LSU Safety JaCoby Stevens Says Team Has a "Certainty" 2020 Season Will be Played
When conferences like the Big Ten and Pac-12 decided to postpone their college football seasons, JaCoby Stevens made sure to cherish every moment he gets around the LSU program.
Two things remain clear for LSU’s veteran safety: He still wants to play despite the circumstances. And most importantly, he feels safe on campus.
On Wednesday, Stevens credited Shelly Mullenix, LSU’s Senior Associate Athletic Trainer, and coach Ed Orgeron for being proactive throughout the pandemic and handling it better than any program in America. Coming back for his senior season, Stevens returns to unchartered waters in 2020, but he feels the Tigers have followed the protocols necessary to play in Tiger Stadium this fall.
“We have a certain certainty over here,” Stevens said on how LSU has handled COVID-19. “We always have felt like we were going to play. Like Coach O says, we don’t blink. We trained as if the season was going to start on a regular time. We’ve been here [at the facility], working out, following all protocols so we can play in Tiger Stadium in September.”
Stevens is the centerpiece of LSU’s defense heading into a 2020 season under first-year defensive coordinator Bo Pelini. He was the Tigers’ most productive defender in 2019, and even in the first few months, Stevens says he’s built a solid relationship with Pelini on and off the field.
“We can talk about stuff outside of football,” Stevens said of his relationship with Pelini. “I feel like that’s pretty cool. It creates a better rapport. You really get to know Coach Pelini, and how he is on the field, when you start to talk to him about other things than football.”
With Kary Vincent opting out earlier this week, Ed Orgeron said in Tuesday’s press briefing that sophomore corner Cordale Flott would start if the season kicked off today. Flott is someone that has impressed the coaching staff and is primed for a breakout campaign, if given the opportunity.
"Cordale [Flott] has always been a guy that we've depended on,” Stevens said. “It's nothing new for him. Now, he's the clear starter, and we're expecting a lot from him."
Another expected starter on defense is All-American grad-transfer linebacker Jabril Cox out of North Dakota State. Orgeron views Cox as an “immediate impact player,” and Stevens has greatly enjoyed lining up alongside him so far in camp.
"He's a hard worker,” he said. “[Jabril] loves football. We all go watch film right after practice. We're almost waiting for the film to be put up. He's a football head, he can run sideline to sideline. I'm really excited to play with him."
Stevens, like everyone else, wants to see Tiger Stadium filled to its fullest capacity but understands the way things are right now, that's not realistic. He was asked just how different it will be to play in a stadium that will be anywhere from 20-30% capacity.
“It’s going to take away from the experience on Saturday. I wish all the fans could be in there and pack the house. The “Tiger Walk” is just filled with fans going crazy. It’s going to take really away from the experience, but it’s the world we’re living in. It’s a protocol the SEC and Governor (John Bel Edwards) laid out and they’re doing that to protect us and protect everybody else. We have to accept that as is and hopefully we can learn from this and come out of this and appreciate it a whole lot more.”
As students start to return to campus, Stevens message to everyone is consistent with what we've heard from Orgeron. If we want football in the fall, you must follow the health protocols established by the school.
“Just be clean and follow the protocols. I promise you that the Governor’s not putting in rules just to be mean and doing it because he has the power. He’s doing it because he generally cares about every citizen. And just follow all of the protocols LSU puts in place as well. If you follow the rules everything’s going right. I learned that since (I was) five years old. It’s time to put them in action.”
