LSU Football Coaching Staff Excited to Welcome Last of 2021 Class to Campus
Every summer when LSU coach Ed Orgeron welcomes a new recruiting class to the roster, there is always an initial team meeting. It's a meeting to not only welcome the new players to the program but also detail what's expected of them as freshmen.
As Orgeron proved last season, he's unafraid to play freshmen in important games if they're the best at the position with Kayshon Boutte, Max Johnson, Koy Moore, Kole Taylor, Jaquelin Roy, BJ Ojulari and Elias Ricks just being a few of the starters last season who played significantly as true freshmen in 2020.
That initial meeting sets the tone for what's expected and Orgeron says every freshman should come in with the same mindset, to compete and work hard to earn early playing time.
"Compete, you don't wanna come in here and sit on the bench," Orgeron said on Off the Bench. "You're gonna find out this is a different world. No. 1, go to class, be early, protect the team, do the right thing. Going to college is time management and hang around with the winners, do the right thing on a daily basis, be humble but work."
LSU will welcome 14 players to the roster on May 24, including 13 freshmen and transfer Mike Jones Jr. out of Clemson, who figures to be an immediate contender for one of the linebacker spots. There would be nobody better, as Orgeron mentioned, than for some of those younger defensive players to hang around than Jones, who played in the College Football Playoff each of his first three seasons at Clemson.
A couple of those incoming freshmen put the finishing touches on their track and field seasons and performed quite well. Safety Matthew Langlois won a state championship for the 100 meter dash while receiver Chris Hilton won for the 400 meter dash. Bringing those elite level athletes to the program has always been a staple for LSU over the years and that hasn't changed in 2021.
"You look at a guy like Matthew Langlois, state champion. Chris Hilton, state champion. Just think about those guys coming in, I can't wait to see those guys. Jack Bech who I've heard tremendous things about. All of these great players coming in, I'm excited to see those guys but they're in for a rude awakening with Tommy Moffitt."
Moffitt, LSU's strength and conditioning coach, pulls no punches with the new players as he gauges how in shape each player is upon arrival and devises offseason programs for every player. Each freshman is put through a conditioning test before workouts which gives Moffitt more to work on for the summer before heading into fall camp.
With most of the players home following the spring semester, it will be a few weeks before the Tigers have everybody back together for a critical summer of workouts and development.
