Travonte valentine news, finishing up paperwork, almost official!

Yep and we're ready......


It's official. Well, almost.

Travonte Valentine is in the final stages of completing his return to the LSU football team, a source confirmed Wednesday. The program is processing his final paperwork and summer academic work. Valentine could be cleared as early as Wednesday night.

The 340-pound defensive tackle is currently in Baton Rouge. He's set to rejoin his old team at some point during preseason camp - a significant boost for a squad searching for a big nose tackle in its new 3-4 scheme.

All but one of the expected 105 players reported for preseason camp on Wednesday, Miles said during a news conference Wednesday afternoon.

"We'll have 104. Still waiting on one guy," Miles said. The coach is not allowed to speak about Valentine, as he's still considered a recruit.

Edna Karr defensive lineman Andre Anthony, the only 2016 signee not to report, is not considered in that 105 count, the coach said. Anthony will use an academic redshirt this season after the NCAA ruled him ineligible. He'll enroll at LSU and attempt to reach eligibility by the spring.

Edwin Alexander, a St. Thomas Aquinas product, reported, as expected. Alexander, a late qualifier, was cleared the NCAA earlier this week.

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Valentine, the third-ranked tackle out of high school in 2014, was expected to rejoin the team barring an academic setback, The Advocate reported on Tuesday. He spent the summer at Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College working to reach eligibility.

Valentine was dismissed from LSU last summer for violating team rules, he said in May during an interview with The Advocate. His arrival ends the school's unusual re-recruitment of a former player.

Valentine has three years of eligibility remaining, but he'll be eligible for the NFL draft in the spring. He's spent the last year at two junior colleges – Arizona Western and Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College. He was dismissed from Arizona Western following an arrest after playing in just six games last fall.

On Oct. 15, 2015, Valentine was arrested and charged with a disorderly conduct, a misdemeanor, according to court records obtained by The Advocate. The court dismissed the charge a month later. The arrest stemmed from a physical altercation.

Valentine’s football career started off rocky upon leaving Miami’s Champagnat Catholic-Hialeah in 2014. The SEC never ruled him eligible during his true freshman season at LSU, despite the NCAA granting him eligibility. Miles suspended him for spring practice in 2015 in what the coach suggested was academic in nature and then dismissed him in the summer.

He returns at the right time for a team in need of a big body in the middle of defensive coordinator Dave Aranda's 3-4 scheme. Nose tackle is, somewhat, of an unstable position. Christian LaCouture, at 307 pounds, started at nose tackle at the beginning of spring practice before the staff moved Davon Godchaux, at 293 pounds, into that role with two weeks left in spring.

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Greg Gilmore is a reserve at the spot, and freshman signee Edwin Alexander, who reported to camp Wednesday, is an option, Aranda said over the summer.

Multiple signs this spring pointed to Valentine's return. As recently as two weeks ago, the Miami native visited LSU, meeting with coaches. LSU in May received assurances from the Southeastern Conference that Valentine would be eligible for the 2016 season if he did, in fact, rejoin the program and qualify academically. LSU requested a ruling from the league on the talent.

One of the most anticipated recruits arriving to camp of all time

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All but one of the expected 105 players reported for preseason camp on Wednesday, Miles said during a news conference Wednesday afternoon.

"We'll have 104. Still waiting on one guy," Miles said. The coach is not allowed to speak about Valentine, as he's still considered a recruit.

Edna Karr defensive lineman Andre Anthony, the only 2016 signee not to report, is not considered in that 105 count

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Interesting, so if Anthony reported as a full qualifier and Valentine then he'd have to boot a walk on to make the 105?

Snooze zzzzzzzz......... Give a f*ck meter = 0

He will hardly see the field... Godcheaux is the starter and we have Gilmore Rashard and Wd Alexander who would see snaps ahead of him

Godchaux gonna blow by centers with his speed. He's as strong as most 320lb but much lighter on his feet. Excited for Valentine though

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He will hardly see the field... Godcheaux is the starter and we have Gilmore Rashard and Wd Alexander who would see snaps ahead of him

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