LSU Guard Ed Ingram to Return for 2021 Season

It was the decision that LSU coaches and fans alike were on pins and needles waiting for and on Saturday evening, the answer was extremely positive. Junior guard Ed Ingram announced on Twitter that he’d be returning for the 2021 season to anchor the left side of the offensive line.

The return of of Ingram is the most anticipated and perhaps most meaningful to this point. In addition to Ingram, LSU will see center Liam Shanahan, guard Chasen Hines, defensive lineman Neil Farrell and edge rusher Ali Gaye. 

As a potential mid to late round draft pick, there was plenty of uncertainty centered around his potential return to the program. For Ed Orgeron to get that anchor back to the unit is a tremendous addition and now this offseason will be about further building that chemistry. 

Remember two years ago in 2018, the offensive line was one of the bigger weaknesses on the program but an offseason of development and a truly special offensive season turned Lloyd Cushenberry, Damien Lewis and Saahdiq Charles into high draft picks. That’s obviously the line of thinking here as Shanahan, Ingram and Hines will look to build a similar rapport after a year of inconsistency. 

It should be one of the more veteran units in the SEC next season with Dare Rosenthal also expected to return. Right tackle is still a bit up in the air as the offense will welcome Garrett Dellinger to the group to compete with Marcus Dumervil for snaps. 

“I think you’re gonna be surprised by the retention level that we have,” Orgeron said after the Early Signing Period. “I’ve talked to a lot of guys, now a lot of things can happen, but right now a lot of them are leaning on coming back. I’m recruiting the heck out of the offensive line which would really help us.”