With a large and experienced core group of veterans back on both sides of the ball, battles for starting jobs during LSU spring practice aren’t as prominent as jockeying for position – especially on defense where a new coordinator has taken the reins.
But two areas where some new blood absolutely will be needed and vital to where the Tigers’ season goes are at offensive tackle and on either side of future pro Kendell Beckwith at linebacker.
ON OFFENSE
OFFENSIVE TACKLE(S): Not a whole lot of teams with playoff aspirations head into a season looking to replace both starting tackles, but that’s the spot that LSU finds itself in after the departures of Vadal Alexander and Jerald Hawkins (who left a year early). Size matters, of course, but being experienced, nimble, athletic and powerful also come into play and that’s why sophomores Maea Teuhema and Toby Weathersby seem to have taken the lead roles in spring ball. Teuhema was a starter at left guard as a true freshman for the last 10 games of 2015 and recorded 61 knockdown blocks in 642 snaps. Sliding to tackle makes sense for Teuhema (6 feet 5, 327 pounds), a former five-star recruit from Texas. Weathersby was one of the primary backups at right guard and right tackle as a true freshman, and turned coaches’ heads with his performance against Ole Miss, when he notched nine knockdowns. Like his fellow Texan, Weathersby has a nice frame (6-5, 292) that can fill out more. The battle for the two jobs is ongoing, with junior K.J. Malone and redshirt freshmen Chidi Okeke and George Brown in the mix, but Teuhema and Weathersby have emerged as the frontrunners.
ON DEFENSE
OUTSIDE LINEBACKER(S):The question, fair or not, is who might the next Deion Jones be for the Tigers. Jones bided his time for three seasons before stepping in as a starter on the outside next to Beckwith last season; he led LSU with 100 tackles and has emerged as a likely early-round NFL draft pick. Senior Duke Riley and junior Donnie Alexander fit the bill best, and with new coordinator Dave Aranda transitioning his unit to a 3-4 scheme, there are plenty of spots to fill. Riley, much like Jones, has carved out a name for himself on special teams and plays with similar speed and aggressiveness. The wild cards appear to be true freshman Michael Divinity – an early enrollee who certainly has the look of the next big LSU star – and sophomore Arden Key, a defensive end who could find himself more in a standup role because of his explosive first step and physicality. Aranda may opt for a combination of all four to bracket Beckwith, a stalwart in the middle, as part of a mix-and-match approach with the Tigers’ deep and talented defensive roster.
(You can follow Randy Rosetta on Twitter @RandyRosetta)
(Feature photo of Duke Riley by CRYSTAL LoGIUDICE/USA TODAY SPORTS)
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