Junior defensive ends Marcus Spears and Marquise Hill, center Ben Wilkerson and cornerback Corey Webster have decided to return to LSU for their senior seasons.
Webster was a First Team All-America selection and a Thorpe Award semifinalist in 2003. He started 14 games at cornerback, intercepting a team high seven passes while leading the nation with 32 passes defended.
“After talking with coach Saban and my family, I have decided to return to LSU for my senior season,” Webster said. “My first four years at LSU have been great, winning two SEC titles and the national championship so I’m looking forward to spending one more season in Baton Rouge playing for Coach Saban and LSU.”
Webster ranks second in LSU history in interceptions with 14, including a school-record three in the win over Florida in Gainesville in 2002. He needs seven interceptions in 2004 to break the career record of 20, set by Chris Williams in 1980.
“Obviously we are very pleased and happy that Corey has decided to return to LSU for his senior season,” LSU coach Nick Saban said. “We’re excited that Corey is returning because he’s an outstanding football player, but he’s also going to graduate this summer. By coming back, Corey will have a chance to continue to develop as a football player and he certainly should have a chance at winning the Jim Thorpe Award as the nation’s top defensive back next season.”
Spears’ and Hills’ decision to return to LSU will add experience to a defensive front that is losing senior defensive tackle Chad Lavalais.
Spears, a First Team All-SEC member in 2003, recorded 49 tackles with 13 for losses and six sacks during his junior season. Spears said he hopes one more year at LSU will groom him better for the NFL.
“I’ll be back because I feel like I need to get better on a lot of things,” Spears said. “I sat down and talked with coach Saban about it an thought it was in my best interest to stay another year and try to get better. I think the best is yet to come for me in college. I just don’t feel like I’m at that level yet. I feel like I could probably go out there and be mediocre, but I don’t want to be mediocre in anything I do.”
Spears, originally brought to LSU to play tight end, has recorded 103 career tackles with 17 for loss and nine sacks in 26 games as a defensive end starter.
Hill said his decision to stay was based on conversations he had with his mother and position coach Travis Jones, Hill told WGNO-TV, the ABC affiliate in New Orleans.
Hill has recorded 108 tackles, 17 for loss and 10 sacks for his career
The 2003 season was Hill’s most productive as a pass rusher. The 6-foot-7 right defensive end recorded six sacks and a team-leading 24 quarterback hurries. Five of those quarterback hurries came against Eli Manning in a 17-14 LSU win. Hill’s best game of the 2003 season came in Tuscaloosa against Alabama. He recorded six tackles and a sack.
On the offensive side of the ball, Wilkerson will be the only junior starter from a year ago returning for his senior year.
Wilkerson has started 33 games during his three-year career. In those games LSU has a 27-6 record.
The 6-foot-4, 300-pound center was named Second Team All-American by the Sporting News in 2003 as well as First Team All-SEC by the AP and ESPN.com.