After three games during LSU’s quest for a national championship, the Tigers had already established themselves as a dominant offense. While Justin Jefferson was off to another red hot start, the glaring improvements in production weren’t just from Ja’Marr Chase.
It was Terrace Marshall. While Chase and Jefferson would go on to break program and SEC records, it was actually Marshall that looked like he was on pace for an historic season. Through those three games, Marshall hauled in 16 receptions for 229 yards and six touchdowns.
For comparisons, Chase had 10 receptions for 168 yards and one touchdown while Jefferson added 19 receptions for 387 yards and four touchdowns. It was Marshall’s redzone threat that made him a danger all season long. But the injury bug reared it’s ugly head for the sophomore.
A fractured foot suffered in a win over Vanderbilt knocked Marshall out for four weeks. The injury wasn’t the first or even a second for Marshall. As a senior in high school, a devastating leg injury forced him to miss the rest of his high school career and hindered his freshman campaign at LSU in 2018.
Marshall would return from the foot fracture in 2019 against Auburn and still put up some pretty fantastic numbers, finishing the season with 46 receptions for 671 yards and 13 touchdowns.
“He’s a fighter,” junior safety JaCoby Stevens said after the win over Auburn. “Anybody who had those injuries could have gave up and made excuses not to play or do the things he’s doing now. He keeps fighting back and making plays.”
“I was happy to see him out there getting his courage back, showing that he’s ready again,” Chase added.
As the stats show, Marshall made the most out of his return from injury. For those who with struggle with math, nearly one out of every four receptions Marshall brought in went for a touchdown.