The No. 18 jersey tradition continues with B.J. Ojulari receiving the honors on Saturday. He continues the excellence of the tradition that started with Matt Mauck. Ojulari continues to pick up the preseason accolades as he was a preseason All-American and a part of the All SEC First Team . Brian Kelly spoke on what the No. 18 means to the LSU program:
“The No. 18 is the player who brings all of those traits of someone who leads in an extraordinary manner. The attention to detail, great focus, represents the program in a positive way in the classroom, in the community and on the field.”
Ojulari joins an elite list of Tigers to wear the No. 18. In 2021, linebacker Damone Clark and kicker Avery Atkins donned the No. 18 for LSU.
The Marietta, Georgia native is known for being a disrupter on the defense and a versatile defender. In his freshman season with the Tigers, Ojulari made an instant impact on the Tiger defense. He finished second on the squad with 16 tackles and 5.0 tackles for loss. Ojulari earned SEC Defensive Lineman of the Week for his four tackles, three sack performance against South Carolina.
He continued his success on the field in 2021 where he would start in 12 games as a sophomore. He led the Tiger defensive lineman in tackles with 55 and also in sacks with 7.0. Ojulari ranked second on the team in tackles for loss with 11.5. He once again earned SEC Defensive Lineman of the Week Honors for his three tackles, 2.5 sack performance against Central Michigan.
Ojulari will be the focal point on the edge of the Tiger front seven alongside teammate, Ali Gaye. The Tiger defense and him will look to continue to flourish under new defensive coordinator, Matt House.
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