re: Losing players that need to return to school

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O has literally recruited kids back every year to play that could have went into the draft lol

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I agree, I think Orgeron has actually done a decent job of reversing the early departure trend at LSU. It’s a fine line he has to walk. If you try to convince every single guy that they would be better off coming back, it starts falling on deaf ears.

When you come off of a 15-0 season with a national title, it’s a double whammy. Not only have the guys already accomplished their biggest goal, they also have a chance to capitalize on that success. Most of the guys on OP’s list would not have gained much by coming back. Hell, Thad Moss would have had to compete for his starting job.

In order for it to be worthwhile financially, they have to move up enough to offset an entire year’s salary over the first contract. Then when you look at the opportunity cost of not getting into the second contract for another year, combined with the risk of losing draft stock.. it’s a tough sell.

The shitty 2018 class and the opt-outs this year are the bigger issue IMO. Ironically, though, if Orgeron had filled the 2018 class with studs we might have never seen Joe Burrow in purple & gold.

If a kid is not a top 2 round pick, they truly have no business going into the draft. They aren’t even guaranteed a contract or a roster spot. That seems like common sense to come back to school to try and improve your draft grade. Stop playing the role of contrarian just for the hell of it.

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Got that mercenary culture kicking at LSU.

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That’s just bullshite. 1. It’s disrespectful to players who gave it all for LSU and brought us a championship. 2. It just ignores the truth.

What’s Alabama’s culture? Tua left. Wills left. Ruggs left. Jeudy left. Diggs left. McKinney Left.

Everyone who returned did so because they needed to.

LSU had 7-8 underclassmen go in the top 100.

Tip your hat. Everyone of those kids had legitimate reasons to leave

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What’s Alabama’s culture? Tua left. Wills left. Ruggs left. Jeudy left. Diggs left. McKinney Left.

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Well they lost six, I think the most ever for them. LSU lost 6 in 2018, 3 in 2019 (Orgeron’s best job), and 9 this year (add a couple of junior opt-outs to that list).

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Non of them were first rounders last year.

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Pffft, leatherwood was a 1-2 round projection, but all of them had higher grades than some of LSU’s departures.

Neither was anyone I mentioned from the OP

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Verge Ausberry touched on this topic this morning on OTB and I was glad he did. The staff obviously knows they can’t continue losing kids at such a high rate and expect to contend yearly. One of the biggest points of emphasis this off season and moving forward is to re recruit guys who aren’t going to be 1st or 2nd round picks.

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Congrats to the staff for “discovering” this problem that every housewife in Louisiana has recognized for ~15 years. WTF are they doing about it, besides inventing the word “re-recruit?”

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But tell me: what could Jacob Phillips do to raise his stock?

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Well we have a massive hole at LB right now so he would be a huge upgrade over what we have. The point I’m really trying to make is trying to figure out how to get to Bama and Clemson’s level. They get guys like Jacob Phillips back and who knows, with another strong season, he could elevate into a possible 2nd rounder.