If Wilson (N.C.) James B. Hunt defensive end Lewis Neal commits Wednesday to LSU, the Tigers' defensive end class will become quite crowded, with a few desired players at the position still undecided.
Neal will make his announcement in a most unusual setting -- a summer league baseball game, between innings at a home game for the Wilson Tobs, a collegiate summer league team that plays in the Coastal Plains League. The Tobs feature two players from LSU's 2012 SEC championship baseball team: Jackson Slaid and Kevin Berry.
Tobs director of media relations Chris Edwards said it hasn't been decided in what inning Neal will make his announcement.
Neal will make his announcement in a most unusual setting -- a summer league baseball game, between innings at a home game for the Wilson Tobs, a collegiate summer league team that plays in the Coastal Plains League. The Tobs feature two players from LSU's 2012 SEC championship baseball team: Jackson Slaid and Kevin Berry.
Tobs director of media relations Chris Edwards said it hasn't been decided in what inning Neal will make his announcement.
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BATON ROUGE, La. – If you're looking for reasons why LSU could be so dominant last season despite being occasionally anemic on offense, chew on these numbers:
LSU was plus-7 yards in net punting (41-34), plus-2 in net kickoffs, kicked 11 more touchbacks than its opponents, had three kick returns for touchdowns to none for its opponents and made 89 percent of its field goals compared to 68 percent by its opponents.
It short, the Tigers absolutely dominated on special teams. If you are around the program, that is no shock, given the emphasis placed on it by Les Miles and his staff. Here are five things to know:
LSU was plus-7 yards in net punting (41-34), plus-2 in net kickoffs, kicked 11 more touchbacks than its opponents, had three kick returns for touchdowns to none for its opponents and made 89 percent of its field goals compared to 68 percent by its opponents.
It short, the Tigers absolutely dominated on special teams. If you are around the program, that is no shock, given the emphasis placed on it by Les Miles and his staff. Here are five things to know:
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GeauxTigerNation writers David Helman and Gary Laney break down the competitions, issues and talking points of LSU's August camp. Players report to campus Aug. 1 and we'll have a preview segment every weekday in July leading up to the day the players report:
When defensive tackle Michael Brockers went No. 14 overall in the NFL draft to the St. Louis Rams, the natural question for LSU fans became, "Can our defensive line be as good without him?"
ESPN's Mel Kiper put some of those fears to rest within a day when he came out with his first Big Board for the 2013 draft and LSU defensive ends Sam Montgomery and Barkevious Mingo were two of his top five picks
When defensive tackle Michael Brockers went No. 14 overall in the NFL draft to the St. Louis Rams, the natural question for LSU fans became, "Can our defensive line be as good without him?"
ESPN's Mel Kiper put some of those fears to rest within a day when he came out with his first Big Board for the 2013 draft and LSU defensive ends Sam Montgomery and Barkevious Mingo were two of his top five picks
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At Lake Charles, La.'s Barbe High School, playing tight end doesn't mean lining up next to a tackle and blocking all the time.
It means playing wide out on some plays, going deep for passes from quarterback Kennon Fontenot, and working in concert with Bucs 2014 receiving prospect Trey Quinn to wreak havoc on secondaries.
So it was much to the delight of DeSean Smith, Barbe's tight end ranked No. 143 in the ESPN 150, to see LSU air it out with quarterback Zach Mettenberger at the spring game March 31. It wasn't the grind-it-out Tigers of the 2011. It was an LSU offense he could see himself fitting into.
It means playing wide out on some plays, going deep for passes from quarterback Kennon Fontenot, and working in concert with Bucs 2014 receiving prospect Trey Quinn to wreak havoc on secondaries.
So it was much to the delight of DeSean Smith, Barbe's tight end ranked No. 143 in the ESPN 150, to see LSU air it out with quarterback Zach Mettenberger at the spring game March 31. It wasn't the grind-it-out Tigers of the 2011. It was an LSU offense he could see himself fitting into.
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Lake Charles, La. has been kind to LSU in recent days.
DeSean Smith, a tight end from Lake Charles' Barbe High School and the No. 143 player on the ESPN 150, committed to LSU coach Les Miles on Monday. He became LSU's 18th commitment and second in four days from Lake Charles, the southwestern Louisiana town of about 70,000 people.
On Friday, linebacker Melvin Jones of Washington-Marion High committed.
"Me and Melvin have been best friends since we were real little," Smith said. "But I really wasn't thinking of that at all. I've been thinking of it for about a month now."
He said his comfort level with LSU shot up when he visited campus for LSU's spring game and watched new Tigers quarterback Zach Mettenberger air it out, showing a more potent passing offense than the Tigers have had in recent seasons. Smith comes from a high school program that runs a wide-open offense that often utilizes the multi-talented Smith at wide receiver.
"That was very impressive," Smith said of the LSU pass attack that day. "It put a big smile on my face."
Smith, a 6-foot-4, 225-pound pass-catching tight end, said he wanted to make his pick at the U.S. Army All-American game after the season. Lately, however, he said he started feeling like he was ready to make the choice much sooner. Over the weekend, he said Florida and LSU were his leaders.
"But I talked it over with my dad, and after going over things, we felt more at home at LSU," he said.
DeSean Smith, a tight end from Lake Charles' Barbe High School and the No. 143 player on the ESPN 150, committed to LSU coach Les Miles on Monday. He became LSU's 18th commitment and second in four days from Lake Charles, the southwestern Louisiana town of about 70,000 people.
On Friday, linebacker Melvin Jones of Washington-Marion High committed.
"Me and Melvin have been best friends since we were real little," Smith said. "But I really wasn't thinking of that at all. I've been thinking of it for about a month now."
He said his comfort level with LSU shot up when he visited campus for LSU's spring game and watched new Tigers quarterback Zach Mettenberger air it out, showing a more potent passing offense than the Tigers have had in recent seasons. Smith comes from a high school program that runs a wide-open offense that often utilizes the multi-talented Smith at wide receiver.
"That was very impressive," Smith said of the LSU pass attack that day. "It put a big smile on my face."
Smith, a 6-foot-4, 225-pound pass-catching tight end, said he wanted to make his pick at the U.S. Army All-American game after the season. Lately, however, he said he started feeling like he was ready to make the choice much sooner. Over the weekend, he said Florida and LSU were his leaders.
"But I talked it over with my dad, and after going over things, we felt more at home at LSU," he said.
In Louisiana, the last full weekend of August is the weekend of football jamborees, exhibitions in which several schools gather at one stadium and match up for mini-games (usually about 24 minutes) in preparation for the season openers the following week.
In other parts of the country, however, that weekend marks the start of the regular season.
And ESPN will be there to bring it to you, with a 13-game schedule of televised prep games from throughout the country Aug. 24-26.
Tune in and get a sample of what prep football is like throughout the nation.
In other parts of the country, however, that weekend marks the start of the regular season.
And ESPN will be there to bring it to you, with a 13-game schedule of televised prep games from throughout the country Aug. 24-26.
Tune in and get a sample of what prep football is like throughout the nation.
GeauxTigerNation writers David Helman and Gary Laney break down the competitions, issues and talking points of LSU's August camp. Players report to campus Aug. 1 and we'll have a preview segment every weekday in July leading up to the day the players report:
Remember Russell Shepard?
He came to LSU in 2009 as one of the nation's most coveted dual-threat quarterbacks, an athlete so dynamic that if the position of quarterback ultimately did not prove to be his calling, he'd move somewhere -- wide receiver maybe, running back perhaps-- and become one of the multi-talented stars of college football.
Remember Russell Shepard?
He came to LSU in 2009 as one of the nation's most coveted dual-threat quarterbacks, an athlete so dynamic that if the position of quarterback ultimately did not prove to be his calling, he'd move somewhere -- wide receiver maybe, running back perhaps-- and become one of the multi-talented stars of college football.
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BRADENTON, Fla. -- It was easy to see why four-star tight end DeSean Smith (Lake Charles, La./Barbe) is the No. 4 rated tight end in the country at the IMG Madden 7-on-7 National Championships on Saturday. Smith opened up the day with a long 30-yard touchdown catch in the first game and never looked back. The 6-foot-4, 225-pound athlete finished with several big plays on the day.
To no one's surprise, the home-state LSU Tigers have always been considered a favorite for the talented tight end, but another team is making a strong push for his services -- the Florida Gators.
"They are recruiting me hard," Smith said. "They are one of the top teams on my list. As of now I'd say LSU and Florida are at the top for me. Coach [Derek] Lewis is doing a great job recruiting me. They respect me and I respect them. As of now it's close. Florida is in it real big -- it's going to be a hard decision."
To no one's surprise, the home-state LSU Tigers have always been considered a favorite for the talented tight end, but another team is making a strong push for his services -- the Florida Gators.
"They are recruiting me hard," Smith said. "They are one of the top teams on my list. As of now I'd say LSU and Florida are at the top for me. Coach [Derek] Lewis is doing a great job recruiting me. They respect me and I respect them. As of now it's close. Florida is in it real big -- it's going to be a hard decision."
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By this point in the summer, Melvin Jones said he was just tired of dealing with the recruiting cycle.
That's why it must have come as some relief when the Lake Charles, La., native put an end to the process on Friday morning and committed to LSU.
"He was just so confused with all the phone calls, and people calling him and everything," said Troy Jones, Melvin's father. "It was just a burden off his chest. He was just stressed, and I could see it."
That's why it must have come as some relief when the Lake Charles, La., native put an end to the process on Friday morning and committed to LSU.
"He was just so confused with all the phone calls, and people calling him and everything," said Troy Jones, Melvin's father. "It was just a burden off his chest. He was just stressed, and I could see it."
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The Tigers added their 17th commitment of 2013 and their eighth pickup in the last two months on Friday with a verbal pledge from linebacker Melvin Jones (Lake Charles, La./Washington-Marion Magnet).
Jones, who is listed at 6-foot-3, 245 pounds, has been a coveted target for many Tigers fans and is the first linebacker taken in this class after LSU stocked the position in 2012. LSU beat Alabama and TCU for Jones' services.
Melvin's father, Troy Jones, who played running back for both Texas A&M and McNeese State, said the decision was ultimately up to his son.
Jones, who is listed at 6-foot-3, 245 pounds, has been a coveted target for many Tigers fans and is the first linebacker taken in this class after LSU stocked the position in 2012. LSU beat Alabama and TCU for Jones' services.
Melvin's father, Troy Jones, who played running back for both Texas A&M and McNeese State, said the decision was ultimately up to his son.
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Tigers' OL blueprint shows bright future 
June, 29, 2012
6/29/12
7:30
AM ET
By
David Helman | ESPN.com
Conventional wisdom says that LSU's offensive line should see some drop off in the coming months. After all, the Tigers' trench men paved the way for nearly 3,000 rushing yards and 35 rushing touchdowns in 2011, and they surrendered just 18 sacks in 14 games.
It's a reasonable guess that after such a dominant season, LSU would see heavy losses along its offensive front. But that's where the Tigers' success in recruiting, along with a little bit of luck, comes in to play. Where one would expect losses, the real story here is addition.
The Tigers return roughly four starters from last year's impressive unit. Left tackle Chris Faulk and center P.J. Lonergan are the most obvious among the group, considering they both made double digit starts in 2011 and enter 2012 as contenders for national honors. Right tackle Alex Hurst -- who played a whopping 767 snaps last year -- and right guard Josh Williford return as well. That doesn't even include the return of sixth-year senior Josh Dworaczyk, although the extent of his role after major surgery is yet to be determined.
It's a reasonable guess that after such a dominant season, LSU would see heavy losses along its offensive front. But that's where the Tigers' success in recruiting, along with a little bit of luck, comes in to play. Where one would expect losses, the real story here is addition.
The Tigers return roughly four starters from last year's impressive unit. Left tackle Chris Faulk and center P.J. Lonergan are the most obvious among the group, considering they both made double digit starts in 2011 and enter 2012 as contenders for national honors. Right tackle Alex Hurst -- who played a whopping 767 snaps last year -- and right guard Josh Williford return as well. That doesn't even include the return of sixth-year senior Josh Dworaczyk, although the extent of his role after major surgery is yet to be determined.
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BATON ROUGE, La. – College football, by its nature, is a sport of turnover.
For every Michael Brockers or Morris Claiborne headed to the NFL, there will be a new player getting on the field trying to make an impression.
Here are five new names, players who have yet to touch the field in purple and gold, to know this fall for LSU:
For every Michael Brockers or Morris Claiborne headed to the NFL, there will be a new player getting on the field trying to make an impression.
Here are five new names, players who have yet to touch the field in purple and gold, to know this fall for LSU:
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Lewis Neal is continuing to pace his recruitment.
The defensive end from Wilson (N.C.) Hunt learned the hard way that a quick commitment isn't the way to go when he gave a verbal pledge to Ohio State, then didn't feel right about it when he returned home from Columbus. He subsequently de-committed.
He's still considering Ohio State but it seems LSU is the quiet leader for Neal, who visited Baton Rouge last weekend.
The defensive end from Wilson (N.C.) Hunt learned the hard way that a quick commitment isn't the way to go when he gave a verbal pledge to Ohio State, then didn't feel right about it when he returned home from Columbus. He subsequently de-committed.
He's still considering Ohio State but it seems LSU is the quiet leader for Neal, who visited Baton Rouge last weekend.
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GeauxTigerNation writers Gary Laney and David Helman take your questions on LSU sports. You can email them at glaneyespn@gmail.com, helmanespn@gmail.com or send them a tweet at @GLaneyESPN or @HelmanESPN.
Question (Chris in Orange, Texas): If I make one road game this year, what one should it be:
Gary Laney: For me, it's easy.
Question (Chris in Orange, Texas): If I make one road game this year, what one should it be:
Gary Laney: For me, it's easy.
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ABOUT GEAUX TIGER NATION
Gary Laney
Gary Laney joined ESPN.com in 2012 after spending a year and a half as online sports editor of the Baton Rouge (La.) Advocate. Before that, he covered LSU sports for the Advocate. He has also been the sports editor at the Beaumont (Texas) Enterprise and covered McNeese State athletics for the Lake Charles (La.) American Press. Laney currently lives in Baton Rouge. Email him at glaneyespn@gmail.com