Speaker 1: Welcome in our number one Thursday edition of Off the Bench,
Taylor show up here with you for two more days.
We're here today and tomorrow, and then Jake and t
Bob are expected back next week. Jordan mentioned that well,
first off, a Ladra Villaryal Jordan Kitchen's in here with
me as well.
Speaker 2: Jordan mentioned before the show.
Speaker 1: That he saw a video update from our guy t
bob Abear that said morale is low right now on
the Disney trip. I want to put and then Jordan mentioned, well,
you know he's been there all week long.
Speaker 2: No no, no, no, no no.
Speaker 1: Our guy t Bop left last Friday night. He's been
there for six days now. It's too many days in
Disney Saturday till today. That is six days.
Speaker 2: I don't know.
Speaker 1: I have done a four day Disney trip before, yeah,
and it was exhausting. I don't know what the hell
you can physically do in six days to pass the time.
Speaker 2: I have no idea.
Speaker 1: I don't know if he drives back tomorrow or like
they're stay until Saturday.
Speaker 2: I have no idea. I mean, this could be an
eight day Disney trip for all we know. It can
That seems excessive to me.
Speaker 3: Yeah. But the problem, you know, what was really breaking
it down was how much money does teab I really have.
You know, I'm trying to pocket wash, but you know,
eight days at Disney is not a cheap you know,
you really gotta have it.
Speaker 1: They look, that's their thing. They do it every year
pretty much every year for fur the most.
Speaker 3: He's a Disney adult. You know, I told you how
I feel about those guys. But you know, shout out.
I got a tea boy, go hold it.
Speaker 2: Down a Landra. How we doing this morning, guys. I'm
a little sore today.
Speaker 4: I did a power hour at the blodcast.
Speaker 5: Oh.
Speaker 4: I did a cold plunge for the first time ever.
Speaker 2: How okay, when I.
Speaker 1: When I used to when I used to go to
this gymin walker, this guy who lived uh lived there.
He practiced did he practically did. He was there every
time I was there. He used always be like, uh,
he knew me and my brother. He's like, dude, I
do a cold plunge every day before I come here,
y'all should come do it.
Speaker 2: I mean, like, I just I don't know what that is.
I don't really want to What is a cold plunge? Okay?
Speaker 4: So cold plunge is basically exactly what it's called, jumping
to cold water and you it depends, but like we
did it for three minutes yesterday, and if you know me,
like I've talked about it on here before, I'm not
I hate the cold. I get cold very easily. I'm
not like a I'm very uh I hate the cold.
So it was like a real like mental challenge for me,
and like just a challenge in general. And I was
at the block yesterday and we did a power hour,
and yesterday or Tuesday fat Tuesday, we did like an
insane workout where it was like you run a mile,
do like a hundred of each workout that we did,
and then run another mile. And then so yesterday we
did power ourselves super sore, and we were like, let's
do this cold plunge because I've never done one before.
And the water was forty five degrees and I did
it and then I was dying, like I was freezing
in there. And then you get out, it feels like
your legs, my skin was so red, and then I
felt like I was getting like pins and needles everywhere,
and then you like dry yourself off and it feels
super weird. You can't feel your legs, but afterwards you
feel amazing. I slept so good last night and my
muscles felt so loose, So I think I'm gonna be
a cold plunge girly now. She was saying that, like
people do fifteen minutes in the sauna and then they
come out and do three minutes in the cold plunge,
and then do fifteen and then three again. And I
was like, I might try that.
Speaker 2: Thirty minutes in a sauna sounds terrible a way to get.
Speaker 4: Up with three minutes.
Speaker 1: No, I get it, but yeah, I don't know. I
don't know if I could be that hot for that
long either.
Speaker 6: I don't.
Speaker 1: The most experience I have with a cold plunge senior
year of high school, when I was playing football, I
got a high ankle sprain like weeks two and every
day after the coaches were like, oh, come stick your foot.
Speaker 2: In the ice bucket or whatever, you have to ice
the ankle. That's like the closest I've ever done.
Speaker 1: And I only had to do that for like, I
had to do it every day, but it was only
for like two or three weeks.
Speaker 2: It wasn't it wasn't anything major.
Speaker 4: It was pretty brutal, but I think I would do
it again. Like, I felt really good afterwards, So I
don't know. Shout out to the block.
Speaker 2: She only had to do it for three minutes. Three minutes.
I videoed it. There's a lot of foot but I
think I did like there is. I think I had
to do like ten minutes. But it was really the food,
so that's not nearly as bad. All right, guys, look
a lot to break down today.
Speaker 1: We're going to recap LSU baseball versus North Dakota State.
If you didn't see the game or you don't know
what happened, well here's a swite spoiler for you. It
did not go the same way as the Tuesday night game,
fortunately for LSU fans.
Speaker 2: We're going to.
Speaker 1: Continue our LSU position room breakdown heading into Saturday's start
of spring football practice. We're gonna do the dB room
today because I think there's a lot of question marks. However,
I think there's a lot to be excited about as well.
We're going to talk about the top five transfers heading
into the twenty twenty five football season. As far as
the SEC goes one, LSU Tiger has made that list,
we'll talk some college basketball as well. The New Orleans
Saints are now paper thin at running back. I'll get
Jordan's Stolts on that or also Jackson's gonna hop on
with us to recap the combine a little bit. We're
ass actually went to the NFL Combine, and then we're
gonna talk Saints you draft preparations as well, maybe some
New Orleans Pelicans and chef Michael Johnson will be in
his normal spot for our munchie segment. So before all
of that, let's get this show started. Like with you
every day, it's.
Speaker 7: Time to get to work courtesy of Tiger Labor and
Staffing where they can help take care of screening, training,
pay roll and more now for starters.
Speaker 1: So we were here yesterday morning and we were talking
about all the mental mistakes and the unforced errors of
that this LSU baseball team had made against a drastically
overmatched North Dakota State team on Tuesday night. You remember,
the Tigers came from behind. They won that game eleven
to nine. I mean it was seven to one after
three innings. The Tigers looked like they were dead in
the water, and they pulled one out of the hat.
They stepped up late in the game and they were
able to win one. Last night's game was nowhere near that.
It was a thirteen to three run rule victory over
North Dakota State, and it was the Tigers were hot
from the very beginning. They played seven runs in the
first inning. Ten eleven guys batted in the first inning.
They got six hits, they got one walk, they got
one hit by pitch. The first five batters for LSUE
last night all reached base in that first inning. Steven
Mylam got the score and started. He had a two
run single. It sent in Derek Curiel and Jered Jones.
We will get into Derek Curiel in a minute, and
then William Schmidt on the mound for LSU last night.
He continues to show that he could potentially carve out
a role in the weekend for this team. He was
excellent once again. He went four innings, he struck out
seven batters. He did give up one earned run, but
for the most part, William Schmidt was about as solid
as you can be for a midweek night baseball game.
This was everything we hoped it would be, because it
was the complete opposite of that Tuesday night game. Right,
We came here yesterday and said Steven Milam had an
unforced throwing error when he one hopped to Jared Jones.
You saw Jake Brown in the outfield. He looked like
he thought the ball was coming further than it was.
He had a run up last minute, he missed it.
Chris Stanfield, as fast as he has had one go
over his head in centerfield when he misplayed it. Michael
Braswell was standing in the base line. They called an
error on him. Now, that batter probably scores anyways, but
that was another era.
Speaker 2: You saw the.
Speaker 1: Pass balls by Kate Aaron Beattie that led to multiple runs.
It was just one error after another some bat at
bats as well. Because look Tuesday night, when you go
look at that final box score, North Dakota State did
nothing to win that game.
Speaker 2: He almost gave it to him.
Speaker 1: North Dakota State scored nine runs Tuesday nine on only
six hits. It was the free passes, it was the walks,
It was hit by pitches, and then once the runners
got on base, LSU couldn't seem to do anything right.
It was air after error. You limited that for the
most part. Chris Stanfield, he had the RBI single in
the third inning, and then Jared Jones hit a three
run homer. Jared Jones had two home runs that night.
The first one made it eleven to one. Jones came
back up later in that game hit a home run
to right center that made it thirteen to one. Jacob
Myers came in, He pitched twelve for you. It was
a complete team effort, and we talked about it yesterday. Look,
you played a really bad game against a really bad opponent.
You were able to get the win. Can you flush
it and start over? They did that. They looked like
a completely different baseball team. Because look, while Tuesday night's
game wasn't one of those things where it was like, oh,
maybe we're overestimating this LSU baseball team. No, because again,
it was errors. It was mental mistakes. It wasn't like
North Dakota State was striking you out and they were
tearing the cover off the ball and making contact with
your pitchers. It was really the walks they hit by pitches,
the errors when they got on base. We wanted to see, Hey,
is that a one off or is this huelshues going
to be It looks like it might be a one off.
Speaker 2: They were excellent.
Speaker 1: The Tigers at the plate as a team ten for
twenty six, three eighty five batting average. Now, again this
is against a no with Koda State pitching staff, who's
era coming into Tuesday night was north of eleven as
a staff. However, you still got to make the plays.
We talked about Tuesday night, how when LSU had six
RBIs six two out RBIs. The clutch hitting continued with
runners on last night, LSU was eight for fifteen, that's
a five thirty three batting average. With runners in scoring position,
they were five for seven that's a seven to fourteen
batting average. I mentioned Jared Jones three for four, two
home runs, five RBIs, and then when he got on
base he made a count. He scored three runs of
his own. Derek Curry all at the top of the lineup.
He was two for two, He had two runs. He
also earned a walk. We talked about his performance on
Tuesday night where he didn't have a hit, but he
was at the top of the lineup. He got walked twice,
he got hit by a pitch. He reached base three
times in that game. So he's two for two, two runs,
two RBIs, he gets a walk. He does a little
bit of everything for you at the top of the order.
LSU's defense was also errorless last night, which might be
the most important thing because I just listed all the
errors right, Stanfield misplaying the ball, Jake Brown misplaying the ball,
Stephen Milum one hopping at the Jared Jones, Jared Jones
mis placing that ball he can't corral it. Runner goes
from first all the way to third. Number of pass
balls by Kate Aaron Beattie. Michael Braswell is standing in
the baseline on third base.
Speaker 2: It was error after error.
Speaker 1: A couple of things stood out to me last night, though. Look,
it wasn't the great hitting and it wasn't the no
errors on defense. I expect that from LSU in a
game like this. First off, I want to highlight Derek Kuriel.
I understand that it is very early in his college
baseball career, but I continue to be more and more
impressed with his approach at the plate. He almost reminds
me of, like, you know, one of the classic LSU
outfielders who are also thrown in there at the top
of the lineup early in their career, like an Antwan
du plant as a mark layer like guys like that,
but also Derek Curio probably has more pop in his
bat than those two guys ever had. He is phenomenal
at the top of that order, and he's only going
to get better.
Speaker 2: Every time.
Speaker 1: I see what any level of ball, whether it's a
freshman in high school, a freshman in college wherever, if
they are leading off I raised an eyebell a little bit.
Speaker 2: I'm like, Okay, either the.
Speaker 1: Rest of the team can't hit and that's their best option,
or this guy's really something special. Derek Curiell appears to
be something really special. He looks incredible. Also, I understand
that there's kind of a two headed battle the catcher
right now between Louis Hernandez and Kate Aaronbie. They have
by far gotten the most run. They've kind of split
time on the weekends as well. Blaze Priester was really
good behind the dish last night. He didn't have any
pass balls. He crowed the wild pitches pretty well for
the most part. I was very impressed with Blaze Precher.
If he can get his offense, I'm not saying he's
going to beat out Hernandez or Aaron Beattie, But that's
another option that you could potentially go to. Well, we
have seen Jay Johnson playing multiple catchers. Heck, in twenty
twenty three he had three catchers and they all played
a significant amount of time. Whether they were dagen or
whether they were behind the plate, depending on who the
pitcher was, they were awesome.
Speaker 5: Look.
Speaker 1: Hunter mccannon from The Beer Z joined us yesterday and
asked him about Anthony I and send me and Landre
have talked about Anthony ions Ad a number of times.
He does a good job getting out of jams, but
what if he doesn't get out of those jams? There
may be another option for you on the Weekend Series
with a guy named William Schmidt. He looked really good
every time you have seen him in the Weekend Series. Look,
long story short, Yes, you beat a really bad baseball
team at two games in a row. You had to
do it in multiple different ways. That makes you a
better baseball team. And all the errors we wanted to
see cleaned up, all the unforced issues, they did that
and more. This was probably the best start to a
game they've had all year, compared to the worst start
they've had to a game, which was on Tuesday night.
I was very impressed. This shows the leadership on this team.
It shows the coaching ability on this team. I was
about as impressed as you could be over it went
over North Dakota State. The Tigers will welcome North Alabama
in the final non conference weekend series this year. North
Alabama's sol's five games in a row for what it's worth,
and they will come into the weekend three and eight
with losses to Albert and Tennessee. So again, you have
a chance to get a guys a lot of experience
and then kind of fine tune what you're not good
at right now before you head into that first SEC
weekend series against the misstery Tigers. All right, we're going
to take a quick time out. When we get back,
I'm going to continue my position room breakdown for LSU
football is Spring practice is set to kickoff on Saturday.
We're gonna hit the dB room when we come back.
That's on the other side here on off the bench,
off the bank, all.
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Speaker 1: Again Thursday edition of Off the Bench, Taylor Sharp here
with you in place of Jacob Est and T Bob
Abam teased it a little bit there before we hit
that first break. Every day this week I have hit
one position group that I want to highlight going in
spring practice for lshoot. We've done running back, We've done
wide receiver. Today, I want to hit the dB room
because while there's a lot of questions there, I think
there's a lot to be excited about as well, because
it's probably the biggest change of any room on LSU's roster.
The Tigers dominated the transfer portal in this area. You
bring in Jakeem Jackson, you bring in man sword to
lank with Jackson, he comes over from Florida, so he.
Speaker 2: Does have SEC experience.
Speaker 1: Now, he's only played in thirteen games over two seasons,
but he dealt with some injuries. The thing I like
most about him is that he signed at Florida under
Corey Raymond before LSU re hired him. There's familiarity there
with your dB coach. We know Corey Raymond is considered
one of the best in the business. I'm always willing
to bring in a guy who has SEC experience for
multiple years and he's already familiar with the coaching staff.
So while we haven't seen a ton from him on field, again,
he was a highly recruited guy. He could have went
pretty much anywhere going down to high school and he
trusts Corey Raymond enough to go to him not once,
but twice at two different stops. You gotta appreciate having
a guy like that in that room. The biggest addition
for LSU in the offseason it starts transfer portals. Go
at this position may have been Mansword de Lane. In
three years at Virginia Tech, Mansord Delanc one hundred and
forty six tackles, six interceptions, eight tackles for a loss.
He was an All acc caliber player for the Hokies.
Also when he came in. What did you hear well,
Mansord Delane has the ability to play corner and safety.
Speaker 2: That's important.
Speaker 1: We're gonna get to that later because safety, while you
filled a need in the transfer portal, you may still
have some needs there as well. Mansword Delane's a guy
who hovers around two hundred pounds. He's six foot one,
so he certainly has the size to play corner and
safety and apparently has the versatility as well.
Speaker 2: I'm excited to see what he has him.
Speaker 1: Of all people, as far as the returners, I'm going
to mention the transfers. The incoming freshman Mansor Delaine of
all people is a guy that I could see sticking
at one spot the easiest, meaning whether it's corner, whether
it's safety. I'm almost going to pencil in Mansor Delaine
at one of those spots. He's the most accomplished transfer
he brought in. He has the most experienced and he's
more versatile than Edgekeem Jackson. Then you look at maybe
the hottest name, but obviously the guy with the least
amount of experience. It's freshman early in row lead DJ Pickett.
DJ Pickett was the number one cornerback in the nation
coming out of high school. Like he had ninety four
tackles in high school, he had ten interceptions. He also
played a ton of receiver. I mean there was there
was talks that some schools even wanted him as a receiver,
he was that good on that side of the ball.
He also ran track in high school, so super super
athletic guy.
Speaker 2: He's long. He is six four one and eighty pounds.
Speaker 1: As a true freshman, not many times do you see
a corner stand out there on the perimeter at six
foot four that gives you a huge matchup advantage. There's
been a lot of talks of hey Harold Perkins struggles
at star. Could you move DJ Pickett's star? I think
you can't corner safety star wherever. This is a guy
that could play anywhere on the field because he's six
foot four, because he's one hundred and eighty pounds. I
just mentioned him playing both ways in high school, him
running track in high school. He has the athleticism to
do it. It's going to be tough to keep DJ
Pickett off the field. Maybe the most important signee of
the off season was to Marcus Cooley from NC State.
Maybe the piece you needed the most because of how
bad you were at safety and how light you are
depth wise coming into twenty twenty five. Last season at
NC State forty three tackles, three tackles for a loss,
one sack, three interceptions, So we did a little bit
of everything for the Wolf Pag defensively. Without question, he's
the leader of that safety group. So Marcus Cooley's going
to start at safety on this team. Are in some
unforeseen or some sort of injury. If DeMarcus Cooley is
fully healthy and somebody else doesn't have an incredible showing
in the spring, to Marcus Cooley will be one of
l issu's starting safeties. So look, you got the three
transfers in Cooley and Delane and Jackson. You got the
big time freshman coming in and DJ Pickett. But where
I think this room gets very interesting is the returners
that you have coming back. Ashton Stamps, PJ Woodland, and
Michael Turner. Ashton Stamps and PJ Woodland were all the
ray of last fall camp. I mean Ashton Stamps really
has been for two years now now. For most of
the year, Stamps was the starter opposite of Zia Alexander,
who was sent to moving On.
Speaker 2: He was a huge loss.
Speaker 1: But if you go look at Ashton Stamps, he made
some nice plays. The problem with Stamps is he was
just a little inconsistent. He would get beat deep a
few times, then he would make an incredible play. He
would bat down the ball and you're like, okay, we've
seen flashes. We just need the consistency to be there
a little more often. PJ Woodland another guy he played
a ton as well. He played in pretty much every
game this year for LSU as a true freshman. He
was an early ENROLLI in the spring. He's a name
that you heard more and more a little bit undersized.
He needed to gain a little bit more weight or I
think he'll have no problem doing that. He was just
a little raw last year. At times he went out
there and he made good plays. At times he went
out there and you're like, Okay, this guy's a true freshman.
Speaker 2: I can see it.
Speaker 1: That's just your outside corner guys. You also returned Michael
Turner as well. He's a guy that got some run
late in the season. He played a little bit in
the Bowl game. Keep an eye on him.
Speaker 2: As well.
Speaker 1: As far as safeties, you returned Jordan Gilbert to Shaun
Spears and Javan Tooviano is now there full time. He's
always kind of went in the middle, back and forth
corner safety. I've always preferred him at safety. I think
this is a good move. Gilbert had an up and
down year, but he started a lot of games for you.
He started a lot of big time games were you Now.
The results were certainly mixed. But if you're looking for
a guy with experience and a quote unquote returning starter
Jardan Gilbert, you got de Shaun Spear showed flashes last year.
He's a guy that I highlighted that Jake highlighted that
anybody that went out there highlighted because he stood out early.
Speaker 2: He is six foot three, he is two hundred pounds.
Speaker 1: He has the body to play again a lot like
a PJ.
Speaker 2: Woodland.
Speaker 1: You saw the flashes at times. You could tell he
was a freshman. He may not been quite ready to
take over that spot as far as an every down player.
So you got all these returners at corner and safety.
You got all these transfers coming in as well. You
have DJ Pickett, one of the top high school players
in the country. The key to meet to this secondary
in the spring comes down to one of three players.
Speaker 2: DJ Pickett, Ashton Stamps, PJ. Wooden.
Speaker 1: What makes one if one or more of DJ Pickett, Ashton,
Stamps and PJ. Woodland emerges at corner, could you move
Mansword de Lane to safety at that point, because let's say, look,
I mean Stamps is technically a returning starter. Let's say
Stamps locked down one of those jobs like he was
able to do last year. And then on the other side,
it's either DJ Pickett, PJ. Woodland or Jakeem Jackson or
you brought in Mansword Delane. You expected him to be
a big time player. Can you move him to that
safety spot. If you can do that, you have two
super experienced guys in Tamarcus Cooley and Mansord Delane on
the ed at the back end of your defense, and
on the outside you have Ashton Stamps, two year starter,
been in the program for three years. And you either
have Jakeem Jackson, one of the highest rated transfers, or
you have the number one cornerback in the country coming
out of high school in DJ Pickett.
Speaker 2: It's not a bad room.
Speaker 1: If you don't move Mansword de Lane, who will grab
that other spot next to t Marcus Cooley?
Speaker 2: It's safe?
Speaker 1: Highlighted three guys Javian Toviana, Deshaun Spears, Jardan Gilbert. A
lot of people have mentioned JV and Toviano. I think
DeShawn Spears is going to get the first crack at
it just because we saw him the most last year
outside of Gilbert, who really struggled. I think if you
felt good about Gilbert, you wouldn't have brought into Marcus Cooley.
Because you brought in Cooley because you needed that veteran safety.
Gilbert kind of was that veteran safety. He just he
had an up and down year, Spears showed flashes. He's
played a lot, but look, Javan Toviana was a five
star player coming out of high school. He could have
played corner, he could have played safety. He got thrown
in the fire a lot like Ashton Stamps two years
ago as freshman when they both had to go out
there and play the outside corner spot. Stem certainly looked
like the veteran two at corner because Javan Toviana was
still a little bit more of a safety when he
got to LSU, so that kind of set him back
for a year.
Speaker 2: Halfway through.
Speaker 1: Last year was kind of his first time playing safety
full time here at lshoot. He'll have an entire offseason
to do it. How can he perform. He's a guy
that's six foot two, He's got good size on him.
We know his athletic ability because he held his own
at corner for the most part. He was a true freshman,
played in the SEC on a bad defense with not
a lot of help around him, and he made some
plays and he was playing out a position. Those two guys,
Shaun Spears Javan Toviano are the guys I'm watching along
with a picket Stamps at PJ.
Speaker 2: Woodland. I think that group of guys.
Speaker 1: There's two guys at safety, those three guys at corner
is going to tell you everything you need to know
about how deep you are and what the rotation is
going to look like for the LSUDB room after spring
and going into fall practice, I don't know how good
this room's going to be. I certainly think it's going
to be better than a year ago. But I'm excited
about there's a lot of new faces, and there's a
lot of returning guys that maybe got thrown in there
a little bit before they were ready, that are another
year under Corey Raymond, another year in this program who
I think are only going to get better. So I'm
very excited to see what this group has made of
here in twenty twenty five. All right, look, we're going
to take a quick time out. When we get back,
an article is put out about the top five SEC
transfers heading into twenty twenty five at LSU.
Speaker 2: Tiger made that list. We'll break it down next here
on Off the Bench. Off the Bench, Get Gordon dot com.
Speaker 5: Get Gordon dot Com is the website, and we tell
you every single day as soon as you go to
the homepage.
Speaker 2: It's going to pull up.
Speaker 5: You can have a chat with them right there on
the main page of the website. So any question concerned
that you might have, remember you can get a consultation
setup right there on the homepage of that website. You
can find cases they can handle for you in the courtroom,
past client results all right there on the homepage of
the website. What are they doing in the community, Well,
always something throughout the state of Louisiana at get Gordon
is always going to be the handle on all major
social media. So you can check that out as well,
because like I said, I mean, they're always doing something
throughout the state. Speaking of throughout the state, if you
want to pick up the phone and give them a call,
it is your area code from Shreveport to Rustin, from
Rustin to Lafayette, Lafayette to Baton Rouge, New Like wherever
you're at, pull your area co follow about eighty eight
eighty eight eighty eight, Get Gordon and get it done.
Speaker 1: Come back in to in R and B Thursday edition
of Off the Bench. Here on one of four five
us Ben Baton Rouge, Taylor Sharp in the host chair
for Jacob Ester and t BA Baber Okay, I want
to continue our discussion of uh spring football. Here is
most of the SEC teams will begin springball coming up
a little bit later this week. Ben Ben Trinidic from
Sports key to put out an article listening the top
five SEC transfers heading into the twenty twenty five college
football season. At number one, he has a guy by
the name of Damon Wilson. If you don't know Damon
Wilson the third he was an ed rusher. He transferred
to the Missouri Tigers last season. He was a freshman
with the Georgia Bulldogs. We know what kind of coaching
he got there with Karby Smart and he was able
to record twenty two tackles in three sacks. So what
pretty nice pro freshman season off the edge. And I
know what you're thinking, Well, if this guy's so good
and played a lot as a freshman, why would he
leave Georgia and go to Missouri. He was apparently unsatisfied
with his treatment in the Georgia Bulldogs program. He actually
requested to leap. He is now part of the Missouri Tigers.
Speaker 3: It's a job. You know what that means? What I
mean say wouldn't him drive too fast, so we had
to leave. You know, Georgia was like, we're cracking down
on that would let him drive too fast. And as
I'm out of here, I'm going to Missouri.
Speaker 2: It's a chance. There's a chance.
Speaker 1: Look, he's now part of a Missouri defense that struggled
in twenty twenty four. The LSU d line coach opening
makes this interesting because a name that keeps getting thrown
out there. There's been conflicting reports on whether they're trying
to hire al Davis, whether they're not, But that is
currently Missouri's defensive line coach and he's a guy that
while we don't know how much interest there is internally
from LSU or mutual interest, we know that there's at
least been a conversation the name is being brought up.
If he loses al Davis, how does that impact him?
In twenty twenty five with the Missouri Tigers, Look, that
was one of Missouri's best signings in the offseason. They
really needed a pass rusher because think about it, uls
you stole Blake Baker from Missouri, right. They also took
Kevin Peeples, who is the defensive end coach. The edge rusher, coach,
whatever you want to call it here at Lshoo. So
their defense took a step back in twenty twenty four.
Bringing in a guy like a Damon Wilson makes a
lot of sense for ELI during WWOITZ, He's trying to
get that defense back trending in the right direction. Number
two on this list they have Eric Singleton Junior. This
is a name that you have heard a lot. He
was one of the top transfers in the portal. He
comes out of Virginia Tech. He's had two really solid
seasons in Virginia Tech. As a freshman in twenty tie
seven hundred and fourteen yards six touchdowns. Last year fifty
six catches, seven hundred and fifty four yards, three touchdowns.
So we as fifteen hundred yards and nine touchdowns in
two seasons at Georgia Tech. He's a little bit on
the smaller side at five to eleven, but that doesn't
really matter. What makes this the most interesting is that
Auburn had one of the best first year wide receivers
in the country last year in cam Coleman. Cam Coleman
is a big six to three wide receiver. He had
six hundred yards receiving Last year he had eight touchdowns
and that's in an Auburn offense with Peyton Thornett quarterback
who was a liability to say the least. They bring
in Jackson Arnold this year. Now, look, everyone has there
are certain opinions of Jackson Arnold one way or the other.
Jackson Arnold is certainly an upgrade over Peyton don't There's
no question about that. And now you have cam Coleman
and an Eric Henders Singleton on the outside. That's a
recipe for success in my book, I think this was
a really good signing for Auburn and Eric Hennett grabbing
Eric Singleton number three.
Speaker 2: It's a John Mattier heading to the Oklahoma Sooners.
Speaker 1: He set to replace Jackson Dart as their quarterback, Jackson
Arnold as their quarterback for twenty twenty five. But materis
at Washington State last year and he had a really
good year thirty one hundred yards, twenty nine touchdowns. It
was an up and down season for Washington State, but
he was great. Now again I mentioned the thirty one
hundred yards of the twenty nine touchdowns to John Mattier.
Also only seven interceptions a year ago, really solid numbers
for him.
Speaker 2: So he goes to Oklahoma. Now what's that going to
do for him?
Speaker 1: I think it's a great, great signing for the Sooners
at number four. It's Nick Anderson. It's the big receiver
we've talked about for a number of years. He comes
from Oklahoma to the Yellowshue Tigers.
Speaker 2: He set out all twenty twenty four.
Speaker 1: We talked about this a little bit yesterday because of
an injury, but in twenty twenty three he was one
of the team's top receivers in a very good offense
with Dylan Gabriel at quarterback. He averaged twenty one yards
per catch in twenty twenty three with ten touchdowns, and
that was really his first significant actually he had seen
at Oklahoma. He burst onto the scene in twenty twenty three.
He was a huge loss when he went down after
the first game of the year. I've said for a
while now, as soon as it was announced that Nick
Anderson was coming here that I think he's going to
be an X factor for the LSU program.
Speaker 2: And here's why.
Speaker 1: You know, he's explosive with the twenty one yards per
catch and ten touchdowns, but also he is six' five
close to two hundred and twenty. Pounds you don't have
a guy like that on your roster as good As
Aaron anderson. Was Aaron anderson sits at about five ten five.
Eleven same thing For Xavillon. Thomas, Now Chris hilton's got
a little bit of height on. Him he's six foot sixty,
one but he ain't sixty four to two hundred and twenty.
Pounds that guy can be a difference maker on the
outside of any team that he's, on especially with a
quarterback Like Garrett. NOSMEYER i talked about how good he
was two years ago With Dylan gabriel as his starting.
Quarterback he has the ability to do the same thing.
Here BECAUSE i Love Aaron anderson in the, Slot Xavion
thomas is going to get to play there as. Well
the tight end position looks really, good whether it's Trade As,
Green Bower, sharp Or Donovan, green But Nick anderson on
the outside of this offense can really be a mismatch
for a lot of. People we've talked about it with
Trade As, green, right is he going to play tight?
Speaker 2: End is he going to play more al? WIDE i
like trade as more al?
Speaker 1: WIDE i Like perrying him with a bower sharp because
there's that six to seven mismatch. Outside you got a
six to seven receiver on one, side a six to
five receiver on the other, side and that's like rolling
out your power forwards out there to play wide. Receiver
we know his explosis from. This the only Thing i'm
concerned about With Nick. Anderson first, off it'll be his
first year playing With Garrett. Nosmeyer not really worried about
the speed of THE sec for. HIM i, mean he
played At, Oklahoma he's played a bunch Of big ten
games even before they joined THE. Sec If Nick anderson
is fully, Healthy he's going to be. Fine that's What
i'm worried. About, look he had an Injury week one
of college football last. Year he set out the entire.
Year by all, accounts he's fully. Healthy if he's fully,
healthy that might be the biggest transfer portal edition THAT lsu.
Made because even last, year as good As anderson, Was
Aaron Anderson Xavion thomas stepped up for.
Speaker 2: You Chris hilden was big down the.
Speaker 1: Stretch as far as those deep, Balls Karen, lacy he
was hitting. Miss you did not have that big body
bona fide number one receiver you could maybe have that
In Nick anderson if he's fully. Healthy he grasped the
offense and he has a good connection With Garrett. Nosmeyer
the sky is the limit for A Nick anderson in
twenty twenty. Five final name on this list is a guy, that,
Frankly i'm a little tired of hearing. About It's Zachary,
branch THE usc transfer coming into The Georgia. Bulldogs Zacharya
branch's name has always been brought up because if you
remember two years, ago he was a freshman and it forgive,
ME i don't remember who they.
Speaker 2: Played week one of the.
Speaker 1: SEASON usc was in Primetime week one of the college football.
Season Zacharai branch's first, Game Zacharai branch had a long
punt return for a touchdown and he caught a really
long pass that set him up for another touchdown his first.
Speaker 2: Game is a college football.
Speaker 1: Player so everyone's set up here for the last year
and a half and, Said Zacharai branch is a game.
Speaker 2: Changer Zacharai branch is a difference. Maker he's really, not, though, GUYS.
Speaker 1: I, mean look at what he's done his freshman year
twenty twenty THREE usc thirty one, catches three hundred and
twenty yards and two.
Speaker 2: Touchdowns it's. Fine and then last, Year, okay he's gonna
be the. Guy he's he's the.
Speaker 1: Guy you just went forty seven, catches five hundred and three,
yards just one receiving. Touchdown you can talk, About, Okay,
well he's a dynamic player in the return.
Speaker 2: Game maybe.
Speaker 1: Twenty twenty, three sixteen returns three thirty two, yards which is.
Great that's a twenty yard. Average one punt return for a.
Touchdown last year thirteen returns seventy four, yards five point
seven yards per. Return that's what you're dealing with With Zach Ryer.
BRANCH i get. It he's a guy that broke onto
the scene. Early he was on NATIONAL tv when he did.
It you see an explosive player coming out OF usc
as a.
Speaker 2: Freshman everyone gets. Excited he really hasn't done.
Speaker 1: MUCH i, mean he has four hundred career punt return
yards and one. Touchdown he has five hundred and forty
seven career kickoff return yards and one. Touchdown and he
has eight hundred and twenty three career receiving yards and
three receiving.
Speaker 2: Touchdowns was he in the best offense AT. Usc KNOW.
Speaker 1: I think he's gonna have better coaching Under kirby's mart
Than Lincoln. Riley, ABSOLUTELY i. Do most of you know
HOW i feel About Lincoln. RILEY i will give him.
This he's going to have a lot of opportunity At
georgium because they have a lot of unproven names at
receiver right. Now they didn't have that number one guy last.
Year they're Hoping ZACHARIA. A branch can be, that and
maybe he. Can't we haven't seen anything in his college
career that shows That Zachariah branch is capable of being
a number one every down wide receiver for a football.
Speaker 2: Team we just haven't seen.
Speaker 6: It.
Speaker 1: Again eight hundred and thirty yards and three. Touchdowns that
is his receiving numbers in two years of college football
and a pass happy offense AT. USC i just don't see.
IT i know that a lot of people are high on.
Him he's a he's a guy that look he's coming.
In he's he's certainly, fast he's certainly. Athletic production just
really hasn't been. There we'll see what, happens but look
keep an eye out For Nick. ANDERSON i think he's a.
Name you're gonna hear a lot in spring practice for
THE Lsu. Tigers all, right we're gonna take a quick
time out when we get back the. Alls your women's
basketball team will BEGIN sec tournament player this. Weekend but
there's one player in PARTICULAR i want to. Highlight she's
up for some postseason. Awards it's coming up on the
other side here on off the, bench off the.
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Speaker 1: Back in final, SEGMENT i re number one A thursday
edition Of off The Bench Taylor sharpeir with the Elandravill
arreal And Jordan kitchens. Alongside mean just a few more
minutes here before we have to hit that top of
the hour.
Speaker 2: Break wanted to mention this.
Speaker 1: LOOK lsu women's basketball is going to be playing in
THE Sec tournament this coming, weekend but one of THE
Lsu tigers has been named a finalist very postseason. Award
so LSU's Mikaela williams has been named a top five
finalist for The Naismith BASKETBALL. Ryl Miller Small forward of
The Year. Award she's part of a trio Of tigers
On Tuesday's ALL Sec First team as Well can guess
the other. Two, yep It's fla J. A johnson And Nissa. Mora,
Look williams has eleven games this season with at least twenty.
Points she has two with at least. Thirty she's averaging
seventeen and a half points per game this. Year and,
look they're they're asking her to do a lot of
different things this, year, RIGHT i get. This she's up
for Small forward of The year, award she could be
up for point guard of The.
Speaker 2: Year really.
Speaker 1: Anything when the game is on the, Line Kim malkey
Trust Mikayla williams and she puts the ball in her,
hands and rightfully. So and let's just look at what
she's shooting forty six percent from the, floor thirty nine
percent from. Three she also has three and a half
sis per, game four and a half rebounce per, game
two and a half turnovers a. Game but she's ball dominant,
anyway so that's going to. HAPPEN i mentioned the seventeen
and a half points per. Game that's up from fourteen
and a half last. YEAR i thought that last, season
as a true, Regiment Mikaela williams was the best player
on lshu's basketball. Team that argument's only strengthened this. Year
she is THE lsu offense at times this. Year think
about all the big time moments she's, had all late
game situations when they need a three pointer to be,
made even When Mikaela williams is having an off shooting,
Night Kim maggie trusts her enough to get the job.
DONE i don't think there's any question on who should
win this, AWARD i said the other. Day i'm not
sure there's ten players total in college basketball that are
better all around players than mikaeleb buk because it's not
just her.
Speaker 2: Scoring. Look her scoring is.
Speaker 1: Great seventeen and a half points a, Game, look three
and a half, assist four and a half, rebounds that's.
Awesome her defense is really good as. Well she's an underrated.
Defender she can guard one through three defensively as well
as play one through three. Offensively she's about as complete
of a basketball player as you're going to. Get she's
also doing all of this on the taller side for
a guard in the women's, game about six to one.
Speaker 2: For what is.
Speaker 1: Worth the other Finalists Sania citrin From Notre Dame Madison,
booker who is an outstanding player At, Texas Sarah strong
From yukon And Camille pierre From. Vanderbilt as good As
yukon's been, lately as good As Notre dame has been.
LATELY i think this is a two headed race Between
Mikhayla williams And Madison. Booker when you Saw lsu go
To austin and lose that game To, texas a large
part of that was due to the attention To Madison.
Speaker 2: Booker draws because she.
Speaker 1: Did Madison booker is one of those players that doesn't
even have to have a huge game to beat. You
she draws so much attention that her teammates are going
to be open because of the attention she. Draws Mikayla
williams is a very similar type of. Player one THING
i will, Say kayl's more versatile on the offensive. Vent
she handles the ball a little bit better Than Madison,
Booker she's a little bit better of a, distributor and,
honestly she's probably better on the defensive. VENT i know
it's early in her, career But Mikayla williams has a
chance to be really really special here In. Baton Riuge
If Kim molkie wants to win another title here. Soon
it's likely going to be only back of a player
like a Michaeleb. Williams she is one of those players
that anything you ask her to, do she's going to
be able to. Do we've seen it multiple times this
year and again it's it's not just the, shooting even
THOUGH i HAVE i have brought up the shooting lad in,
games it's it's everything else as. Well, Right, so, look
we don't know Who lshu's opponent is going to be
in THE sec tournament. Yet they got to play that game,
Tonight but tomorrow at seven point, Thirty L's sho's the three.
Seeds they're going to play that late. Game uliss she
was gonna play the. Tournament we'll see what.
Speaker 2: Kind of run they can.
Speaker 1: Make their seeding is going to be locked, UP i
think somewhere between three through five, really regardless of what
happens in THE sec.
Speaker 2: Tournament and REMEMBER FLA.
Speaker 1: J johnson will not be there Until March madness rolls,
around so they will have to do this WITHOUT. Flaje
johnson haven't looked great lately without. Flawsheh when you have
a player Like Mikaela, Williams you're going to be in
every basketball game you, play and it's because of that.
REASON lsu losers are the last two games really where
their defense has. Struggled but we'll see what they can
do in THAT sec. Tournament all, right that's going to
do it for our number one OF. Otb variety of
topics there and our number. One we open things WITH lsu,
baseball hit a COUPLE lsu AND sec football segments and
wrapped up right there with some women's basketball and our number.
TWO i want to continue the college basketball discussion A
March madness preview because there's about three teams right now
on the men's side of things THAT i think have
separated themselves from the rest of the. Pack we'll get into.
That we'll also talk about These saints running back. Position
they are paper. Thin and Then Ross jackson Of Louisiana
sports Dot net And locked On saints will join us
to give us a combine. Recap that's all coming up
our number two Of off The.
Speaker 2: Bench off The bench