LSU took to the Ponderosa under the lights for its second fall camp workout.
The media was permitted two individual periods which lasted about 12 to 15 minutes..
FRESHMEN FIRST
On Wednesday, Deuce Geralds and Malik Blocton were the first team defensive tackles. On Thursday, Richard Anderson joined Geralds with the first unit at tackle. Veterans Princewill Umanmielen and Jordan Ross manned the edges, but the freshmen formed the interior.
Geralds has been a consistent presence with the first team dating back to the spring, and it never appeared during spring that Blocton, Stephiylan Green or Dominick McKinley solidified a starting role.
Four weeks remain in camp, and the team hasn’t even worn full pads yet, but it feels like a youth movement is afoot at defensive tackle. If not in a starting role, almost certainly featured heavily in the rotation.
Dylan Carpenter worked at defensive end with the second group opposite Lamar Brown, another freshman. Blocton and Green were the tackles with the second team.
THIN AT CORNER
LSU’s depth is a concern at corner, and it’s a skinny group. So, thin in multiple ways.
DJ Pickett, Michael Turner and Havon Finney are all noticeably thin. PJ Woodland is a little bit more put together, but he’s only 5-foot-11. The others are over six feet tall.
Woodland and Pickett held their own with SEC wide outs last year without being physically imposing. So, it’s not some massive concern. I just walked over to that group for about four minutes to observe and didn’t notice much weight gain.
Also, Turner was in a gold “no contact” jersey. He was the only one I noticed on Thursday night.
SEEING SAM
Matt Moscona watched Sam Leavitt today while I took defense. Here are some excerpts from his notebook.
Leavitt was 13 for 15 in the throws during the periods. They were on air with no defense.
He started with some back shoulder throws. The first was incomplete for Jayce Brown. Those two continue to work together. Leavitt also overshot freshman Corey Barber on a slant-and-go. The other 13 were on target.
Among scholarship receivers, Leavitt threw to Brown, Malik Elzy, Jackson Harris, Winnie Watkins, Tyree Holloway and Barber.
The best rep of the observation period was a go ball to Watkins about 40 yards down field in stride.
LAGNIAPPE
Ed Orgeron was a second set of eyes for Kevin Peoples with the defensive tackles. That group worked on two sleds. Orgeron took one, and Peoples took one. Orgeron liked a Geralds rep.
Phillip Wright made the catch of the day, a leaping back should catch along the sideline on a high throw from Husan Longstreet.
Ty Benefield and Dashawn Spears are noticeably the two most imposing secondary members. That’s also obvious from the roster listings, but those two are put together.
The second defense had to restart a pursuit drill because Faheem Delane‘s rep wasn’t good enough at safety.
