LSUDad Posted February 25, 2021 Share Posted February 25, 2021 Football 2/24/2021 4:28:00 PM Michael Bonnette (@LSUBonnette) Football Announces Spring Dates; Spring Game on April 17 Story Links BATON ROUGE – LSU opens spring practice on Tuesday, March 16 in the first of what will be 15 practices over a five week span for the Tigers. LSU will close out the spring with the National L Club Spring Game on Saturday, April 17. Kickoff time and further details about the spring game will be released in the coming weeks. LSU, under sixth-year coach Ed Orgeron, return 33 players who started at least one game in 2020. The Tigers closed out the 2020 season with back-to-back wins over No. 7 Florida and Ole Miss to finish 5-5 overall. Among LSU's returning offensive starters include record-setting wide receiver Kayshon Boutte and All-America candidate offensive lineman Ed Ingram. Boutte se the SEC record for receiving yards in a game with 308 and three TDs on 14 catches in the season-finale against Ole Miss. ?Defensively, LSU returns arguably the top two cornerbacks in college football in Derek Stingley Jr. and Eli Ricks. Stingley, a two-time first team All-America, and Ricks, a freshman All-America in 2020, have combined for 10 interceptions. In addition, LSU's entire defensive line from 2020 returns intact, a group that includes Ali Gaye, who ranked No. 6 in the SEC in tackles for loss with 9.5 a year ago, along with Andre Anthony, who led the Tigers and finished ninth in the SEC in sacks with 5.5. Other key dates for the Tigers in the spring include the school's annual Pro Day on March 31 and the National L Club Spring Game on April 17. 2021 LSU Spring Practice Dates Week 1: March 16, 18, 20 Week 2: March 23, 25, 27 Week 3: March 30, April 1 Week 4: April 6, 8, 10 Week 5: April 13, 15, 16, 17 Pro Day: March 31 Spring Game: April 17 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hatchertiger Posted February 25, 2021 Share Posted February 25, 2021 Sure hope the spring game is televised. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LSUDad Posted February 27, 2021 Author Share Posted February 27, 2021 Leadership time! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LSUDad Posted March 3, 2021 Author Share Posted March 3, 2021 On 2/27/2021 at 12:01 AM, LSUDad said: Leadership time! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hatchertiger Posted March 3, 2021 Share Posted March 3, 2021 Myles looks like he hasn't been missing any meals! 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
houtiger Posted March 3, 2021 Share Posted March 3, 2021 5 hours ago, Hatchertiger said: Myles looks like he hasn't been missing any meals! He's sure not that skinny kid who showed up 4 years ago. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LSUDad Posted March 4, 2021 Author Share Posted March 4, 2021 4 hours ago, houtiger said: He's sure not that skinny kid who showed up 4 years ago. Really ! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LSUDad Posted March 5, 2021 Author Share Posted March 5, 2021 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LSUDad Posted March 12, 2021 Author Share Posted March 12, 2021 LSU starting LB Micah Baskerville no longer with team, will not participate in spring practice By Brody Miller Mar 11, 2021 3 BATON ROUGE, La. — Starting LSUlinebacker Micah Baskerville is not with the football program this spring and is not currently enrolled in school, an LSU spokesperson confirmed to The Athletic. The possibility remains he could return to the team by the fall — and he is not in the NCAA transfer portal — but he is not training with the team during its winter “Fourth Quarter” program and won’t take part in spring practice. A source confirmed that the absence is due to an academic issue. LSU safety 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
houtiger Posted March 13, 2021 Share Posted March 13, 2021 We need Baskerville back, real bad. Sorry to hear that. I didn't like to lose Hampton at safety, but I would give him up to get Baskerville back. I don' know, to me, it sounds like he can fix things and get back. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LSUDad Posted March 15, 2021 Author Share Posted March 15, 2021 LSU starts spring football on Tuesday; what are the main questions heading into practice? BY BROOKS KUBENA | STAFF WRITER MAR 13, 2021 - 4:00 AM Buy Now LSU quarterback Myles Brennan (15) drops back before the pass in the first half against Missouri, Saturday, October 10, 2020, at Faurot Field in Columbia, Mo. STAFF PHOTO BY HILARY SCHEINUK Brooks Kubena The theme for LSU's future on the football field was unintentionally reinforced at the school's annual Coaches Caravan fundraising event Wednesday night when new defensive coordinator Daronte Jones talked about how his five-year experience as an NFL assistant coach prepared him for the job he has now. Offensive concepts in the NFL and NCAA are becoming so similar, Jones said, that "before you know it, you won't be able to tell the difference." The separate levels of the game have swapped philosophies in the arms race of football supremacy, and LSU has made moves to get back on the cutting edge in more ways than one. LSU regressed in its dismal 5-5 season during a pandemic-ridden 2020 campaign in which the Tigers had plenty of problems on and off the field. The university is still dealing with the fallout of the Husch Blackwell report into the school's mishandling of sexual misconduct cases — which led to the temporary suspensions of two high profile athletic officials — and an NCAA infractions case that has already resulted in a self-imposed bowl ban and scholarship reductions for the football program is still being reviewed by an independent committee. Meanwhile, LSU coach Ed Orgeron is attempting to reclaim the historic success the team had in its 2019 national championship run by almost completely restocking his coaching staff with young, innovative assistants who can improve the offensive and defensive systems for the over 30 returning players who've started in games. Four of the five assistant coach hires have NFL experience, and, along with the talent additions in another Top 5 recruiting class, they're supporting Orgeron under the pressure of proving last year's problems were one-year mistakes. "We're on an upward trend right now," Orgeron said Wednesday night. Spring football practice begins Tuesday — a year after the initial wave of the coronavirus pandemic halted LSU's spring two practices in — and we'll take a dive into answering the most pressing questions entering 2021. 1. How healthy is Myles Brennan? And is he the starter? Brennan was QB1 entering the 2020 season, and LSU's offensive productivity took a dive when he suffered a season-ending abdominal injury in the third game against Missouri. Orgeron said Wednesday that Brennan is "healthy" and has earned an "elite" grade in at least thee of the four of the workouts LSU's had in its Fourth Quarter program leading up to spring ball. He's made multiple cameos in the school's official social media posts — including a home-run derby in Tiger Stadium (which takes some ab strength) — and word is he's been fully cleared for football activity. There's still plenty of competition around him, and Orgeron, like many coaches, doesn't often declare a quarterback battle completely won (although he said Wednesday Brennan was "leading the pack"). Returning freshmen TJ Finley and Max Johnson both showed promise last season, and Johnson was exponentially impressive while leading game-winning drives against Florida and Ole Miss in the final two games. New offensive coordinator Jake Peetz lauded the quarterback depth at LSU, which also just signed early enrollee Garrett Nussmeier, a four-star prospect and son of Dallas Cowboys quarterbacks coach Doug Nussmeier. There are expectations to build on the legacy of LSU's 2019 Heisman Trophy winner. "We want to make this Quarterback University," Peetz said Wednesday. "Joe Burrow set the bar very high." 1a. Will the defense improve? This was a constant question in 2020, one that was all but certainly asked in much harsher tones by fans in their private circles. LSU recorded its historic lows in scoring defense and total defense last year, and the constant mistakes that produced those results ultimately led to the end of the one-year tenure of Bo Pelini, whom LSU paid $4 million not to return as defensive coordinator. In full, cornerbacks coach Corey Raymond is the only returning defensive staff member from last season. Orgeron hired former Miami defensive coordinator Blake Baker as linebackers coach, plus 13-year NFL veteran Andre Carter to coach the defensive line. There are those who may doubt Daronte Jones because he wasn't LSU's first choice. The monthlong search for LSU's next defensive coordinator played out publicly, with initial candidate Marcus Freeman choosing Notre Dame and the New Orleans Saints hanging on to Ryan Nielsen over a technicality in contract language. But Orgeron affirmed Wednesday Jones is the kind of coach LSU's struggling defense needs, particularly because of his expertise as a defensive backs coach. Orgeron noted Jones spent last season coaching the secondary with the Minnesota Vikings under head coach Mike Zimmer, whom Orgeron called the "best defensive backfield coach in all of football." LSU's most glaring defensive issues last year were in the secondary. Blown coverages and miscommunication happened often as a unit that prides in calling itself "DBU" ranked last in the Football Bowl Subdivision in passing defense. "Communication" was a buzz word in Jones' introductory news conference, when the 41-year-old explained his vision for a multiple, attacking defense that uses concepts he's tailored in shop talks with former LSU defensive coordinator Dave Aranda. And there's an abundance of talent in the secondary, even though two-sport athlete Maurice Hampton entered the transfer portal Thursday. Derek Stingley and Eli Ricks, both named to All-American teams in the past two seasons, return at cornerback, and a rotation that often used three more defensive backs returns veterans with starting experience (Todd Harris and Cameron Lewis) as well as younger talent that saw significant playing time in 2020 (Jay Ward, Cordale Flott, Jordan Toles). Orgeron also invested heavily in signing safeties in last year's recruiting cycle, and LSU signed three prospects, including Top 100 overall recruits in Sage Ryan and Derrick Davis Jr. "The room is deep," Jones said. Linebacker just may be the most interesting position battle to watch in the spring. Gone to the NFL draft is Jabril Cox, the North Dakota State graduate transfer who was the unit's most consistent playmaker in 2020, and Micah Baskerville, who started in seven games last year, is sitting out the spring while focusing on academics. Damone Clark was shaky in his junior season, but, after showing improvements toward the end of the year, coaches have expressed confidence that he can still be a starter. He'll have to compete with incoming junior college transfer Navonteque Strong, who enrolled this spring, plus Clemson transfer Mike Jones Jr. Alignment and communication were common errors in 2020, and Baker said Wednesday that his message to the linebackers during the spring has been "don't be afraid to make a mistake." He's told them to go full speed, and if they mess up, they'll correct it on film. The defensive line returned every starter from last season, and Orgeron has called defensive ends Ali Gaye, Andre Anthony and BJ Ojulari among the best in the Southeastern Conference. Adding five-star defensive tackle Maason Smith bolsters an already deep defensive line. 2. Can the offense be as productive as the "Joe Brady" offense? LSU's 2019 offense was a once-in-a-generation unit that had all of the right pieces in all of that right places all in the right moment. The results were historic. Former passing game coordinator Joe Brady, who won the Broyles Award for nation's top assistant coach that year, was a key enough innovator in that offense that Orgeron hired away Brady's quarterbacks coach, Jake Peetz, and offensive assistant, DJ Mangas, from the Carolina Panthers to try and build the same offense again. There's plenty of talent. Brennan. All five returning starting offensive linemen. A deep and young wide receiver corps led by Kayshon Boutte, who, as a freshman, set an SEC single-game record with 308 yards receiving against Ole Miss. A full running back stable with veterans Ty Davis-Price, John Emery, two promising young players and a pair of incoming four-star recruits. Tight end lost firepower with the transfer of five-star Arik Gilbert, but Mangas said Sunday that Kole Taylor "shows a lot of promise" and just needs to fill in his 6-foot-7 frame. It'll all be about matchups for this offense. Peetz said they're really looking to put their best five skill players on the field, and they can arrange them in an array of personnel packages — something they did often in Carolina. The mix-and-match problem solving will aim to fix the third-down and goal line issues the team faced in 2020. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hatchertiger Posted March 15, 2021 Share Posted March 15, 2021 Not sure why O won't directly address Brennan's injury / recovery. I am assuming he has fully healed but by saying he is "healthy" and working out "elite" leaves the water a bit muddy. Even if you don't want to disclose the exact injury simply state that he is 100% and ready to roll. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LSUDad Posted March 16, 2021 Author Share Posted March 16, 2021 O talking Spring start... https://1045espn.com/ed-orgeron-previews-the-first-practice-of-spring/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LSUDad Posted March 17, 2021 Author Share Posted March 17, 2021 Star cornerback Eli Ricks will most likely most of spring football practicedue to an injury, LSU coach Ed Orgeron said Tuesday, although the returning starter may return near the end of spring. The 6-foot-2, 196-pound sophomore was one of the few bright spots in a porous secondary during the 2020 season Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
houtiger Posted March 18, 2021 Share Posted March 18, 2021 Myles Brennan talks about his injury: 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
houtiger Posted March 19, 2021 Share Posted March 19, 2021 I was looking at the numbers assigned to freshmen and saw this: 40, DL Landon Jackson (6-6, 259) I think Jackson is a DE. I also think our DE's were on the small side last year. I think the transition from 3 - 4 to 4 - 3, we didn't have 4 -3 DE's that are bigger than outside LB and fast enough to create a pass rush. We went with the fast guys to rush the passer, but sometimes they were not strong enough to set the edge of the line and stop runs around the end. When Tyson Jackson left in 2008, he was 6-4 and 290 as a DE, taken #3 overall in the draft. He played 8 years in the NFL, KC and Atlanta. Landon Jackson will add some weight, and would be in the mold of a BIG DE. O has mentioned him, so he's showing something in spring practice. He's tall, would not be surprised to see him weigh 280 in a couple of years. I'm sure he can go higher on fried chicken and gumbo, but they probably don't want him too big. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LSUDad Posted March 24, 2021 Author Share Posted March 24, 2021 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LSUDad Posted March 24, 2021 Author Share Posted March 24, 2021 Spring Football Practice No. 4 News and Notes 2 Y’all got any running backs? By Zach Junda@ZacharyJunda Mar 24, 2021, 9:00am CDT Apologies for not having something up from the third practice, basketball’s run in Indianapolis took up all of my focus. Anyway, the football team took to the practice field for the fourth time this spring and the Tigers are just a little banged up at the running back position. Tyrion Davis-Price got banged up during Thursday’s scrimmage as did Josh Williams. John Emery, wearing a non-contact jersey, wouldn’t be able to participate so LSU only had one healthy running back—who Orgeron didn’t name, so I’m assuming it was Tre Bradford— and he had, wait for it...39 (!!!) carries. So Orgeron and the coaching staff turned to Jontre Kirklin, Koy Moore, and Trey Palmer to take some toss plays and “they did pretty well,” per Orgeron. Freshman safety Derrick Davis Jr. was also asked to play running back Tuesday and gave it a shot. “That was a teachable moment,” Orgeron said. “We’re on the football field we gotta have the goal of next man up, you can never tell when your time is gonna come. It showed me a lot of unselfishness, I think our team is more together this year.” Orgeron then elaborated on some of the positions battles he’ll have his eye on these remaining 10 practices, specifically wide receiver, running back, linebacker and safety. “We gotta find a tight end,” Orgeron said. “They blocked better today but we’re still not where we need to be. We gotta find some guys that are gonna catch the football and make plays.” Speaking of linebacker and safety, Orgeron said that Navonteque Strong is impressing and Jay Ward may have to move deep, meaning Cordale Flott would be the slot corner. Orgeron and that he feels the defensive line goes eight-deep and he “could see” Maason Smith emerging as a starter, and at the very worst in the rotation. Orgeron capped his interview by saying how he can tell there’s already a change with this group as opposed to last year. He joked he won’t compare this group to last group, saying he learned his lesson from last year, but Orgeron simply had this to say. “I can already see a difference in this team as far as execution and practice wise as opposed to last year. We’re practicing better with more energy.” 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
houtiger Posted March 24, 2021 Share Posted March 24, 2021 O is hesitant to make the kind of statement we heard last year in fall camp, how the defense looked right up there with the 2019 version, then we saw it in the game and it was awful in the secondary. They improved through the season, but never got as good as the 2019 version, so O is left with a credibility problem. People must have asked him about it all year, so he's not saying anything. My opinion, O was trying to support his then new DC, Pelini, and motivate his players. To be great, you have to believe in yourselves. I think O is a good motivator. But at some point, you have to be honest. It sounds like they are doing things different this year, I hope the changes pay off and we see a better defense on the field this year. I think we can find 3 starters at linebacker, but I'm concerned about depth there, and the same at safety. It sounds like the d-line will be good, and deep. Derrick Davis (#2 safety recruit behind Sage Ryan) is in camp for spring. I wonder if he starts the first game? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hatchertiger Posted March 25, 2021 Share Posted March 25, 2021 23 hours ago, houtiger said: Derrick Davis (#2 safety recruit behind Sage Ryan) is in camp for spring. I wonder if he starts the first game? Because of his leadership and experience I read that O said Todd Harris will start at one of the safety spots and that he will help line everybody else up. Other spot is up for grabs. Because of depth O also said a corner may likely move to safety and he mentioned Jay Ward as a candidate. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LSUDad Posted March 26, 2021 Author Share Posted March 26, 2021 Q and A: Shanahan on returning in 2021, the QB battle and more BySHEA DIXON Mar 22, 8:06 AM Share7 Comments There were double-digit draft-eligible players on LSU's roster who pressed pause on a potential NFL future to return to Baton Rouge and spend one more season in college. For LSU center Liam Shanahan, his decision to come back was one of five along the offensive line - with all five starters announcing in January that they planned to be back in purple-and-gold for the 2021 season. As spring ball kicks off, we sat down with Shanahan for his thoughts on that decision, the mentality of this year's roster, the return of Myles Brennan and more. Here are his answers from the interview session with local media. On the decision to return for another season in 2021... "Really, that is what this time of year is about. It’s about building our team. Who are we going to be as a team? Throughout spring practices we have coming up, we have to decide what type of team we want to be. Are we going to be a physical, hard-working team that has bought in? Everything I have seen so far since we came back, we went to workouts and fourth quarter, and the mindset has been awesome. Guys are really stepping up and rising to the challenge. Hopefully we can keep doing that through spring ball." On the arrival of Jake Peetz as offensive coordinator... "It’s been awesome having Coach Peetz in here, and everyone else knew on staff. I felt like in part, they have brought a new feeling of energy that we have had the past couple months. It is refreshing having a new guy at OC. And I am excited to get back on the field and keep trying to put it together. We are going to be getting better every day." On Myles Brennan's return to the practice field following the season-ending injury... "It’s awesome to have Myles back. He is certainly one of the key leaders not only on offense, but the whole team. Guys look up to him across the board, in the quarterback room and the team. Obviously there is a wide open quarterback competition right now. It’s going to be tough for whoever wins the job, because there are four good players in there competing for it. I am just happy for Myles that he is back healthy and getting a chance to perform." On the mentality of the guys who decided to come back despite being seniors already... "We have a lot of older guys coming back this year, especially on the offensive line and defensive line. We know last year, by no means, was what LSU football is about with a 5-5 record and what not. Most of the guys decided to come back for another year, and we didn’t come back to go through the motions and mess around. We are trying to attack every day and be the best football team we can be." On handing the role of a center during a quarterback competition... "I talk with all four of the guys and get extra snaps with all four of them. It’s really just an open competition. I feel like you don’t have to do too much to get those guys ready to go and excited every day, because they know what they are working towards and what is at stake with the quarterback job." On the NCAA Transfer Portal and what it means for college football's future... "For me, I am still so grateful to have the opportunity to be here coming from Harvard. I have really enjoyed it. I think grad transfers is a good thing for college football. LSU, for example, guys leave early for the NFL and holes are in the roster at certain positions, and they have the opportunity to go find a more experienced person who can emerge as a leader or veteran presence on the team, and I think that is good for college football." 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
houtiger Posted March 27, 2021 Share Posted March 27, 2021 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LSUDad Posted March 27, 2021 Author Share Posted March 27, 2021 Quarterback battle continues, safety position 'wide open' at LSU Crissy Froyd March 24, 2021 12:25 pm ADVERTISEMENT LSU product is the NFL's most efficient wide receiver LSU football is seeking to return to its former glory after finishing with an underwhelming 5-5 record while coming off a 5-5 season. Sophomore Max Johnson continues to take first-team snaps at quarterback after he finished the 2020 season with an upset victory over Florida and an impressive home win over Ole Miss to cap off the season with a personal 2-0 record. Early enrollee freshman Garrett Nussmeier, sophomore TJ Finley and senior Myles Brennan continue to split equal reps with Johnson. Though Brennan opened last season as the starter before he was sidelined by a lower-body injury early in the season against Missouri, he’s far from the surefire guy to take the reins. Orgeron made clear this week that it’s anyone’s game. “All of them are competing right now,” Orgeron said. “All of them are getting equal reps. We’ve only practiced four times. This is going to be an ongoing thing. We’ve got to let it go throughout camp. All our guys are doing well right now.” The safety position is just as “wide open,” according to Orgeron. Junior Jay Ward could move over to safety to compete for a place after spending some time at nickel safety last season. Junior CorDale Flott also played some at that position, and Orgeron described him as “pretty solid” there. LSU has reason to be confident in its offensive line after returning every starter from the unit, and it seems unlikely that lineup will change moving into the season. Linebacker will be one of the most intriguing positions to watch of them all with JUCO transfer Navonteque “Bugg” Strong, returning senior Damone Clark, Micah Baskerville and Clemson transfer Mike Jones Jr. all in the mix. Where the defensive line is concerned, LSU lacks no depth, with Orgeron saying he has between six and eight guys who can play in rotation. It will be interesting to see how things continue to shake out for the Tigers during spring practice, but it’s clear that there will be some major changes from last year as LSU looks to go full spread on offense and continue improvement within the defense. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
houtiger Posted March 28, 2021 Share Posted March 28, 2021 (edited) Last year our linebacker play was sub-par. Jabril Cox has moved on and needs to be replaced, but we bring back some needed experience. I think Damone Clark was a disappointment last year, after he played a lot and helped out in 2019. For the team to get better, some of those players we thought should have contributed more last year, they are going to have to improve a lot for this team to improve. So, I was interested in this interview with Clark, and I consider it to be one of the most important of the player interviews. Improvement from him could really help. In order for him to improve, we need to get better coaching from the new LB coach, Blake Baker. It's all in this interview. Damn fine interview, I like this guy. He's humble, and motivated. Edited March 28, 2021 by houtiger Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LSUDad Posted March 29, 2021 Author Share Posted March 29, 2021 Football Spring Game Kickoff at Noon on SEC Network+ Story Links BATON ROUGE – LSU's National L Club Spring Game presented by Tony Chachere's will kickoff at noon CT at Saturday, April 17, in Tiger Stadium. The game will be streamed on the SEC Network+ as well as being broadcast on the LSU Sports Radio Network and on the internet at www.LSUsports.net. Details in regards to stadium protocols and pre-game activities will be announced in the near future. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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