LSU loses top pass rusher Chaisson for rest of the season

LSU edge pass-rusher K’Lavon Chaisson’s season is over after three productive quarters against Miami.

The 11th-ranked Tigers will have to make do without Chaisson due to a knee injury he suffered during a season-opening victory over the Hurricanes, LSU coach Ed Orgeron said Tuesday.

“I feel bad for him,” Orgeron said. “He had totally dedicated himself to this year. He will bounce back. His teammates are very sad.”

The 6-foot-4, 238-pound Chaisson was a prized 2017 recruit from the Houston area who played often as a freshman and entered his sophomore campaign as the team’s premier pass-rushing outside linebacker. He had one sack and was in on five tackles in a 33-17 victory on Sunday night that shot LSU up in the AP Top 25 poll from 25th to 11th, while sinking Miami from No. 8 to No. 22.

As a freshman, Chaisson played in 12 games, starting three, and was in on 27 tackles, including two sacks and 4 ½ tackles for loss.

While Orgeron is declining to provide specific details on the injury, trainers could be seen looking at Chaisson’s left knee after it buckled during a play early in the fourth quarter.

Chaisson took to social media to thank fans for their support.

“Thanks to everyone who sent out thoughts and prayers! It’s a tough thing to handle but I’m surely not alone,” Chaisson said on his Twitter page. “I ask that you keep sending blessings and prayers my way as we trust in the Lord and his plan. See y’all next season!”

Pac-12 expands efforts to shorten games

The Pac-12 has expanded an initiative to shorten game times.

Thirty games this season will have shorter halftimes and restructured commercial breaks, among other time-saving measures. That’s up from a test run of 15 nonconference games last season.

The idea is to cut the run-times on games that in recent years have routinely gone well past the three-hour mark.

Utah coach Kyle Whittingham doesn’t mind those abbreviated halftimes, which have gone from 20 minutes to 15 under the

Pac-12’s program — including during Utah’s

41-10 victory at home over Weber State. “There’s no reason football-wise not to do it,” Whittingham said Tuesday on the Pac-12 coaches teleconference. “I know there’s halftime entertainment, bands and that type of thing, but as far as the football players and their health, and not sitting down for

20 minutes and cooling off — you know, the NFL has 12-minute halftimes, so I think that would be even better. But I think 15 minutes is a step in the right direction.”