What solid teams look like

The Aggies held their second scrimmage of training camp Sunday and, while nobody got to really watch, I’ve heard enough to know a few things.

First, I think my belief that this is a well-rounded team is being borne out. The scrimmage, like a lot of practices, has had moments where the offense has done well and moments when the defense bounces back. Sunday was more of the defense’s day, while the offense had a better go of it in the first scrimmage. And that’s ok. I’d rather have things go back and forth when you’re scrimmaging, because that means both sides are doing well (or both are terrible, but I don’t think that’s the case here).

Marcel Reed turned the ball over, finally. It wasn’t his fault; Rickey Gibson made a great play on a slant to Isaiah Horton. But it was really good coverage on an accurate throw. So it is what you make of it.

Reed and Rueben Owens have looked good throughout camp and did again Sunday. The first four linebackers have been good all camp. Defensive coordinator Lyle Hemphill said Jordan Lockhart is starting to be in the right place at the right time, and he can wallop someone. Every linebacker group needs a psycho (I mean that in a positive way) and he’s it.

Gibson and Julio Humphrey just keep fighting it out for the starting job. I’d be lying if I said I knew who it would be, and I came into camp pretty sure it’d be Gibson. 

I keep saying this, but it’s because I honestly believe it: this is a complete ballteam. If the sudden surge in confidence in the offensive line is legit, there are no holes. They may not have attention-grabbing superstars, but a lot of very good players who fit well in their respective schemes.

One player who has received very little attention so far is nickel Jordan Shaw. Shaw was solid last year, but turned it on late and really snatched the job away from Tyreek Chappell. He was tasked with dealing with Malachi Toney in the Miami game and did a fantastic job. He was dealing with another veteran this spring in Bryce Anderson, but I think Shaw’s taking that job and running with it. It’s going to be a pretty stacked secondary, if you base it on spring ball and training camp.

Who I see getting real playing time this season

We’ll skip quarterback because we already know, unless something goes very wrong.

RB: Owens, Jamarion Morrow, KJ Edwards, MAYBE Tiger Riden

TE: Richie Anderson, Houston Thomas, Kiotti Armstrong, Micah Riley

WR: Mario Craver, Isaiah Horton, Ashton Bethel-Roman, Terry Bussey, Aaron Gregory, Kelshaun Johnson, TK Norman, MAYBE Jerome Myles (I hope so)

LT: Tyree Adams

LG: Coen Echols OR Blake Ivy

C: Mark Nabou

RG: Trovon Baugh

RT: Wilkin Formby

Will play somewhere: Robbie Bourdon

DE: Marco Jones, Anto Saka, T.J. Searcy, Ryan Henderson, Bryce Perry-Wright

JACK: Sam M’Pemba, Tristian Givens

DT: DJ Hicks, CJ Mims, Angelo McCullom, Brandon Davis-Swain, LIKELY Landon Rink and DJ Sanders

MIKE: Ray Coney, Jordan Lockhart

WILL: Daymion Sanford, Noah Mikhail, Tamarion Watkins

NICKEL: Jordan Shaw, Bryce Anderson

CB: Julian Humphrey OR Rickey Gibson

SS: Marcus Ratcliffe, Myles Davis

FS: Dalton Brooks, Tawfiq Byard

CB: Dezz Ricks, Vic Singleton, Adonyss Currie, Brandon Arrington

No matter how much you hate LSU, it’s not enough

LSU is a disgusting cesspool. Any school that actively pursued and hired Will Wade, Kim Mulkey and Lane Kiffin deserves any bad thing that happens to them.

The arrogance of Kiffin and Wade may have finally been a bridge too far, and that would be fantastic for college sports. Because, as things stand right now, it’s on the precipice of disaster.

Already over the 105-player limit, Kiffin has signed former Ole Miss players Zxavian Harris and Dae’Quan Wright.

They are also former Cleveland Browns. 

Yeah, they were professional football players. Wright was still with the Browns until he asked for his release to join LSU. Kiffin, the mealy-mouth slug that he is, tried to cover up an unconscionable action by saying, “Hey, if we didn’t someone else would.”

“At the end of the day..because of these rulings, they’re either going to play for you or they’re going to play somewhere else around the country. We made the decision to recruit them,” he said today. 

Sure. Is that why other players who can’t hack it in the NFL have signed other places?

Wait. They haven’t. But two are in at LSU. It’s a disgrace.

How big of a weasel is Kiffin? It came out today that Ole Miss had the FBI SWEEP THE FOOTBALL FACILITIES FOR BUGS after Kiffin bolted for Baton Rouge.

And then there’s Wade, who tried to buy a bunch of professionals to come play at LSU after returning from N.C. State. And, thanks to a blanking Louisiana judge, he’s getting away with murder. Former Big East Player of the Year RJ Luis is eligible tonight after one of those judges, quite possibly using GEAUX TIGAHS! In his decision, said he was still a collegian.

Luis was signed to two-way contracts by two different NBA teams, even got traded, and he’s a collegiate athlete? Well, hell — DeAndre Jordan still has three years of eligibility left. Bring him in!

But the duplicity of Wade and Kiffin may lead to something drastic — the SEC taking on its own rule enforcement. That will be discussed on Wednesday and an emergency teleconference meeting was held between the conference and the presidents and chancellors of the member universities tonight. While it was a shot at the lack of control in college sports in general and the judges who continue to add fuel to the fire, it also does serve for a pretty clear rebuke of LSU as well.

“College athletes, not former professional athletes, have been at the heart of the Southeastern Conference. Individuals who choose to leave college athletics, sign professional contracts and compete professionally should not then be permitted to return to college competition. 

Allowing that will blue the line between college and professional sports, create significant equity concerns, and reduce opportunities for high school and current college athletes. 

College sports are for college athletes.”

That sounds pretty much like a “screw you guys.” 

LSU is challenging the credibility of college sports in general in the SEC in particular. And for the first time, it looks like there’s a chance that someone pushes back. And there doesn’t need to be a pushback, there needs to be a squashing.

I know everybody wants to hate Texas, and with ample reason. But if you want the real villains in college sports right now, they’re in Red Stick, not Austin.

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