20 Minutes and Out: A glimpse of LSU preseason practice No. 12

Under dark, threatening skies, LSU conducted preseason practice No. 12 Thursday and welcomed back a key player.

After missing almost a week with an undisclosed injury, redshirt sophomore outside linebacker K’Lavon Chaisson returned to action. He participated in all the defensive line drills during the 20-minute media window.

Elsewhere on and off the field:

1. Yet to arrive in Baton Rouge is Bill Johnson, hired as the Tigers’ defensive line coach earlier Thursday.

After D-line coach Dennis Johnson tore both patella tendons while playing basketball in July, Orgeron decided to have himself and defensive analyst Kenechi Udeze coach the line with help from graduate assistant Christian LaCouture.

Now, Orgeron has reversed field again and decided to make Udeze and Dennis Johnson analysts, and signed NFL veteran assistant Bill Johnson to a one-year deal.

Since Bill Johnson isn’t in town yet, Orgeron and Udeze coached the D-line Thursday.

2. Freshman offensive guard Kardell Thomas underwent ankle surgery for an injury he sustained in Wednesday’s practice. He’ll be sidelined for two months.

3. The Tigers are still missing guards Chasen Hines and Damien Lewis, out with what Oregeon calls minor injuries. The absence of Thomas, Hines and Lewis had led to some reshuffling.

Adrian Magee appears to have locked down a spot as the starting left guard. Donavaughn Campbell is working as the starting right guard.

4. The return of Chaisson was a welcome sight, even if he was bit winded at times. After he sustained a season-ending knee injury in LSU’s season-opening win over Miami, the Tigers’ pass rush was never the same all season.