. Additionally, offensive lineman Emery Jones and defensive back Major Burns earned preseason third-team honors.
The 2023 LSU football preseason All-SEC selections are a massive upgrade from the prior offseason. The media only voted four Tigers onto the 2022 preseason All-SEC team. The 2019 preseason All-SEC team provides additional context.
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Believe it or not, only eight Tigers made the 2019 preseason All-SEC team, including Joe Burrow and Justin Jefferson, earning third-team selections.