With all eyes on LSU’s open quarterback position, there is an even bigger competition in the Tiger offense.
With the loss of receivers Malachi Dupre and Travin Dural, LSU has an influx of freshman and sophomore receivers looking to make their way onto the starting lineup. Even with a veteran in senior D.J. Chark, the Tigers have a lot of questions surrounding the position.
One of those receivers trying to step into a bigger role is sophomore Drake Davis.
“For the receivers, we’re all just working hard, trying to earn a spot, so it’s all kind of coming into place right now,” Davis said. “We only have two guys who have really been in a game situation so right now we have to earn any respect we can get.”
Davis believes that his size sets him apart from the other receivers. At 6-foot-4 and 218 pounds, he is one LSU’s larger receivers, which he hopes will help him stand out.
“Drake’s been working hard,” Chark said. “He’s been focused, doing whatever he’s asked to do. He’s making improvements and getting better in his running, catching and complete receiving. We kind of need him to [break out this year]. The position that he’s in, I feel like he’s going to excel. We’re going to be able to get the ball to him a lot.”
While he is a little “raw” compared to both Chark and senior Russell Gage, being behind those two has helped him throughout camp with the offense and becoming a better player overall.
Gage brings more experience than any other receiver on the team aside from Chark and knows the offense just as well or better than anyone else. As a senior, he is in a position of leadership on the team.
“Russell Gage is a hard worker, very athletic guy,” Davis said. “Honestly he’s probably more athletic than I am, I would say. Russell can really do anything. He could leave football right now and go play in the MLB, do something crazy like that. He is so talented in many ways that’ll be amazing you when you see it.”
The offense benefits smaller receivers such as sophomore Derrick Dillon and allows him to shift quickly or slip into the slot and make plays.
“Derrick, when he steps in, he’s making plays when we have him in that slot,” Chark said. “He’s very difficult to cover, very fast and shifty. With me being on the other side, it kind of helps those guys so we all really just feed off of each other. Whenever one of us is in the game, someone is making a play.”
Despite the new attention Chark is expecting from defenses, he is not worried about being able to make the plays he needs to make.
“Coach [Matt] Canada is the mastermind, so I’m sure he’s going to be ready for the defense to make road recoveries or something like that,” Chark said. “I have no doubt that I’ll still be able to get open, still be able to make plays. Defenses haven’t seen the type of things that Coach Canada does.”
LSU’s offense under offensive coordinator Matt Canada is something new and creative, Chark said. While learning the movements of the new offense is easier than most positions, the receivers still have so much to learn.
“We have a lot of movement, a lot of shifts going around so we really have to know every position,” Davis said. “As a receiver, you can even go into the backfield as a running back at this point.”
With all the changes to the offense and competition to earn a starting spot, each player is focused on working hard and becoming better.
“I think the main thing this year for the receivers is to be themselves,” Chark said. “Everybody that’s here was brought here for their talent. They don’t have to be like anyone else. They can shine the way that they’re supposed to shine, so you don’t have to expect Russell to be Malachi Dupre. They can just go out, and Derrick Dillon can be Derrick Dillon, and I can be myself. So I think that’s the big thing for the receivers this year, to just go out and play the way that they can play and I think that’s going to really translate well.”
