LSU’s 2021 season is still two days away from kickoff, but its kickoff specialist was honored ahead of the UCLA game.
Avery Atkins was awarded the famed No. 18 jersey and will wear it alongside senior linebacker Damone Clark. The 18 is one of LSU’s longest traditions given to the player who, as the football programs puts it “epitomizes what being an LSU football player means.”
Atkins certainly fits that mold. Atkins came to LSU as a preferred walk on and has been handling the kickoff duties since 2018. He was awarded a scholarship prior to the 2019 season and he’s been the greatest kickoff specialist in school history with a program-best 270 kickoffs and 227 touchbacks.