LSU Coach Ed Orgeron Reviews Offensive Line Depth, Which of the New Quarantine Methods Will Stick
Ed Orgeron hadn't really heard of a "zoom" meeting a few months back but he's grown to love the technology for a number of reasons. As a top notch recruiter, talk, text and FaceTime were his three primary ways to communicate with prospects.
But because of the times we now live in, Orgeron and the coaching staff have adjusted. Orgeron said in an interview with "Off the Bench" on Tuesday that he envisions the zoom meetings being a key component in how the staff recruits in the future, even when things get back to normal.
"They've made us closer, zoom meetings with our players, with our recruits, it's a lot better than just talking on the phone or texting," Orgeron said. "It's even better than FaceTime because you can have the whole family in the meeting. It allows us to stay connected with our players."
One of the biggest question marks heading into the 2020 season is what the Tigers depth on the offensive line will look like. Orgeron went into great detail about the o-line on Tuesday, but the main point to take away is that he feels there's more depth than maybe initially thought.
"We're three deep and going into the season with seven scholarship offensive linemen so I feel good about that," Orgeron said. "We've got some talent but we just have to mold these guys and have them come together as a group."
Here's a breakdown of how Orgeron envisions the offensive line depth chart playing out right now:
LT: Dare Rosenthal, Cam Wire, Xavier Hill or Marcus Dumervil
LG: Ed Ingram, Thomas Perry, Marlon Martinez
C: Chasen Hines, Joseph Evans
RG: Anthony Bradford, Kardell Thomas, Liam Shanahan
RT: Austin Deculus, Dumervil
Orgeron was complimentary of a number of players within the o-line, notably Rosenthal, who Orgeron thinks can one day be a "top draft choice" and Bradford, who Orgeron considers to be "the most talented" lineman on the roster.
"Right guard is wide open, Anthony Bradford is 6-foot-4, 354 pounds and I believe Anthony is probably our most talented offensive lineman but he needs to show it," Orgeron said. "He needs to cover up in three technique, he has good technique and needs to come back in shape. This summer is going to be critical for him."
Evans, who is vying for that center spot next to Hines, reminds Orgeron of Lloyd Cushenberry while Thomas, who missed all of his true freshman season with an ankle injury is vying for that right guard position next to Bradford.
"He's right there in that second team, right there with Anthony Bradford," Orgeron said. "He could possibly start for us. The thing with Kardell is coming back from his injury, getting back in playing condition, learning his plays and just being consistent."
On the other side of the ball, the defensive line is viewed as one of the deepest on the roster. Being a defensive line minded coach, Orgeron is excited about the potential of this unit, particularly at defensive end.
Orgeron says Andre Anthony, Justin Thomas, TK McLendon and BJ Ojulari are the primary candidates fighting for the two defensive spots.
"We've got a lot of summer practice to go, a lot of camp to go but I really like those four guys," Orgeron said. "Get off is the most important thing for a defensive lineman. You've gotta attack, crowd the ball. The first down get off and third down get off has to be the same. It's all about your attack, pad level and getting up on that football."
As part of the staff's current routine, each week they're watching film and gameplanning for each team they will face. This week is Florida and Orgeron could tell from the vibe walking into the facility it was Gator week.
"I could guarantee from our meeting on Monday morning our coaches could tell it was Florida week," Orgeron said. "When they walked out, some of the guys that haven't been with me before said 'Does he really think we're playing Florida on Saturday?' I know they're doing the same thing against us and so we've got to compete and prepare."
