#15 Sage Ryan Season 2023
Enters third season with the Tigers in 2023 … Has shown steady improvement in each of his 2 previous seasons at LSU … Versatile defensive back who can play either safety or the nickel position … Ability to make plays all over the secondary … Ball hawk with a knack for locating the football … Can cover and tackle with equal ability … Also a special teams contributor … 16 career games with 3 starts … 29 tackles … Uncle is former LSU standout linebacker Trev Faulk and is also related (cousin) to former Tiger All-America Kevin Faulk … Older brother Shakeir was a standout at Northwestern State and played three seasons in the CFL … Appeared in 4 games with a pair starts at safety as a true freshman in 2021 … Majoring in sports administration.
REDSHIRT FRESHMAN SEASON (2022)
Played in all 14 games with 1 start coming in win over Ole Miss … Recorded career-best 5 tackles win over the Rebels … Capped season with 23 tackles, 2 fumble recoveries and 2 forced fumbles … Recovered 2 fumbles in home-opener against Southern … Had 4 tackles vs. Tennessee and against Purdue in Citrus Bowl … Forced fumbles against Tennessee and Alabama … Against Auburn, broke up a pass on a 4-and-10 at the LSU 37-yard line in third quarter … LSU responded by scoring TD on next possession, taking the lead for good at 21-17.
FRESHMAN SEASON (2021)
Played in 4 games as a true freshman in 2021 … Battled injuries for most of the year … When healthy, played significant snaps on defense … Started twice – vs. Florida and at Ole Miss … Made collegiate debut at Kentucky … Played well enough to earn start the following week in win over Florida … Fina appearance came against Kansas State in the Texas Bowl, recording 1 tackle … Finished year with 6 tackles and 2 pass breakups … Career-best 3 tackles at Ole Miss.
HIGH SCHOOL
Five-star defensive back and one of the nation’s top defensive backs for the class of 2021 from Lafayette Christian Academy … Electric athlete with natural playmaking abilities in the defensive backfield … Named Mr. Football for the state of Louisiana by the Louisiana Sports Writers Association … Rated as a five-star prospect by 247 Sports and Rivals and a four-star by ESPN … Ranked as the nation’s No. 62 player in the ESPN 300 rankings… Listed as the No. 2 Safety in the country and No. 2 player in the state by 247 Sports… Led his team to back-to-back Division II state titles in 2018 and 2019 … Earned Class 2A All-State honors in 2019 when he recorded 31 tackles and two interceptions on the defensive side of the ball … On offense as a junior, he tallied 37 receptions for 702 yards and eight TDs and added 263 rushing yards and seven TDs … As a senior, rushed for 576 yards and 13 TDs on 57 carries … Caught 18 passes for 297 yards and 3 TDs … Also returned three punts for touchdowns in 2020 … Earned LSWA 2A all state honors as both an athlete and kick returner in 2020 and was named the Class 2A offensive MVP for the state … Named to the Sports Illustrated All-America team and also earned a spot in the All-American Bowl… In four years at Lafayette Christian Academy, helped his team to a combined 48-3 overall record and two four straight state titles (two in Division IV and two in Division III) … Comes from an outstanding football background with LSU ties as his uncle is former Tiger standout linebacker Trev Faulk and his cousin is Kevin Faulk, LSU’s all-time leading rusher.
SAGE RYAN’S CAREER HIGHS
Tackles: 5 vs. Ole Miss, 2022
Tackles for loss: 0
Sacks: 0
Interceptions: 0
Passes Defended: 1, 3x (Last: at Auburn, 2022; First: vs. Florida, 2021)
Fumble Recoveries: 2 vs. Southern, 2022
Forced Fumbles: 1, 2x (Last: vs. Alabama, 2022; First: vs. Tennessee, 2022)