Tinker
The real love of a young child praying to the spirit of god is one of the best looking feeling that I have ever known. When that sincere moment of human magic is recreated into a Poem, or Church prayer, something very real get lost in that translation. The real feeling of the invisible touching your heart somehow loses that moments reality. Because it is oh so fleeting, like the touch of the breeze that has come and gone. Or a very rare magic note that make up a melody into a musical masterpiece that can be enjoyed by generations.
For some reason the true magic of gods loving spirit is like trying
to recreate the natural color from one of the many morning sun rises.
That moment when the morning light shows us breathtaking beauty out of a
deep pitch black.
Have you ever tried to mix some oil paints into a blend of different paint to recapturing a natural color you see in real life, you can appreciate the difficulty that we have trying to get that oil color to look as good as what we see in our worlds natural fascination of color that is all around us.
Have you ever tried to mix some oil paints into a blend of different paint to recapturing a natural color you see in real life, you can appreciate the difficulty that we have trying to get that oil color to look as good as what we see in our worlds natural fascination of color that is all around us.
All is not human like us but yet very much made from the
same magic light that we see and feel. Something seems to get lost in
our human efforts to recreate natures beauty. When I feel the spirit of
God I seem to understand that Gods spirit is a very personal friendship
just because he loves you and I. A spiritual moment that moves me into a
magic feeling of believing in God's presents, that he is with us now.
From his spirit we are healed,
free and healthy,
now on this earth,
or later with him in heaven.
From his spirit we are healed,
free and healthy,
now on this earth,
or later with him in heaven.
The real spirit of God seem to be
everywhere in this Universe in someway. Humanity has been sharing Gods
spirit within life's cathedral from the beginning. Some people want God
to show himself without all the mystery, and can't or won't believe that
the Lord God became flesh and blood in the form of Jesus Christ, his
only begotten son. If God was one of us in flesh and blood people could
better believe that God spirit was as real as you and I.
No! Say the Non Believers. Quote: "That is a bunch of mystical bologna that don't prove anything, there is no God."
My Mother was born in Long Beach Mississippi, on the Gulf Coast of Mississippi, sometime around 1910. She was in her 30s when she would take us children over to Clermont Harbor Mississippi, for the summer after the school year.
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Clermont
Harbor is an unincorporated village on the western end of Hancock
County on the Gulf Coast of Mississippi. It is part of the
Gulfport–Biloxi, Mississippi Metropolitan Statistical Area. Wikipedia
---------For some reason I became very hungry after I boarded the train settling down for the trip as the train pulled out of the City. I saw a train porter pushing a cart full of coffee, drinks, and sandwiches, up the aisle between the seats moving towards me. So I told my Mother that I was very hungry. She ordered a ham sandwich and a cup of coffee that was in a paper cup.
As I dipped the ham sandwich into the coffee and into my mouth, That sandwich coffee combination became the best tasting sandwich and drink in the whole wide world. I still until this very moment remember how good that 1944 ham sandwich and coffee tasted back then. That sandwich coffee taste made it high up onto my best childhood delights list.
What a sandwich!!!
People living now don't know what it is like to smell the odor from a railroad train blowing soot as the train keeps clicking from the cross-ties of twelve-inch timber, moving the train passengers in a conformable rocking side-to-side cradle. That was a very unique way of traveling at that time and place in the very southern part of America in the1940s. I would simply take account of all my blessings back then. A child could have some wonderful emotion just from understanding how lucky I was to be the son of a truly kindhearted person like my mother. She would if she had no other choice, give you the shirt off her back if that was what you needed to get by on.
My Mother was 5-5 with dark brown shoulder length hair, green eyes, she had a well shaped body on the thin side, and a very nice smile. She also had a hot temper when she became mad, but she never did strike me in a cruel way ever. Even when she whacked me over the head with the broom. Because when she hit me with her hand, that would hurt her hand. So in a very heated moments of letting me know who the boss is, she would pick up something near by and swat me with it. Making her point that I do not mess with momma, ever.
My mother was all fire through and through when she felt that way.
Most of the time my mother and I were always close and peaceful with each other because we gave each other a lot of slack so we could live and be yourself.
I was always comfortable in my mother company, I could trust that she would take care of my hart. Careful not to hurt my feeling over a mistake that I once made somewhere when I stumble, fell, or even crash, even when I know better. She was one of the reasons that I feel so healthy about trying to live up to having a better attitude today.
I have been living a charmed life. Because somehow I have always been loved by some great and wonderful people. I have always simply been lucky that way. Just wait until I tell you about some of the other wonderful people in my life. But I will wait for another time and story for all of that.
Remember that young child praying to god in the beginning of this story, well you are going to see for yourself just how gods spirit helped to save that child from certain destruction, and instead allowed him to live a remarkably blessed life anyway.
Getting touched by the best people can only make you realize what real life is all about.
From the beginning I was a rascals of a guy who had a very hard head. I was very hard to handle because I had a wild adventitious emotion about being alive. I was so very curious about everything, always messing around with who, what, when, why, where.
I noticed very early in life how the everyday grindstone was exacting all of the grown up time and energy as they kept working hard for their limited paychecks all around town. So I avoided that same fate as long as I could.
From the beginning I was a rascals of a guy who had a very hard head. I was very hard to handle because I had a wild adventitious emotion about being alive. I was so very curious about everything, always messing around with who, what, when, why, where.
I noticed very early in life how the everyday grindstone was exacting all of the grown up time and energy as they kept working hard for their limited paychecks all around town. So I avoided that same fate as long as I could.
I also had a hard time just staying still in
school long enough to learn what the teacher was trying to teach me.
And to make a long story short became involved within the neighborhood
criminal gang at that time. I never took another persons life because I
did not want to, I was mostly simply trying to become a crook, because
that is what I wanted to do.
My Father talked me out of going further
down that path of crime by telling me that the life of a criminal is
very brief. That they fly high for a short time only to spend the rest
of their life behind bars, as something less than human.
After I heard him tell me that I also
realized that I was fooling myself about wanting to be a crook for a
living, and changed my thinking over the years to come.
And with the help from my best friend who wanted me to advance in society, I joined the U.S. Army as a military policeman.
Fortunately for me
the people who loved me gave me the tolerance and devotion that only
comes from the very best feelings that is in them, I should have been
eliminated from this society over and over again. But because of the
help from the people who truly loved me I went on to become successful
in business. As I was also married to a very special woman and was further blessed to have the privilege of raising three wonderful children.
The fidelity of true love that can only
develop from a loving parent and friends devotion who embraced you for
your sake. Where does that kind of human magic come from. Our Lord Gods
loving attitude was passing it on to us from the people who also really
love us.
That we are raised with the right attitude
is just about everything to this life, the room between us can be as
lonely as the vast empty outer space between the stars. Or as close as
the nearest sunlight, and your best friend smile. The right attitude can
gives you the loving spirit of God.
That is the kind of miracle that is so hard
to show other people. It is very much like trying to tell them that you
understand the spirit of God first hand. Or to tell them that you have
been helped from the top of my head to the bottom of my feet from the
simply and wonderful touch of God's spirit.
The Non Believers mostly don't believe me because
miracles are very hard for them to believe in, that they have never
felt the wound from the nails, or the cut from the spear. After he has
risen again.
Nerveless I tell them that I have learned from a lifetime of suffering and pain, and true love. That the Lord God's spirit is as real as you or I, and all they need to do is to pray with all the love that is in them.
Nerveless I tell them that I have learned from a lifetime of suffering and pain, and true love. That the Lord God's spirit is as real as you or I, and all they need to do is to pray with all the love that is in them.
To be continued.....http://www.
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http://www.dandydon.com/
Good morning, Tiger Fans,
Coach Miles and his staff are hosting a star-studded group of visitors this weekend, including several players already committed to LSU and four big remaining targets. The four targets are five-star prospects Lorenzo Carter (DE, 6’5”, 232, Norcoss, GA) and Louisiana’s own Malachi Dupre (WR, 6’3”, 180, John Curtis), as well as Breeland Speaks (DE, 6’3”, 270, Jackson, MS) and Trey Lealaimatafao (DT, 6’0”, 301, San Antonio, TX). Even though I think LSU has a very good chance of eventually landing Malachi Dupre and a fair chance of landing Lealaimatafao, I don’t have high expectations for any of these four visitors committing to the Tigers this weekend. Of course, in recruiting you never know, so I’ll be monitoring the situation closely. Dupre is not expected to make his announcement until National Signing Day (Feb. 5) and still has visits to take at Alabama, Florida State and UCLA. Speaks is currently committed to Ole Miss and won’t be easy to flip, but he grew up as a Tiger Fan and LSU’s staff feels like it has a legitimate shot at him. As for Carter, he would be a huge get, but is considered somewhat of a long shot at this point as he appears to be heavily leaning to Georgia.
As for the players already committed to LSU who are visiting this weekend, they include: OG Garrette Brumfield, WR D.J. Chark, OG William Clapp, K Cameron Gamble, WR Trey Quinn, TE Jacory Washington, and RB Darrel Williams. All of these players are considered solid to LSU, but the staff wants to make sure not to take anything for granted, especially considering that Clemson and Ole Miss are still hot on the trail of Quinn, and that Williams committed to LSU before Leonard Fournette came on board.
Speaking of current LSU commits, congratulations are in order for Garrett Brumfield who was named a finalist for the Warrick Dunn Award and WAFB Sportsline Player of the Year. Previous winniners of the award include Kendell Beckwith (2012), Landon Collins (2011), and Terrance Magee (2010). Take a moment to check out this WAFB video about Brumfield’s nomination and see for yourself what a well spoken, impressive prospect Brumfield is.
Congratulations are also in order for LSU commits Ed Paris and Jamal Adams for being named to the Dallas Morning News All Area First Teams. As this article cites, Paris collected 47 tackles, 5 INTs and 8 pass break-ups during the regular season and led Timberview to eight wins. He also had a sack, a fumble recovery and a touchdown. Adams totaled 75 tackles, 4 pass break-ups and an INT. He also lined up at WR and returned kicks, collecting a team-high 16 TDs. He had touchdown returns of 100 and 77 yards.
Read more...http://www.dandydon.
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Tiger Rant
STBTigerr
LSU Fan
Mandeville/New Orleans
Member since Jan 2007
4711 posts
I just found this in an old box of stuff I had in a closet. I don't ever remember Toonces at mid-field. Photoshop? I'm thinking so especially the way it's rotated 90 degrees than usual.
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http://vimeo.com/56065336
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http://theadvocate.com/sports/
LSU recruits with the expectation that some will leave early.
But what about LSU’s competitors, who might have more seasoned and mature players? The response quickly leaps from Miles’ mouth: “Or have lesser players,” he snapped.
LSU has lost 16 underclassmen to the NFL draft in the past two years. That number is 18 if you include safety Tyrann Mathieu, who was dismissed before the 2012 season, and running back Alfred Blue, who chose not to use a fifth year of eligibility this year.
The Tigers lost two underclassmen after the 2010 season, three in 2011 and 10 in 2012. They managed to replace much of the production those years. The three following teams combined for a 33-7 record.
Can they do it again? The Tigers must replace six departing underclassmen, and offensive coordinator Cam Cameron said this week that he expects some reserves last year to emerge — players “we’ll build things around,” he said.
So who are those guys? Here’s our best shot at answering that question.
Running back
Who left: Jeremy Hill and Alfred Blue, a senior who chose not to use a fifth year of eligibility
Production lost: 54 percent of rushing touchdowns (20), 70 percent of rushing yards (1,845)
The candidates
Experience: Has played in 27 games but has not started.
Production: Has run for 777 yards and nine touchdowns.
The scoop: Magee had a breakout season in 2013, running for 626 yards and eight scores. He averaged a whopping 7.3 yards per carry, the best average of any one of LSU’s regular runners. He showed the ability to find a tight seam and squeeze through it.
Experience: Has played in 37 games, starting once.
Production: Has amassed 1,110 rushing yards and 21 touchdowns and averages more than 5 yards a carry.
The scoop: Hilliard finished fourth on the team in carries last season, but expect that to change in 2014. He began his career with a surprising freshman season before being stuck behind Hill and a stable of backs the past two years. He has had bright spots, including three 100-yard games.
Experience: None at the college level.
Production: During his senior year of high school, he ran for 1,793 yards on 194 carries, a 9.2-yard-per-carry average.
The scoop: One recruiting analyst called Fournette the “best running back prospect since Adrian Peterson.” He’s the top-rated recruit in the nation by all of the major recruiting serves. He’s expected to immediately compete for playing time as a true freshman.
Also keep an eye on: Darrel Williams, a verbal commitment from John Ehret
Wide receiver
Who left: Odell Beckham Jr. and Jarvis Landry
Production lost: 71 percent of receiving yards (2,345), 78 percent of touchdowns (18)
The candidates
Experience: Played in 12 games this past season with no starts.
Production: Made seven catches for 145 yards and two scores in 2013.
The scoop: Dural might be the fastest player on the team, teammates say. His role was minor this past season, but all seven of his catches went for touchdowns or first downs. That includes his 49-yard, game-winning TD catch against Arkansas.
Experience: A junior-college transfer last year, he played in four games this past season.
Production: Has caught one pass for 11 yards.
The scoop: Leslie has a tall, lanky frame, and one would expect LSU to use him this upcoming season more than last year. He was buried behind the best receiving duo in LSU history last season. Leslie was a former four-star prospect out of Callaway High School in Hogansville, Ga.
Also keep an eye on: Freshman John Diarse; recruiting target Malachi Dupre of John Curtis; Barbe High’s Trey Quinn, a verbal commitment.
Right guard
Who left: Trai Turner
Production lost: Started every game in 2013 and played in all 13 games in 2012 with seven starts
The candidates
Experience: Played in 12 games this past season with most, if not all, on special teams.
Production: He helped College of San Mateo, a California junior college, run for an average of 300 yards in 2011.
The scoop: Left tackle La’el Collins made a push for Fanaika to take over the position during his returning announcement earlier this week. Fanaika “would be a great fit for that right guard position because he’s a strong, athletic big guy,” Collins said.
Also keep an eye on: Sophomore Ethan Pocic; freshman Andy Dodd; Garrett Brumfield, a verbal commitment from University High; junior Jonah Austin.
Defensive tackle
Who left: Ego Ferguson and Anthony Johnson
Production lost: Had 25 of 26 possible starts this past season and had a combined 94 tackles
The candidates
Experience: Played in all 13 games with no starts this past season.
Production: Played in every game and had 11 tackles, 1.5 for loss and a sack.
The scoop: LaCouture served as the No. 3 defensive tackle behind Johnson and Ferguson this year, rotating in for, sometimes, long stretches. LaCouture was rated a four-star recruit by both 247 Sports and Scout.com.
Experience: Started one game and played in 11 this past season.
Production: Has tallied 10 total tackles in his career, nine of those this past season.
The scoop: A consensus three-star prospect, Thomas joined LaCouture as the first men off the bench to spell Johnson and Ferguson. He wasn’t as productive, but he started in the Outback Bowl in place of Ferguson, who did not make the trip.
Comments
LSUTIGER#1fan
LSU Fan
NC
Member since Dec 2012
776 posts
LINK
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http://vimeo.com/70332191
http://www.youtube.com/watch?
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After Losing His Wife to Cancer, a Widower Decided to Eat Alone at a Restaurant for the First Time — What He Did Before He Left Made People Cry
“I cried. The waitress and chef cried. It was one of the kindest gestures I’ve ever witnessed.”
Read More »-----------------
Sports
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http://www.auburntigers.com/
True Love
Oct. 7, 2010
Courtesy www.fca.org
By Jack Smith
While Jeff and Sheri Grimes were celebrating the Fourth of July with family and friends in Utah in 2009, their prayers were being answered halfway around the world.
Jada Grimes was born on that Independence Day in a remote Ethiopian village. They didn't know it at the time, but Jada's birth was the long-awaited answer to their prayers to adopt a baby- of a different race.
International adoption of children from developing nations is not a story unique to the Grimes, who have lived in Auburn, Alabama, since Jeff was hired as the offensive line coach at Auburn University. What makes their story unique is that their decision to adopt a child of a different ethnicity was made over a decade ago, even before they had three children of their own.
Jeff and Sheri both credit divine inspiration for sparking that first conversation about adopting a child of color. They were waiting on a flight in an airport after a coaches' convention when the subject arose.
"I just felt like God was leading us in that direction," Jeff said recently during an interview at their Auburn home, where four children, including Jada, now 14 months, her big sister Bailey, 10, and brothers Garrison, 8, and Greydon, 5, live a hectic but happy life.
"From the moment I first had the thought, the thought was to adopt a child of a different race," Jeff said.
Sheri is quick to point out that it was more than mere coincidence that they both felt a strong urge to adopt. "Obviously God placed that on our hearts," Sheri said. "We both felt that was something God wanted us to do. We felt certain it was from God because we both had that desire at the same time. At that point we envisioned a child of color."
Jeff, who grew up in Texas and played college football at UTEP, had already been thinking of the kind of statement such an adoption would make and the impact it would have on his own children one day and their view of the world.
"In our world today, there is still a lot of prejudice and racism," Jeff said. "While it has become a little less obvious in a lot of circles, it is still there. We wanted to make a statement that God doesn't see skin color and we shouldn't either."
Jeff and Sheri met through the Fellowship of Christian Athletes during their college years, while Jeff was playing football at UTEP and Sheri was playing volleyball for Texas A&M. They met at an FCA Weekend of Champions event and got to know each other through working FCA summer camps.
They have competing stories about how their relationship evolved, but FCA is at the heart of both of them.
"She completely blew me off the first time we met," Jeff says. "But I didn't give up. I was persistent."
"It was love at first sight," Sheri adds. "We are a product of FCA. Our wedding was like an FCA reunion. We joke that for us it was "Fun, Faith, Fellowship, Fiancé."
Read more...http://www.
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http://www.cbssports.com/
January 18, 2014 11:31 pm
BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) Johnny O'Bryant scored 22 points and grabbed 12 rebounds as LSU defeated Vanderbilt 81-58 in a Southeastern Conference game Saturday night.
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http://lsufootball.net/
http://www.auburntigers.com/
|
|
 Jeff and Jada Grimes
|
Courtesy www.fca.org
By Jack Smith
While Jeff and Sheri Grimes were celebrating the Fourth of July with family and friends in Utah in 2009, their prayers were being answered halfway around the world.
Jada Grimes was born on that Independence Day in a remote Ethiopian village. They didn't know it at the time, but Jada's birth was the long-awaited answer to their prayers to adopt a baby- of a different race.
International adoption of children from developing nations is not a story unique to the Grimes, who have lived in Auburn, Alabama, since Jeff was hired as the offensive line coach at Auburn University. What makes their story unique is that their decision to adopt a child of a different ethnicity was made over a decade ago, even before they had three children of their own.
Jeff and Sheri both credit divine inspiration for sparking that first conversation about adopting a child of color. They were waiting on a flight in an airport after a coaches' convention when the subject arose.
"I just felt like God was leading us in that direction," Jeff said recently during an interview at their Auburn home, where four children, including Jada, now 14 months, her big sister Bailey, 10, and brothers Garrison, 8, and Greydon, 5, live a hectic but happy life.
"From the moment I first had the thought, the thought was to adopt a child of a different race," Jeff said.
Sheri is quick to point out that it was more than mere coincidence that they both felt a strong urge to adopt. "Obviously God placed that on our hearts," Sheri said. "We both felt that was something God wanted us to do. We felt certain it was from God because we both had that desire at the same time. At that point we envisioned a child of color."
Jeff, who grew up in Texas and played college football at UTEP, had already been thinking of the kind of statement such an adoption would make and the impact it would have on his own children one day and their view of the world.
"In our world today, there is still a lot of prejudice and racism," Jeff said. "While it has become a little less obvious in a lot of circles, it is still there. We wanted to make a statement that God doesn't see skin color and we shouldn't either."
Jeff and Sheri met through the Fellowship of Christian Athletes during their college years, while Jeff was playing football at UTEP and Sheri was playing volleyball for Texas A&M. They met at an FCA Weekend of Champions event and got to know each other through working FCA summer camps.
They have competing stories about how their relationship evolved, but FCA is at the heart of both of them.
"She completely blew me off the first time we met," Jeff says. "But I didn't give up. I was persistent."
"It was love at first sight," Sheri adds. "We are a product of FCA. Our wedding was like an FCA reunion. We joke that for us it was "Fun, Faith, Fellowship, Fiancé."
Read more...http://www.
------------------
http://www.cbssports.com/
January 18, 2014 11:31 pm
BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) Johnny O'Bryant scored 22 points and grabbed 12 rebounds as LSU defeated Vanderbilt 81-58 in a Southeastern Conference game Saturday night.
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http://lsufootball.net/
LSU Football - Geaux Tigers!!!
| Sunday, January 19, 2014 | |
|---|---|
| Lafayette Advertiser *1 | Guilbeau: Fournette ready to make impact at LSU (some good quotes) |
| Associated Press | Copeland's two TDs leads Team National to win |
| LSU Sports | Baseball: LSU participates in Dreams Come True radiothon |
| Kansas City Star | Mizzou's Pinkel frustrated with contract renegotiations for assistant coaches |
| Post & Courier, SC | Steve Spurrier, Gamecocks fans bask in ‘the Promised Land of college football’ |
| The Tennessean | Can Derek Mason bring some Stanford magic to Vanderbilt? |
| USA Today | NCAA debate on changes to governance structure to continue |
| CBS SportsLine | Schools closer to paying players, but how much say will players have? |
http://www.dandydon.com/
Dandy Don's LSU Sports Report
Good morning, Tiger Fans,
Coach Miles and his staff are hosting a star-studded group of visitors this weekend, including several players already committed to LSU and four big remaining targets. The four targets are five-star prospects Lorenzo Carter (DE, 6’5”, 232, Norcoss, GA) and Louisiana’s own Malachi Dupre (WR, 6’3”, 180, John Curtis), as well as Breeland Speaks (DE, 6’3”, 270, Jackson, MS) and Trey Lealaimatafao (DT, 6’0”, 301, San Antonio, TX). Even though I think LSU has a very good chance of eventually landing Malachi Dupre and a fair chance of landing Lealaimatafao, I don’t have high expectations for any of these four visitors committing to the Tigers this weekend. Of course, in recruiting you never know, so I’ll be monitoring the situation closely. Dupre is not expected to make his announcement until National Signing Day (Feb. 5) and still has visits to take at Alabama, Florida State and UCLA. Speaks is currently committed to Ole Miss and won’t be easy to flip, but he grew up as a Tiger Fan and LSU’s staff feels like it has a legitimate shot at him. As for Carter, he would be a huge get, but is considered somewhat of a long shot at this point as he appears to be heavily leaning to Georgia.
As for the players already committed to LSU who are visiting this weekend, they include: OG Garrette Brumfield, WR D.J. Chark, OG William Clapp, K Cameron Gamble, WR Trey Quinn, TE Jacory Washington, and RB Darrel Williams. All of these players are considered solid to LSU, but the staff wants to make sure not to take anything for granted, especially considering that Clemson and Ole Miss are still hot on the trail of Quinn, and that Williams committed to LSU before Leonard Fournette came on board.
Speaking of current LSU commits, congratulations are in order for Garrett Brumfield who was named a finalist for the Warrick Dunn Award and WAFB Sportsline Player of the Year. Previous winniners of the award include Kendell Beckwith (2012), Landon Collins (2011), and Terrance Magee (2010). Take a moment to check out this WAFB video about Brumfield’s nomination and see for yourself what a well spoken, impressive prospect Brumfield is.
Congratulations are also in order for LSU commits Ed Paris and Jamal Adams for being named to the Dallas Morning News All Area First Teams. As this article cites, Paris collected 47 tackles, 5 INTs and 8 pass break-ups during the regular season and led Timberview to eight wins. He also had a sack, a fumble recovery and a touchdown. Adams totaled 75 tackles, 4 pass break-ups and an INT. He also lined up at WR and returned kicks, collecting a team-high 16 TDs. He had touchdown returns of 100 and 77 yards.
Read more...http://www.dandydon.
--------------------
Tiger Rant
STBTigerr
LSU Fan
Mandeville/New Orleans
Member since Jan 2007
4711 posts
re: A history of Tiger Stadium field designs / logos (Posted on 1/18/14 at 12:44 pm to LasVegasBandit)
I just found this in an old box of stuff I had in a closet. I don't ever remember Toonces at mid-field. Photoshop? I'm thinking so especially the way it's rotated 90 degrees than usual.
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http://vimeo.com/56065336
Lsu Tigers - Control The Dream
from Bonstonker 1 year ago
http://theadvocate.com/sports/
Meet the replacements: LSU football’s next men up
LSU recruits with the expectation that some will leave early.
But what about LSU’s competitors, who might have more seasoned and mature players? The response quickly leaps from Miles’ mouth: “Or have lesser players,” he snapped.
LSU has lost 16 underclassmen to the NFL draft in the past two years. That number is 18 if you include safety Tyrann Mathieu, who was dismissed before the 2012 season, and running back Alfred Blue, who chose not to use a fifth year of eligibility this year.
The Tigers lost two underclassmen after the 2010 season, three in 2011 and 10 in 2012. They managed to replace much of the production those years. The three following teams combined for a 33-7 record.
Can they do it again? The Tigers must replace six departing underclassmen, and offensive coordinator Cam Cameron said this week that he expects some reserves last year to emerge — players “we’ll build things around,” he said.
So who are those guys? Here’s our best shot at answering that question.
Running back
Who left: Jeremy Hill and Alfred Blue, a senior who chose not to use a fifth year of eligibility
Production lost: 54 percent of rushing touchdowns (20), 70 percent of rushing yards (1,845)
The candidates
- Terrence Magee
Experience: Has played in 27 games but has not started.
Production: Has run for 777 yards and nine touchdowns.
The scoop: Magee had a breakout season in 2013, running for 626 yards and eight scores. He averaged a whopping 7.3 yards per carry, the best average of any one of LSU’s regular runners. He showed the ability to find a tight seam and squeeze through it.
- Kenny Hilliard
Experience: Has played in 37 games, starting once.
Production: Has amassed 1,110 rushing yards and 21 touchdowns and averages more than 5 yards a carry.
The scoop: Hilliard finished fourth on the team in carries last season, but expect that to change in 2014. He began his career with a surprising freshman season before being stuck behind Hill and a stable of backs the past two years. He has had bright spots, including three 100-yard games.
- Leonard Fournette
Experience: None at the college level.
Production: During his senior year of high school, he ran for 1,793 yards on 194 carries, a 9.2-yard-per-carry average.
The scoop: One recruiting analyst called Fournette the “best running back prospect since Adrian Peterson.” He’s the top-rated recruit in the nation by all of the major recruiting serves. He’s expected to immediately compete for playing time as a true freshman.
Also keep an eye on: Darrel Williams, a verbal commitment from John Ehret
Wide receiver
Who left: Odell Beckham Jr. and Jarvis Landry
Production lost: 71 percent of receiving yards (2,345), 78 percent of touchdowns (18)
The candidates
- Travin Dural
Production: Made seven catches for 145 yards and two scores in 2013.
The scoop: Dural might be the fastest player on the team, teammates say. His role was minor this past season, but all seven of his catches went for touchdowns or first downs. That includes his 49-yard, game-winning TD catch against Arkansas.
- Quantavius Leslie
Experience: A junior-college transfer last year, he played in four games this past season.
Production: Has caught one pass for 11 yards.
The scoop: Leslie has a tall, lanky frame, and one would expect LSU to use him this upcoming season more than last year. He was buried behind the best receiving duo in LSU history last season. Leslie was a former four-star prospect out of Callaway High School in Hogansville, Ga.
Also keep an eye on: Freshman John Diarse; recruiting target Malachi Dupre of John Curtis; Barbe High’s Trey Quinn, a verbal commitment.
Right guard
Who left: Trai Turner
Production lost: Started every game in 2013 and played in all 13 games in 2012 with seven starts
The candidates
- Fehoko Fanaika
Experience: Played in 12 games this past season with most, if not all, on special teams.
Production: He helped College of San Mateo, a California junior college, run for an average of 300 yards in 2011.
The scoop: Left tackle La’el Collins made a push for Fanaika to take over the position during his returning announcement earlier this week. Fanaika “would be a great fit for that right guard position because he’s a strong, athletic big guy,” Collins said.
Also keep an eye on: Sophomore Ethan Pocic; freshman Andy Dodd; Garrett Brumfield, a verbal commitment from University High; junior Jonah Austin.
Defensive tackle
Who left: Ego Ferguson and Anthony Johnson
Production lost: Had 25 of 26 possible starts this past season and had a combined 94 tackles
The candidates
- Christian LaCouture
Experience: Played in all 13 games with no starts this past season.
Production: Played in every game and had 11 tackles, 1.5 for loss and a sack.
The scoop: LaCouture served as the No. 3 defensive tackle behind Johnson and Ferguson this year, rotating in for, sometimes, long stretches. LaCouture was rated a four-star recruit by both 247 Sports and Scout.com.
- Quentin Thomas
Experience: Started one game and played in 11 this past season.
Production: Has tallied 10 total tackles in his career, nine of those this past season.
The scoop: A consensus three-star prospect, Thomas joined LaCouture as the first men off the bench to spell Johnson and Ferguson. He wasn’t as productive, but he started in the Outback Bowl in place of Ferguson, who did not make the trip.
Comments
- Thomas Williams · Top Commenter ·
The only hopeful thing I can think of after seeing LSU lose experience good college football players to the NFL, is that all the other college football team are also in the same talents deleted boat. Frankly! I feel cheated and bad over this present day reality of anything goes generation, I wish that our society had a higher standard than what we seem to be doing - money is important, but certainly not everything. What is wrong with going to the NFL after college graduation, and not dropping out before that?
LSUTIGER#1fan
LSU Fan
NC
Member since Dec 2012
776 posts
former lsu wr Terrance Toliver helping out Brandon Harris and Avery Peterson (Posted on 1/17/14 at 4:26 pm)
LINK ------------------
http://vimeo.com/70332191
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