LSU Envisioning Many Freshmen to Step Up In Variety of Ways on Field

2021 class will shoulder significant responsibility in key areas as Tigers attempt to get back on track

Towards the end of the first fall practice, freshman safety Sage Ryan capped off the over two-hour afternoon session with an interception in the team period to give the defense a little confidence by day's end. 

With blazing temperature throughout the course of practice, it was difficult on all of the players according to coach Ed Orgeron but that's an adjustment everyone will need to make over the coming days. There's a chip on every player and coach's shoulder who is returning from last year's 5-5 team to see substantial growth in 2021 and part of that improvement will need to come from a variety of true freshmen.

LSU welcomes one of the top classes in the country and there are many players at positions of need who must be ready for expanded roles right out of the gate. Ryan is certainly one of those guys as Orgeron and the coaching staff are extremely impressed by the versatility he brings to the field because of his athleticism. 

On Friday, the Lafayette Christian star found himself practicing at nickel cornerback but the team has a vision of him helping out at safety and on special teams in his first season with the program. 

"He had a big pick at the end of the game today. Our guys love him, he's probably going to be one of our top returners, we use him in the kicking game," Orgeron said. "We're looking at him as being a freshman who can come out and be excellent on special teams and be a good blitzer, very aggressive, ball hawk, I think he's going to be a good player for us."

Defensive tackle Maason Smith and surely a few of the freshmen receivers will likely receive time over the course of the season. But one player who may be needed out of necessity is tight end Jack Bech, who is working on converting from a receiver to a tight end. 

LSU is extremely thin at tight end, with sophomore Kole Taylor being really the only other option after freshman Jalen Shead left the program a few weeks back and most recently, a medical issue that popped up with Nick Storz. All of the sudden it's Taylor and Bech who will now be looked to carry a heavy workload at that position, but it's a scenario Orgeron believes both will excel at. 

"Jack is a very athletic tight end," Orgeron said. "We may have to move somebody else if one of those guys gets hurt. I'm really lookin forward to Jack backing up Kole and rotating to get some reps. But it looks like Kole is going to be our main guy."

This is a freshman class that will need to step up in some capacity this season. With Ryan and Bech both expected to receive heavy workloads, which other players at receiver, tight end or potentially along the offensive defensive lines will be something to monitor over the next month.