Recent LSU All-SEC selections come up short in three important positions
If you aren’t already a premium member of TigerBait, it’s time to give us a try. Subscribe now and enjoy all of the benefits of a subscription. Click here to join
The Associated Press and Southeastern Conference coaches released their all-league teams last week.
LSU, which ended the regular season with a 9-3 record, had five players selected to one of the teams. Linebacker Devin White, cornerback Greedy Williams, safety Grant Delpit and kicker Cole Tracy were chosen to the first team by both groups. Punter Zach Von Rosenberg was a second-team pick for the AP.
Looking back over the last ten seasons of All-SEC football teams, three important positions have not been well represented by the Tigers – wide receiver, quarterback and defensive line.
The LSU offense has been criticized for its lack of a passing game. Whether it has been due to the talent level or the development of the players, the Tigers have simply not had individuals at quarterback and wide receiver who have stood out among their peers in the SEC.
No LSU quarterback has received All-SEC recognition in 12 years. JaMarcus Russell was an All-SEC quarterback in 2006. How much time has passed since Russell put on a Tigers uniform?
Russell was signed by former LSU coach Nick Saban in February 2003. Russell was coached while with the Tigers by former offensive coordinator Jimbo Fisher. Saban and Fisher are now head coaches at Alabama and Texas A&M, respectively. Both the Crimson Tide and the Aggies beat LSU this season.
Only three Tigers wide receivers have been chosen to All-SEC team in the last ten seasons – Brandon LaFell, Rueben Randle and Jarvis Landry. Odell Beckham was never picked as a All-SEC receiver. Landry, LSU’s most recent all-league receiver, signed with the Tigers in 2011 – some seven years ago.
It is not surprising that LSU’s passing game has been mediocre given the production of the quarterbacks and wide receivers. One can choose to assign blame to poor recruiting or poor position coaching, but the fact is that the Tigers have not stacked up at these two positions at a championship level.
The other spot where LSU has been deficient is the defensive line – since the 2012 season. The Tigers had dominant teams in 2010-12. LSU defeated Alabama in both the 2010 and the 2011 regular season.
From 2010-12, five Tigers defensive linemen were selected to All-SEC teams – tackle Drake Nevis in 2010, tackle Michael Brockers in 2011, ends Barkevious Mingo and Sam Montgomery in 2011-12 and tackle Bennie Logan in 2012. Brockers, Mingo and Logan are still playing in the NFL.
Over the last six years, only one LSU defensive lineman was chosen to an All-SEC team – tackle Anthony Johnson in 2013. There is no doubt that the gap between Alabama and LSU along the defensive line has greatly increased.
Of course, the secondary is where the Tigers have been greatly represented. Twelve LSU defensive backs have been All-SEC performers. Six of those 12 players were two-time all-league players – Patrick Peterson, Morris Claiborne, Eric Reid, Tre’Davious White, Jamal Adams and Greedy Williams.
Two positions which have been considered lacking has had a fair share of All-SEC players over the last ten seasons – offensive line and linebackers. Twelve Tigers offensive linemen have earned All-SEC honors. Four were two-time honorees – La’El Collins, Vadal Alexander, Ethan Pocic and Will Clapp.
Eight LSU linebackers have been named to All-SEC teams. Arden Key and Devin White were two-time all-conference picks. The Tigers have had at least one All-SEC linebacker every season beginning in 2010 except for 2015. That group does not include Atlanta Falcons linebackers Deion Jones and Duke Riley.
Here is a breakdown of LSU’s All-Southeastern Conference football players during the past ten seasons (2009-2018).
WIDE RECEIVERS
Brandon LaFell, 2009
Rueben Randle, 2011
Jarvis Landry, 2013
NOTE: Odell Beckham never made an All-SEC team strictly as a wide receiver.
TIGHT ENDS
None
NOTE: LSU’s last All-SEC tight end was Richard Dickson in 2008.
OFFENSIVE LINEMEN
Ciron Black, 2009
Joe Barksdale, 2010
Will Blackwell, 2011
Chris Faulk, 2011
Alex Hurst, 2011
Trai Turner, 2013
La’El Collins, 2013-14
Vadal Alexander, 2014-15
Ethan Pocic, 2015-16
Josh Boutte, 2016
Will Clapp, 2016-17
Garrett Brumfield, 2018
NOTE: This season was just the second time in the last ten years that LSU did not have an All-SEC offensive lineman. The other season was 2012.
QUARTERBACKS
None
NOTE: LSU’s last All-SEC quarterback was JaMarcus Russell in 2006.
RUNNING BACKS
Stevan Ridley, 2010
Spencer Ware, 2011
Jeremy Hill, 2013
Leonard Fournette, 2015-16
Derrius Guice, 2016-17
NOTE: For just the second time in the last six years, LSU did not have an All-SEC running back in 2018.
DEFENSIVE LINEMEN
Drake Nevis, 2010
Michael Brockers, 2011
Barkevious Mingo, 2011-12
Sam Montgomery, 2011-12
Bennie Logan, 2012
Anthony Johnson, 2013
NOTE: LSU won at least ten games from 2010-2013 – seasons in which the Tigers had six defensive linemen earn All-SEC honors. LSU has not won ten games since 2013 and has not had an All-SEC defensive lineman since 2013.
LINEBACKERS
Kelvin Sheppard, 2010
Ryan Baker, 2011
Kevin Minter, 2012
Lamin Barrow, 2013
Kwon Alexander, 2014
Kendell Beckwith, 2016
Arden Key, 2016-17
Devin White, 2017-18
NOTE: Key is the only outside linebacker in a 3-4 scheme to earn All-SEC honors.
DEFENSIVE BACKS
Chad Jones, 2009
Patrick Peterson, 2009-10
Morris Claiborne, 2010-11
Tyrann Mathieu, 2011
Eric Reid, 2011-12
Craig Loston, 2012
Ronald Martin, 2014
Jamal Adams, 2015-16
Tre’Davious White, 2015-16
Donte Jackson, 2017
Greedy Williams, 2017-18
Grant Delpit, 2018
NOTE: The only season in the past ten years when no LSU defensive back was an All-SEC selection was 2013.
KICKERS
Josh Jasper, 2010
Drew Alleman, 2011-12
Cole Tracy, 2018
NOTE: Jasper is the only LSU All-SEC kicker in the last ten years who signed a scholarship out of high school.
PUNTERS
Brad Wing, 2011
Jamie Keehn, 2014
Zach Von Rosenberg, 2018
NOTE: Both Wing and Keehn came from Australia. Wing did play his senior season in high school at Baton Rouge Parkview.
RETURN SPECIALISTS
Patrick Peterson, 2010
Odell Beckham, 2013
DJ Chark, 2017
NOTE: Both Peterson and Beckham also earned All-SEC honors as all-purpose players.
LSU Tigers Colosseum Anchor Full-Zip Jacket - Charcoal
from: Fanatics