I — like most LSU Tiger fans — want to see Russell Shepard on the field. Good things had the chance of happening for LSU when he played last season. So I jumped with excitement when I heard the quarterback was switching to wide receiver — well, not really.But I do think this is a good move for both the sophomore and the team. Most of the position changes made this spring are good for the team, simply because they seem to be able to take advantage of the athletes’ best skills.Shepard is quick and agile and has shown the ability to make explosive plays out of the backfield. He should have no trouble coming out of the slot and getting separation from his defenders. He was most effective last season with the ball in his hands. His two touchdown runs came when he received a handoff.Imagine the offensive possibilities with Shepard in the slot. Better yet, put yourself in the shoes of an opposing defensive coordinator. You already have to respect the run because of rising sophomore quarterback Jordan Jefferson. But now you have to account for Shepard’s position on the field. God forbid the Tigers run a reverse for Shepard. Your players will freeze for a split second, which is about all the time Shepard needs to get to the second level.Even if Shepard just runs a normal route, his speed and ability to change directions can turn a 5-yard catch into a 30-yard gain.Possibly the second-best position switch of the spring is senior Jai Eugene switching to safety. It’s well-documented that Eugene isn’t the best shutdown corner LSU has ever seen, but physically he has all the tools to be a capable safety.  Eugene is fast, a good tackler and has experience in coverage. Moving him to safety allows him to use his speed to get to the ball and his tackling ability to end plays without giving him the liability of man-to-man coverage. He will also be able to help out when the scheme calls for a double team. I only see good things coming from this. LSU defensive coordinator John Chavis had a good track record of getting tremendous play from his safeties, like former Tennessee safety Eric Berry and former LSU safety Chad Jones. Eugene has the raw tools to play at the next level, and a good season at the safety position could be what puts the athlete who was once the No. 1 recruit out of Louisiana into the NFL.As much as those two switches make sense, a few of the position switches are perplexing.  LSU offensive lineman Joseph Barksdale is moving from the right side of the offensive line to the left side to fill the void left by departed lineman Ciron Black. Barksdale is one of the most experienced offensive linemen on the LSU roster, but moving Barksdale to the left side of the field won’t solve all of LSU’s offensive line woes. LSU was next to last in rushing behind its offensive line last season. Simply moving Barksdale to the other side of the field won’t help LSU open up running lanes any better.  If anything, there will be an inexperienced Barksdale at left tackle and an inexperienced player at right tackle. Another perplexing move is senior defensive end Lazarius Levingston moving to defensive tackle in place of Al Woods.   Levingston is quicker than Woods but is moving into a position where size is slightly more important than quickness.Woods had a whole 42 pounds on Levingston, and he found it hard to be effective.  Aside from the speed factor Levingston will have to, like Barksdale, learn the nuances of the position which will in some ways negate the experience he’s gained as a Tiger.The new positions should help the Tigers in many areas on the field, but there is always the chance these changes will backfire and end up hurting the team. Either way, we won’t know until the fall whether these moves were the right ones.        Amos Morale is a 22-year-old history senior from Houston. Follow him on Twitter @TDR_amosmorale3.
 
 
 
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