#30 James Hairston Season 2024

2012 SEC Academic Honor Roll

Strong-legged kicker who is expected to take over as LSU’s primary placekicker in 2013 … Served as the backup on placekicks to departed senior Drew Alleman in 2011 and 2012 … Did win the kickoff duties, a position he has held for the past two years … Member of the SEC Academic Honor Roll in 2012 … Active in many community service projects in the Baton Rouge area … Has seen action in 24 games during his LSU career with 43 touchbacks … Has yet to attempt a placekick for the Tigers.

SOPHOMORE SEASON (2012)
Played in all 13 games for the Tigers … Handled all 79 of LSU’s kickoffs … LSU ranked No. 4 in the SEC in kickoff coverage with an average of 61.3 yards (8-yard line) … Had 27 kicks go for touchbacks and was only whistled for one out-of-bounds kickoff, which came on a squib kick against Ole Miss … Had career best game vs. Idaho with 10 kickoffs for an average of 64.2 yards, which meant return started at 5-yard line.

FRESHMAN SEASON (2011)
Played in 11 games and handled the kickoff duties in those 11 contests … Produced 16 touchbacks on 70 kickoffs with an average of 65.7 yards a kick … His 16 touchbacks were the most in a single season for LSU since Chris Jackson had 24 in 2006 when kickoffs came from the 35-yard line instead of the 30 … Had one of his best games as a Tiger with a career-high five touchbacks on eight kickoffs against Arkansas … His five touchbacks against Arkansas were the most in a game for an LSU kicker since Chris Jackson boomed five touchbacks on eight kickoffs against Arizona on Sept. 9, 2006 … Earned the kickoff duties for the Tigers prior to the game at West Virginia and never relinquished that role.

HIGH SCHOOL
Promising place kicker and punter who comes to LSU after playing at Jesuit College Prep School in Dallas … Rated the sixth-best kicker in the country in the Class of 2011 by kicking guru Chris Sailer … A finalist in the Top 12 national kicking event hosted by Sailer, earning top honors in the kickoff competition … Connected on 6-of-6 field goals with a 46-yard long his junior season and had 22 touchbacks, averaging 60.4 yards on deep kickoffs … Named 2010 UIL 9-5A First-Team kicker, punter and MVP as a senior after connecting on 11-of-16 field goals and 31 of his 33 extra points … Also had 32 touchbacks and averaged 64.2 yards on kickoffs his senior season … Made an impression as a punter with 22 punts for a 44.8-yard average and a long of 68 yards … Member of the 2010 Dallas Morning News Top 100 Area Recruits … Named Jesuit College Prep’s Special Teams MVP his senior season … Coached by Bob Wunderlick.

PERSONAL
Full name is James Christopher Hairston, Jr. … Father is Jim Hairston and the late Cheryl Wilson Hairston … Step-mother is Amanda Turner Hairston … Born March 4, 1993, in Dallas, Texas … Comes from an athletic family – his grandfather played football and ran track at Rice; his uncle played football and baseball at Rice and was later drafted by the New York Yankees; his dad played golf at St. Edward’s and SMU; one sister played soccer at Houston and another at SMU; and him mom played golf at SMU and was part of the 1980 AIAW National Championship team for the Mustangs … Majoring in finance.

CAREER HIGHS
Kickoffs: 10 vs. Idaho, 2012
Kickoff Yards: 642 vs. Idaho, 2012
Kickoff Avg.: 67.3 at Tennessee, 2011
Touchbacks: 5, twice (Last: vs. Washington, 2012; First: vs. Arkansas, 2011)

HAIRSTON’S CAREER KICKOFF STATISTICS