After Week 8, LSU’s offense doesn’t look like a threat. The Tigers are averaging just 25.6 points per game in SEC play and have crossed the 24-point mark just once, a 56–10 win over Southeastern Louisiana. Saturday’s 31–24 stumble at Vanderbilt was another gut punch, leaving the Tigers with their second loss and plenty of questions. But there’s one Tiger Mike Elko and Texas A&M better not overlook this week. A 6’7” matchup nightmare who’s quietly becoming the heartbeat of Brian Kelly’s sputtering offense. And he’s not playing for stats. He’s playing for someone special.

On October 21, LSU Football dropped an X reel that gave fans a peek into the “why” behind one of its brightest rising stars. The camera found a soft-spoken giant, TE Trey’Dez Green, talking about the real motivation driving him this season – his family, specifically his six-month-old daughter. “I’m just so family-driven so that’s what makes me, me,” he said.

“Because they’ve been supporting me since I was like five, six years old playing basketball. So I got something that I have to play for and it’s my family.” Then he introduced his six-month-old baby girl, born on March 21, 2025, at 10:41 p.m.

“Her name is Rain Cherry Green and I love her so much. She’s so amazing,” he said. “She has the biggest smile in the world and she’s going to be tall. She’s going to dunk. It honestly makes me go harder.” That’s not just talk. Since returning from an MCL injury, he’s been playing like a man on a mission.

Despite LSU’s struggles, Trey’Dez Green’s production is impossible to ignore. Against Vanderbilt, he reeled in five catches for 74 yards, following up an eight-catch, 119-yard, one-touchdown day against South Carolina. Over the last two weeks, he’s been the most productive TE in the nation with 13 receptions, 193 yards, and two touchdowns – more yards than any other TE in that span.

In just three games, he’s hauled in 15 catches for 210 yards and three scores, finding the end zone every time he’s suited up. For a player who missed four games after the season opener, that’s unrivaled efficiency. LSU is feeding a 6’7” hybrid weapon who was once a five-star hoops prospect. Even HC Brian Kelly puts his trust in him beyond the flashy highlights. Trey’Dez Green logged a season-high 13 run-blocking snaps versus Vanderbilt, a clear sign of his growth in the trenches.

LSU’s offense looks more balanced with him on the field, and at this point, he’s simply too valuable to take off it. With LSU reeling and Texas A&M riding high, all eyes turn to Saturday night in Baton Rouge.

Can LSU’s family-driven giant flip the script vs Texas A&M?

Texas A&M isn’t Alabama, Georgia, or Tennessee, but right now, they’re better. The No. 3 Aggies are unbeaten at 7–0, co-leading the SEC with Alabama. LSU, meanwhile, has slipped to 5–2, losing two of its last three and watching its College Football Playoff hopes fade. Brian Kelly knows the noise is growing louder. “I understand everybody’s angst,” he said. “We’ve put in so much preparation time and to not come through in those situations, the guys are angry and they’re frustrated.” Could Ohio State’s “pissed off” mentality work for them?

“Some (fans) are saying that I’m not getting it done now,” Brian Kelly added, aware of how hot his seat is getting. “I get that. We are working hard every single day to get our football team better… We haven’t played that complementary football where both sides are hitting on all cylinders.”

But maybe that spark doesn’t come from a coach’s meeting or a scheme tweak. Perhaps it comes from a 6-foot-7 father playing for something deeper, something you can’t measure in yards or touchdowns.

Rain Cherry Green probably won’t understand what her dad does on Saturday night in Tiger Stadium. But she’s already the reason he’s rewriting his story.