Many people would think winning the Southeastern Conference and national championships would be an advantage in recruiting.
But those two championships take up something that is irreplaceable in recruiting – time: time to call prospects, time to visit them and time to make a pitch for LSU football.
That fact made LSU coach Nick Saban especially proud of his staff for the job it did in persuading 29 prospects to sign on the dotted line Wednesday on national signing day.
“I really feel that our staff did an outstanding job in this recruiting class,” Saban said Wednesday at a press conference. “In lieu of the fact that we had 14 football games last year and the season extended all the way to December 7 and we didn’t have many guys visit in December. We really did a good job, I think, of early evaluation, identifying the players that we really wanted and then went out and got those players.”
LSU’s 2004 class, which is ranked in the top three by most publications and Web sites, is one that filled needs for the 2003 national champions.
After losing defensive linemen Chad Lavalais and Marquise Hill and offensive linemen Rodney Reed and Stephen Peterman, the Tigers needed help along the offensive line. They got an ample amount of it.
Twelve “big people,” as Saban called them, signed with the Tigers, including two tight ends.
“We thought it was imperative that we have a good class of big people,” Saban said. “And to get 10 linemen and two big tight ends, I think was exceptional for what we wanted to accomplish in this recruiting class.”
Probably the biggest of them all is offensive lineman Herman Johnson of Denton, Texas. Johnson measures in at 6-foot-7, 380 pounds. He was rated the No. 3 overall tackle in the country by Rivals.com, a national recruiting service.
Another big person LSU signed is Marlon Favorite, a 6-foot-1, 310 pound defensive tackle from West Jefferson High School in New Orleans. He was rated the No. 1 defensive tackle in the nation by ESPN.com and was first team All-State as a senior.
“He is very explosive, he’s got great power and initial quickness,” Saban said of Favorite. “He uses his hands and moves his feet well and he can rush the passer.”
Claude Wroten, a 6-foot-3, 315 pound defensive tackle from Bastrop, La., also signed on with LSU. He came by way of Mississippi Delta Community College and recorded 53 tackles and 15 sacks to go along with three forced fumbles in 2003.
With the loss of Devery Henderson and Michael Clayton at the wide receiver position, Saban said he and his staff also identified that position as one of need. And according to early reports, they passed that test with flying colors.
LSU received pledges from Early Doucet of St. Martinville, La., and Xavier Carter of Melbourne, Fla. along with signing Lavelle Hawkins of Stockton Calif.
Doucet is Rivals.com No. 1 overall wide receiver in the country and Carter is not too far behind, registering at No. 5. Carter is also a speedster and hopes to qualify for the 2008 Olympic Games.
“We feel like the three receivers that we got are guys that are impact guys and explosive guys,” Saban said. “Xavier Carter’s got tremendous speed and vertical ability. Early Doucet is really an all-around good physical football player in every way, shape and form.”
The Tigers also filled need at linebacker and safety, pulling in Luke Sanders and Craig Steltz, both national recruits from within the state.
Sanders, a 6-foot-5, 227 linebacker from West Monroe, was a first team All-State selection in 2003. He is considered the top linebacker prospect in the state.
Steltz, the younger brother of LSU fullback Kevin Steltz, is known as a head hunter with some intelligence. He was the No. 11 overall safety in the nation according to Rivals.com.
LSU can only sign 25 players, so some maneuvering will have to be done with the current class, including possibly coming to campus in the spring. Saban did not single out any players he would ask to do this.