LSU freshman Travonte Valentine eligible for spring practice in 2015 LSU freshman defensive tackle Travonte Valentine is eligible to practice next spring with the Tigers. (CaneInsider.com) Print By Jim Kleinpeter, NOLA.com | The Times-Picayune Follow on Twitter on December 16, 2014 at 5:14 PM, updated December 16, 2014 at 5:46 PM LSU freshman defensive tackle Travonte Valentine is eligible to practice with the Tigers during spring drills, a source close to LSU said. Valentine, a 6-feet-3, 335-pounder from Miami who was ranked the No. 2 defensive tackle in the nation by Scout.com and No. 3 by Rivals.com, confirmed the news on his Facebook page and in his Twitter account, saying he scored a 2.5 grade point average during the fall semester and that he was prepping for spring drills. The NCAA Clearinghouse in August certified Valentine to join the Tigers but a newly-enacted SEC rule allowed for re-examination of his high school transcripts from Champagnat Catholic High School near Miami. Valentine joined the team in October and has been practicing but was not eligible to play. As a senior, he helped his team to a 14-0 record and the 2A state title with 84.5 tackles, 31.5 for loss and 16 sacks. He picked LSU over hometown Miami.
Another SEC school was behind the SEC refusal to let Valentine play this year. There will be payback.
Generally I don't subscribe to many conspiracy theories. In this case, however, there are just too many questions. The NCAA cleared Valentine (clearly a beast of a DT) but someone pulls the trigger on this "new SEC Rule" which allows for the conference to re-examine a students transcripts and decides he can practice, can go to school at LSU but cannot play for the team. Huh? If his grades were that bad then how did he get into college in the first place? Maybe I missed it somewhere but I didn't see who was looking into his transcripts and who questioned his eligibility to be at LSU. It is the absence of information that allows for these theories to take flight and become conspiracies. Where is the transparency? Why isn't every athlete put through the same level of scrutiny? My guess is that if this was the case there would be a lot more star athletes waiting to join their teams. Set a standard, apply it to everyone that comes through the system. If we are truly concerned about the well being of the student part of the student-athlete then all of them should go through the same process. If there is a full explanation of the rule and how it is applied I would love to see and understand it. Until then I have to agree that this whole thing is really fishy. All that being said, I can't wait to see what Valentine brings to this defensive line. The D showed great growth and development and finished as the top overall defense in the league. Second in total pass defense and middle of the pack in total run defense. Rushing stats were obviously influenced by the first few games of the season when teams were running at will against our young DL. That gap was closed and this D carried the team as the offense clearly struggled. Only makes you wonder what could have been with a big 6'3" 335lb DT on the line. Can't wait to see what Valentine can do in 2015. It's going to be a lot tougher for teams to move against LSU next year.
Just a rumor that a former LSU wide receiver coach, now at State, gave the SEC reason to question Valentines high school transcripts after he signed with LSU. Why the SEC couldn't sort it out quickly is the big question. If the NCAA clearinghouse can get its business done by September, why can't the SEC?
This reeks of Alabama throwing up a red flag. Didn't Urban Cryer try this with Patrick Peterson while he was still coaching at Florida (pissed because he didn't get Peterson)?
