GAINESVILLE, Fla. -- Much to his delight, four-star defensive tackle Scott Pagano (Honolulu/Moanalua) received a scholarship offer from the Florida Gators on Thursday morning. The 6-foot-3, 279-pound defensive tackle said he was thrilled to get an offer from one of his childhood favorites.
"Very, very, very, very big in my opinion," Pagano said of the Florida offer. "That's a top school that I have been dying to hear from. When they came with the offer it was very exciting. So far I only have them and LSU as an official visit. The other three I will name in July."
Pagano holds offers from Georgia, Florida State, Oklahoma, Michigan, Miami, Oregon, USC and many more. He says that in addition to the Florida and LSU official visits, he also plans to unofficially visit Texas, LSU, Alabama and either Florida or Florida State in July.
"Very, very, very, very big in my opinion," Pagano said of the Florida offer. "That's a top school that I have been dying to hear from. When they came with the offer it was very exciting. So far I only have them and LSU as an official visit. The other three I will name in July."
Pagano holds offers from Georgia, Florida State, Oklahoma, Michigan, Miami, Oregon, USC and many more. He says that in addition to the Florida and LSU official visits, he also plans to unofficially visit Texas, LSU, Alabama and either Florida or Florida State in July.
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BATON ROUGE, La. -- Ty Ross is on quite the recovery timetable, given how his month has gone.
As No. 7 LSU (43-16) gears up for the its NCAA tournament opener on Friday against Louisiana-Monroe, the Tigers' defensive lynchpin at catcher expects to start at least three, if not four or five games in the coming days. That in itself shouldn't be surprising for a mainstay with 48 starts on the season and a .305 batting average.
It's a little more impressive when one considers that just about three weeks ago, Ross underwent an emergency appendectomy during LSU's weekend series against conference foe Vanderbilt. When he woke up ahead of that weekend's Saturday game, Ross knew something was wrong.
"Breathing hurt, moving hurt, riding in a car over a bump hurt -- coughing was miserable," he said. "I just knew it wasn't right that morning, and I kind of had an idea it was appendicitis just because of where it was."
Because of his recovery period, the sophomore didn't pick up a bat until last week's SEC tournament as a pinch hitter against Mississippi State. He returned to catching the next day against Ole Miss, and as the postseason begins, Ross said he's ready to go the distance.
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Andrew Woolley/Four Seam Images via AP ImagesTy Ross has returned to the field faster than expected after surgery.
Andrew Woolley/Four Seam Images via AP ImagesTy Ross has returned to the field faster than expected after surgery.It's a little more impressive when one considers that just about three weeks ago, Ross underwent an emergency appendectomy during LSU's weekend series against conference foe Vanderbilt. When he woke up ahead of that weekend's Saturday game, Ross knew something was wrong.
"Breathing hurt, moving hurt, riding in a car over a bump hurt -- coughing was miserable," he said. "I just knew it wasn't right that morning, and I kind of had an idea it was appendicitis just because of where it was."
Because of his recovery period, the sophomore didn't pick up a bat until last week's SEC tournament as a pinch hitter against Mississippi State. He returned to catching the next day against Ole Miss, and as the postseason begins, Ross said he's ready to go the distance.
Louisiana sports fans will likely remember this story from earlier this spring. In a do-or-die district baseball battle, Jesuit High School and Archbishop Rummel High School allowed their starting pitchers to fire a combined 347 pitches.
The aces, Jesuit's Emerson Gibbs and Rummel's Mitch Sewald threw 193 and 154 pitches, respectively, in the Blue Jays' 2-1, 18-inning victory against Rummel. The absurdly high pitch count has drawn a lot of national attention, including from famed orthopedic surgeon Dr. James Andrews, as highlighted in this story from ESPNHS writer Matthew Muench.
The aces, Jesuit's Emerson Gibbs and Rummel's Mitch Sewald threw 193 and 154 pitches, respectively, in the Blue Jays' 2-1, 18-inning victory against Rummel. The absurdly high pitch count has drawn a lot of national attention, including from famed orthopedic surgeon Dr. James Andrews, as highlighted in this story from ESPNHS writer Matthew Muench.
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Will LSU-UF remain permanent rivals? 
May, 31, 2012
5/31/12
8:00
AM ET
By
Gary Laney and
Michael DiRocco | ESPN.com
The addition of Missouri and Texas A&M has necessitated a re-examination of the Southeastern Conference’s football schedule. One possible format would be a 6-1-1, meaning each team would play every team in its division, have one permanent foe from the other division, and play the remaining six teams in the other division on a rotating basis.
Florida-LSU is one of those permanent matchups, but there’s debate about whether the series should continue. The teams have met every year since 1971, but could 2012 be the end?
Here’s a look at it from each school’s perspective …
Florida-LSU is one of those permanent matchups, but there’s debate about whether the series should continue. The teams have met every year since 1971, but could 2012 be the end?
Here’s a look at it from each school’s perspective …
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With the dog days of summer hitting Baton Rouge, here are the five things to know about perhaps the hottest position in LSU's program, the defensive line.
1. The talent well runs deep: When the St. Louis Rams moved to shore up its run defense by picking LSU defensive tackle Michael Brockers with the 14th overall pick in the NFL draft, it was further evidence of what anybody who has paid attention already knew: few schools produce NFL-quality defensive linemen like LSU.
Brockers' selection marked the ninth straight year an LSU defensive lineman was picked in the draft, including four in the first round. The Tigers' line streak figures to continue in the 2013 draft with defensive ends Barkevious Mingo and Sam Montgomery both in the top five on Mel Kiper's big board. It's a remarkable run considering how difficult it is for most programs to find dominant defensive linemen.
1. The talent well runs deep: When the St. Louis Rams moved to shore up its run defense by picking LSU defensive tackle Michael Brockers with the 14th overall pick in the NFL draft, it was further evidence of what anybody who has paid attention already knew: few schools produce NFL-quality defensive linemen like LSU.
Brockers' selection marked the ninth straight year an LSU defensive lineman was picked in the draft, including four in the first round. The Tigers' line streak figures to continue in the 2013 draft with defensive ends Barkevious Mingo and Sam Montgomery both in the top five on Mel Kiper's big board. It's a remarkable run considering how difficult it is for most programs to find dominant defensive linemen.
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On Monday, LSU might be playing to continue its baseball season.
But its most notable player will also be getting his name called on the first day of Baseball's First-Year Player Draft.
Kevin Gausman, the LSU right-hander who will pitch Saturday, is likely to be among the first picks, if not the first pick, when the draft starts Monday.
"Hopefully, we'll all be together Monday night to watch it, but for a positive reason," LSU coach Paul Mainieri said Thursday after his team held a brief practice before Friday's start of the NCAA Baton Rouge Regional.
But its most notable player will also be getting his name called on the first day of Baseball's First-Year Player Draft.
Kevin Gausman, the LSU right-hander who will pitch Saturday, is likely to be among the first picks, if not the first pick, when the draft starts Monday.
"Hopefully, we'll all be together Monday night to watch it, but for a positive reason," LSU coach Paul Mainieri said Thursday after his team held a brief practice before Friday's start of the NCAA Baton Rouge Regional.
Robinson camps at Texas, LSU in top 3
May, 30, 2012
5/30/12
5:12
PM ET
By
William Wilkerson | ESPN.com
The Longhorns will host one of the nation’s top 2014 offensive linemen on Saturday when Cameron Robinson (Monroe, La./Ouachita Parish) takes an unofficial visit.
The 6-foot-6, 320-pound Robinson will also participate in Sunday’s camp that will feature mostly 2013 Texas commitments and targets.
The man to thank for getting Robinson to Austin: offensive line coach Stacy Searels.
The 6-foot-6, 320-pound Robinson will also participate in Sunday’s camp that will feature mostly 2013 Texas commitments and targets.
The man to thank for getting Robinson to Austin: offensive line coach Stacy Searels.
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DESTIN, Fla. – Alabama coach Nick Saban hasn’t held back from talking about his disdain for placing only conference champions in a four-team playoff. He’s very much for a four-team playoff, but he won’t go for one that alienates teams by only picking the top four conference champions.
The whole reason any of this playoff talk even started is because people outside of the game are passionate about seeing one in college football. To take away the chance for the four BEST teams to play makes no sense to Saban.
“There’s no question that we’re even doing the top four because fans and the people who are interested in college football are interested in seeing the best four teams play in a playoff,” Saban said Tuesday at the 2012 SEC spring meetings.
“Now, we’re going to mess that up by saying you have to be a conference champion. I think somebody’s a bit self-absorbed and worrying about how it affects them and how they can best get somebody in the (national championship) all the time, rather than getting the best four teams. I don’t think that’s fair to the fans and the people who really have made it known that they want to see the four best teams play in a playoff.
“The bigger these conferences get the better chance you have to have two very good teams in that.”
Saban didn’t go as far as to name names, but anyone paying attention to all of this playoff talk knows he’s talking about Big Ten commissioner Jim Delany, who has been extremely outspoken about having only conference champions represented in a four-team playoff and has taken a few shots at Alabama and its 2011 title along the way.
The whole reason any of this playoff talk even started is because people outside of the game are passionate about seeing one in college football. To take away the chance for the four BEST teams to play makes no sense to Saban.
“There’s no question that we’re even doing the top four because fans and the people who are interested in college football are interested in seeing the best four teams play in a playoff,” Saban said Tuesday at the 2012 SEC spring meetings.
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AP Photo/Dave MartinA four-team playoff shouldn't be limited to conference champions, Alabama head coach Nick Saban reiterated.
AP Photo/Dave MartinA four-team playoff shouldn't be limited to conference champions, Alabama head coach Nick Saban reiterated.“The bigger these conferences get the better chance you have to have two very good teams in that.”
Saban didn’t go as far as to name names, but anyone paying attention to all of this playoff talk knows he’s talking about Big Ten commissioner Jim Delany, who has been extremely outspoken about having only conference champions represented in a four-team playoff and has taken a few shots at Alabama and its 2011 title along the way.
SEC hopes to have schedule format Friday
May, 30, 2012
5/30/12
12:48
PM ET
By
Edward Aschoff | ESPN.com
DESTIN, Fla. -- When SEC commissioner Mike Slive and the rest of the SEC elites leave the 2012 SEC spring meetings later this week the hope is that there will be a concrete scheduling format for the 2013 football season and possibly beyond.
The addition of Missouri and Texas A&M means teams will have to play six divisional games instead of five, making things a little complicated.
Right now, it looks like the most likely format, which could be set as early as Friday, will be a 6-1-1 model. That gives teams six divisional games, one permanent crossover game and rotating crossover. The rotating crossover would no longer be a traditional two-year home and home series. It would simply be a one-year rotation. It’s the same model that will be used for the 2012 season.
LSU coach Les Miles said he’d like the structure of future SEC schedules to be “definable,” and wouldn’t mind if the league re-examined how it chose permanent crossovers.
"Legitimately tell me about how you're picking crossover games,” Miles said at the spring meetings Tuesday. “Is it the best team in the East, the best team in the West, top three and top three? OK, if you guys want to do that let's do that. It might change the matches, but if you want to say, 'Well, we really are going to seed the best teams verses the lesser teams,' well, OK, let's do that, but define the structure and let's stay with it.
The addition of Missouri and Texas A&M means teams will have to play six divisional games instead of five, making things a little complicated.
Right now, it looks like the most likely format, which could be set as early as Friday, will be a 6-1-1 model. That gives teams six divisional games, one permanent crossover game and rotating crossover. The rotating crossover would no longer be a traditional two-year home and home series. It would simply be a one-year rotation. It’s the same model that will be used for the 2012 season.
LSU coach Les Miles said he’d like the structure of future SEC schedules to be “definable,” and wouldn’t mind if the league re-examined how it chose permanent crossovers.
"Legitimately tell me about how you're picking crossover games,” Miles said at the spring meetings Tuesday. “Is it the best team in the East, the best team in the West, top three and top three? OK, if you guys want to do that let's do that. It might change the matches, but if you want to say, 'Well, we really are going to seed the best teams verses the lesser teams,' well, OK, let's do that, but define the structure and let's stay with it.
GeauxTigerNation writers David Helman and Gary Laney discuss hot topics involving LSU athletics:
1) With three commitments in the last two weeks, what else should LSU be looking at for 2013?
Gary Laney: If the last couple of weeks showed us anything, it's that you can address missed needs later. By getting commitments from a junior college wide receiver and a juco tight end, LSU was able to fill a void from past recruiting classes. LSU's also shown it can recruit nationally, bringing in a quarterback from California and a tackle from Illinois.
1) With three commitments in the last two weeks, what else should LSU be looking at for 2013?
Gary Laney: If the last couple of weeks showed us anything, it's that you can address missed needs later. By getting commitments from a junior college wide receiver and a juco tight end, LSU was able to fill a void from past recruiting classes. LSU's also shown it can recruit nationally, bringing in a quarterback from California and a tackle from Illinois.
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It wasn’t too long ago that 2013 prospect Rashard Robinson (Pompano Beach, Fla./Blanche Ely) was still searching for his first offer.
Robinson, classified as an athlete, only has five offers. But when two of those first four include Florida State and LSU, that’s not a problem.
No. 5 isn’t too shabby, either, as Oklahoma is the latest team to offer Robinson. The Sooners see Robinson, who is 6-foot-2 and 161 pounds, as a cornerback.
Robinson, classified as an athlete, only has five offers. But when two of those first four include Florida State and LSU, that’s not a problem.
No. 5 isn’t too shabby, either, as Oklahoma is the latest team to offer Robinson. The Sooners see Robinson, who is 6-foot-2 and 161 pounds, as a cornerback.
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It’s not often that the Longhorns recruit outside of Texas’ borders. If they do, though, they’ll almost exclusively stay on the mainland.
But on Tuesday, Texas made contact with a four-star defensive lineman from the Aloha State. No, really.
Honalulu Monalua’s Scott Pagano, the No. 22 defensive tackle in 2013, spoke with Texas defensive coordinator Manny Diaz and defensive ends coach Oscar Giles for about 10 minutes over the phone.
But on Tuesday, Texas made contact with a four-star defensive lineman from the Aloha State. No, really.
Honalulu Monalua’s Scott Pagano, the No. 22 defensive tackle in 2013, spoke with Texas defensive coordinator Manny Diaz and defensive ends coach Oscar Giles for about 10 minutes over the phone.
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As far as bang for your buck, Raph Rhymes has to be the best deal in college baseball.
He is the best player in the mighty Southeastern Conference, at least in the eyes of the league's coaches who named him SEC Player of the Year on Tuesday.
He's also the nation's leading hitter, at .459, 29 points better than the second-best hitter.
And what does this cost LSU?
This season, nothing.
He is the best player in the mighty Southeastern Conference, at least in the eyes of the league's coaches who named him SEC Player of the Year on Tuesday.
He's also the nation's leading hitter, at .459, 29 points better than the second-best hitter.
And what does this cost LSU?
This season, nothing.
Rejoice, Tigers fans. As LSU's flurry of May commitments rolls on this month, the Tigers on Tuesday grabbed their most high-profile commitment to date.
By landing offensive tackle Ethan Pocic (Lemont, Ill./Lemont), LSU secured its first commitment from the ESPN 150 to its ever-expanding recruiting class. Pocic sits No. 72 overall in the 2013 class, and is considered the fourth-best offensive tackle in the class. Not that rankings are what any coaching staff aims for when building a recruiting class, but it certainly gives the Tigers a nice highlight to what is becoming an impressive group.
At N0. 72 overall in the country, Pocic is the most recognizable in what is now a group of seven four-star recruits for LSU. With plenty more opportunities to land ESPN 150 names like Kendell Beckwith and Tim Williams, the potential is there for the Tigers to pull in one of the nation's best classes. It's also impressive that in what appears to be a slightly down year for Louisiana talent, LSU was able to land a prized recruit from the middle of Big Ten territory.
By landing offensive tackle Ethan Pocic (Lemont, Ill./Lemont), LSU secured its first commitment from the ESPN 150 to its ever-expanding recruiting class. Pocic sits No. 72 overall in the 2013 class, and is considered the fourth-best offensive tackle in the class. Not that rankings are what any coaching staff aims for when building a recruiting class, but it certainly gives the Tigers a nice highlight to what is becoming an impressive group.
At N0. 72 overall in the country, Pocic is the most recognizable in what is now a group of seven four-star recruits for LSU. With plenty more opportunities to land ESPN 150 names like Kendell Beckwith and Tim Williams, the potential is there for the Tigers to pull in one of the nation's best classes. It's also impressive that in what appears to be a slightly down year for Louisiana talent, LSU was able to land a prized recruit from the middle of Big Ten territory.
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LSU coach Johnny Jones isn't done recruiting for the class of 2012, but that doesn't mean he and is staff aren't already working on the 2013 class.
LSU hosted three players ranked in the 2013 ESPN 100 during the weekend when members of the stacked Dallas-based Urban DFW Elite grass roots team made an unofficial visit to LSU on Memorial Day. Center Karviar Shepherd (Dallas/Grace Prep), the No. 29 player in the 2013 100, forward Jordan Mickey (Dallas/Grace Prep) the No. 41-ranked player, and guard Kendal Harris (Richardson, Texas/Berkner), the No. 93-ranked player, were among the players who made the visit.
Also notably present was guard Shirmane Thomas (Dallas/Skyline).
LSU hosted three players ranked in the 2013 ESPN 100 during the weekend when members of the stacked Dallas-based Urban DFW Elite grass roots team made an unofficial visit to LSU on Memorial Day. Center Karviar Shepherd (Dallas/Grace Prep), the No. 29 player in the 2013 100, forward Jordan Mickey (Dallas/Grace Prep) the No. 41-ranked player, and guard Kendal Harris (Richardson, Texas/Berkner), the No. 93-ranked player, were among the players who made the visit.
Also notably present was guard Shirmane Thomas (Dallas/Skyline).
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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