By james art LSU true freshman running back Caden Durham returned three touchdowns to help Arkansas win and set a program record along the way.
Durham turned 21 carries into 101 yards and all three of LSU’s touchdowns, adding a 7-yard catch on his only target to come home The Bengal Tiger Game Player award.
On Saturday night in Fayetteville, Durham became the first LSU freshman to rush for more than 100 yards and score three touchdowns against an SEC opponent in program history. He is also the first freshman to accomplish the feat against any LSU opponent since 1995.
After bursting onto the national scene with multiple touchdowns in a 17-point comeback win at South Carolina, Durham took over as the running back for an LSU offense — which was looking for a spark after struggling to take the game on the ground out of the gates.
LSU is now 6-1 in SEC play and tied for first in the Southeastern Conference standings. And while the quarterback-led passing attack Garrett Nussmeier was huge, Durham — who was ranked Top 5 in the On3 Industry Rankings for the Class of 2024 — proved to be one of the most impactful figures on the roster this fall.
As a true freshman, Durham registered 72 touches for 530 yards, good for 7.4 yards per touch). He has eight total touchdowns in six games played, with six of those scores coming on the ground and two via the passing game. His longest run of the year was 86 yards and his longest catch was 71 yards – both of which came with one touchdown for the talented newcomer from the Lone Star State.
Durham’s 62 touches, 382 yards and six rushing touchdowns are tops among all LSU running backs. a veteran Josh Williams had 55 touches for 218 yards and three touchdowns as a sophomore Caleb Jackson has 40 carries for 145 yards on the year.