BOT: Mills: "We want it all" in 2015 Ben LovePublisher, TigerSportsDigest LSU senior safety Jalen Mills says the Tigers are hungry and looking to get back up the mountain this season after dipping below program standards. Echoing a theme from LSU's time at SEC Media Days, senior safety Jalen Mills told TSD's Ben Love Tuesday that the Tigers are seeking a bounce-back season to restore the program to its usual standards this millennium. "I'm very confident with my team. I trust my teammates. I trust my coaches," Mills said on "Bumper to Bumper Sports" on 103.7 FM (KLWB) in Lafayette. "This team, we're hungry. We know the standard has been set here for years before us and it'll be set here years after we leave. But this team right here, we're hungry and we want it all." Mills also discussed the defense's transition this spring from coordinator John Chavis to first-year defensive boss Kevin Steele, formerly at Alabama. "It was fun. I mean I love Chief. He was here since I first got to LSU," explained Mills. "But Coach Steele brought a lot of energy. He's more calm, like when guys were messing up, just knowing he was the new coach teaching a new scheme. He wasn't just busting everybody. He's a cool guy, and I'm pretty sure it'll be different, though, this Fall Camp now that guys know the defense." According to Mills, Steele does plan to keep the DeSoto, Tex., native in his customary nickel role in 2015, something Mills has done dating back to his true freshman season in 2012, 39 starts ago. "The nickel position, I've been playing it since my freshman year. I'm great at it," leveled Mills. "Coach Steele loves me at that position." The Tiger who helped inspire Mills to want to play in the box, Tyrann Mathieu, really helped Mills along with his nickel learning curve. As Mills remembers it, the Honey Badger was a soothing influence on him from a football standpoint three years ago. "Tyrann was like a big brother to me. When everything happened and everything kinda cooled down, during the middle of the season he gave me a call and gave me a couple of pointers of things he'd seen that I could work on," he recalled. "And he just told me to have that mindset of going out there and being relentless."
Will Clapp set to be center of attention at LSU July 29, 2015 - 8:25 AM CDT Posted by: Rene Nadeau An old friend who played fullback in high school told me a long time ago that, while searching for the perfect college football fit, he was told by a recruiter, “If you come to our school, we’ll make sure you touch the ball every play.” Sold on the coach’s sales pitch, he immediately signed on the dotted line only to discover that the assistant coach had told the truth. He wouldn’t be touching the football as a ball carrier though. They moved him to center. Well, times have changed, but the center position is always a vital part of the offense. Offensive line coaches entrust good athletes to wrap their hands around the laces prior to each snap. The games are won in the pits and that translates into optimism this fall at LSU where the Tigers are fielding what many consider among the elite offensive line units in the country. “Coach teaches us all to play as a unit. We want to be the toughest in the country,” said LSU redshirt freshman center William Clapp about his offensive line coach Jeff Grimes. “We want defenses to fear us when we come out, knowing that it will be a dog fight.” Clapp was one of the key components in LSU’s 2014 signing class. The all-state performer at Brother Martin earned a reputation for displaying sound technique at left tackle, with a slice of nastiness mixed into his play. He always played snap to whistle, assuring that his defender was rarely near the ball. After arrivng at LSU without experience at either guard or center, the 6-foot-5, 308 pound Clapp appears set to make the position his own with the Purple and Gold. It seems like I’ll be playing center,” said Clapp. “I started there in the spring.” In the weight room, Clapp has made a 40 pound jump in power clean while his meticulous concentration on technique also brings reason for excitement. “Coach Grimes has been great. He’s been bringing me along and has been patient.” Clapp also credits his improvements to graduate assistant Ryan Pugh, who played center at Auburn as an All-SEC performer on 2010 BCS National Champions. One line mate who has assisted Clapp in the transition to center is junior left guard Ethan Pocic, perhaps the best overall offensive lineman for the Tigers. “He’s brought me along. He’s helped me a lot with reading defenses and making the calls,” Clapp noted. There is a great deal of pressure placed on the center in pre snap reads and overall adjustments. Clapp feels confident in his teammates up front, affectionately called “The Bomb Squad” by the Tigers. Clapp gave his thoughts on each of his fellow prejected starters: LT Jerald Hawkins (6-6, 309): “Long and athletic. You combine his technique and his pass blocking, he will be special.” RT Vadal Alexander (6-6, 330): A very good run blocker. He’s played right tackle and left guard. He clears the path effectively. He’s super one on one.” LG Ethan Pocic (6-7, 301): “He constantly works on his technique. Probably the strongest of all the linemen. He sleeps and breaths football. He loves it.” RG Josh Boutte (6-5, 340) or K.J. Malone (6’4-295): “Josh will battle you. He’s a giant with the most raw strength I’ve ever seen. He’s ridiculously strong. K.J. is dedicated, consistent and working extremely hard.” One new arrival to watch on LSU’s o-line is true freshman Mae Teuhema (6-4, 333), an impressive figure already in the weight room. He has cross trained at both tackle and guard. With a plethora of talented running backs including potential superstar Leonard Fournette, many feel that the Tigers could become a dominant force as a running team in 2015. “Leonard and the other backs are all looking great. They have all trimmed up. (Derrius) Guice and (Nick) Brossette have really been impressing everyone with their skills,” lauded Clapp. Fournette has garnered preseason hype for the Heisman Trophy. Clapp perceives that attention as a personal challenge to the offensive linemen. “That all means recognition for us. We’ll pave the way for him. We take pride in that.” The biggest question mark is at quarterback. Amidst much speculation, we all won’t know the actual results of the off season until September 5 kickoff against McNeese State. Clapp has recognized vast improvement in Brandon Harris. “Brandon has been the guy. He can make every throw. He’s more mature and really grasping everything,” noted Clapp. “He’s more used to getting everybody lined up as a coach and a QB. He can go through all of his pre snap reads and adjustments. It’s much more natural to him now.” As usual in Baton Rouge the defense is expected to be strong. A pair of teammates on the opposite side of the ball that have grabbed Clapp’s attention are sophomore defensive tackle Davon Godchaux (6-4, 295) and sophomore safety Jamal Adams (6-0, 206). “(Godchaux) could be one of the better d-tackles in the country,” said Clapp. “Jamal Adams has become a leader for the team. Watching him in 7-on-7 drills, he’s making all of the pre snap reads and lining up the defense.” There is a long history of success at the center position at LSU. Numerous All-SEC performers have preceded Clapp. Greats for the Tigers include Todd McClure (1997-98), Nacho Albergamo (1987), Louis Williams (2000), Ben Wilkerson (2004), Blake Miller (1990), Barry Wilson (1967), Richard Granier (1964) and Dennis Gaubatz (1962). The LSU standard is very high. It means a great deal representing these guys before me,” he said. “Those guys set the path.” The difference between a good season or a great one could come down to just how effectively the offensive line performs. The forecast for the 2015 Tigers appears extremely favorable, thanks in large part to Clapp and The Bomb Squad.
Back in the old days there were two kinds of recruits, "boys we are going to use to win the national championship, and boys that are not gonna beat us."
Talking with a scout the other day, he wants to see Pocic at Center, I told him, I want Clapp there for the next 4 years. With the hope that Pocic stays one more year and moves to OLT. Pocic at OG can help him with the reads. Like I always say, learn the position, play as one. Grimes is having them do this. The guys arriving in the Fall, gonna be fun to see who gets into the mix early.
I agree, but we would be better off running a wishbone than playing a traditional set with Jennings at QB.
New starters heading into fall camp Sonny Shipp - 12 hours ago LSU has a few positions where there is a battle that will take place in fall camp to see who emerges as the starter. On Wednesday, Les Miles touched on where things stand heading into fall camp regarding some of those battles when he spoke to the Baton Rouge Rotary Club according to The Advocate. LSU returns three regular starters from last year’s offensive line, but all three are set to play different positions than they played in 2014. Jerald Hawkins moves from right tackle to the left side to take over for La’el Collins, while Ethan Pocic moves over from right guard to left guard. Vadal Alexander will also change sides going from left guard to right tackle. LSU ended the spring with Will Clapp taking first team reps at center and Joshua Boutte was at right guard. Miles says the line will enter fall camp the same way it ended the spring. Lewis Neal missed the spring game with a minor injury, but Miles said the junior from North Carolina will enter fall camp as a starter at one defensive end spot opposite of Tashawn Bower. Neal, a 6-foot-1, 255-pound junior has tallied 10 tackles and was in on a sack in 23 games he has played in. Walk-on fullback John David Moore will enter fall camp where he ended the spring as the No. 1 fullback according to Miles. The 6-foot-3, 229-pound sophomore will have to hold off the No. 1 fullback in the 2015 class in David Ducre, along with another pair of freshmen in Tony Upchurch and Bry’Kiethon Mouton. LSU reports for fall camp in less than a week with the season opener set for Sept. 5 against McNeese State.
