Welcome everyone to the latest edition of the LSU Tigers position previews!
In this edition we look at a position that has largely been overlooked the last couple of seasons: tight end. With only one player with experience in 2016 coming back, there’s some bright spots at the position.
Without further ado, let’s get into the preview!
Departing Players:
The Tigers had a pair of tight ends that shined later in the season when Ed Orgeron took over as the head coach of the Tigers. Both Colin Jeter and Desean Smith played in all twelve games last season at the position and both got a fair amount of touches in 2016.
Smith had only 10 receptions last year and ended up with 184 yards and a touchdown. It’s even more intriguing when you look at his counterpart in Jeter. He had one more reception, but ended up with 157 yards. Losing these two is huge for LSU as they move towards a new era.
Returning Players:
The lone player that is coming back with experience from last season is Foster Moreau. While he was behind Jeter and Smith in the depth chart last season, he wound up appearing in 11 games with six receptions for 79 yards and a touchdown.
Having someone with the kind of experience that he has had during his time in Baton Rouge is crucial with some of the inexperience on this team. He will have to prove a lot off the field to become the leader in the locker room for this group of tight ends.
The Other Guys:
When you look at the rest of the players on the roster, you can expect to see Jacory Washington get some playing time and perhaps have Jamal Pettigrew get some snaps as a true freshman. While Caleb Roddy looks to be another choice, it just seems like the other two could get a slight edge over him largely due to Roddy’s size.
The Denham Springs native will more likely than not be used as a blocking tight end as opposed to what Moreau will be doing for the Tigers in 2017
Overall Thoughts:
The depth at tight end this year for the Tigers leaves a lot to be desired, but looking into 2018, having Thaddeus Moss eligible to play next season should raise a few eyebrows and give Matt Canada a chance to make the position a lot more relevant in the future.
-Clint Domingue