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4th and 5

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Posts posted by 4th and 5

  1. On 1/18/2019 at 9:26 AM, Rhinotx said:

    Does any other aggy opponent need a QB? I hate to see him go to Arky. Maybe he can go to Texas State and find a way to beat them. How awesome would a 2nd string Texas QB playing at Texas State with a ex aggy couch winning be. Not likely but awesome.

    Spav is doing his due diligence on this. We’ll see.

  2. Bad shoot. I know this was not in Texas, so Texas law doesn’t apply. But I imagine AZ has a similar law. The one that would apply in Texas is below, and you can see in section (c) below.

    
     

    SUBCHAPTER E. LAW ENFORCEMENT

     

    Sec. 9.51. ARREST AND SEARCH. (a) A peace officer, or a person acting in a peace officer's presence and at his direction, is justified in using force against another when and to the degree the actor reasonably believes the force is immediately necessary to make or assist in making an arrest or search, or to prevent or assist in preventing escape after arrest, if:

    (1) the actor reasonably believes the arrest or search is lawful or, if the arrest or search is made under a warrant, he reasonably believes the warrant is valid; and

    (2) before using force, the actor manifests his purpose to arrest or search and identifies himself as a peace officer or as one acting at a peace officer's direction, unless he reasonably believes his purpose and identity are already known by or cannot reasonably be made known to the person to be arrested.

    (b) A person other than a peace officer (or one acting at his direction) is justified in using force against another when and to the degree the actor reasonably believes the force is immediately necessary to make or assist in making a lawful arrest, or to prevent or assist in preventing escape after lawful arrest if, before using force, the actor manifests his purpose to and the reason for the arrest or reasonably believes his purpose and the reason are already known by or cannot reasonably be made known to the person to be arrested.

    (c) A peace officer is justified in using deadly force against another when and to the degree the peace officer reasonably believes the deadly force is immediately necessary to make an arrest, or to prevent escape after arrest, if the use of force would have been justified under Subsection (a) and:

    (1) the actor reasonably believes the conduct for which arrest is authorized included the use or attempted use of deadly force; or

    (2) the actor reasonably believes there is a substantial risk that the person to be arrested will cause death or serious bodily injury to the actor or another if the arrest is delayed.

    (d) A person other than a peace officer acting in a peace officer's presence and at his direction is justified in using deadly force against another when and to the degree the person reasonably believes the deadly force is immediately necessary to make a lawful arrest, or to prevent escape after a lawful arrest, if the use of force would have been justified under Subsection (b) and:

    (1) the actor reasonably believes the felony or offense against the public peace for which arrest is authorized included the use or attempted use of deadly force; or

    (2) the actor reasonably believes there is a substantial risk that the person to be arrested will cause death or serious bodily injury to another if the arrest is delayed.

    (e) There is no duty to retreat before using deadly force justified by Subsection (c) or (d).

    (f) Nothing in this section relating to the actor's manifestation of purpose or identity shall be construed as conflicting with any other law relating to the issuance, service, and execution of an arrest or search warrant either under the laws of this state or the United States.

    (g) Deadly force may only be used under the circumstances enumerated in Subsections (c) and (d).

  3. 1 hour ago, Bobby Light said:

    Just booked the trip to Breck next month. What is everyone's preferred method of getting from Denver airport out there? Obviously renting a car is an idea but not sure we'd use it much once we got there. I saw some shuttle services as well.

    CMA A/K/A Epic. No car needed in Breck. There are bus stops everywhere. At the grocery and outside the "provisions" store. If you know what I'm saying. Get the myfreeride app and you are golden

    • Like 1
  4. 2 hours ago, Saint Austin said:

    The wife and I are making our first trip to Napa/Sonoma this year (late July), and I'm looking forward to digesting this thread to help plan our trip. I'm mentally preparing myself to drop a lot of cash already, but if there are ways to not spend exorbitantly, I'm all ears.

    Right now we're planning for just two full days in wine country with two more in the Bay Area. Wife wants to hit up Napa AND Sonoma, so I figured we'd do one each day.

    -What are the best wineries to check out if you're not a wine snob and just want a nice glass or two while enjoying cool scenery?

    -What are our best options for getting around (drive our own rental, hire someone to drive us around, use uber/lyft)?

    -Where should we stay if we're planning on doing Napa one day and Sonoma the other?

    Napa: I like staying in Napa, and Andaz downtown or any of the B&Bs are outstanding. Gotta hit the Oxbow Market for oysters at Hog Island. There are a ton of great wineries to go to

    Sonoma: I prefer not to stay in Sonoma, and would stay in Glen Ellen at Olea. Make sure you hit Domaine Carneros on the way there. Hit the Moon Mountain area. There are outstanding wineries in this are, but Petroni and Hamel are the best. Load up on staples for your styrofoam cooler at the Glen Ellen Market. And Pliny if that's your thing.

    Bay area: Man SF is alright if you've never done it but I'd cancel that and go to Healdsburg for two days and stay at Bella Luna Inn. Check out the reviews on TA. Pussy has been defeated there. Hit the Russian River wineries, go in to the Armstrong Redwood park, great restaurants. It's an excellent home base for RRV, Dry Creek, etc. So many great wineries there, and beautiful scenery. Drive out to Bodega Bay and grab some seafood for lunch, and go hit the cliffs over the Pacific (don't forget your jacket).

  5. 1 hour ago, billfromlaketravis said:

    Well boys, I hit that certain oaky liquor store off of 183 today. I was pretty impressed with their store picks. 

    Little Book from Total. That stuff would last about 5 minutes up front at a Houston location. 

    Its ridiculously easy to find Weller 107 and ER10 in this town. It goes without saying y’all are fortunate  to live in Austin, but your cups runneth over. 

    Did they have antique?

  6. On 1/11/2019 at 9:12 PM, Murfdogg21 said:

    SWA Companion Pass is definitely worth it if you can get it. I had it from 2014-2018 and my wife probably flew with me for free on 6-8 round trips a year. Then we had a kid and he flew free until he was 2.

    I’m at a crossroad now of what to do both in terms of SWA Visa card and SWA as my preferred airline. I went from 2-4 business trips a month to about one every other month beginning in early 2018. With my travel dip, spending alone on the card didn’t get me qualified for Companion in 2019. If I switch over to this new Signature SWA visa they won’t give me the 50k tier points because I’m not a new customer. I missed Companion by about 25k points (mostly due to credit card spending) while I didn’t even make regular A List because my travel was so low. Maybe there’s a scam to cancel my current card for X months, then sign up for a business card and then sign up for this new Signature personal card and bank 100k tier points in bonuses?

    Cancel SW cards. Why anyone would carry them except for the scam, or fly SW frequently for business (in which case you wouldn't need the scam) is beyond me. Use 2-5x Chase cards (Sapphire, Freedom, Ink) to manufacture points and transfer points to SW as needed.

    You can get the bonus every 24 months.

    Apply biz card prior to 1/1/XX, hit spend immediately after 1/1/XX+1. NOT BEFORE

    Apply personal, hit spend ASAP.

    CP earned for this year and the next (~23 months).

    Cancel card.

    Repeat >24 months from the last time.

    Hit my biz spend a week ago, personal card came in mail yesterday.

    ===>With that said, Chase has a CP bonus on their SW card right now, but the CP is only good until the end of 2019, not 2020

     

  7. I highly recommend the tides4fishing.com website:

    For example, using the link below for SPI, you get weather, wind, water temp, current, tide, wave, solunar and more

    https://tides4fishing.com/us/texas/queen-isabella-causeway

    As you can see this morning was a great time to fish with the coincidence of moon underfoot and sunrise, plus decent incoming tidal movement. I can also see my honey hole would have been protected from the wind.

    This is a morning I would have running in the dark and been getting out of the boat by 6:30am. Casting a Superspook with the wind at my back. Except I am hours away sitting at my fucking desk. 

     

     

    • Like 2
  8. and Max Olson of the Athletic just weighed in on Texas...........

     

     

    First Look: Projecting the Texas Longhorns’ 2019 offensive, defensive and special teams depth charts

    Texas_Depth_Offense-e1547448801385-1024x683.jpg
    By Max Olson 6h agocomment-icon.png 14 save-icon.png

    Texas is getting top-10 hype for 2019 thanks to its Sugar Bowl upset of Georgia and its 10-win breakthrough in Tom Herman’s second season. In playing for a Big 12 title and winning a New Year’s Six bowl, the Longhorns football program finally seems ready to play up to the hype.

    But the team that pulled off that run was led by a bunch of seniors who are now gone. Lil’Jordan Humphrey, the team’s best player, just left a year early for the NFL Draft. For Herman, his staff and their players, there’s a nice, long to-do list of things they must figure out before it’s time to play up to those big expectations.

    The Longhorns need to replace the majority of their starters on defense. They need to reload on the offensive line. They need a lot to go right. The good news is they’re set to bring back their entire coaching staff for a third consecutive year. That stability enables them to keep building upon their progress. But what is the staff now working with heading into 2019?

    Here is an early look at Texas’ depth chart for 2019. Keep in mind these are best guesses for now and certainly subject to change over the course of winter workouts, spring practice and summer drills.

    Offense

    Quarterback

    Starter: Sam Ehlinger
    Backup: Shane Buechele

    Overview: Texas has spent the duration of this decade searching for a program changer at quarterback and has finally developed one in Ehlinger. What he did for this team as a true sophomore, as a passer and rusher and tone-setting leader, expedited Herman’s rebuild and established Texas’ offensive identity as a physical, dangerous outfit. The 3,778 total yards of offense he put up in his second year ranks fourth best nationally among QBs who are returning in 2019. More remarkable was Ehlinger’s ability to avoid turnovers, throwing just five interceptions on his run to 41 total TDs.

    For now, it’s tough to make a good prediction on how the rest of Texas’ quarterbacks room shakes out. Buechele still has not declared whether he’ll pursue a graduate transfer or return, so let’s list him as the backup for now. Because he only played in two games this season, Buechele can count 2018 as his redshirt year and have two seasons of remaining eligibility. Freshmen Cameron Rising and Casey Thompson put their names in the NCAA transfer portal, but neither are officially gone yet.

    So the big question is which of them will be persuaded to stay? If all three were to leave, it would be down to just Ehlinger and Roschon Johnson, a true freshman early enrollee, which is certainly less than ideal.

    Running back

    Starter: Keontay Ingram
    Backup: Daniel Young

    Overview: Ingram showed a ton of potential as a true freshman in rushing for 708 yards. He figures to become more of an every-down back moving forward for a Texas rushing attack that ranked eighth in the Big 12 in yards per game and yards per carry. Cal grad transfer Tre Watson was a critical piece for this offense and a quality one-year rental. Who takes over for him as the change-of-pace threat?

    After missing on top targets Noah Cain and Trey Sanders in December, the Longhorns could try to find one more back, or they could take freaky freshman Jordan Whittington and craft a hybrid running back/receiver role that suits his talents. Whittington put up 377 total yards and six TDs in his state championship game. If Kirk Johnson can stay healthy, perhaps the senior can finally have his breakout and give this run game some pop along with incoming freshman Derrian Brown.

    Wide receiver

    Starters: Collin Johnson, Devin Duvernay, Joshua Moore
    Backups: John Burt, Brennan Eagles, Jake Smith

    Overview: Johnson returning for his senior season was a big win for Texas’ staff. He’ll be coming back with big goals, aiming to establish himself as one of college football’s best wideouts in 2019. Duvernay took a nice step forward as a junior, and Burt is coming back for a fifth year. They’ve proved over the years they can stretch the field.

    This receivers group will have impressive depth as soon as its second-year wideouts make a leap. That group of Moore, Eagles, D’Shawn Jamison, Malcolm Epps and Al’Vonte Woodard looks promising. Which of them is ready to shine? Watch out for Smith, who earned Gatorade National Player of the Year honors after putting up monster numbers at Notre Dame Prep in Arizona. Smith and Whittington can make an immediate impact in the slot and help mitigate the departure of Humphrey.

    Tight end

    Starter: Cade Brewer
    Backup: Reese Leitao

    Overview: Andrew Beck brought a lot to the table for this team, not just as a senior captain but as a chess piece in Herman’s offense who caught 28 passes. Finding that long-term answer to replace him at tight end will be important. Brewer and Leitao have had two years to develop and need to take the lead this spring. Texas signed one of the nation’s top tight end recruits in four-star Brayden Liebrock out of Arizona, and he should push for playing time early on. Epps, a 6-foot-5, 230-pound pass catcher, could end up here as well, and incoming freshman Jared Wiley is getting a head start by enrolling early.

    Offensive tackle

    Starters: Samuel Cosmi, Derek Kerstetter
    Backups: Denzel Okafor, Tyler Johnson

    Overview: It’s fairly futile to start making projections about Texas’ offensive line this early in the offseason. Offensive line coach Herb Hand must replace three starters and will do a lot of cross-training and tinkering with the lineup until the right combination emerges. It’s a safe bet, too, that Hand is not done recruiting and will try to find a grad transfer who can bolster the starting lineup the way Calvin Anderson did in 2018.

    Cosmi and Kerstetter as the bookend tackles seem like a lock for now, though. Cosmi flashed big-time potential as a redshirt freshman, and Kerstetter is capable of playing several positions on this line. Johnson, a top-50 recruit in the 2019 class, was the Longhorns’ highest-rated signee and is enrolling early this spring. Christian Jones is an intriguing developmental prospect who also could emerge.

    Offensive guard

    Starter: Denzel Okafor, Tope Imade
    Backups: Patrick Hudson, Junior Angilau

    Overview: Okafor can be a tackle or a guard on this line, and the fact Hand was able to redshirt him in 2018 was huge. Now he’ll be a fourth-year junior who’s better prepared to embrace a significant role. The vacancy at left guard after four-year starter Patrick Vahe graduates is a real question mark and one that could require a grad transfer to come in as a short-term fix. Imade backed up Vahe for most of last season and gets to prove himself this spring.

    Hudson sat out the season after dealing with a scary heat-related illness in September. If Texas can get him back in the lineup, he could be the answer. The interior depth will depend on whether second-year guys like Angilau and Rafiti Ghirmai are ready to play.

    Center

    Starter: Zach Shackelford
    Backup: Derek Kerstetter

    Overview: Shackelford should be a lock to hold down the center job in his senior year, and his 27 career starts are most among all returning Longhorns players. He was probably their best offensive lineman in 2018. If he were to go down, Texas presumably would slide a starter over to center and reshuffle the rest of the lineup.

    One underappreciated ingredient for Texas’ rise in 2018: The senior starters on the way out — Anderson, Vahe and Elijah Rodriguez — missed a combined six plays over the entire season. That’s incredibly good fortune and certainly aided Ehlinger’s improvement. The line’s stability also meant Hand did not have to plug in linemen who weren’t ready. Now it’s time for Okafor, Imade and the rest of those reserves to step up and play up to the offense’s physical standard.

    Texas_Depth_Defense-1024x757.jpg
     
    (Jay Biggerstaff / USA TODAY Sports)

    Defense

    Defensive end

    Starters: Malcolm Roach, Ta’Quon Graham
    Backups: Marqez Bimage, Moro Ojomo

    Overview: Texas is replacing all three members of its starting defensive line. Roach and Graham need to live up to expectations in 2019 and be trusted leaders for this defense. They bring a lot of toughness but also valuable versatility as pass rushers capable of lining up inside if needed. Roach, who missed five games with a broken foot last season, has tried playing pretty much every role in a front seven during his time at Texas, and the hope is he’s now found his fit up front. Bimage needs to come back strong from the shoulder injury that ended his season early. Junior college transfer Jacoby Jones is another guy who can play multiple spots, and incoming freshman T’Vondre Sweat is a big dude (6-4, 285 pounds) who could find a place in the rotation.

    Nose tackle

    Starter: Gerald Wilbon
    Backup: Keondre Coburn

    Overview: Who takes over for Chris Nelson up the middle? That’s a pretty important question. Wilbon, a senior-to-be who’s played in 33 games, would figure to have the edge going into the offseason, but clearly competition will dictate the rotation here. Coburn was able to get reps in three late-season games as a true freshman while still using his redshirt. If he can keep progressing, he can push Wilbon for this job. Veterans D’Andre Christmas-Giles and Jamari Chisholm will get in the mix here, too.

    Outside linebacker

    Starters: Jeffrey McCulloch, Joseph Ossai
    Backups: DeMarvion Overshown, Byron Hobbs

    Overview: Todd Orlando faces an interesting challenge with this group of linebackers. They’ve been thin on numbers there for a couple years now, and Gary Johnson and Anthony Wheeler graduating creates a real need for dependable leaders. It’s tough to project how these spots play out as Orlando tries to get the best 11 players on the field. McCulloch has experience (35 games played) and Ossai made two starts late in the year as a true freshman, putting up a team-best eight stops against Georgia. Overshown came in as a safety and could be a nice fit at Rover. Marcus Tillman Jr. is enrolling early this spring to help provide depth.

    Inside linebacker

    Starter: Caleb Johnson
    Backup: Ayodele Adeoye

    Overview: This is purely a guess for now, honestly. Johnson is one of the nation’s top junior college linebacker recruits out of Fullerton College, but he’ll be rehabbing a shoulder injury when he enrolls. Herman said on signing day the hope is he’ll be available midway through their spring practice slate.

    The Mac spot was already going to be a wide-open battle no matter what. Adeoye played limited snaps in four games this season and used his redshirt. Incoming freshman De’Gabriel Floyd, a top-100 recruit from California, also is enrolling this spring and will get a chance to prove himself. David Gbenda was the top inside linebacker recruit in the state of Texas this year and can push for early reps, too. Texas is still in the mix for junior college linebacker Lakia Henry, who recently decommitted from Tennessee, but he’s a summer enrollee.

    Cornerback

    Starters: Anthony Cook, Jalen Green
    Backups: Kobe Boyce, Kenyatta Watson

    Overview: Another spot where Texas is having to replace proven senior starters with inexperienced underclassmen. Rolling with two young cornerbacks is challenging. Rolling with two young cornerbacks in the Big 12 can be downright painful. Cook and Green were the state’s top two cornerback recruits in the 2018 class and will have to grow up quickly as sophomores. Now is the time for Boyce to make a big jump, too, if he hopes to start. Their two corner signees in this class, Watson and Marques Caldwell, are long and athletic. They’ll need to come in ready for the possibility of early playing time.

    Safety

    Starters: Brandon Jones, Caden Sterns, Josh Thompson
    Backups: B.J. Foster, Chris Brown

    Overview: Saved the best for last. The duo of Jones and Sterns is excellent. Sterns was the Big 12’s defensive freshman of the year, and rightfully so. Jones elected to return for his senior season after playing up to his big-time potential in 2018. Their play on the back end will help make up for the inexperience at corner. Thompson looks like he’d be the replacement for P.J. Locke at nickel heading into spring ball.

    But the big issue is this: How does Texas get Foster on the field as much as possible? He can play safety, he can play nickel and he can definitely play near the line of scrimmage and blitz. He’s a devastating hitter and one of Texas’ most exciting defenders, and how Orlando deploys him can help resolve some of these lineup questions. There’s more help on the way, too, with freshmen Tyler Owens and Chris Adimora coming in. A year ago, the trio of Sterns, Foster and Cook wowed this staff with their maturity from Day 1. We’ll see who can make a similar impression in this class of newcomers.

    Specialists

    Kicker: Cameron Dicker
    Punter: Ryan Bujcevski
    Returners: D’Shawn Jamison, Brandon Jones

    Overview: Texas is set at kicker and punter for the long term thanks to Dicker and Bujcevski faring well as true freshmen. Dicker hit 18 of his 25 field-goal attempts, including a fairly important one to beat Oklahoma in the Cotton Bowl. Bujcevski had his ups and downs on his way to averaging 40.3 yards per punt. It’s worth noting that his cousin, Michael Dickson, enjoyed his greatest improvement in his sophomore season, after an offseason of becoming more comfortable booting the ball at the college football level.

    There’s no shortage of options for returning kicks. Jamison took a kickoff to the house against Kansas State as a true freshman, and Jones has been reliable on punt returns, but several others could step into those roles.

    (Top photo by Ken Murray / Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

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    • Like 1
  9. Will The Herman slay the Ogre?

    It starts with a preview of LSU by the Athletic.com, story by Bruce Feldman.

    Warning:  it has some triggers with respect to tiny running backs, DBU references, and K’Lavons  

    I highly recommend the Athletic subscription, well worth a couple bucks a month  

    —————————-

    Assessing LSU’s 2019 offensive, defensive and special teams personnel

    LSU-Depth_Offense-1024x641.jpg
    By Bruce Feldman  2h agocomment-icon@2x.png 1 save-icon@2x.png

    An LSU team some experts thought would do no better than 6-6 ended up notching its first 10-win season in five years. Ed Orgeron’s Tigers sputtered at times, but they did go 4-1 against teams ranked in the top 10 and posted a 20-point beatdown of Georgia. The downside was the offense was a complete dud against archrival Alabama, losing 29-0 at home.

    Overall, it was a nice step forward for Orgeron in Year 2 for a team that folks inside program had believed was a year away from being a legitimate College Football Playoff contender. Well, that year is now up. The Tigers have a few key areas they must bolster before they can even contemplate toppling the Tide: the offensive line, their red-zone offense, their run game and their pass rush.

    Offense

    Quarterback

    The biggest prospect LSU signed in 2018 actually didn’t count toward its online recruiting rankings, but Ohio State transfer Joe Burrow proved to be a gem. His stats for the season weren’t spectacular — 16 TD passes, five interceptions, 58 percent completion rate and 2,894 yards passing were modest, but his leadership, intelligence and poise were big reasons why LSU finished No. 6 in the country. Burrow is a son of a coach, and his grit earned him the leadership crown on this team.

    In the week leading up the ’Bama showdown, Burrow injured his throwing shoulder and didn’t take reps at their Thursday practice — the Tigers already had backup Myles Brennan hampered by back issues. Burrow battled through it and probably wasn’t back close to 100 percent until later in the season when he finished with a bang. In the final three games, he produced a 9-1 TD-INT ratio while connecting on 66 percent of his passes for 971 yards to go with 141 rushing yards and three more touchdowns. His signature moment came in the win against UCF when he responded to throwing a pick-six and taking a brutal hit on the runback by torching the Knights and not missing a snap to rally LSU from a 14-3 hole.

    “He’s as fierce a competitor as we’ve had around here in a long time,” says one LSU staffer. “With him setting the tone this offseason, we’re gonna be all right.”

    An offseason to get more timing down with a more mature Tigers receiving corps figures to provide a much-needed jolt to a passing attack that has long been listless. Behind Burrow is strong-armed sophomore Brennan, who was able to redshirt and continued to add some weight on his spindly frame. Four-star signee Peter Parrish, who is more suited to some of the RPO stuff the Tigers incorporated for Burrow, arrives in the summer.

    Running back

    A major concern coming into 2018 was how LSU would replace Derrius Guice and Darrel Williams. Well, senior Nick Brossette, who had been a non-factor, stepped up in a big way, rushing for more than 1,000 yards and 14 TDs. He moves on but rising junior Clyde Edwards Helaire, an elusive 5-foot-7, 205-pounder, is back after providing a good change of pace in rushing for 658 yards and seven touchdowns. The real excitement is that LSU might have compiled the best running back recruiting class in the country, adding five-star John Emery and four-star Tyrion Davis, the nation’s No. 8 running back.

    The 5-11, 206-pound Emery reminds some of Guice, with not quite as much strength but even more speed. The 230-pound Davis is a bull with 4.6 speed who reminds the LSU staff in style of former Tigers standout Jeremy Hill. Senior Lanard Fournette isn’t his older brother Leonard talent-wise, but he’s impressed Orgeron as a good all-around back they can count on. Chris Curry, a freshman who redshirted last season, is another bruiser back, and classmate Tae Provens’ wheels might come in handy as a slot receiver.

    Wide receiver

    Going into the 2018 season, LSU didn’t have a returning wideout who had even caught 15 passes the previous year. Now the Tigers appear to be in the best shape they’ve been on the outside since 2013, when they had Jarvis Landry and Odell Beckham Jr. scaring defensive backs. Justin Jefferson, who wasn’t even ranked among the top 75 prospects in Louisiana when he signed with LSU, blossomed into a go-to guy, leading the team with 54 catches for 875 yards and six TDs. He’s not the biggest or fastest receiver on the team, but the 6-2, 190-pound junior is very tough and competitive and has developed into a good route runner. 

    Former top-100 recruit Ja’Marr Chase is a budding star (23 catches for 313 yards as a freshman). He’s big, strong, physical and has really good hands. Coaches love his upside. Terrace Marshall, a former five-star at 6-4, 210 pounds, came in with even more hype than Chase. He wasn’t as productive, but he’s another one expected to take a big step forward entering his sophomore year. He’s very smooth and a good route runner. 

    In Stephen Sullivan and Dee Anderson, LSU has two huge senior wideouts. The 6-7, 230-pound Sullivan is the more reliable and consistent of the two. Derrick Dillon, another senior, might be the fastest of all the receivers. He was good for a spark off the bench with 22 catches for 307 yards.

    Former Texas Tech standout Jonathan Giles struggled to stay healthy and never got into a rhythm last season. We’ll see if he can regain his form. Kenan Jones and Racey McMath are core special teams guys who also will push for playing time. An incoming freshman to keep an eye on is four-star Trey Palmer, a 6-1, 177-pounder with big-play potential.

    Tight ends/H-backs

    The Tigers will miss tight end Foster Moreau, a clutch player and a great influence in the locker room. The Tigers hope they can get two injured players back to replace Moreau in 6-7 Jamal Pettigrew, a big kid who is physical, and Thaddeus Moss, the 6-3, 240-pound son of football legend Randy Moss. The younger Moss, who was hobbled by a foot injury, brings good athleticism to the position. The hope is he’ll be cleared by spring.

    T.K. McClendon, a 6-5, 241-pound JUCO transfer, has nice size but is still pretty raw as a receiver. Charles Turner, a smart 6-4, 245-pound early-enrolled freshman who might end up as an offensive lineman, is expected to contribute as a blocking tight end. Tory Carter, a strong blocker, has carved out a nice role in the offense as a fullback/H-back.

    Offensive line

    A patchwork group held up pretty well at times, most notably at Auburn and against Georgia. The Tigers had lost their best lineman in sophomore guard Ed Ingram (suspended because of sexual assault charges) right before training camp started. Ingram’s case is going through the justice system. Garrett Brumfield emerged as the leader of the line, and he is the only starter who won’t be back in 2019.

    Expect heady junior center Lloyd Cushenberry to take over the leadership mantle. He and senior Damien Lewis, a road grader at guard, were the team’s top two guys up front. Chasen Hines, a converted defensive tackle, impressed when he was thrown into action as a true freshman at Auburn. The 6-4, 333-pound Texan has All-SEC talent thanks to his power and nimble feet. Those three should form a strong core.

    The big concern is outside. LSU has to get better at tackle. Junior Saahdiq Charles is a two-year starter but needs to be more consistent and hone his technique. Austin Deculus is strong but stiff and struggled quite a bit with quicker edge rushers before picking up his play some late in the season. Badara Traore, touted as the nation’s top junior college lineman, struggled as well as he came to LSU after surgeries on both knees. He’s a capable run blocker but needs to develop as a pass protector. Another year of experience should help him.

    Two projects worth remembering: Cameron Wire, a 6-7, 290-pounder who redshirted in 2018 after reporting around 265, is very athletic but probably another year or two away from a strength and technique standpoint, and Dare Rosenthal, who is even bigger and longer at 6-8, 333, and has the potential to be a really good player with his frame and athleticism. If the light comes on with Rosenthal, he could be a big-time right tackle.

    Two freshmen who also figure to be in the picture: five-star guard Kardell Thomas, a 6-3, 360-pounder who is physical as heck and strong, and 6-5, 365-pound tackle Anthony Bradford, whose combination of quick feet and good athleticism has the Tigers staff excited. Both probably need to shed 25 pounds this offseason, however.

    LSU_Depth_Defense-e1547446564596-1024x78
     
    (Jonathan Bachman / Getty Images)

    Defense

    Defensive line

    For the Fiesta Bowl, the Tigers were down to four scholarship D-linemen thanks to a ridiculous run of injuries and the departure of nose tackle Ed Alexander. Fortunately, they did have the leader of their group in Rashard Lawrence, and he dominated, posting four TFLs including two sacks. Lawrence has overcome all sorts of injuries but should be one of the best defensive linemen in the SEC. He’ll hold down one of their three spots up front.

    Strongman Breiden Fehoko started eight games before suffering a season-ending biceps injury. He’s solid and versatile as he can also slide over to play the nose, but he’ll have to hold off Glen Logan, the team’s most improved D-lineman in 2018. The 6-4, 290-pound junior had 46 tackles and four sacks. The other guy pushing for a starting spot is former five-star Tyler Shelvin, a 6-3, 350-pound sophomore who finished the season with a flourish. Shelvin has good feet and is explosive but still battles weight issues. That said, the staff is very optimistic because his confidence has really seemed to surge after turning heads in practice and the bowl game.

    Rising junior Neil Farrell also will be in the mix for more playing time. He was productive in 2018 and expected to play a big role in the Fiesta Bowl before he went down with a shin injury, Justin Thomas, the fourth D-lineman who played in the win against UCF, is probably the most athletic guy in the defensive line room. He’s long, lean and fast but needs to mature more and get stronger.

    There’s also more beef coming: Siaki “Apu” Ika, is a powerful, tough 6-2, 360-pound early-enrolled freshman regarded as one of the two best defensive tackles on the West Coast, and LSU is battling to land 335-pound five-star in-state DT Ishmael Sopsher, who has terrific get-off for a man that size. Another option is 6-3, 382-pound redshirt freshman Dominic Livingston, a hard worker with quick feet who needs to drop another 30 pounds.

    Linebackers

    The bad news: Devin White, perhaps the best linebacker LSU has ever had, is expected to be gone. The good news: K’Lavon Chaisson, by far the best pass rusher in the program, is back after tearing his ACL in the season opener. Word is last spring Chaisson, a sophomore, was actually the most impressive player in the program — even more so than White, Greedy Williams or Grant Delpit. He’s explosive and smart and a near-4.0 student. He doesn’t have as much length as Arden Key, but he’s more consistent. His weight is close to 245 pounds, and he’ll be a difference-maker for a team that was just No. 7 in the SEC in sacks.

    Without Chaisson, Michael Divinity emerged, making 10.5 TFLs and a team-high five sacks. Jarell Cherry, another former top-100 recruit, might be ready to make an impact. The redshirt freshman has packed on about 30 pounds since arriving to get to about 250 and has impressed with his strength and his smarts.

    Sophomore Damone Clark is long and pretty fast and could help inside or on the outside. Orgeron says he’s a good rusher and one of the most talented guys they have in the linebackers room. Junior college transfer Travez Moore has potential, but it remains to be seen if he can put it together to contribute as a situational pass rusher. Ray Thornton and Andre Anthony likely will provide depth unless they can hold off some of the talented younger players.

    Junior Jacob Phillips is primed for a big season in the middle of the defense. He was second on the team with 87 tackles, trailing only White. He’s smart and talented but probably doesn’t have the same wheels to be the playmaker that White was. Speedy Patrick Queen, a junior, is faster and comes in as the favorite to nab the other starting spot. He had 40 tackles and five TFLs last season. Sophomore Micah Baskerville started the game at Florida when Phillips was sidelined and has the intelligence and instincts to help him compete for the job. Two incoming freshmen to know: top-100 recruit Donte Starks and Kendall McCallum, a 6-3, 245-pounder from Alabama who seems to have the physicality to compete for a spot right away if he can pick up the scheme.

    Defensive backfield

    Greedy Williams is leaving early for the NFL, but DBU should still be loaded on the back end. Kristian Fulton, who had sat out an NCAA drug test suspension for a season, shook off the rust and played very well opposite Williams at the other corner before an ankle injury ended his season with three games to go. Fulton isn’t as long as Williams, but he’s more physical. He drew a second-round grade evaluation from the NFL and opted to return to LSU.

    Don’t be surprised if early-enrolled five-star freshman Derek Stingley snatches Williams’ old spot. At 6-2, 200 pounds, he’s bigger than Williams and wowed coaches in bowl practices, adding to the lofty hype that he’s the most talented DB to come to LSU since Patrick Peterson. 

    “His daddy’s a coach, and he’s got great technique,” Orgeron says. “In those bowl practices, he was covering our No. 1 offense receivers like a glove. He’s got a 43-inch vertical, probably runs sub-4.4 and is also great with the ball in his hands. He’s really advanced.”

    Junior Kary Vincent is small but fast and is the favorite to win the nickel spot. Kelvin Joseph, a top-50 recruit, played pretty well at times as a true freshman at corner but might get shifted to safety, which could be a more natural spot. Mannie Netherly is another exceptionally long corner at 6-3, 200, but he’s still pretty raw. Stingley was one of three corners LSU signed last month. One other name to remember is Raydarious Jones, a lanky 6-2, 165-pound former QB who reminds the staff of Williams.

    Delpit became a star in 2018 making plays all over the field at safety. The rising junior earned All-America honors, making 74 tackles, 9.5 TFLs, five sacks and five INTs. Coordinator Dave Aranda has plenty of interesting options for the safety spot next to Delpit. Former five-star recruit JaCoby Stevens made big strides after struggling in his rookie year. Orgeron, who says the 6-2, 220-pounder might be pound-for-pound the most explosive player on the team, gives a lot of credit to safeties coach Bill Busch for Stevens’ development. The junior had a great performance in the bowl win and finished the season with 6.5 TFLs. Joseph is in the mix, as are junior Todd Harris, who doesn’t have great size but is very instinctive, and incoming freshman Marcel Brooks, the star of the All-American Bowl. He has good length and ferocious closing speed.

    Special teams

    Cole Tracy, a Lou Groza Award finalist, was a revelation coming from tiny Assumption College in Massachusetts to become a difference-maker in the SEC, but now he’s gone. Cade York, an incoming freshman, boosted Tigers fans’ confidence when he nailed a 59-yarder on national TV in the Under Armour All-America Game. Junior Connor Culp, the team’s kicker in 2017 before Tracy, will need to show he’s a lot more reliable after going 20-of-23 on PATs in 2017.

    Zach Von Rosenberg, a 28-year-old former minor league baseball player, averaged almost 46 yards per punt, and he’s back. The return game was middling, but look for Stingley to try to provide a spark.

    (Top photo of Justin Jefferson by Scott Clause / The Advertiser via USA TODAY Network)

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  10. As Mac stated it is a hell of a trip. We murdered them. Waded for 3 days. I caught all my fish on topwaters. Lost some lures to UFOs. Personal bested a 42” red. Ate like kings. Drank like fish. Our cook was like Ed O., maybe understand every 3rd word. Going again in a few months. 

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