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LSU Spring Practice BIG CAT DRILL - March 19
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LSU Spring Practice 2013 - March 19
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LSU Spring Football Practice Report (3.19)
News, notes and observations from Monday’s practice
By LUKE JOHNSON Tiger Rag Assistant Editor
Monday served as the start of week two for the LSU offense under Cam Cameron and not much had changed from the first few practices - the pace was demanding and senior quarterback Zach Mettenberger matched it.
Mettenberger stood head and shoulders above the rest of the quarterbacks. Obviously he’s got more game experience than the rest of the group combined, but it looks as though he’s making a seamless transition to new offensive coordinator Cam Cameron’s style.
Though he didn’t have a defense going against him, Mettenberger showed touch on his deep balls and zip on his underneath passes.
After one expertly-thrown slant pattern - a route that had the other signal callers trouble meeting Cameron’s expectations - Cameron barked to Mettenberger, “That’s how you throw a slant!”
It’s a small sample size, but Mettenberger has the look of someone who’s ready to step up in his last season at the helm of the LSU offense.
The only time Mettenberger didn’t stand out among the crop of quarterbacks was when using his legs.
The quarterbacks worked with LSU’s corps of running backs at the beginning of practice, perfecting their timing on hand offs.
Cameron is obviously putting his own stamp on the offense, but not everything will look different. He still had quarterbacks practicing the option out of the pistol formation. Not surprisingly, freshman Anthony Jennings looked the most comfortable running the option.
Elliot Porter active
Junior center Elliott Porter was on the practice field for the first time this spring, and participated fully in all the drills with the rest of the offensive linemen.
Porter had missed LSU’s previous spring practices with an undisclosed injury.
Quotable
“Who in the hell are all these guys in sundresses? This is a football practice.” - LSU coach Les Miles, to nobody in particular, about the reporters in attendance. (None of which were wearing dresses)
Odds and Ends
Senior wideout Kadron Boone dropped a perfectly thrown pass by Mettenberger on a slant route … Junior quarterback Stephen Rivers still looked a little shaky delivering the ball to the receivers, but he threw a couple strikes toward the end of the portion open to the media … The skill position players rotated through a pass-catching gauntlet for the last segment open to the media. The players worked on catching the ball in traffic, adjusting to poorly thrown balls, catching the ball at its highest point and catching the ball on the sidelines.
Defense
Warm day out on the Ponderosa, and we were able to take in about 20 minutes of practice. The Tigers were in full pads and kicked things off with the Big Cat. KTown got video of that and will post it shortly. Here are some highlights:
DJ Welter really hit Dillon Gordon. Armand Williams popped Jerqwinick Sandolph. Jeremy Hill and Lorenzo Phillips had a nice collision. As did Corey Thompson and John Diarse, that’s are a pair of strong young men.
I watched the defense while Luke Johnson focused more on the offense. He’ll have that report later.
I took a good look at the defensive line in the early going. I thought Jordan Allen was moving well, albeit in a green jersey. He’s nearly back from that knee injury in terms of mobility. I think the strength will be the last to come, and he likely won’t get that until the spring is over.
Ronnie Feist was still working with the DEs, but I think that may be a bodies issue moreso than a position switch. Time will tell.
Danielle Hunter just looks great out there. He’s added weight in the upper body and is very explosive in the drills.
Christian LaCouture has a nice frame, certainly that of a defensive tackle. This spring is huge for his development, and I could easily see him getting some reps next season.
The linebackers worked over with John Chavis, largely on footwork and block shedding. Lamin Barrow was the leader in that group, but DJ Welter is running at the front as well. Kwon Alexander drew some praise from Chavis, and that’s sometimes a rarity. Chavis is often heard barking out corrections and motivational jargon. He took the time to tell Kwon he had done the drill correctly.
The defensive backs had the blinders on again and worked on fundamentals most of the time. I think Jalen Mills is blossoming into a star. He looks great in every drill and now has a little bit of swagger to go with it. I’ll hit on that later, but that’s been missing since Claiborne, Brooks, Mathieu and Taylor left. Mills has a little bit of that. You won’t find two more physically impressive defensive backs than Corey Thompson and Jalen Collins. They’re both filled out and look great in full pads. I’d expect Thompson to play a good number of snaps next year.
Craig Loston was not at practice. No word on that, but it’s certainly not the first time his missed a workout.
The final drill we saw was the gauntlet drill where three blockers defend a bag 25-30 yards away from one defender who has top fight through the group to get there. It makes for seriously physical play and a ton of energy. KTown has video coming.
The stars of that drill were Jalen Mills and Corey Thompson. Mills fought through the blockers and got to the bag, screaming “They can’t stop me!”, and Thompson just bulldozed a couple of guys on his way to the bag. That’s actually not what the drill is designed for, but it was impressive.
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Dandy Don's LSU Sports Report
According to multiple reports, Coach Les Miles has received a verbal pledge from Class of 2014 DE/OLB Sharieef Rhaheed (6'4", 215, Fort Pierce, FL), although at this time the commitment isn’t official. From what I understand, LSU wants to get him in on campus for a visit before making it official. Rhaheed has offers from Ole Miss, Tennessee, Louisville, Penn State, NC State and others, and based on this highlights video he appears to be a great prospect. I will wait to add Rhaheed’s name to my list of LSU football commitments for 2014 until we see how this shakes out.
In other football news, the Tigers started Week 2 of spring practice yesterday and by all reports it was another productive outing. Center Elliot Porter was back out on the field and dressed out after missing the first week of practice with an undisclosed condition/injury, as was Vadal Alexander who had missed Saturday's practice. Neither player was wearing a green no-contact jersey and both were fully participating.
2014 defensive end Davon Godchaux (DL, 6'4", 250, Plaquemine) watched yesterday's practice from the sidelines and spent some time visiting with Coach Miles and staff. Godchaux (No. 12 on my list of Top LA Football Prospects for 2014) is a really good-looking prospect who caught my eye in last summer's camp at LSU. As of now, Godchaux does not have an offer from LSU, but from what I hear he would very much like to be a Tiger and would likely jump on the opportunity if offered. Here are his junior highlights.
The football team will practice again tomorrow and I plan on driving out there to give you a report on what I see and to maybe shoot some video. Here's a little video of yesterday’s Big Cat drill, shot by Jim Kleinpeter of NOLA.com. In it, the first battle you’ll see is between incoming freshman Fehoko Fanaika and Jermauria Rasco. Check out how “Hoko” (listed as 6-6, 340) dwarfs Rasco who is a 6-3, 255.
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LSU Spring Practice Defensive Gauntlet Drill - March 19
-----------------------http://www.nola.com/
LSU gets commitment from Florida defensive end Sharieff Rhaheed
LSU accepted Sharieff Rhaheed's commitment contingent upon a visit to Baton Rouge.
(Photo by Rivals)
By
James Smith, NOLA.com | The Times-Picayune
on March 19, 2013 at 9:45 PM, updated March 19, 2013 at 11:22 PM
|
- LSU gets commitment from Florida defensive end Sharieff Rhaheed
- St. Augustine lineman Joseph Paul commits to Florida
- Tulane basketball commitment Greg White-Pittman not wavering on early decision
- NOLA.com | The Times-Picayune Future 25: Louisiana's Class of 2015 rankings
- Recruiting chat with analyst James Smith 11 a.m. Tuesday
"I called Corey Raymond and gave him my
commitment," Rhaheed said by phone immediately after informing Raymond.
"I talked with Coach Miles earlier in the week. I just felt that they
were the best school for me. They were the first school to ever send me
an actual letter. I like the area, the school, the SEC thing and I like
how they use people in different situations. I really don’t know if I
will play linebacker or defensive end, but it really doesn’t matter."
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The
6-foot-4, 215-pounder, chose the Tigers over offers from Louisville,
Ole Miss, North Carolina State, Penn State, South Florida, Tennessee and
Central Florida.
Rhaheed becomes the
eighth commitment in the 2014 class, and the first defensive lineman.
Though he has flown a bit under the radar for a prospect of his caliber,
it will be interesting to see if Florida, Miami and Florida St. now
follow with offers.
http://www.andthevalleyshook.
SB Nation
Five Things, LSU Spring Football: Offensive Line
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Beth Hall-USA TODAY SportsLSU Coach Les Miles works with Fehoko Fanaika (69) and Derek Edinburgh Jr. (66). - Times Picayune
Tackle
| 70 La'El Collins (Jr.) | 6-5, 321 | Started all 13 games in 2012 at left guard. |
| 78 Vadal Alexander (So.) | 6-6, 350 | Played in all 13 games and started 9 at right tackle. Freshman All-America and All-SEC. |
| 75 Evan Washington (Jr.) | 6-6, 324 | Suspended for 2012 season. |
| 65 Jerald Hawkins (RS-Fr.) | 6-6, 300 | Redshirted. |
| 66 Derek Edinburgh (RS-Fr.) | 6-8, 316 | Redshirted |
| 77 Ethan Pocic (Fr.) | 6-7, 285 | Five-star recruit. |
Guard
| 56 Trai Turner (So.) | 6-3, 306 | Played in 12 games and started 7 at right guard. |
| 74 Josh Williford (Sr.) | 6-7, 332 | Injuries limited to 6 games (started all). |
| 71 Jonah Austin (So.) | 6-6, 329 | No game action in 2012. |
| 69 Fehoko Fanaika (Jr.) | 6-6, 340 | Junior college transfer. |
Center
| 55 Elliot Porter (Jr.) | 6-4, 300 | Appeared in 10 games with 1 start. |
| 74 Josh Williford (Sr.) | 6-7, 332 | |
| 77 Ethan Pocic (Fr.) | 6-7, 285 |
1. Elliot Porter has been absent through the first few days of the spring, allegedly for an illness or some other sort of medical issue, so as of now, the first-team group has been as follows: La'El Collins at left tackle, Jonah Austin at right guard, Josh Williford at center with Trai Turner and Vadal Alexander manning the right guard and tackle positions. Williford appears to have taken over the T-Bob Hebert Memorial Swingman position, and will back up all the interior spots. What's really interesting is that Ethan Pocic is also getting worked at center. He's completely new to the position, and according to reports has been getting a lot of hands-on attention from Greg Studrawa and Les Miles himself. What that tells me is that the staff clearly sees Pocic as one of the top 6-7 linemen on the roster, and want him ready to get on the field anywhere he can.
2. But that absence definitely creates a bit of a hole at center. There will be another body there in the summer once Andy Dodd arrives on campus, but for now, it's Porter and two guys that have never played the position before. As it is, how Porter steps in for P.J. Lonergan will be one of the keys to this line's development. He's a bit more athletic than Lonergan, but doesn't have as much bulk and certainly won't know the line calls inside and out the same way. Plus, the rest of the line really fed off of Lonergan's toughness. Intangibles like that take time to develop.
3. Another subplot to this spring is that the coaching staff is all-in on moving Collins out to left tackle. Reportedly, it's something that he's been preparing for all offseason, and has slimmed down a bit to gain some quickness. He certainly showed tremendous athleticism as a pulling guard in 2012, and is a nasty run-blocker. Many wanted him to slide out to that spot last season once Chris Faulk went down, but I'm not so sure he was ready. Handling speed-rushers was a problem for him at times, something that would be magnified on Zach Mettenberger's blind-side. But if he's dialed in and committed to playing up to his obvious talent level, there's a lot to like about this move. On the opposite side, Alexander is set to take another step forward after a huge freshman year. He stepped in after Alex Hurst's departure and did a hell of a job for a true freshman. Absolute mauler on running plays last season, but struggled a little bit in pass-pro, particularly in the Chick-Fil-A Bowl (though he was reportedly hobbled and lost some conditioning due to a December surgery). Slimming down a bit would probably help, but I expect Alexander and Turner to be the fulcrum of LSU's rushing attack.
4. Speaking of Turner, he may have the most exciting potential of this whole group. Quietly (and great offensive linemen usually operate that way), he might've been the most consistent lineman LSU had last season. Once pressed into the lineup following Williford's injury, he really stepped up, and was an upgrade in a lot of ways. He's got quick feet on pulls and a nasty attitude.
5. Depth will come from some relative n00bs in Fehoko Fanaika, Jonah Austin, Evan Washington and Jerald Hawkins. The massive JUCO guard from Tonga reportedly has some pounds to drop to be in proper playing weight, but the coaches love his temperament. Austin and Washington have both been around the block a while, but have never quite been able to get on the field for one reason or another. Washington has battled injuries and missed time due to discipline problems, but is pretty clearly a guy that Stud sees something in, or else he might've been gone by now. Many expected Hawkins to step in at left tackle, but he's still a bit raw (he played DT in high school), and Collins seems to have a stranglehold on that spot. Of course, given the recent trend of juniors leaving, Hawkins should have the inside track on the job by 2014.
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LSU left tackle La'El Collins slides right back into character
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As far as La'El Collins is concerned, playing tackle is like riding a bike. Last Thursday, LSU's starting left guard for 13 games last season got back on the bike and pedaled happily away.
La'El Collins' move to left tackle is the key to LSU's offensive line.
"It feels natural," said Collins, a 6-feet-5, 310-pound junior who played left tackle in high school. His move back outside will be watched carefully by coaches during spring practice and is the key to coherence in the offensive line for 2013.
LSU Coach Les Miles said Collins is getting the first shot. Redshirt freshman Jerald Hawkins is listed as his backup and part of the competitive process. Miles said he could also move sophomore Vadal Alexander from the right side if necessary.
But in Collins' mind, the move is already permanent.
"Most definitely," he said in response. "Today was my first day back at tackle and I felt like I got better."
Some fans and observers felt it was a move Miles should have made last September when Chris Faulk suffered a season-ending knee injury in practice four days after the season opener. Miles said he gave the possibility serious thought but decided to go with senior Josh Dworaczyk, who had previously been a starter at guard.
"It was exactly the right thing not to move anybody," Miles said last week. "La'El was trained and capable at guard, Dworaczyk was more capable at tackle than guard and La'El was all in."
Collins concurred. He said spending a year at guard accelerated his understanding of life in the trenches in the SEC and has helped prepare him for the move back. He spent the offseason trimming weight after playing at around 325 last year. He'll need a lighter frame to handle speed-rushing ends on the quarterback's blind side.
"I'm feeling lighter on my feet. The experience of playing every game last year helped me out last year. I know what to expect in an SEC game. I had a pretty good year. This year I'm showing another side of me."
Had Faulk, who had a year of eligibility remaining, not decided to enter the NFL Draft, Collins might have been stalled another year. But the move seems symmetrical with Josh Williford capable of moving in at left guard and giving LSU starters at four of five positions.
Dworaczyk said he's not surprised after playing next to Collins. When he first heard the plan he thought it was the perfect move, one Dworaczyk himself had made.
"I saw him developing himself, doing the extra work, the things you have to do to become a leader of the offensive line," Dworaczyk said.
"There are some talented tackles on the team but because of his experience, it was something the coaching staff wanted. That's part of the reason I made the switch last year.
"He has the athletic ability. That's what is going to set him apart from the other guys. He can move. He'll be a force out there."
Collins was LSU's most consistent offensive lineman and the only one to start all 13 games. He led all linemen with 837 snaps and 64.5 knockdown blocks, including nine against Alabama and 11.5 against Ole Miss.
He knows well he'll be out on an island more without being able to rely on players on either side of him. He said he long ago developed the mindset required for the position.
"When you get beat you forget and go to the next play," he said. "I take my job personally. One missed punch can get you beat off the edge.
"When you come in and you are highly recruited you anticipate playing early. Once you realize everybody has an equal amount of talent, it really humbles you. The best thing that ever happened to me was Coach Miles moving me inside so I could get a feel for the game. It put me in a position to start every game."
"I'm always open for competition. I'm not scared of it. Whatever the coaches throw at me, I'm here to compete."
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http://www.usatoday.com/story/
USA Today.com
Eight early enrollees help LSU rebuild after NFL losses
Paul Myerberg, USA TODAY
Story Highlights
- LSU brought in eight recruits in January after 11 players opted to leave early for the NFL Draft
- Despite losing so many to the NFL, coach Les Miles calls the experience "a really positive thing"
- LSU's best position battles will take place along the offensive line and the defense's back seven
"It is a really positive thing," coach Les Miles said on Mar. 13. "I don't think there will be a number like that in the future, but it is a strong statement that the Tigers come in, they get prepared and they have the opportunity in three years to further their football in the NFL."
FLORIDA: After remaking its defense, Florida and Will Muschamp turn to the offense
Eleven former Tigers opted to forego any remaining eligibility and enter the draft, a number that includes cornerback Tyrann Mathieu, the former Heisman Trophy finalist who sat out the 2012 season following a team suspension.
The majority of those 11 players will hear their names called early – if not in the first round, most will go at some point over the first two days of the draft. As many as three could go in the first round, with defensive end Barkevious Mingo considered a lock for the top 10.
How do you replace this level of talent and production? It won't happen overnight, Miles conceded, but the process begins this spring with the arrival of eight early enrollees.
"We tried to offset that with eight newcomers in January," he said. "With eight new guys already on campus, I think that will give us a very nice group of young guys. We can age our team by giving our freshman class a spring, and we will be in more of a groove in summer. When fall starts, again we will have a much improved group of guys."
Spring dates: LSU opened the spring on Mar. 14 and will play its spring game on Apr. 20. At some point over the last few days, LSU had time to film its own Harlem Shake video.
DANCING: Les Miles leads LSU through its version of the "Harlem Shake"
2012 record: 10-3 (6-2).
Returning starters: 13 (8 offense, 5 defense).
Five players to watch: RB Terrence Magee, OT La'El Collins, DT Ego Ferguson, LB D.J. Welter, S Corey Thompson.
Spring questions:
1. Still deep at running back? Two of LSU's NFL-bound would-be seniors were running backs Spencer Ware and Michael Ford, which robs the Tigers' of two cogs in its astonishingly deep backfield rotation. Does that mean more touches for holdovers like sophomore Jeremy Hill, junior Kenny Hilliard and senior Alfred Blue? While LSU and new coordinator Cam Cameron could opt to divvy the touches up among three backs – with Hill leading the charge, as for most of 2012 – the backfield will also include junior Terrence Magee, who moves back to the position after spending last fall at wide receiver. Once again, it's highly possible that all four backs get 70 or more carries over the course of the season.
2. What about the early enrollees? LSU welcomed eight to the program in January: wide receivers John Diarse and Avery Peterson, offensive linemen Fehoko Fanaika (a JUCO transfer) and Ethan Pocic, quarterbacks Anthony Jennings and Hayden Rettig, defensive end Christian LaCouture and tight end Logan Stokes (another JUCO transfer). Fanaika's first look will come inside at guard, where he might see early time due to Josh Williford's potential move to center. Both quarterbacks seem destined for a redshirt season.
Q&A: SEC commissioner Mike Slive talks expansion, TV deals and retirement
3. Quicker pace? Cameron has said he wants to install a quicker tempo – "organized chaos," in his words. "We'll be a no-huddle team with a pound the ball (attitude) and a vertical passing game," quarterback Zach Mettenberger said, "a lot like the Ravens were." The new pace in and out of huddle has already been embraced by LSU's skill players, who understand the benefit of giving defenders little time to tinker with alignment and less time to catch their breath. "We want the defense back on their heels," running back Jeremy Hill said. "It'll probably take a week to get used to this fast pace, but we'll get used to it."
Position battles:
1. Offensive line. After starting all 13 games of last season at guard, junior La'El Collins will make the move out to left tackle in 2013. Most thought Collins would land on the blind side eventually, if not early in 2012 after injuries decimated the Tigers' leading options at the position. Collins' experience will also help sophomore Jonah Austin move into the starting spot at left guard while Williford tries his hand at center. Even if a player like Fainaka doesn't start, he's one of several linemen poised to give the offensive line far more depth than it had a season ago.
2. Linebacker. What's the strength on defense? Easy: LSU's strongest section on defense is its group of linebackers, even if the Tigers must replace Kevin Minter in the middle. D.J. Welter will get first crack at stepping into Minter's shoes after missing nearly all of last season due to academic issues. If Welter can handle the job, LSU can keep senior Lamin Barrow (104 tackles) on the weak side. With Tahj Jones back on the strong side and three capable reserves on the second level, the Tigers have enough bodies to make this one of the deepest position groups on the roster
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Tiger Bytes (3.19)
TigerRag.com brings you LSU news and headlines from around the web
By LUKE JOHNSONTiger Rag Assistant Editor
LSU FOOTBALL
NOLA.com — “As far as La’El Collins is concerned, playing tackle is like riding a bike,” by Jim Kleinpeter (@JimKleinpeter)
The Advocate — “The names may have changed on the LSU defense - a whole mess of them. The expectations, LSU defensive coordinator John Chavis said, have not,” by Scott Rabalais (@RabalaisAdv)
LSU BASEBALL
Tiger Rag (@Tiger_Rag) — Around the SEC, by Luke Johnson (@lukejohnson44)
NOLA.com — “An eventful week yielded some nice recognition for LSU senior first baseman Mason Katz on Monday,” by Randy Rosetta (@RandyRosetta)
Minor League Ball — Looking back at LSU’s 1991 CWS team, by Brandon Booth (BBoothSBNMiLB)
LSU WOMEN’S BASKETBALL
Tiger Rag (@Tiger_Rag) — “LSU parlayed a strong finish to its regular season into a No. 6 seed in the NCAA Tournament,” by Luke Johnson (@lukejohnson44)
The Advocate — Baton Rouge subregional capsules
OTHER
Tiger Rag (@Tiger_Rag) — F. King Alexander is LSU’s lone finalist for president, Tiger Rag News Services
The New York Times — One Ole Miss fan said that if guard Marshall Henderson wasn’t playing for his team, “I’d throw quarters at him,” by Scott Cacciola (@ScottCacciola)
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hinese58  LSU Fan Dallas Member since Jun 2004 16051 posts  Online |
Talk SEC Recruiting on Bama newspaper site at 2 p.m. today (Posted on 3/19/13 at 10:06 a.m.)
 Since the Gumps get invited to the NOLA.com recruiting chats, why not go join the chat over there? No reason to go pick fights but a bunch of questions about LSU recruiting (especially the Mobile/Vigor guys) would look good on there. 2 p.m. at AL.com Good kids to ask about: Justin Thornton 6'5" 225 DE Mobile, AL (Vigor) Visiting LSU this weekend Deshaun Davis 6' 220 ILB Mobile, AL (Vigor) Visiting LSU this weekend Racean Thomas 5'11" 190 RB Oxford, AL Tre' Williams 6'2" 217 ILB Mobile, AL (St. Paul's Episcopal) Rashaan Evans 6'3" 214 OLB Auburn, AL Dante Sawyer 6'3" 240 DE, OLB Suwanee, GA (North Gwinnett) Roderick Taylor 5'3" 305 Guard Jackson, MS (Callaway) 2 p.m. at AL.com Also posting on the rant. |
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