Leadership and experience are not mutually exclusive. However, one sure seems to help the other.
KC Ossai and AJ Gillie bring both to the Louisiana Ragin’ Cajuns football team in 2024. They were, after all, chosen by Michael Desormeaux to represent the team at Sun Belt Football Media Days 2024 in New Orleans, Louisiana this week.
Ossai is a senior linebacker from Conroe, Texas that enters the season as the unquestioned leader on the defensive side of the football. His 95 total tackles with four and a half tackles for loss helped pace the defense on the field in 2023. Now, he is adding more leadership to his contributions.
“I’ve always been a leader by example, but taking that vocal role… is the biggest step I could take… When you’re entrusted to be a leader on the team by not only the coaches but by your teammates, you’re forced to be vocal,” Ossai said during his appearance on The LohDown during media days.
That defensive side welcomed new coordinator Jim Salgado, and the transition seems to have been a smooth one. Ossai is joined by veterans in each level of the defense. Players like Jordan Lawson and Antoine Baylis should help anchor the defensive line. Also, experienced members of the secondary such as Keyon Martin and Tyrone Lewis Jr look to bolster the pass coverage unit.
“It was hard at first because he (Salgado) came in the middle of the spring, but he is a guy that emphasizes details, and as a defense you need that,” Ossai said of Salgado. It seems the defense is picking up the new system well and will look to be an improved group in 2024.
As for Gillie, he enters the 2024 season with nearly 40 collegiate starts under his belt. He has been a mainstay at guard during his time playing for Louisiana, but this time around, he has teammates on the offensive line that also have experience.
“This offensive line has a ton of experience, and these are guys that saw what the past looked like,” Gillie said on The LohDown.
The “past” that he mentions references the immense success that Cajuns offensive lineman have had recently. There have been five consecutive years where an offensive lineman has been drafted into the NFL.
The hope for 2024 is centered around veteran players with talent coming together.
If the Cajuns stay healthy, they have a chance to be vastly improved on both sides of the ball in 2024. One big reason for that is the leadership of players like Ossai and Gillie.