Ed Orgeron has seen a lot of talent come in and out of his program over his tenure at LSU. With a record-tying 14 players selected in the 2020 NFL draft, the Tigers continue to show their ability to produce top tier football talent. As the prep for the oncoming season continues, this year seems no different.
A mix of veteran leaders and young playmakers to bolster behind has put the Tigers, who were ranked sixth in the Associated Press’ preseason Top 25, in a position to make a strong run at the playoffs this season, even with a harsh SEC-only schedule. Orgeron believes they have a keen focus on their goals.
“I’m very pleased with the mindset of our football team, eliminating distractions,” Orgeron led with in a press conference Tuesday.
He cited the ongoing pandemic and severe weather caused by tropical force storms this week as potential deterrents from staying their course.
“Hurricanes are something we deal with,” Orgeron noted of the weather. “Year in and year out in Louisiana, and we’re still here, we’re not leaving.”
Orgeron said the team plans to practice as normal this week until told otherwise, as they’ll be focusing on important redzone sets and simulating in-game scenarios. Luckily enough, the team has also avoided any major injuries thus far.
The head coach has placed a key emphasis on graduate transfer linebacker Jabril Cox, who has more than settled into his own as the defense’s top linebacker.
“When we left the field a couple of days ago, I thought he was the best player on the field,” Orgeron boldly said on ESPN 104.5 FM’s Off the Bench Tuesday morning. He added to those thoughts later in Tuesday afternoon’s press
conference.
“He came up with a great attitude,” Orgeron complimented Cox. “He’s focused, razor-sharp. He’s always studying. Very smart, he knows the defense. He’s very fast, I think Jabril’s about 6’3”, about 225-230 pounds.”
Cox played three strong seasons at North Dakota State, where he was awarded two All-American awards while helping the Bison win three FCS championships. He has been named to the Chuck Bednarik preseason watchlist, along with fellow LSU standouts cornerback Derek Stingley Jr. and cornerback JaCoby Stevens.
“Obviously, he has a lot of experience in playing the position,” Orgeron added. “He’s a physical tackler, he can key and diagnose, he can shed blocks well, he can rush the passer well, he drops in coverage. He’s a complete linebacker.”
“What I saw on film was a big linebacker that can run, can hit, can key and diagnose. I didn’t know he was going to be that good.”
Orgeron maintained that Andre Anthony and Travez Moore would be the two starting edge rushers, with Anthony at right end and Moore at left end. Ali Gaye and BJ Ojulari are following closely behind. Orgeron noted that Ojulari recorded four or five sacks in practice on Monday and that fans could expect to see him on third downs and in the Tigers defensive rotation this fall.
Wide receiver has always been thought of as a strong position for the Tigers coming into this season with the return of 2019 Biletnikoff Award winner Ja’Marr Chase and seasoned veteran Terrace Marshall Jr. However, the Tigers are loaded behind their two starters, with veteran Racey McMath leading the way as the Tigers’ third receiver option. He is expected to be the starter but is trailed closely by more depth in the likes of Jontre Kirklin, Kayshon Boutte, and one other surprise standout.
“The guy that I’m really impressed with is Koy Moore,”
Orgeron said, highlighting the freshman from Rummel High School
in New Orleans, who shares his alma mater with Chase. “He has done a great job. I think he is going to have an excellent freshman year.”
And the packed wideout room is not alone, because the Tigers have highly ranked prospect Arik Gilbert coming in to start at tight end next to them. He has done everything the coaches have asked for and more so far.
“Arik is [a] type of tight end we’ve been looking for to stretch the field,” Orgeron said. “Yesterday we ran a vertical route right up the field, he beat the Mike linebacker, touchdown. That’s a dagger in the heart to the defense. But we can spread him out, he can play X, he can play Z.”
Orgeron said that in redzone drills, the quarterbacks have been finding Gilbert a lot in the corner of the endzone and has been dominating in one-on-one matchups.
“I mean just like in the backyard of South Lafourche, just throw the alley oop, catch it, and touchdown,” Orgeron described Gilbert’s redzone prowess.
The Tigers will open their season Sept. 26 at home against Mississippi State. Until then, Orgeron and his program will continue to build on the work they have been accomplishing amidst all the possible obstacles the world continues to hurl their way. It’s the only way Orgeron knows how to do it: just like in the yards of South Lafourche.