LSU's Charles Turner Named Outland Trophy National Player Of The Week

BATON ROUGE – LSU center Charles Turner has been named the Outland Trophy National Player of the Week after his dominating performance in the 48-18 win over Auburn on Saturday in Tiger Stadium.

For the first time, the FWAA is selecting an Outland Trophy National Player of the Week as part of the NCFAA's weekly national honors from 12 awards. The recipient of the 2023 Outland Trophy will be announced on The Home Depot College Football Awards, live on ESPN on Dec. 7 or 8. The official presentation to the winner will be made at the Outland Trophy Awards Dinner sponsored by Werner Enterprises and produced by the Greater Omaha Sports Committee in Omaha, Neb., on Jan. 11, 2024.

Turner’s play helped the Tigers churn out 563 total yards, including 243 on the ground, as LSU posted its second-largest margin of victory over Auburn in the 58-game series between the teams.

The 563 yards of offense marked the sixth straight time LSU has topped the 500-yard mark, the longest streak in school history.

Turner was LSU’s highest-graded offensive linemen as the Tigers averaged 6.1 yards per carry and had no negative rushing yards on designed run plays. LSU has now rushed for 200 or more yards in three straight games – 223 vs. Ole Miss, 274 vs. Missouri, and 238 vs. Auburn – and the Tigers rank No. 2 in the SEC and No. 10 nationally with 214.6 yards per game.

LSU’s offense ranks among the Top 10 in the country in six categories – No.2 in total offense (550.4), first downs (27.7), and 3rd-down conversions (57.5 pct.), No. 3 in scoring (45.3), No. 4 pass efficiency (188.0 rating), and No. 7 in passing (337.7).

Leading 20-7 at halftime, LSU scored touchdowns on all four of its second half possessions to beat Auburn for the second straight year and the fifth time in the past seven seasons.

Individually, Logan Diggs led the Tigers with 97 yards and a TD on 18 carries, while quarterback Jayden Daniels rushed for 90 yards and threw for another 325 yards and three scores. It was his fourth game of 400-plus yards of total offense in 2023.

The Outland Trophy, celebrating 78 years since its founding, is the third-oldest major college football award. Created in 1946 when Dr. John Outland presented the FWAA with a financial contribution to initiate the award, the Outland Trophy has been given to the best interior lineman in college football ever since. Dr. Outland, an All-American at the University of Pennsylvania in the late 1890s, eventually took up practice in Kansas City, Mo. An avid outdoorsman, Dr. Outland believed linemen did not get the credit they deserved and wanted an award to recognize them

LSU has had one Outland Trophy winner as Glenn Dorsey won the award in 2007.

Turner and the Tigers return to action on Saturday, hosting Army at 6:30 p.m. on the SEC Network.

(Release via LSU Athletics)