re: Does these two injuries change your projection of how this team does?

you couldn't plan to have the ideal NT there because of valentine's status. I'd say his presence allowed them to do what they truly wanted to

Don't think it will be to bad of a hit but I can promise one thing...The second are defense starts getting torched up the middle on run plays people will blame it on this.

I'd be more worried about overall conditioning vs. learning the D

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LaCouture is a space eater, I'd sub him for Tra Valentine, especially in this system.

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Except, they were not going to sub him for Valentine. Godchaux was slated to play both DE and DT, while Valentine Gilmore, and Alexander were expected to rotate at DT as well. LaCouture was expected to move to DE unless they move to a 4-3 look.

Clearly the team is in a better position with LaCouture playing, however, the defense has not become destitute because he's not going to be able to play.

Let me remind you of what Aranda's intentions still are for this team on the backdrop of what he was able to do for Wisconsin with less highly rated recruits up front:

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Aranda benefits from having a defense with nine returning starters (now 8) who have a combined 135 career starts (minus 23). Eight (now 7) of those returning starters were rated four-star recruits by ESPN.

In Aranda's previous six years as a D-coordinator – two at Hawaii (2010-11), one at Utah State (2012) and the last three at Wisconsin (2013-15) – those programs signed a combined five defensive players (all at Wisconsin) who were four-star recruits.

After he was hired in January, Aranda briefly helped recruit the 2016 LSU class that has 13 four-star defensive signees.

The thought of having so much athletic talent at his disposal pleases the chill Aranda, who senior cornerback Tre'Davious White calls "the coolest cat on the block." "The ability to play man has always been at the forefront for me, and I'm really excited about the ability to do it here," Aranda said at the LSU coaches clinic in April.

The basis of Aranda's mode of attack is simple. His odd man front has movement that makes offenses reveal one of its four protections (basic, turn, slide, play-action) and then he decides quickly how to attack. Often, the defensive looks won't be the same on consecutive plays because defenders will align in different positions.
"We can move around a lot and make a lot of plays from a lot of positions," LSU senior defensive end Christian LaCouture said after Saturday morning's practice. When you come up to the line, they (the offense) don't know where you are."

The fact his attackers come from various directions at different times has veterans like White and youngsters like Toliver eager to turn it loose. "Quarterbacks won't know what's coming and where it's coming from," White said. Added Toliver, "We disguise everything. I wouldn't want to be a quarterback playing us. He won't know what he'll see from us until the play starts and by then it's too late."

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LINK

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A three year starter is not a huge loss. Got it.

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Got to love the unbridled and unfounded optimism of the off-season LSU fan.

Counting on a guy who has not played a down of college football (TV) to come in and replace and according to many to be better than a guy who has started his entire career. All this IN THE SEC !!!

For the record, the position that Lac was going to play is not going to be the same as what Valentine is going to play. But you keep up the good work.

Huge blow to D.
One additional loss.

Hopefully Valentine is ready, and I think Thornton will surprise a lot of people as a true freshman playing behind Key. Both have immense talent and speed for their size, we just need it all to come together before we head up to Florida. If nothing else Valentine should become a space eater in the middle, and Thornton has the speed and instincts to attack the quarterback.

ETA: I'm forgetting all about Gilmore who could potentially start the season. He looked pretty good in spots last year as well as Herron. I think Herron will start at DE if Godchaux starts at NT, and if Godchaux goes to DE on a play or whatever, then Gilmore will step in at NT. Then you have a 3rd year college guy in Valentine who can rotate in at the NT position.

Also, it's not like we had anybody behind Key that played the position on the field last year to begin with. Washington was just the guy that had to redshirt so we don't even know how much of an impact that could even be.

All in all, we lose some depth, but we'll be fined once October comes.

Other programs have done it infrequently. LSU hasn't recently. LSU hasn't had an impact every down true freshman lineman since Booger 20 years ago. That's the problem we're facing.

It isn't like we haven't had bodies. We've had Brockers and Nevis. We've had Woods and a guy they called freak. We've had tons of names. Some eventually contributed. Some never really contributed. None played every down roles for LSU as true freshmen.

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This is simply not true

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Even if it was true, it would indicate to me that it's because the coaches favor seniority over underclassmen to the point that they would play a more experienced, less talented upperclassman over a more talented, less experienced underclassman.

This year Les won't really have that option.