LSU conducted its second day of spring practice on Tuesday, and even though the Tigers are returning 18 of 22 starters, many of the players plan on using the spring as a learning period.
Being a student athlete, players already have to deal with professors in class, but now they have one on the defensive side of the ball.
“[Defensive coordinator Dave] Aranda is more of a professor type,” said senior linebacker Kendell Beckwith. “I’m just ready to learn from him this season and build a relationship.”
The defense will especially see changes with new defensive coordinator Aranda, who brings along a 3-4 style defense.
But senior linebacker Duke Riley, who played in a similar style of defense at John Curtis High School, thinks the defense will be easy to grasp.
“It’s very simple and easy,” Riley said. “If you get in your playbook and just look over it, you’ll understand it and it’ll come quick.”
Aranda will be the third defensive coordinator in as many seasons for the Tigers.
Junior defensive tackle Davon Godchaux raved about Aranda’s coaching mentality and how his knowledge of the game translates into on the field.
“[He’s] aggressive,” Godchaux said. “So far, I think he’s the best defensive coordinator I’ve had. He going to put you in the right position to make plays. So far he’s looking pretty good.”
The Tigers will also be looking for someone to fill in the void left by former LSU linebacker Deion Jones, who has now departed for the NFL.
Freshmen early enrollees Devin White and Michael Divinity could step up to replace Jones. Beckwith called the rookie duo “work horses”.
“[White] is athletic,” Beckwith said. “I’m very interested to see what he and Michael Divinity bring to the table this year.”
On offense, the Tigers will be welcoming a new wide receivers coach, Dameyune Craig.
A former Auburn quarterback and co-offensive coordinator under Gus Malzahn, Craig adds a new perspective for LSU wideouts.
“He coaches a lot of from the quarterback perspective,” said junior wide receiver Malachi Dupre. “It’s a great thing for us. It’ll be easier for the quarterback to see and what they see, with him being a quarterback it gives us a different perspective from the wide receiver position.”
The slot position will be up for grabs with the transfers of wide receiver Trey Quinn and John Diarse.
Another pair of early enrollees, freshmen Dee Anderson and Stephen Sullivan could develop in the slot position for the Tigers.
“I feel like we brought in the right guys to develop depth right away,” Dupre said. “They’re big, they’re fast, the basics that you need to be a good receiver. As long as they learn and take the mental part of the game, they’ll be fine physically and can step right in and play big roles this season coming up.”
Quarterback play will also be a point of emphasis this spring.
Dupre, who came in the same recruiting class as starting quarterback Junior Brandon Harris, has noticed a few changes in the gunslinger.
“Brandon’s coming into this spring with a lot of confidence,” Dupre said. “He finished the season out with a great game against Texas Tech. He’s carried that over to the spring to this point. It’s been showing in practice, he’s doing a great job thus far.”