Two positions hung out in LSU’s first official depth chart. The Tigers gave some lucidity on the open cornerback spots, and they recorded junior college move Ali Gaye as a starter at left defensive end.
Senior Travez Moore entered preseason practice as a starter at defensive end, however Gaye overwhelmed him. He’ll begin inverse senior Andre Anthony against Mississippi State.
“He’s earned that starting position,” coach Ed Orgeron said. “I think he’s going to have a great season for us.”
The majority of the depth chart took after what Orgeron said all through preseason practice, however the mentor considered Moore a starter the last time he examined defensive ends.
Gaye, a 6-foot-6 and 262-pound junior, moved from Garden City Community College. In his lone season there, Gaye registered 44 tackles, one sack and one constrained bumble as he became the No. 2 rated junior college defensive end in the nation.
“Thank God we got Ali from junior college,” Orgeron recently said.
Orgeron likes Gaye’s range and physicality. Early in LSU’s last scrimmage last Friday, Gaye batted a go into the air, making a capture attempt. He’ll part time with Moore — Orgeron said they’ll have equivalent reps — yet Gaye will begin the game.
The depth chart likewise named starters at cornerback, which entered preseason practice with an open spot next to sophomore Derek Stingley Jr.
The Tigers will often bring three cornerbacks onto the field on account of contradicting spread offenses, and Orgeron said Monday sophomore Cordale Flott will begin at nickel with sophomore Jay Ward flawed for the game.
Orgeron then demonstrated green bean Elias Ricks will begin at the other external corner position. Ricks, who marked as the No. 1 cornerback enroll in the nation, showed up as Flott’s reinforcement on the underlying profundity graph.
“Elias is showing tremendous improvement,” Orgeron said. “(Cornerback coach) Corey Raymond’s starting to brag about him a little bit. When Corey brags about you, that means you’re doing really, really well.”
