Jake Franklin was in seventh grade, and his father Bill was a referee in a women’s college basketball game.

Bill Franklin had a game in New Orleans. When he returned to North Carolina, he had a surprise for his son.

It was an Louisiana State University t-shirt.

“Ever since then, I've been a die-hard LSU Tigers fan – watching football every year and watching them win a national championship back in 2007, the year we (at New Bern) won a state title,” said Jake Franklin.

Franklin, a former recruit at William & Mary, will get a shot at playing football at his favorite school.

The 6-foot-6, 265-pound New Bern alum was offered a chance to be a preferred walk-on at LSU, one of the most pristine football school’s in the nation.

Immediately upon getting the offer, Franklin abruptly accepted.

Franklin left for Louisiana on Thursday, has a team meeting on Saturday, then begins classes and workouts on Monday.

“As soon as they offered me that preferred walk-on, I was sold,” Franklin said. “When I get down there, they are going to throw me in the loop right away. My first week there, they are going to teach me all the routes and plays.”

As a preferred walk-on, Franklin won’t receive any scholarship money, but he has an opportunity to earn one.

In the meantime, he will practice with the team and attend classes.

LSU is looking at Franklin as a tight end.

“I'm not going to be content just going down there and being on the team,” Franklin said. “I 'm going to do everything I can to play.

“From hearing what the coach wants, he needs a big-body tight end. I can run pretty decently, I know how to block and I can run after the catch. I'm going to try to bust my tail.”

Franklin was noticed initially at the LSU football camp in 2009. He didn’t receive an offer from the Tigers, so he began his college career at William & Mary.

He played his final season of high school football in 2009 and graduated from New Bern High in 2010.

Franklin signed to play at William & Mary during his senior year in high school. He red-shirted his first season at the Football Championship Subdivision school, then saw playing time at offensive line his second year.

After leaving William & Mary, Franklin took a year off from playing football to attend classes at Pitt Community College and Craven Community College.

He continued to have the dream of playing football at LSU, so he got in touch with Tigers’ head coach Les Miles and Assistant Athletic Director and Football Operations Director Dr. Sam Nader.

Franklin went down to an LSU game against South Carolina last fall, then went to the Spring Football Game in April.

“When I was at William & Mary, I wasn't really happy and when you are not happy, you are not really dedicated,” Franklin said. “The whole time I was there, I kept thinking, 'what if.'

“Finally, when that year ended, I just wanted to try to get to LSU. I told the coaches I wanted to leave, so when I left, I got Les Miles' secretary's number.”

Franklin said Miles remembered him from the 2009 camp, then gave him Nader’s information.

Franklin has been staying in shape with a training in Greenville, going to Gold’s Gym five days a week and going through LSU’s workout package.

“It's going to be more intense (at LSU) which is what I like,” Franklin said. “It's the best conference in the country. It's like they say, there are only two conferences in the world- the SEC and the NFL.

“The level of competition is going to push me to work harder in the weight room and on the practice field so I hopefully help them win a national championship.”

Franklin was a three-year starter on New Bern’s offensive line. He was on the Bears’ 2007 4A state championship team.