With fall camp right around the corner, the Tigers are gearing up for the final 53 days before the football season kicks off at the Rose Bowl against UCLA. Long before the regular season or even fall camp are the SEC Media Days, the annual week long session of interviews brings together conference coaches and players from every SEC school to one location.
This season Ed Orgeron will be joined by star cornerback Derek Stingley and offensive lineman Austin Deculus, with the Tigers slated to meet with media on Monday, July 19.
"We could only bring two, wish I could bring five," Orgeron said on Off the Bench. "Two great leaders. Obviously Derek coming to LSU was big for us, he committed and Derek is the finest corner in America and also a great leader for us so I can't wait to bring him. Austin Deculus is very instrumental in helping me recruit the offensive line to come back."
Stingley of course will sport LSU's No. 7 jersey this season and return as one of college football's premier athletes. In two seasons, he's established himself as one of the more polished cornerbacks LSU has ever had from a technique perspective and will be looking to really break out in what is likely his final season in Baton Rouge.
Deculus has proven to be a strong voice for that offensive line back to the 2019 season and will be even more important with the most recent news about the departure of Dare Rosenthal. The Tigers are planning to slide Cam Wire into that left tackle spot, which is a good move for the starting unit but takes another body away from the depth.
LSU is still in search of players who can slide in and provide that depth this season and there are really only a few names that come to mind, Anthony Bradford, Charles Turner and possibly freshman Garrett Dellinger.
"Next man up, I'm very impressed Garrett Dellinger," Orgeron said. "He's tough, he's strong, he's smart and he's handled everything we could give him. Anthony Bradford is starting to step up and will have opportunity to play but we gotta get through camp."
The Tigers are back on campus after a little time away from football and gearing up for fall camp which starts on Aug. 6. Orgeron said the team has returned in great shape and looking forward to another great camp where plenty of position battles will be decided.
"Our team is in excellent shape, the strength staff has done a tremendous job with our team and our team has done a tremendous job fostering leadership throughout the summer," Orgeron said.
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