When LSU lost a total of nine defensive players to the NFL, there was a sense of doom hovering over the Tiger faithful.
But the coaching staff never seemed worried about having to reload the defense, mainly due to the massive 2013 recruiting class LSU brought in this year.
Of the 27 total recruits who came to Baton Rouge, 13 were on the defensive side of the ball.
And of those 13, LSU coach Les Miles said fans should expect to see a great number participate throughout the season. In fact, three — defensive tackle Christian LaCouture, linebacker/defensive end Kendell Beckwith and linebacker Duke Riley — saw action in the season opener against TCU.
While talent has certainly driven the early playing time, the newcomers integration into the team has come about because of the quick bond they developed between each other and the veterans on the roster.
Freshman defensive tackle Greg Gilmore from South View high school in North Carolina said the process began on the recruiting and all star game circuit while the players were still in high school.
“I’ve known a couple of the guys since high school playing in all star games and stuff,” Gilmore said. “After a couple of us had committed, we started talking about getting up to Baton Rouge and what we wanted to do.”
Some freshmen even took it upon themselves to get an early start on training.
LaCouture was one of the incoming freshmen who enrolled at LSU in the spring to participate in practice.
The added time to acclimate to Baton Rouge, as well as learning the playbook was key in preparing for the season, LaCouture said.
The added time proved well worth as LaCouture won the Newcomer Most Improved Award at the conclusion of spring practices.
“The speed of the game was something I needed to make sure I was up to,” LaCouture said. “It’s always different going from high school to college, so it took me a couple of days, but it started clicking and it got that much easier to me. Now for the fall, with me knowing my plays and everything, I can help the other kids learn their plays and make sure they are up to date with everything.”
Helping the freshmen acclimate isn’t only up to LaCouture, though.
Several of the veterans on the defense, especially on the line, have taken the young players under their tutelage for the fall season.
Junior defensive linemen Jermauria Rasco and Ego Ferguson have taken key roles for many of the young players.
“Any of these guys can call me at any point and ask me anything,” Ferguson said. “Like [freshman defensive end] Frank [Herron] could call me at three in the morning to ask about plays. I might yell at him a little bit, but I’d still try and help him out.”
Even with the odd relationship of trying to help someone who might eventually take a spot in the starting lineup, the veterans see the benefit of getting the younger players involved as quickly as possible.
“We love the competition,” Rasco said. “It makes us better, it makes them better and at the end, it’s all about winning football games.”
Beckwith, LaCouture and Riley won’t be the only players who are unrecognizable to fans, as many of their freshman teammates look poised to take the field as soon as LSU’s first home game against the University of Alabama at Birmingham.
Freshmen defensive backs Rickey Jefferson and Tre’Davious White along with freshmen defensive linemen Lewis Neal and Tashawn Bower are all players who could get playing time in the near future, according to Miles
“Well, I think Tre’Davious White will play, [and] continue to play a significant role for us. I can see in the future Rickey Jefferson playing significant football,” Miles said . “Lewis Neal and Tashawn Bower, I think those guys will all be guys that you’ll see on the field.”
The future is now, indeed.