Depth is a word synonymous with success in college football.
To be the best, coaches strive to put together teams who possess top-tier talent at every position. Teams with superior talent across the board like LSU, Alabama and USC are extremely tough competitors.
There’s no substitute for having the best 22 players on the field.
Or is there?
On Saturday night, the whole country saw what happens when future NFL stars are backed up by players whose closest NFL experience will be managing their fantasy football teams. USC most likely put itself out of the national championship conversation in only the third week of the college football season, falling to then-No. 21 Stanford, 21-14, for the fourth straight season.
It’s going to be tough for Trojans’ quarterback Matt Barkley to bring home the BCS National Title he passed up the NFL for.
The loss wasn’t because Barkley and wide receiver Robert Woods aren’t significantly better than their Stanford counterparts. It came down to the fact USC has a bunch of nobodies backing up their superstars.
Talent only takes a team so far. Having backups and third-stringers who give the starters a run for their money in practice only improves competition and the overall talent level of the entire team.
Barkley and Woods practice against walk-ons everyday. Maybe if the Trojans weren’t paying for the transgressions of former coach Pete Carroll they would have more scholarships available to make sure the first-teamers don’t just waltz through practice.
LSU doesn’t have that problem.
Injuries? No sweat.
Having a high-caliber player like junior starting running back Alfred Blue go down with a leg injury for a few weeks might cause a coach to panic. Coach Les Miles will simply reach into his bag of running backs and grab one of the four quality rushers still left at his disposal.
Not many other teams in the country have a sixth-year player waiting in the wings who can play any offensive line position. The Tigers have exactly that in senior offensive line utility man Josh Dworaczyk.
Losing junior offensive tackle Chris Faulk to a season-ending knee injury should have had a significant impact on LSU’s national title aspirations. Because of Dworaczyk’s versatility and experience, the Tigers won’t miss a beat as he fills in for Faulk at left tackle.
Starting strong safety Craig Loston could have been spotted during LSU’s game against Idaho on the bench nursing an injured toe. To say sophomore safety Ronald Martin was a suitable replacement would be an understatement.
Martin had two interceptions against the Vandals, taking one back for a touchdown. Loston better get back on the field quickly before he finds himself playing the part of Martin’s understudy.
The element of competition among the LSU players makes them a unique, cohesive group. For some teams, vying for starting spots could drive a wedge between teammates.
That’s not the case at LSU.
Knowing nobody’s spot on the depth chart is safe makes it necessary for each player to come out and compete every day.
Taking dismissed All-American cornerback Tyrann Mathieu’s place opposite Tharold Simon is true freshman Jalen Mills, a young man who wants to play so badly he brings a pen and pad to practice every day to take notes.
These kinds of players make LSU such a beneficiary of addition by subtraction. When one quality player goes down or acts out, another is chomping at the bit to show he has what it takes to be at the top of the depth chart.
Controversy only makes the Tigers stronger and deeper. And that’s a scary thought.
Micah Bedard is a 22-year-old history senior from Houma.
