The Caden Durham Show: How The Freshman Running Back Lifted LSU Football to Victory

True freshman running back Caden Durham propelled the Bayou Bengals to an SEC victory, breaks out against South Carolina.

Sep 14, 2024; Columbia, South Carolina, USA; LSU Tigers running back Caden Durham (29) runs against South Carolina Gamecocks defensive tackle Tonka Hemingway (91) during the fourth quarter at Williams-Brice Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Ken Ruinard/USA TODAY Network via Imagn Images / Ken Ruinard/USA TODAY Network via Imagn Images

LSU running back Caden Durham shined for the Bayou Bengals on Saturday afternoon in his SEC debut against the South Carolina Gamecocks.

The true freshman ended the day with 11 carries for 98 yards with a pair of touchdowns on the day, but the impressive statistic: 8.9 yard per carry.

It's been a struggle for the Tigers this season on the ground. Kaleb Jackson and Josh Williams have struggled to find space and produce for positive gains, but Durham picked up the slack on Saturday.

The youngster pieced together the most productive game this season for LSU when it comes to the run-game and head coach Brian Kelly couldn't be happier for his freshman.

"It's the SEC, you gotta make people miss, you gotta break through tackles. That's the nature of it, and he did a great job," Kelly said on Saturday. "It sets the standard of what we're looking for. I think all of those backs needed to see what we're asking them to do. Caden broke three or four tackles, which is the nature of the SEC. You're gonna have that extra guy coming down and you've gotta make some of these guys miss. He did a great job showing himself today and setting a standard of what we need at that position."

#LSU RB Caden Durham had a breakout performance against South Carolina in his SEC debut.

- 11 carries
- 98 yards
- 2 TDs
- 8.9 YPC

Now, the true freshman looks poised to take on an expanded role in Year 1.

Durham walks out of Columbia with the game ball.

(🎥: @LSUfootball) pic.twitter.com/nI8Pm0vW61

— Zack Nagy (@znagy20) September 14, 2024

It's no secret the LSU rushing attack has been abysmal this season. There's been zero push on the interior offensive line and it's put the running backs in a challenging position.

But it isn't just an offensive line issue. The tandem of Williams and Jackson has struggled with their vision this season, which made Durham's breakout performance that much more impressive.

Now, after an impressive SEC debut, Durham has the attention of both the coaching staff and players with Josh Williams hyping up his teammate following the game.

"It was really amazing to watch. For him to come into an SEC game as his first real game was amazing for us. He was a big spark plug for the offense, and you could tell the energy on the sideline picked up, too. I commend Caden for everything he has done," Williams told reporters postgame. "He really does everything well. He's fast and has really good control over his movements. He can run through tackles and stay on his feet, too. I think he is a great back and really helped us today." 

Durham has an opportunity to take on an expanded role during the 2024 season and proved that in Week 3. With veteran running back John Emery out for the season with a torn ACL, it's opened up more snaps for the youngster.

Looking ahead, Durham appears to be a player who will be an integral piece to the offensive game plan as SEC play ramps up.

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