Every step between classes on the Monday after gamedays is a process for junior quarterback Danny Etling.
Whether it’s the result of standing tall in the pocket for an extra millisecond knowing a pass rusher is baring down on him, or putting his body on the line while scrambling for a first down, Etling takes more hits than his teammates.
LSU’s coaching staff and fan base would like to see their quarterback protect himself, though.
His third start in purple and gold yielded an LSU-career-high 216 passing yards on a 63.3 percent completion rate with another 18 on the ground. After a hit busted his lip, left a laceration above his right eye and sent him through the concussion protocol in a Sept. 24 loss against Auburn, Etling’s Tigers blew out Missouri, 42-7, but it still came with a number of punishing blows.
“The ones where you’re standing in there in the pocket, that’s something you’ve got to do for your team,” Etling said. “When you’re running and trying to get the first down on a third down basis, you want to get it for the team. But there’s a few less shots I can take here and there.”
Etling said he starts the recovery process with the training staff on Sunday, when he soaks in an ice tub and gets a full body scan to ensure he doesn’t have any severe injuries. By the week’s end, the recovery regime has him back to 100 percent. But it doesn’t make the first day’s trip to class much easier, he said.
“Probably the main message everyone on campus had for me today was slide,” Etling said of his classmates advising him against taking those unnecessary shots. “It’s kind of fun and a cool thing to experience.”
Some would characterize the shots he takes as reckless while others would attribute them to the qualities of a good leader. Etling said it’s just how he likes to play.
And for those advising him to slide, it’s falling on deaf ears.
“It’s just something I want to do for my team,” Etling said. “Make sure I give them all I got. Whether it’s sacrificing my body or not, it’s something I want to do and will continue to do.”
Dodd clear for Saturday’s game
The Southeastern Conference confirmed that junior center Andy Dodd is clear to play in LSU’s matchup against No. 18 Florida on Saturday.
Dodd and Missouri defensive lineman Charles Harris were ejected in the fourth quarter on Saturday after a tussle that drew offsetting unsportsmanlike conduct penalties.
“I can see why the dude was mad, [Dodd] made a nice play on him,” senior center Ethan Pocic said. “[Dodd] didn’t really do much. He was playing hard during the whistle and the guy shoved him down.”
LSU junior quarterback Danny Etling warms up during a practice session on Saturday, Oct. 1, 2016, before the Tigers' 42-7 victory against Missouri in Tiger Stadium.
