Senior defensive lineman Christian LaCouture, who tore his ACL in fall camp, announced he’ll return for a fifth year at LSU in a news conference Thursday.
LaCouture, a makeshift assistant defensive line coach this season beside the unit’s coach Pete Jenkins, returned to practice Thursday for the first time since camp.
He wore a knee brace at Thursday’s practice, but he’s healthy enough not to anymore.
“I’m only wearing a brace because my mom told me to,” LaCouture said. “She’s a little nervous.”
“Christian had a chance to do something special,” said LSU coach Ed Orgeron. “We’re excited to have Christian LaCouture back on our football team next year.”
🐯🐯🐯 pic.twitter.com/JaxHQD2U2u
— Christian LaCouture (@lacouture91) December 15, 2016
LaCouture hasn’t played a snap this season, but said he intends to re-recruit some other draft eligible teammates to return to the school with him.
“This is something I wanted to get out of the way so now I can go out with Coach ‘O’ and his staff and recruit these guys to come back” he said. “I really feel like we’re going to have a special team next year.”
“I’m going to ask Coach O, ‘Whatever I need to do to convince some of these guys to come back, I will.'” he added.
LaCouture participated in Senior Day activities, suggesting a forthcoming departure from LSU. He said he was leaning toward that decision before deciding to remain at LSU for another season.
“I thought at one point I was really going to leave,” LaCouture added. “After talking to him, and he being the leader that is he, I had to step back and listen to him. Once he got the permanent job, I was really ecstatic. My family was as well.”
Ferguson transferring
A fifth LSU wide receiver is transferring from the school since last season.
Ferguson, a 6-foot-5 wideout, announced he intends to transfer Thursday in a post on Twitter. The St. Francisville native joins once-roommate and former fellow wide receiver Tyron Johnson (now at Oklahoma State) in a five-player list of receivers to transfer from LSU since last season, including TCU wideout John Diarse, SMU receiver Trey Quinn and Jacksonville State receiver Kevin Spears.
Ferguson played in all of LSU’s first seven games before being suspended for a violation of team rules, Orgeron said.
He had two catches for 17 total receiving yards this season. Both catches were against Missouri on Oct. 1.
“I’m blessed to say I was an LSU Tiger,” Ferguson wrote.
#ForeverLSU🐯 pic.twitter.com/eVzpSUQkwK
— JAZZ FERGUSON♠️ (@FergusonJazz) December 15, 2016
Ferguson will join a lengthy, 13-player list of former Tigers who have announced they will transfer from the school since 2015:
- WR John Diarse – TCU
- WR Trey Quinn – SMU
- WR Kevin Spears – Jacksonville State
- QB Anthony Jennings – ULL
- K Trent Domingue – Texas
- DE Sione Teuhema – SELU
- LB Ronnie Feist – UTSA
- OL Jevonte Domond – UTSA
- FB Tony Upchurch – Texas Southern
- WR Tyron Johnson – Oklahoma State
- OL George Brown – Miami
- OL Chidi Okeke – Undecided
- WR Jazz Ferguson – Undecided
Other notes
Orgeron confirmed Thursday night special teams analyst Bobby April will be a film-only analyst and will not be able to coach LSU on or off the field. April was announced as an analyst for the unit earlier on Thursday. (More on that here).
LSU’s on-field special teams coach duties will go to Carter Blount, Orgeron said. Blount joined LSU in February as a special teams graduate assistant and will be on LSU’s sideline for the Citrus Bowl on Dec. 31.
