re: Did we move forward or backward with this class?

So you answered your own op in your op.

F........ idiot OP. We have the consensus # 5 class out of 125 D1 programs including better the 44-16 nation champs Clemson, Oklahoma, erc. BIG STEP Forward. Will get DT’s next year, including JUCO, transfer. We also got Michael Williams trnaferred feom Texas who will be ready for 2020.

The answer to the OP is that we have gained a lot of ground but still lost ground to Bama and Georgia. This team is much better than it was when O took over but has lost ground every year to Georgia and Bama. Maybe 2020 class can make up a little ground.

It was a good class.

Classes ranked from 3-7 with different services, composite ranking #5, of course we moved forward.

How in the hell you can ask the question moving backwards at all (because we had a highly ranked class) and addressed RB (4 & 5 star both from La.) and DB very impressively (Stingly-need I say more?) I will- look out for a bunch of blanketing and interceptions and also finally a dynamic punt returner, OL was OK.

Yes, our DL haul was not good except for IKA. However, the latest Utah guy Fonua at DE (rush specialist) will surprise some and that 6'6" 220 Lb DE/OLB will be a beast speed rusher off the edge because he is freaky fast (track star) and in the mold of Mingo/Chaisson, however he will redshirt and bulk up at get behind our solid LB crew. Sure, I would have loved to get B Young and Ish, but its over...move on. Are losing them the only reason you used backward in your thread title?

Let me show you a 3 deep depth chart at DL just to show you and everyone on Tiger Droppings its not doom & gloom because we missed on Ish & another big time DE... they are now Tigerbait!

2019 DL Depth Chart:

1st- DE: B. Fehoko (300#) NG: T. Shelvin (340#) DE: R. Lawrence (315#)

2nd- DE: Logan (300#) NG: IKA (350#) DE: N. Farrell (300#)

3rd- DE: J. Thomas (280#) NG: D. Livingston (340#) DE: Fonua (260#)

the rest of the DL are as follows:

DE: Davin Cotton (285#)
DE: Nelson Jenkins III (310#)
DE: Joseph Evans (310#)

There are 12 guys or 4 complete lines and the first string is very strong and second string is also a very talented group. We are in good shape with 3 Beefy NG to hold up the middle and have 3-4 very good DE. We are fine!!!

Now, our OL is fine with: (shows Ingram back) and shows 3 complete lines and 15 players

1st- LT: Charles LG: Thomas C: Cushenberry RG: Ingram RT: Deculus
2nd- LT: Wire LG: Magee C: Smith RG: Lewis RT: Traore
3rd- LT: Bradford LG: Savage C: Turner RG: Campbell RT: Perry

Noticed 2 major guys missing from the OL? Sure, I just got 2 extra recruits for the DL in original DL recruits- Dare Rosenthal (all 6'8" 335 pounds) and Chasen Hines (all 6'4 340 pounds). These are 2 huge talented guys where both can play DE and Hines could be a backup emergency NG at 340 pounds and PLUG up the middle. I'll take those 2 recruits over Ish (Lazy and takes plays off) and Moore (Maybe crazy they say) as they have been in a college system and are much stronger. Heck, Hines was a road grader last year on the OL.

Sure, these guys are good on the OL as Hines showed out big time last year at LG and Dare should be a fine LT, but that can wait next year (If he is needed in 2019 on defense)

Also, another DE if needed could be Travez Moore who can bulk up to 270. Then, don't forget we have a bunch of studs at LB right behind them in Chaisson, Divinity, Phillips, Queen, Thorten, Cherry, Clark, Baskerville, Scott plus a great haul of LB in Brooks, Starks and McCallum

And Louisiana is loaded with DL talent and we should get 4-5 top guys, including:

Jaquelin Roy- 6-4 310 DE Committed
Jacobian Guillory- 6-2 335 NT
CamRon Jackson- 6-6 280 DE Committed
Jalen Lee- 6-4 290 DE

For 2020, if we get these 4 La boys plus 2-3 good Out of state guys (like keeping the Polynesian pipeline coming) we should be fine with 6-7 DL to stock the trenches

The point of writing all this crap is to show you guys losing on Ish and maybe one more good DL is not a reason to ask if LSU is moving backwards with a #3-5 class. Jesus!! Sure, we would be a better team with 2 more studs on the DL with 3-4 years to play, but as I showed above, we are fine.

The short answer is we've improved a good deal. Thank goodness we landed Ika as a true NT.

We now have Shelvin-SOPH, Livingston-RSFR, and Ika-FR for our immediate future as our NTs. If anything happens, we have two big RSFR DE's who could help man the middle. Hopefully next year we can land 2/3 more true NTs. We should be OK after that.

A quick run-down:

I think Shelvin has been well documented. He seemed to be coming around at the end of last year. If he keeps working, he'll wind up starting when Fehoko leaves.

Although Livingston wasn't as decorated as some of his peers, he was a unanimous selection to the 6A all-district team his senior season in Houston (at around 380 lbs.) His projected playing weight is around 330/40. If his listed weight is accurate, he's well on his way. He could definitely start at some point. He'll be in the rotation nonetheless.

And then there's Ika. I assume his story is still fresh in your mind. He could also wind up starting in the future.

Out of these three guys, I think one will eventually step up. They have another year to work on their size and conditioning. Even with a rotation of all three, that won't be a bad thing. They're all really strong, athletic, and massive.

If O feels like the progression isn't good enough when Fehoko leaves, he's already demonstrated that he isn't afraid to get grad transfers to help out. Of course, JUCO would also be an option.

There's also the possibility of moving Logan or Jenkins III to the middle IF NECESSARY. I'm no fly on the wall, but these are big men, too. Jenkins had versatility to play both NT and DE when he came to LSU. He doesn't have brute strength as the above names, but he is big, athletic, and strong. Was one of the best linemen in the country before he had an appendectomy, then the injury bug hit shortly before his senior season in HS.

I feel like we'll be fine. Worst case, we have to go the GT route to assist in the rotation. Next year is crucial for landing some good NTs, O knows this.

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I asked the board what they thought.

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Can't speak for the entire board, but me thinks you are a Debbie Downer for even entertaining the thought that we may have moved backward with this class.
Remember...the beast at the top of the food chain gets his pick for dinner! Alabama has been at the top for so long now that most elite recruits already gravitate there before they are even recruited. Human nature..everybody wants to be a winner!

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This class ranks well according to "stars"

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Star ratings are much more subjective in todays recruiting services than at anytime in the past. There's 3 or 4 players in this class rated from low 4 star to low 3 star that I believe a lot of programs miss evaluated. The people at these services that rate players rely more on offers than what they see on film. And when you have a ILB from alabumble that saban didn't recruit these people automatically consider the player not SEC caliber. And this isn't the case with at least one player from the state of alacestumama err that place where tricky nicky resides. The fact is, the game is still about correctly evaluating a players potential. Something I think Clemson has really done well. I think LSU has done well, just haven't got some of those they were after. Lets face it, LSU's problem has been QB play and that is the one area they have been really terrible with evaluating players. 2017 if LSU had better QB play, they beat bama. I think this LSU class will prove to be the best signing class of this season.

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My goodness people get so caught up in how someone phrases something when they know good damn well what the meaning is.

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My thoughts exactly....