Trey’ Dez Green is “different.”
The moniker gets used so frequently to describe athletes that it’s become a modern cliche, but LSU’s emerging, prodigious tight end and multisport athlete may epitomize the intention.
And the 6-foot-7, 240-pound sophomore’s rare combination of size, athleticism and ball skills was on full display — or at least 80% — with a career night Saturday in which he was a clear difference-maker in the Tigers’ 20-10 win against South Carolina.
Green caught eight of his 11 targets for 119 yards — all easily new highs — and a touchdown that was among a few highlights that showcased the nightmare he presents defenders in single coverage.
The former East Feliciana and Zachary star became LSU’s first tight end to surpass the 100-yard receiving mark in a game since Chris Hill (Mansfield) in 1996.
“Uh, he’s pretty good at football,” coach Brian Kelly joked afterward. “I don’t know about the basketball thing. I’ll let (LSU coach) Matt (McMahon) decide that, but clearly, he’s a mismatch, right? You know, you can throw fade balls to him. He can catch the ball in quick game. He’s just a unique talent, and we need to continue to feature him in our offense. He’s got to be part of it.”
Circumstantially, the Tigers are 8-1 the past season and a half in games in which Green has at least one reception and 5-0 in games in which he has at least one touchdown.
Perhaps more straightforwardly, his elite frame and ball skills make him an ideal weapon to help with some of the offense’s shortcomings in converting third-down and red-zone opportunities.
LSU has moved the chains on 41.6% of its third downs thus far this season, ranking No. 10 among the SEC’s 16 teams
Its 84.2% rate to score points in the red zone and 68.4% to score touchdowns specifically are tied for No. 15 and No. 12 in the league, respectively.
Green’s touchdowns Week 1 at Clemson and Saturday against South Carolina, as well as a 19-yard reception Saturday on a third-and-8, provided clear examples of his potential effectiveness in those situations as he boxes out and overpowers defenders and makes strong-handed catches over his head or out in front of his body.
“No matter who it is — me or the defender, I’m gonna pick me every time,” he told reporters Saturday.
And, asked after drawing 11 targets how much of a workload he could realistically, he smiled: “Throw it. Throw it. However many. It don’t matter.”
The breakout performance should only be a sign of much more to come.
Green suffered an MCL sprain Week 2 against Louisiana Tech, missed Weeks 3 and 4 against Florida and Southeastern Louisiana and admitted he still hindered during LSU’s road loss at Ole Miss in Week 5.
He said he felt more able Saturday to cut more sharply in his route-running and after the catch and that he’s hopeful the confidence gained from those reps and more time this week to further heal will lend themselves to more production ahead.
“I came into the game kind of hesitant about my knee and stuff,” he said. “And once I got that first catch, it was all-go then… (The Oct. 4 bye) helped a lot. I got a chance to really heal up a lot, so like I said I’m probably about 80%. This week I’m gonna take some time and heal up to 100%, and y’all might see me without the knee brace.”
