Athletes are tasked with being the most skilled and gifted individuals in the world, but how can they maintain such ability? For LSU sophomore Maason Smith, he is centering his off-season preparation around overall player development.
“Going into my sophomore year, I know things that I will have to work on to become the player that I’ve always wanted to be,” Smith said. “I am going to keep working on my craft this off-season and be ready for next football season.”
As a freshman, Smith spent most of his spring getting familiar with LSU and life on campus. Thankfully, as a returning player this year, he will be used to his new way of life and spend most of his time in training facilities.
However, there is more to being a great athlete than just training to stay physically prepared. Staying mentally prepared for a stressful season is also important, but every athlete handles this task differently. Smith sees mental preparation as a potential distraction if you sink too much time into it.
“Mentally, there is nothing that I do to prepare for a season. I am used to turning on that switch when it is time to start playing,” Smith said, “I feel that too many athletes worry about too much and they get in their own head.” Smith stays confident and believes in himself to get the job done when the time comes.
Smith played football at Terrebonne High School in Houma. He didn’t have the usual introduction to his high school defensive line coach, James Frank-Upon their first interaction, Frank thought Smith was ready to play varsity football.
The only problem was Smith was in seventh grade.
When the time came for Smith to step onto Terrebonne’s field, he was slowly integrated into Frank’s defensive schemes. Smith moved from playing a couple of drives a game in his freshman season to playing halves of games in his sophomore year, and finally to being an all-out star in his final two seasons.
During his time playing defensive lineman for Frank, Smith impressed him in several ways. “He was very coachable,” Frank said. “He had drive and desire. He was focused on pushing himself.” Smith left a legacy at Terrebonne High School, and he is on his way to creating another great impression here in Baton Rouge.
Throughout the 2021 season, Smith showed flashes of greatness, accumulating 19 total tackles and four sacks through only nine games. Playing as a true freshman is rare for most, but Smith has proven to be worthy of the privilege. During this past season, Smith ranked in the Top 10 in total sacks in the SEC and he looks to gain an advantage over his competitors this off-season.
LSU football is undergoing a rebuilding period, having just cleaned house, following the termination of the former Head Coach Ed Orgeron. This will be a good chance for the team, as Brian Kelly has shown success in his last four years of coaching, boasting a 44-6 record. The team has undergone a minor rebuild with its personnel as well – vital players were replaced, schemes were updated, and the culture has changed.
“New coaching brings a different culture and identity for the team,” Smith said.
Not only will the team’s culture change because of the new coaching hires, but the team chemistry will grow as well.
“The team is getting more disciplined and is learning the true meaning of teamwork,” Smith said.
As the team builds more familiarity amongst each other, they begin to trust one another. These steps are crucial, as this is the early stages of developing a team that plays as one.
The training done after the season is normally the most impactful on a player and their foundational formation. Many believe the offseason provides the biggest opportunity to get ahead of everyone around you.
Smith sees the offseason as the time to sharpen his skills and uses it to get better every year.
Smith has not been on this road to glory alone; he was guided by his veteran teammates. Throughout the season, LSU’s football team has bonded and shared advice, which in the end serves as instruction for these young players. The experiences each of these players take part in adds a new layer of understanding to the game of football.
“I’ve taken different things from different players,” Smith noted, making sure he absorbs as much information as he can. In addition, he believes playing as a true freshman has “helped connect with the older players to see how to lead or how to act when adversity hits.”
Smith has grown into the heart of the freshman class. Not only does he represent the future of LSU football, but he shows himself as a selfless leader on the field. He picks up his teammates when they are down, he motivates his team when they need a spark, and he is ready to play whatever, whenever, against whoever.
The core of the LSU football team is bonding together well, and the future of LSU football looks bright.
