SOUTHEASTERN CONFERENCE FOOTBALL MEDIA DAYS

July 14, 2025

Chris Hilton Jr.

LSU Tigers

Press Conference

THE MODERATOR: We're joined by Chris Hilton.

Q. Chris, we know you dealt with an injury last year, and your career hasn't gone as smooth as you would have liked. What are you most excited about this season, hopefully being able to play a full season fully healthy?

CHRIS HILTON JR: I would say I'm just really excited to see what I could do. Obviously everybody knows that I've been injured in the past, and I plan to keep that in the past. And I don't question what God has planned for me. So whatever he has planned for me moving forward, I have full faith in him.

Q. Can you talk a little about your season, the battle of the Tigers, the battle of Death Valleys, and just a big match-up between two probably top-five teams? What are your thoughts on the way to start the season?

CHRIS HILTON JR: For one, I've never been to Clemson, so I'm excited to play there. I heard the atmosphere is electric. So I can't wait to see that. It should be a good game. I'm pretty sure you all heard the main focus in our building has been win week one, so that's what we're going to try to do.

Q. Coach Kelly talked about this morning, just addressing some of the needs of the wide receiver position, but also still making sure you guys have a lot of veteran support. Can you sort of speak about what you've seen from both of those perspectives?

CHRIS HILTON JR: I would say we became more vocal in our room, like, leadership-wise. You know what I mean? I feel like that's something that we've been missing in that room. That's kind of been like the main focus.

Q. A lot of excitement around Garrett after the season he had last year. What can you say about the offseason he's had, improvements and just the quarterback position this year?

CHRIS HILTON JR: I would say the biggest thing I've seen from him is he took a big step being a leader. Like more of a vocal leader, not just leading the offense, but leading the whole team. The sky's the limit for him. He can do whatever he wants to do, as long as he continues to put the work in.

Q. Ryan mentioned today that Nic kind of got himself into a bit of a car accident. What did you learn about that? And him and Brown, they're newcomers, what's that routine like right now?

CHRIS HILTON JR: I heard about that this morning. I hope he's okay. But adding them to the room is not going to do anything but -- how do I want to say this -- but makes us more dynamic.

Said this in previous interviews, you would think it would cause problems, but it's not because we have so many weapons. Like, you try to put emphasis on one of us, you've still got to worry about two others. If you somehow find a way to guard two of us, you still have a third you've got to worry about.

Q. You're from Zachary. Was LSU always the dream? Are you living your dream right now?

CHRIS HILTON JR: One, I didn't think I would be playing football right now. I thought I would be hooping. But that was short-lived. Growing up, that's when Oregon was good with Marcus Mariota and De'Anthony Thomas and all of them. So I was a fan of them.

But, like I said, staying close to home, that means everything to me because my parents can come to all the games. They're actually here right now. So that means a lot to me.

Q. What is your favorite place? I know your home game's an electric atmosphere. But what's your favorite road-trip venue that you would like to go to to play?

CHRIS HILTON JR: That I would like to go to? Ole Miss. That one is a little personal for me because back in '23, I had the chance to win that game. Didn't work out like that. So that would probably be what I would like to go back to.

Q. Can you preview the rest of the receiver room for us and let us know sort of what else LSU has to offer at receiver?

CHRIS HILTON JR: We're going to be really dynamic, very explosive. Really just that you're going to see a whole bunch of dances, a whole lot of celebrations.

Q. One of the transfers is tight end Donovan Green. I don't know how much you've gotten to know him, but what is he like? And watching him practice, what do you feel he will bring to the team?

CHRIS HILTON JR: I think he's going to be, just like the majority of our tight end room, he's going to be very versatile. He's going to bring a lot to the team. He's going to bring that energy.

Q. You brought it up -- I don't know if we've ever talked to you about it -- but 2023, Ole Miss, you had your hands on the ball. You felt you could have had it. Is that something that motivated you or worked on in your career?

CHRIS HILTON JR: It's definitely something that has been in the back of my mind ever since it happened. I didn't just drop that one; I dropped the one earlier in the game, too.

I don't remember the final score of that game, but I just think if I catch those two, that's a different game. More than likely, that's a different season, you know what I mean? So, I said that's something that's been in the back of my mind for a hot minute.

Q. What can you say about playing for Coach Kelly and anything that might surprise folks about Coach Kelly that they don't get to see that maybe you're familiar with from your time with him?

CHRIS HILTON JR: I would say he wants what's best for his players. That's been his main thing. He wants what's best for us. And he's going to push us to be our best.

The one thing that I don't think people really know about him is he cracks a lot of jokes, like a bunch of them.

Q. What's it like scoring a touchdown in front of the student section, on that end of the field?

CHRIS HILTON JR: I ain't going to lie, that's a different feeling right there. Those are people you go to school with, they see you around campus, you probably know some of them.

Q. Is it louder on that end of the field?

CHRIS HILTON JR: Most definitely, yeah, because I scored mine the opposite end zone, so I didn't get to score in front of the student section.

Q. What's the most important thing you want people to know about you?

CHRIS HILTON JR: That I've had a rough road, you know? Things haven't gone as planned.

I would say one of the best things I did since I've been here was open the bible and just started reading. That's kind of how I got back to myself, which you all saw the last two games. That's the product of God having his hand on me.

Q. This receiver room is loaded. You're like the old man of this room. You're not very outspoken. So how are some other ways you're able to lead if you're not, like, the very talkative person?

CHRIS HILTON JR: I would say just leading by example, letting my work ethic show for itself, and just bringing along the rest of the room with me.