When LSU lost kicker Drew Alleman to graduation, a three-way race to replace him developed between a trio of inexperienced kickers.
LSU coach Les Miles said the kicker position is a wide open competition between junior James Hairston and a pair of redshirt freshmen, Colby Delahoussaye and Trent Domingue.
“I think the threesome is still in competition,” Miles said. “That is something that will continue to take place, and summer will be a key time for them.”
Saturday’s Spring Game offered a chance for one of the kickers to separate himself from the pack and grab control of the race, but that did not happen.
Delahoussaye got the first chance Saturday, splitting the uprights on a 29-yard field goal on the White team’s opening drive to give it a 3-0 lead.
His success was short-lived, as he followed that with a big step backward, hitting the right upright on his first extra-point attempt. He bounced back to make his two other extra point attempts. Alleman made all 44 of his extra points last season.
Domingue got his first attempt at the end of the Purple team’s first drive of the second quarter, a 43-yard field goal attempt that he pushed and missed wide right. He converted his only extra-point attempt.
Domingue also showed some versatility by spending some time at punter, averaging 40 yards per punt on three attempts.
“They’re young and stepping into a stadium and got to kick it,” Miles said. “It’s kind of fun.”
Miles said Hairston is a candidate to be the place kicker, and he made his debut Saturday. Hairston’s field goal attempt was a 49-yarder at the end of the first half, which had the distance going into the wind, but missed wide left. He also made his single extra point attempt.
Miles said Hairston will remain the Tigers’ kickoff specialist; he recorded 27 touchbacks in 79 kickoffs last season.
Despite the misses on Saturday, Miles said he was happy with where the competition is as spring draws to a close.
“Trent Domingue and Colby Delahoussaye are both really capable guys and James [Hairston] comes in with the big leg,” Miles said. “Again, I think it will be something we look at through the summer and see how it goes, but I like their progress.”
Editor’s note: This story initially misattributed certain statistics. Delahoussaye was 2-for-3 in extra point attempts, not 3-for-4, and 1-for-1 in field goal attempts, not 1-for-2. Hairston kicked the the extra attempts.
