LSU got its first break of the 2019 season when it was announced Friday morning that season opening opponent Georgia Southern has suspended starting quarterback Shai Werts and defensive end Quan Griffin.

GSU coach Chad Lunsford said Werts was arrested Wednesday in South Carolina for speeding and possession of cocaine. Griffin was arrested in Florida in a domestic dispute incident.

Werts, a junior, was second-team All-Sun Belt Conference last season for the 10-3 Eagles. Starting all 13 games, he rushed for 908 yards and 15 touchdowns and passed for 987 yards and 10 touchdowns with no interceptions.

Redshirt junior Griffin played in every game last season and started once. He had 22 tackles, 3 sacks and led the team with 3 forced fumbles.

“In keeping with our student athlete Code of Conduct, Georgia Southern University suspended quarterback Shai Werts and defensive end Anquan Griffin from all football related operations after we received information that the two were involved in separate incidents this (past) week,” Lunsford told the media before his team’s first preseason practice Friday morning.

“The suspensions are in place to protect Shai, Quan and the university.”

Both of Werts’ backups from last season didn’t return for this year. The only QBs now listed behind Werts are 5-11, 175-pound redshirt freshman Justin Tomlin, 6-2, 200-pound sophomore Jaalon Frazier and 6-3, 195-pound true freshman Jaden Jenkins.

Of the three QBs, Tomlin is the only one who has actually taken a snap in a game. He took one snap against Coastal Carolina last year, fumbled it and Coastal Carolina recovered to set up a late TD.

LSU plays Georgia Southern on Aug. 31 in Tiger Stadium.