LSU transfers making return to Baton Rouge

BATON ROUGE — The last time Arkansas played at LSU in 2021 and beat the Tigers 16-13 in overtime, Landon Jackson and Dwight “Nudie” McGlothern were with the home team.

Jackson, a junior defensive end and team captain, and McGlothern, a senior cornerback, began their college careers at LSU before transferring to Arkansas last year. They’ll be on the visiting team when the Razorbacks play No. 12 LSU at 6 tonight in Tiger Stadium.

“Nudie, he talks a little bit more than Landon,” Razorbacks Coach Sam Pittman said. “Landon doesn’t say anything hardly. He doesn’t talk a whole lot.

“But I think that they are excited to get back. Any time you leave a team, you want to play well against that team. You just do. Not necessarily that you didn’t like the team or anything like that, you just do. You want to perform well and I’m sure they want to play well.”

Jackson, from Texarkana, Texas, was limited to five games at LSU as a freshman due to a knee injury and played on special teams. Among the games he missed was against Arkansas.

Last season, Jackson had 23 tackles in 13 games, including 7 starts. He has started every game this season. One of his three sacks last season came in LSU’s 13-10 victory at Reynolds Razorback Stadium.

Jackson had 4 tackles with 3 for losses totaling 13 yards in BYU’s 38-31 win at Arkansas last week and in the postgame press conference he was asked about playing at LSU.

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“Man, go into it like it’s any other game,” Jackson said. “I can’t make it bigger than what it is.

“They’re an SEC opponent. We’ve got to go in there, shut them down defensively, and then put points up on the board.”

McGlothern had an interception in the opener against Western Carolina, but then played only the first snap against Kent State due to a turf toe injury.

Against BYU, McGothern got 34 plays off the bench. He forced a fumble that was recovered by safety Hudson Clark and had three tackles.

McGlothern could be back in the starting lineup tonight.

“I think he’s finally healthy now,” Pittman said. ‘But I’ve liked the way he’s played this year. He seems to be around the football. He seems to be able to make big plays.

“That turf toe has just hurt his progress this year. But I feel like he’s about as close to 100% as he’s been this season.”

Arkansas safety Al Walcott said he’s sure McGlothern is looking forward to playing back in Tiger Stadium.

“I mean, Nudie is going to be Nudie at the end of the day,” Walcott said. “He’s going to ball regardless of wherever it’s at. I’m sure he’s excited, though.”

McGlothern, who is from Houston, started every game last season and had 4 interceptions with 52 tackles and earned All-SEC honors. He played 16 games with 6 starts in two seasons at LSU. In two games against Arkansas, he played off the bench and combined for six tackles. He had two tackles against LSU last season.

“Nudie’s done a nice job,” Pittman said. “There was a need here, big-time need. He needed to step up and play immediately when he came in.”

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McGlothern has career totals of 5 interceptions, 4 forced fumbles and 97 tackles.

“Nudie’s very smart,” said Alcott, a senior transfer from Baylor. “He has a really good football IQ, and he pretty much knows what’s coming before the play.”

Jackson has 10 tackles, including 6 for losses of 42 yards.

“Landon was hurt most of the time over at LSU and now I think the way he’s playing [is] the reason that LSU recruited him in the first place,” Pittman said. “He’s had some big moments. He’s been probably as consistent as any defensive lineman we’ve had.”

Jackson has two sacks, one against Kent State that resulted in an intentional grounding call

“I’m sure he’d like to get after the quarterback a little bit more,” Pittman said. “We’d like for him to get after the quarterback a little bit more, and I think he will as the season continues.

“But he’s had a really good start to this year. He’s playing a lot faster, a lot bigger than what he was last year. And by bigger, I mean he’s harder to block.”

Senior defensive end Trajan Jeffcoat, a transfer from Missouri, also is a team captain.

“Landon is a very, very, very, good player,” Jeffcoat said. “Very strong, very stout. He can move. Fluid hips.

“Everybody respects him. When everybody respects you in the room, that shows how great of an athlete you are and how good of a person you are.”

Jackson and McGlothern never have spoken negatively about their time at LSU.

“I think kids just need a different feel at times and it works out a lot of times,” Pittman said of transfers. “Sometimes it doesn’t, but for those two guys, it worked out for us.”