re: "I haven’t heard him talk about a big man like this guy."

quote:

---

LSu has been using a 3-4 defense for how many years now..and we've never had a dominant nose tackle...Lacatoure, Gilmore, Valentine,Ed Alexander, Fehoko ..

---

It's weird but this will be the first year since Aranda has been here that LSU will have a true 3-4 NT. And they have TWO.

quote:

---

Ever since Dave Aranda came to LSU the shift from a 4-3 base defense to a 3-4 there have been plenty of names bounced around as to who might play the nose tackle spot in the new scheme

First, it was Christian LaCouture, a starter last year as a 4-3 defensive tackle who, at under 310 pounds, was undersized but the Tigers’ best option for a big space-eater.

Then, there was Davon Godchaux, who was under 300 pounds but had the quickness that would allow him to possibly be effective in a modified version of the 3-4 where the nose tackle would take angles and shoot gaps rather than be the traditional anchor.

with LaCouture’s season ended by a knee injury, it’s Gilmore who’s sitting at the top of the depth chart with less than two weeks before LSU’s season opener. “I think I do pretty well at the nose tackle position,” said Gilmore, I played the 4-3 all my life, but you venture in and you say, ‘I really think this works for me.'”

He now plays at 308 pounds but has to monitor it to make sure he stays at a heavy enough playing weight.

“I was like 297 during camp and I said ‘I need to go eat a cheeseburger,'” Gilmore said. “I can’t take on double teams at 297.”

---

Ed Alexander was also a 4-3 guy and just wasn't healthy enough to be a dominant NT.

quote:

---

JUNIOR SEASON (2018) Had his best season with the Tigers, playing in 11 games with six starts

---