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Fitzgerald West is way more important to this team than many think
Posted on 10/12/22 at 6:24 pm
Posted on 10/12/22 at 6:24 pm
We have a very promising young OL with 3 spots nailed down with terrific players in Campbell, Dellinger and Jones but we really need West to step up and take the reigns at center next year. Kelly will continue to recruit good OL but Charles Turner just isn’t an SEC playoff team caliber center. He’s the best we have this year and that’s fine but any great OL starts with a great center and that’s not him. He’s just not big enough or strong enough to hold up. If West can be as good as the staff thinks he could bring it all together. We could have one of the better OL in college football next year with
LT- Campbell
LG- Dellinger
C- West
RG- Bradford
RT- Jones
It all hangs on West making that jump or finding a guy that can.
LT- Campbell
LG- Dellinger
C- West
RG- Bradford
RT- Jones
It all hangs on West making that jump or finding a guy that can.
This post was edited on 10/12/22 at 6:28 pm
7
Posted on 10/12/22 at 6:27 pm to LSUPilot07
Wake up Mr. WEST!!!!!
This post was edited on 10/12/22 at 6:28 pm
Posted on 10/12/22 at 6:29 pm to LSUPilot07
quote:
We could have one of the better OL in college football next year with
I think we will be much improved, but we are looking at 24 to be one of the best in the country. We could have a legit shot then.
Posted on 10/12/22 at 6:33 pm to misey94
Next year you’re going in with Campbell and Jones having a full year of starting under their belts and Dellinger going into his Junior year and has been starting or playing since his freshman year too and he looks like he’s finally found his best position at LG. Then you have Anthony Bradford as a senior. It’s all about whose playing center because the rest of the guys will be good players. West wasn’t highly recruited but there’s a reason Alabama offered him too. He has potential.
This post was edited on 10/12/22 at 6:34 pm
Posted on 10/12/22 at 6:38 pm to LSUPilot07
He's been playing on the D-line and is listed as a D-lineman on the roster on the LSU website now. D-line was his natural position in HS. 
Posted on 10/12/22 at 6:49 pm to LSUPilot07
You're gonna sit Zalance Heard next year or slide Jones back to guard? (First world problems, baby.)
Posted on 10/12/22 at 6:51 pm to mdomingue
He’s not actually playing DL. Kelly was asked that in a presser and said he was still playing center but he’s been dealing with an injury. If Zalance Heard is ready to play like Campbell and Jones were then all the more better. You play the best 5. Good problem to have.
This post was edited on 10/12/22 at 6:53 pm
Posted on 10/12/22 at 6:57 pm to LSUPilot07
That’s still a really young OL next year. They’ll be experienced besides West (the most important position relative to experience), but physically, as big and strong as they’ll be, big difference in 19 and 20 year olds having to block 21 and 22 year olds for 60 minutes. ‘24 they should be absolutely dominant, though.
Of course, we could luck out on a couple of portal guys. The ones we’ve gotten lately haven’t been ready year 1, but there are some out there. Bama got a Vandy dude who’s really good.
This is where Polian earns his money. He’s the “recruiting coordinator,” but his job isn’t to shake the hands and woo the moms. He’s incredibly organized and has a very complex system with constant evals on guys in all different situations. More like an NFL GM like his dad than the past RC’s we’ve had like Frank and them.
Can’t explain the special teams play—maybe it’s an anomaly—but even if he needs to be replaced there, he’s going to be very valuable as the RC as we build this team the next few years.
Of course, we could luck out on a couple of portal guys. The ones we’ve gotten lately haven’t been ready year 1, but there are some out there. Bama got a Vandy dude who’s really good.
This is where Polian earns his money. He’s the “recruiting coordinator,” but his job isn’t to shake the hands and woo the moms. He’s incredibly organized and has a very complex system with constant evals on guys in all different situations. More like an NFL GM like his dad than the past RC’s we’ve had like Frank and them.
Can’t explain the special teams play—maybe it’s an anomaly—but even if he needs to be replaced there, he’s going to be very valuable as the RC as we build this team the next few years.
Posted on 10/12/22 at 7:00 pm to shinerfan
I think you slide Jones inside, which will let you be able to put your best 5 on the field with Heard.
Posted on 10/12/22 at 7:03 pm to mdomingue
quote:
He's been playing on the D-line and is listed as a D-lineman on the roster on the LSU website now. D-line was his natural position in HS.
I think that’s because we are so incredibly thin at interior DL. We basically play 2 1/2 guys there now and we haven’t gotten into the meat of the SEC schedule.
I know they liked him at a camp and thought he projected as a Center at this level, and he may very well wind up there. But other options may present themselves and he may stay at DL. One thing is for sure and that is he must be one helluva football player if they’re comfortable moving him around like that as a true freshman. So no matter where his future lies, I agree with OP that he’s very important to the future of this team. And if we have a couple of unfortunate injuries, he may wind up being really important to this year’s team.
Posted on 10/12/22 at 7:11 pm to LSUPilot07
quote:All his appearances thus far have been as a D lineman, I think. ETA: I actually think I may recall him being in at center but not sure if I'm thinking of the spring game.
He’s not actually playing DL.
The O-line offer was given by O but Davis was part of that decision. The first time Fitz played center was at that LSU camp at the request of the staff. That was between his Junior and senior year IIRC. He is listed as a D lineman on the roster right now but that may be just for this season or while we need the bodies. He is a great kid so I hope he gets a chance to see the field a bit.
quote:
If Zalance Heard is ready to play like Campbell and Jones were then all the more better. You play the best 5. Good problem to have.
Definitely a good problem to have.
ETA:
Link to roster
This post was edited on 10/12/22 at 7:14 pm
Posted on 10/12/22 at 7:17 pm to mdomingue
Zalance will start at right tackle next year. He’s the real deal… And he is a true tackle, no question to whether he will slide in at guard or tackle. Watch his practice link below. He will only fill out that body prior to 2023 season.
Zalance Heard Practice
Campbell
Dellinger
Who knows
Emery Jones
Zalance Heard
Zalance Heard Practice
Campbell
Dellinger
Who knows
Emery Jones
Zalance Heard
This post was edited on 10/12/22 at 7:25 pm
Posted on 10/12/22 at 7:23 pm to Hot Carl
quote:
I think that’s because we are so incredibly thin at interior DL. We basically play 2 1/2 guys there now and we haven’t gotten into the meat of the SEC schedule.
I know they liked him at a camp and thought he projected as a Center at this level, and he may very well wind up there. But other options may present themselves and he may stay at DL. One thing is for sure and that is he must be one helluva football player if they’re comfortable moving him around like that as a true freshman. So no matter where his future lies, I agree with OP that he’s very important to the future of this team. And if we have a couple of unfortunate injuries, he may wind up being really important to this year’s team.
He is. He was playing varsity DLine in the 8th grade on LCA's first state championship. He gave Kardel Thomas all he could handle in the win against Southern Lab that year (at least that's what I recall). Just got better every year.
He didn't play center (he did play guard at times) until they asked him to try it in that LSU camp where they offered him.
And he is such a nice kid. Very friendly and smiles all the time. Really easy to like. I know that doesn't translate into football but that's why I'm pulling for the kid to do good. I know he will put out the effort.
Posted on 10/12/22 at 7:27 pm to mdomingue
quote:
He's been playing on the D-line and is listed as a D-lineman on the roster on the LSU website now. D-line was his natural position in HS.
He will be a center. There is zero doubt at this point.
And I agree with OP that he'll be very good at it.
Posted on 10/12/22 at 7:29 pm to CatfishJohn
He played dline against New Mexico to help with depth
With injury to dellinger he moved back to c for now
With injury to dellinger he moved back to c for now
Posted on 10/12/22 at 7:34 pm to mdomingue
quote:
D-line was his natural position in HS.
He played on the OLine a lot in his 4 years at LCA. He knows how to block too.
Posted on 10/12/22 at 7:48 pm to GeauxLSUGeaux
quote:
He played on the OLine a lot in his 4 years at LCA. He knows how to block too.
He played guard in his last two years. I don't know how much he did if at all any earlier than his junior year. I'm not sure it was a lot until his senior year. He definitely knows how to block.
I went to a lot of their games, still go to some, and stream the games now too. My son and daughter went to high school there. My son was on the football team for 3 years, he graduated the year before they won their first state championship. He's an LSU grad now and she is a senior at LSU.
So I have a soft spot for all the LCA kids on the LSU roster. In particular, Fitz, because he used to stop and say hello to the ladies who helped unload the kids every morning (my wife was one of them). They all thought the world of him. And also sage because he was on varsity as an 8th grader when my son was a senior. My son rarely saw the field, he laughs and says Sage played more as an 8th grader than he did in 3 years
Sorry about the old man oversharing
Posted on 10/12/22 at 7:52 pm to lsutigerelizabeth
quote:
Why not next year?
I think we could be quite good, but Bradford and Frazier look like they are solid at best. That is a limitation. Also, as the OP points out, we don’t know if West will be ready for C and Hill is what he is at this point.
Quality depth will still be a concern unless some guys like Hill, Dumerville and Martinez finally hit. We may very well end up with another true freshman (besides Heard, who should step right into the rotation) or two playing rotation mins at some point if there are any injuries, which is almost a given.
Again, I think we will take a sold step forward next year and I’m not trying to throw shade, but just be realistic. I just don’t think we will be a top 10-15 OL in the P5 yet. One thing that could change this would be a couple of instant impact starters coming over via the portal. That could change the equation. I’m just going off of what we know.
But with a year for the incoming freshmen to get up to speed and another year of experience for Campbell and Jones, the 24 OL could REALLY be something.
This post was edited on 10/12/22 at 7:57 pm
Posted on 10/12/22 at 8:40 pm to mdomingue
No worries man. LCA has some dudes on their team. We have 3 former Knights playing for LSU already and it looks like Melvin Hills is about to blow up nationally and I know there are a couple of other players (WR and DB) LCA has as well that LSU wants on the team so it won’t hurt having a bunch of dudes from LCA at LSU. Trev knows how to bring them up.
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