LSU football fans are on the edge of their seats as the beginning of February approaches, and it has nothing to do with a groundhog seeing its shadow.
National Signing Day is on Feb. 1, and a strong finish would go a long way in helping the Tigers faithfully put the mediocre 2016 football season behind them.
Recruiting is the cornerstone of any championship program, and since LSU coach Ed Orgeron promised to “build a championship program fast,” it would be beneficial, at least for Orgeron’s sake, to put together a solid class now.
If the last few days are any indication of how LSU will finish, I’d say Orgeron and staff are in a good position to make a lot of fans excited for the 2017 season.
LSU is currently ranked No. 6 in the recruiting standings by 247sports.com, and the Tigers still have a few big names on their radar, including the nation’s No.1 defensive tackle Marvin Wilson and four-star linebacker Willie Gay.
Some consider these two recruits to be longshots, but I say don’t count Orgeron out, especially since he’s been on a hot-streak.
On Jan. 26 the cajun coach flipped No. 1 linebacker prospect Jacob Phillips’s commitment from Oklahoma to LSU faster than a fry cook flipping patties at McDonald’s.
Plus, Orgeron has been able to hold together LSU’s class, even after Les Miles was canned.
For one reason or another, football players seem to gravitate toward Orgeron. During the LSU coaching search, players tweeted, chanted, and begged the administration to give the job to the former defensive line coach.
Players claim Orgeron really cares about them, and that’s hard to argue with when one hears that Orgeron shows up at the houses of potential signees at 4 a.m. to convince them that Tiger Stadium is the best place to continue their football careers.
Despite the persistence that the LSU coaching staff brings to the recruiting trail, there’s always a few targets that get away.
Louisiana running back Travis Etienne decided to leave his home state behind and declared that he will spend his next four years playing in “the real Death Valley.”
Since no collegiate football team plays in the eastern California desert, I have determined that Etienne is either going to Clemson, or he has a poor geographic knowledge of the United States.
Although it’s a given that teams miss out on recruits every year, Orgeron better hope Etienne is an outlier.
Missing out on recruits in the hot-bed of Louisiana is an ill-advised strategy when you’ve promised your fans championships quickly.