LSU Seniors Ready for One Last Ride in Tiger Stadium as College Careers Wind Down
It’s been quite the journey for this LSU Tigers senior class. From riding the high of winning a national title together to experiencing hardships over the last two seasons, it’s been an emotional rollercoaster.
Led by Austin Deculus and Damone Clark, these seniors have rallied behind each other to continue fighting for the name across their chest every Saturday. It’s been much more than playing for themselves, but showing out for this program.
Deculus, who will start his 60th game Saturday night, is set to become the first Tiger to ever achieve such a feat. He's represented this LSU team like no other, playing through injuries and embodying what it means to be a Tiger, earning the respect he has from his teammates along the way.
“He’s always banged up, something’s wrong, but he’s always fighting through it,” offensive lineman Liam Shanahan said Tuesday. “I think it’s Coach O who always calls him ironman or something like that. No one has played as many games as him… If that was me it’d be something I’m extremely proud of, especially at a place like this.”
Shanahan, who’s played alongside Deculus the last two seasons, has showed tremendous grit sticking it out with the Tigers. Coming in as a graduate transfer after the 2019 season, this program was coming off of a high to say the least. He joked about missing out on the “good stuff,” but the memories he’s made here will last a lifetime.
“I kind of got here after some of the good stuff that happened,” Shanahan laughed. “So I missed some of the fun memories, but it’s still been fun. Between the Florida game at home and the atmosphere when we were at Alabama was crazy. That’s just stuff you see on TV or see when I’m playing video games and stuff growing up.”
Rocking the No. 18 jersey this season, Damone Clark is the definition of an LSU Tiger both on and off the field. The No. 18 signifies who represents the purple and gold to the highest degree and this entire program understands how much Baton Rouge means to him.
It seems like Tiger fans have seen Clark grow up before their very eyes. From a tough adjustment period his first few seasons to turning into a Butkus Award Finalist this year, it’s been an incredible journey for Clark.
“It’s easy to be a leader when things are easy,” Clark said. “When things are going tough, that’s when you see who your true leaders are. A legacy I want to leave is one thing I want guys to think about Damone is that when it’s time to take care of business, it’s time to take care of business… No matter the circumstance, I gave them my all.”
Next to Clark leading the defense these last few years has been defensive lineman Glen Logan. A bit banged up this season, Logan has shown tenacity, battling back to play his senior season. To suit up one last time in Death Valley is something surreal for Logan who’s been here through it all.
“I feel like it’s a bittersweet moment,” Logan said. “I’m excited about the next step, but I’ll say, just leaving is kind of hard to think about. Just to get the emotions together. I don’t know how I’m going to feel Saturday about it, but I think it’s just going to be a great moment.”
Football is one thing at LSU, but turning boys to men is another. For Shanahan, the senior played his first few years of college ball close to home in Massachusetts at Harvard, so the chance to leave home and mature on his own is something he’s enjoyed most of his time in Baton Rouge.
“Coming down here was an opportunity for me just to kind of figure out more about who I am like away from home,” Shanahan said. “I’ve learned a lot about myself… But as a football player, I’m so happy I had the opportunity to come down here, where it’s not professional football, but it’s like it in some ways.”
The highs and lows of the last few seasons has been significant to say the least, but each of these seniors who will walk onto the field Saturday night is grateful for their chance to suit up in Death Valley.
The emotions of walking into Tiger Stadium in pads for the final time is bittersweet. Trying to focus on beating Texas A&M, it’ll be difficult to block out the emotions flowing through their mind as they run through the tunnel to greet Coach Ed Orgeron and their families.
“I try not to think about it so much, but going through this week, you know, it’s senior night,” Clark said. “It kind of makes you a little bit emotional, because it’s like dang, that just shows you how fast life is. I just felt like I just got here and I’m already graduating next month.”
To go out in style and defeat the Aggies in their last game in Tiger Stadium is the goal for this senior class. Led by Deculus and Clark, this team will have something to prove as they lace up their cleats for the final time as a Tiger.
