[225] Magazine - Tiger Pride 2021 by Baton Rouge Business Report

2021

Derek Stingley Jr., preseason All-American and future NFL first-round draft pick, anchors the Tiger defense.

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TIGER PRIDE 2021 | The passion and pageantry of LSU football

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TIGER PRIDE 2021 | The passion and pageantry of LSU football

Tiger Pride // contents

Features This month find out:

A15 Where you can find nods to the Tigers in local restaurants A19 Who is making LSU-themed art A23 How LSU journalism students view the school’s Title IX failures A37 What new athletics leaders have to say about the year ahead A44 How this year’s quarterback battle may play out A51 What Cade York was thinking during that famous field goal against Florida A55 How Derek Stingley and Elias Ricks work in tandem A63 What to add to your tailgating wardrobe

Departments A15 Spirit A29 Outlook A43 Team A63 Style A68 Calendar A70 Framed

ON THE COVER

JORDAN HEFLER

Derek Stingley Jr. might be the best player in college football. And this season, he’ll have help from another rising star at DBU Turn to page 55 for the full story. Our cover shot is by Beau Brune, courtesy of LSU Athletics.

TIGER PRIDE 2021 | The passion and pageantry of LSU football

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TIGER PRIDE 2021 | The passion and pageantry of LSU football

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TIGER PRIDE 2021 | The passion and pageantry of LSU football

Tiger Pride // masthead

Publisher: Julio Melara

EDITORIAL

Editorial director: Penny Font Editor: Jennifer Tormo Managing editor: Benjamin Leger Features writer: Maggie Heyn Richardson Digital content editor: Mark Clements Staff photographer: Collin Richie Contributing writers: Lee Feinswog, Anna Jones, Dillon Lowe, Elle Marie Contributing photographers: Ariana Allison, Jordan Hefler, Amy Shutt

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Time to geaux IT’S BEEN A long journey getting here, but LSU fans can finally look forward to a (somewhat) normal season of fall sports. As of press time, Death Valley was set to reopen in September at full capacity and with no mask mandates. After a 2020 season that saw multiple players and coaches infected with COVID-19, games delayed and rescheduled, and five disappointing losses, it’s tough to imagine how the team can get back on track. But the Tigers are putting the past behind them and looking forward. “We’re building a championship program, but while we build it, we’ve got to go through the lows,” head coach Ed Orgeron tells 225 for this special edition. “We’ve got to develop grit, and we’ve got to develop toughness.” Coach O isn’t the only one working on developing a new outlook for his program. The past year has seen some major head coaching hires for the athletics department, including Kim Mulkey for women’s basketball and Jay Johnson for baseball, not to mention several fresh assistant coaching hires for the football team. In this year’s annual edition of Tiger Pride, we’re covering all the new coaching perspectives. Read our interviews starting on page 37. And it’s that student-athlete-toughness and focus that really makes you want to root for the team. Derek Stingley Jr., currently touted by many analysts as the nation’s best player, says the team isn’t allowing for any distractions. “We’re focused on everyone being where they’re supposed to be and being on the same page with facebook.com/225magazine •

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TIGER PRIDE 2021 | The passion and pageantry of LSU football

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everything—from meetings to practice and during the games,” Stingley tells 225. Read about how Stingley will work in tandem with another rising LSU star this season on page 55. Myles Brennan and Max Johnson talk candidly about the upcoming quarterback battle in a story starting on page 44. And Cade York—one of the most productive kickers in school history—talks about that field goal he’ll always be remembered for in a feature on page 51. Finally, a tough year of COVID has only been compounded by the national news reports about the athletics department’s mishandling of sexual misconduct cases. The university, athletic foundation, and several current and former coaches and university leaders are now defendants in a lawsuit filed by students detailing experiences of sexual assault or harassment. By now, you’ve heard thoughts on the subject from school leaders, coaches and even national pundits. But there’s another group speaking out: the students. They’ve been living through the headlines the rest of us have been reading, as we detail in a story on page 23. In guest essays, three LSU journalism students share what Tiger pride has meant throughout their lives—and how it all came crashing down for them this past year. The columns were excerpted from a booklet published this spring containing essays penned by the LSU Manship School of Mass Communication’s feature writing students. It’s been a hard year, but the team and school are rebuilding and improving. And that is worth rooting for.

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TIGER PRIDE 2021 | The passion and pageantry of LSU football

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TIGER PRIDE 2021 | The passion and pageantry of LSU football

SPIRIT I N S I D E : LSU decor / Tiger art / Students speak out

ICE

dream This milkshake is like ‘Tiger Pride’ in a jar

WHEN MARC AND Tracey Couvillion decided to bring The Yard Milkshake Bar to Baton Rouge, it wasn’t hard figuring out what the shop’s first signature shake would be. The “Tiger Deaux” shake is purple-and-gold deliciousness in a vanilla-iced-jar. It’s piled with scoops of cookie dough and chocolate chip cookie dough ice cream and topped with marshmallow cream, whipped cream, sprinkles and a sugary tiger paw. The Gulf Shores-born specialty milkshake shop, known for its Instagram-worthy ice cream creations, opened its first Louisiana location last month. The store’s signature shakes are topped with everything from waffles to cupcakes to sugar cones designed to look like unicorn horns. In addition to these photogenic specialty milkshakes, the Yard also offers an array of other cold treats, including traditional ice cream scoops; edible cookie dough; ice cream floats; and gluten-free, lactose-friendly and vegan options. “The main menu is pretty much identical to other locations,” Marc says. “But we do have the freedom to come up with the signature shakes.” Besides the LSU-inspired shake, the Baton Rouge secret menu also features the original “Louisi-nana” shake, with banana pudding, praline pecan ice cream and yellow marshmallow cream in a Nutella-iced-jar rolled in cinnamon sugar and topped with a banana. Visit The Yard Milkshake Bar at Highland Park Marketplace at 18303 Perkins Road. theyardmilkshakebar.com

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TIGER PRIDE 2021 | The passion and pageantry of LSU football

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TIGER PRIDE 2021 | The passion and pageantry of LSU football

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Tiger Pride // spirit

Tiger

town How restaurants around town pay homage to LSU

THERE’S A PHOTO showing Joe Burrow in the bathroom at MJ’s Cafe. Striking the famous Heisman pose, he’s framed perfectly by the bathroom’s pink tiger-printed wallpaper. Burrow just had to stop by the plant-based restaurant for a healthy meal before playing in the national championship, according to MJ’s Instagram page. OK, so, the photo is not real. But owner Mary-Brennan Faucheux says she couldn’t resist posting the Photoshopped image of the celebrated quarterback inside her LSU-inspired powder room before the big game. “Most people thought the photo was real, and we wish it was,” she says. During the restaurant’s 2019 move to its Government Street location, Faucheux worked with design team Tiek & Co. on the vision for the space. “I wanted fun, exciting wallpapers for the bathrooms. When they found this print, I absolutely loved it,” Faucheux says. “It’s classy, fun and LSU-approved.” The wallpaper is a subtle, stylish nod to LSU’s live mascot, following a long tradition of Baton Rouge restaurants paying homage to the team. Some of Baton Rouge’s oldest restaurants have found ways to celebrate the school’s sport’s legacy. TJ Ribs is like a mini museum of LSU memorabilia and photos, perhaps most famously home to Billy Cannon’s original 1959 Heisman Trophy. Steps from campus, The Chimes’ Highland Road location has its own historic mural of Mike the Tiger and the football team. Mike Anderson’s Seafood, opened by the All-American LSU linebacker himself, is full of interesting photos and artwork celebrating the team. And like MJ’s, newer restaurants have found modern, creative ways to remind diners they’re in Tiger country. Inside the new Cheba Hut restaurant, artist Marc Fresh recently painted a playful image of a tiger wearing overalls and clutching a football. With LSU-themed decor, restaurant owners can be sure of one thing: diehard fans are bound to show up, ready to snap pictures. “We have had many people just take photos in the bathroom,” Faucheux says of the pink tiger wallpaper, “and that always brings us so much joy.” mjscafebr.com

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The pink tiger-printed wallpaper in MJ’s Cafe’s bathroom.

TIGER PRIDE 2021 | The passion and pageantry of LSU football

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TIGER PRIDE 2021 | The passion and pageantry of LSU football

Art

Tiger Pride // school spirit

of the

game Meet a few creatives near and far who express their Tiger pride through art BY D ILLON LO WE I L LU STRATION S COURT E SY THE A RTISTS

IT’S NO SECRET that Louisiana is home to some talented artists. And there are a number of such talents whose work explores something we here in Baton Rouge hold near and dear: LSU sports. Meet just a few of the creatives who exhibit their Tiger pride through art.

Shelli Brown While much of Shelli Brown’s art focuses on minimalist abstractions of form—human or otherwise—she has also established a place for herself in the LSU-centric art market with her trademark Rony the Tiger series. The concept is simple, yet effective—each Rony the Tiger piece depicts Rony, cool, calm and collected, donning a stylish pair of sunglasses and staring into the distance. Every painting is a little different than the last, with varying vistas reflected in Rony’s shades. For the LSU fan, see Rony overlooking a packed Tiger Stadium. instagram.com/shellibrownart

TIGER PRIDE 2021 | The passion and pageantry of LSU football

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Tiger Pride // school spirit

Lauren Barksdale Hill The art of Baton Rouge native—and the readervoted winner of 225’s 2021 Best Local Artist Award— Lauren Barksdale Hill is at once abstract and lifelike. Her scenes of local flora and fauna are a dreamy snapshot of Louisiana life. She occasionally pays tribute to the LSU sports culture that is so integral to life in her city, too. One piece depicts Mike the Tiger perched stoically in front of Tiger Stadium, while another portrays the stadium in a different light, set against a peaceful landscape. instagram.com/laurenbarksdalehillart

Craig Routh

David Losavio

This pop artist goes by DLo and has garnered a substantial local following, Louisiana native Craig Routh began his professional thanks to his colorful and abstract career as an artist in 1997 at the age of 17, and he portraits of the people who inspire him, has since built a name for himself with paintings that from artists like Andy Warhol and Frida seek to celebrate the unique culture and landscapes Kahlo to musicians like David Bowie of the Bayou State. That celebration extends into the and John Lennon. While he is currently realm of LSU sports, too—some of his most popular based out of New Orleans, his art pieces are his watercolor depictions of notable LSU career began in Baton Rouge, and he football plays. One of his more recent works is “One hasn’t forgotten his roots in the Capital Team, One Heartbeat,” an action-packed portrayal City—his portraits of Pete Maravich and of LSU’s championship win LSU over Clemson, complete Issue Date: August Ad proof #5 Joe Burrow fit right into his extensive with two battling tigers bursting through the roof of • Please respond by e-mail or fax with your approval or minor revisions. catalogue of nationally recognized the Mercedes-Benz Superdome. routhcollection.net • AD WILL RUN AS IS unless approval or final revisions are received within 24 hours figures. instagram.com/d_lo from receipt of this proof. A shorter timeframe will apply for tight deadlines. • Additional revisions must be requested and may be subject to production fees.

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TIGER PRIDE 2021 | The passion and pageantry of LSU football

Tiger Pride // school spirit

Tami Curtis While she is currently based out of St. Louis, Tami Curtis is a native of Louisiana, and her roots are evident in her art. Much of her work centers around the rich culture, history, music and nature of her home state. That appreciation for everything Louisiana has also led her to create pieces inspired by LSU sports, like “Legend Status,” a painting celebrating LSU’s championship win with depictions of Ed Orgeron and Joe Burrow standing triumphantly alongside Mike the Tiger. tamicurtisstudios.com

Randy Caminita When award-winning painter Randy Caminita is not hard at work on his Louisiana wildlife collection, he is likely toiling over a piece for his “Geaux Dat” collection, a catalogue of works for devoted LSU and Saints fans. The collection has a little bit of everything an LSU sports fanatic could want, from paintings of a menacing, larger-than-life tiger rampaging into Death Valley to more reserved pieces depicting the camaraderie of LSU’s football players. randycaminita.com

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TIGER PRIDE 2021 | The passion and pageantry of LSU football

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1,800,000+ Louisianans have gotten at least one dose of the COVID vaccine, making events like tailgating and Saturday nights in Death Valley possible again.

COACH O IS WORKING TO BRING THE TIGERS BACK TO THE NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP!

But first we need LSU fans and family to do what LSU doctors recommend — go get vaccinated. The COVID-19 vaccine is available state-wide and it’s safe and free. The vaccine protects you and your family whether tailgating on Saturdays or enjoying a More info at COVIDVACCINE.LA.GOV meal out with friends.

Tiger Pride // guest columns

‘Rain in Death Valley’

JORDAN HEFLER

When you’re raised on Tiger pride, how do you also process deep disappointment in LSU? Three students open up about the sexual misconduct findings against the university

They’ve been living through the headlines the rest of us have been reading. This spring, professor Len Apcar asked his LSU Manship School of Mass Communication feature writing students to write a first-person essay reflecting on a news story. After the tumultuous past year, there was plenty to explore, from a pandemic that’s claimed 4 million lives globally; to police killings and protests; to a bitter presidential election. “There wasn’t a moment of writer’s block,” according to Apcar. “Emotions and words flowed. The result is a time capsule of (the students’) anger and fear, their worries and dreams in this extraordinary moment.” Out of the 15 resulting essays, three students chose to write about LSU’s Title IX failures. Here are their words, excerpted from lsumanshipwriting.com and the Feature Writing booklet Apcar published this spring. The essays have been lightly edited for clarity, with edits noted in parentheses.

Feature Writing:

Journalism in First Person MC 3002 SPRING 2021

www.lsumanshipwriting.com Edited by Grayce Mores

TIGER PRIDE 2021 | The passion and pageantry of LSU football

IMAGES COURTESY LSU MANSHIP SCHOOL OF MASS COMMUNICATION

IT HASN’T BEEN an easy year to be an LSU fan. For many, the national news articles uncovering the university’s and athletic department’s mishandling of sexual misconduct cases have hit like one gut punch after another. The university, athletic foundation, and several current and former coaches and university leaders are now defendants in a lawsuit filed by students detailing experiences of sexual assault or harassment. The lawsuit reiterates the women’s statements from the investigative report by the Husch Blackwell law firm, as well as from public hearings. In June, new LSU President William Tate told the Louisiana Illuminator he plans to have the university approach Title IX cases differently, examining them from a “psychological” and “trauma-informed” perspective. But however hard it has been for alumni and lifelong fans to grapple with the deluge of horrific stories, there’s one group it’s been especially challenging for: students.

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Tiger Pride // guest columns

When It Rains In Death Valley By Caroline Savoie

FROM BIRTH, I put my parents’ alma mater on a pedestal. As a student, I watched it come crashing down. I often find myself standing close to Tiger Stadium, shielding my eyes from the sun to look up at its massive yellow lettering. In my first 18 years of life, I stood in its shadow, dreaming of the day I would walk LSU’s campus as a student. My dad, a proud alumnus, carried me through the eighth gate on his shoulders until I grew too tall. Before the ticket scanner let out its glorious high-pitched riff signaling our admittance, I stared at the crowd of students waiting to get into the seventh gate, teeming with impatient excitement. My dad always asked, “Stairs or ramp?” when we stepped through the gate. Choosing the stairs meant walking straight into the stadium, climbing hundreds of steps with my back turned to the field. So I always chose the ramp. My father and I trudged up the dimly-lit path, my little legs slowing down to take a close look at the rooms that once housed students inside the stadium. I was acutely aware that I was walking through history. Once we reached the top, light would pour in from the stadium’s arches, the roar of thousands of fans would fill my ears, and I felt joy. Through my years as a student at LSU, I hoped to never let go of that. As a freshman, as a sophomore, as a junior, I would take a moment to soak in the stadium’s presence, in awe of its meaning in my life. As a senior, I stand close to Tiger Stadium, my safe haven, my beacon of hope, and it is tainted. I can’t bear witness to my beautiful stadium without picturing the sea of students protesting in its shadow. I see tears pouring down the faces of women who were sexually assaulted by football players I once worshipped. I hear the rough, Cajun voice of a man from my hometown who protected an accused player in fear of losing a football game. The stories-high concrete walls kept secrets that shattered the faith and

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admiration I naively held for so many They thought only of minimizing years. damage to the university’s moneyOn March 5, the stadium’s walls making agenda and gilded reputation. burst open and spilled their secrets The misgivings did not stop after the in a Zoom meeting when the Husch five-hour board meeting on March 5. Blackwell law firm released its report Investigations revealed former coach investigating sexual misconduct Les Miles’ inappropriate behavior reports at LSU. After a prayer to “lift up the survivors of sexual and domestic abuse,” the Board of Supervisors spent five hours listening to a detailed summary of egregious wrongdoing on the part of several employees. Verge Ausberry, executive deputy athletic director, and Miriam Segar, associate athletic director, (were suspended without pay for failing) to investigate sexual abuse and domestic violence allegations against two prominent football players, Drake Davis and Derrius Guice. I have been pursued by Guice on multiple occasions. The football player liked to join LSU students at bars in Tigerland, and one night he motioned for me to join him on the stage at JL’s Place. I felt the pull, the allure of a powerful man who carried so much clout. I danced with him, and he poured Hennessy down my throat. As I stood in Guice’s presence, I felt small, and —Caroline Savoie he knew he was big. It felt LSU Manship School of Mass Communication, 2021 like flying close to the sun. Larose Luckily, I left without any burns. Guice has the same inflated ego that enables high-ranking when he was alone with female employees at LSU to “protect” the student workers. university’s reputation at all costs, no But the “Most Deplorable” award matter the students whose spirits are may have to go to beloved head coach crushed by their hollow promises and Ed Orgeron, who (allegedly) called meaningless punishments. a 74-year-old woman (Gloria Scott) When the board suspended who requested that Guice not play Ausberry for 30 days and Segar for 21 in the Citrus Bowl after she said the days, its members didn’t consider the running back sexually harassed her students who teetered through the in New Orleans. Orgeron pleaded quad as toddlers, who heard Memorial for her forgiveness, she said, which Tower’s bell toll as teenagers, who she refused. (Orgeron has denied threw their arms over their friends contacting Scott.) and belted out the alma mater with Guice rushed 98 yards in the bowl pride twinkling in their eyes as game. students. “Perhaps most troubling of all the

TIGER PRIDE 2021 | The passion and pageantry of LSU football

“As a senior, I stand close to Tiger Stadium, my safe haven, my beacon of hope, and it is tainted. … The stories-high concrete walls kept secrets that shattered the faith and admiration I naively held for so many years.”

report’s findings is the understanding that, whether through our actions or inactions, our institution betrayed the very people we are sworn to protect,” LSU’s then-interim president Thomas Galligan said in the meeting with Husch Blackwell. When I heard Galligan’s words, I almost believed him. I almost believed that our leadership might be so humiliated with the “complete failure” the law firm described that he would take action. But LSU’s public relations mastermind, Ernie Ballard, couldn’t let Galligan place blame on current employees for endangering students, regardless of their proven guilt. No, Galligan and the PR team took care to blame “our institution.” Yes, LSU’s greed for money and power is a cancer that has festered and thrived for centuries, but the problem with blaming the entire university for the ethical breaches of certain employees is clear. The “institution” cannot be dismantled. LSU cannot be uprooted. Blaming the “institution” requires no action. The only way to remedy this cancer is to split the university open, reveal its bloody innards and cut out the tumors. Husch Blackwell’s report and subsequent investigations have named each tumor, pointed them out and placed big flashing neon signs over their heads reading, “fire me.” Amidst the controversy and the cries from students that someone, anyone, receive a harsher punishment than a month without pay, the LSU football team started spring practice in March under Orgeron’s direction. It seems that within the self-serving and centuries-old institution that is LSU football, the privileged players and their coaches are conducting business as usual. Perhaps they will find a rug big enough to sweep (it all) under.

Tiger Pride // guest columns

I Love My Sisters More Than My University

By Nathan Long

AS SOMEONE WHO was raised in a household full of strong women, the recent Title IX allegations against LSU have caused me great distress and anger. My mother was the breadwinner of the household, easily taking home triple what my stepfather earned. With my mother’s help, I avoided going into debt through my undergraduate career. Nearly all of my aunts are similarly responsible for most of their family finances. Furthermore, all three of my sisters are athletes; one excels at volleyball, another at gymnastics, and another at basically every sport she plays, and I expect her to continue her athletic career in college.

Author Nathan Long with family members Julia Williams, Janice Williams, Grace Williams and Emma Williams

University of Louisiana-Lafayette, as the odd-balls, and even those who attend other schools emphatically and religiously cheer for the Tigers. I was no different. I’ve bled purple and gold. I cheered as LSU won the football National Championship in 2007, and I cried as it lost in 2011. Since I could walk, I wanted to walk across the stage at LSU for my diploma. Since I could talk, I wanted to loudly sing the alma mater in Death Valley. Now, however, my love for the jewel of Baton Rouge has soured, especially related to what I love most: athletics. Multiple articles and reports have revealed the depths of which LSU’s athletic department has ignored and covered up sexual assaults and harassment perpetrated by athletes and coaches. In late 2020, USA Today detailed an article on LSU’s mishandling of multiple sexual misconduct complaints. The article tells the story of multiple female athletes who accused former LSU running back Derrius Guice of rape and sexual misconduct. The writers also detail the numerous similar allegations against wide receiver Drake Davis that also went ignored.

“I cheered as LSU won the football National Championship in 2007, and I cried as it lost in 2011. Since I could walk, I wanted to walk across the stage at LSU for my diploma. Since I could talk, I wanted to loudly sing the alma mater in Death Valley. Now, however, my love for the jewel of Baton Rouge has soured, especially related to what I love most: athletics.” —Nathan Long LSU Manship School of Mass Communication, 2021 New Orleans

This is why the recent allegations of Title IX abuse by the LSU administration troubles me more deeply than any college scandal I’ve seen. Throughout my life, I have developed a deep love for the Bayou Bengals. Growing up in southeastern Louisiana, most people assume you will attend LSU if you plan to go to college. The culture often views people who attend other in-state schools, like Tulane or

Many of these allegations were made by female LSU athletes. These women should feel protected, as they are ambassadors of the university. Instead, they lived in fear, knowing any accusation they made could be dismissed immediately. LSU doubted the accusers every step of the way. It did everything in its power to protect Guice and Davis from any punishment, according to the article.

Is this what my sisters have to look forward to? USA Today revealed much later that former head coach Les Miles allegedly conducted himself inappropriately with female assistants, which resulted in a mere slap on the wrist. He was a winning football coach at the time, and clearly that was more important to the administration. I looked up to Les Miles growing up. He seemed like a decent man, and it appeared he represented the university well. I was dead wrong. A report by Husch Blackwell, a law firm specializing in Title IX law, revealed even further failures of the administration to properly conduct and investigate allegations. The report found the Title IX department at LSU to be understaffed and underfunded. LSU seems fine spending money on a lazy river in the shape of the school logo for all the football recruits to “ooh” and “aah” at. But apparently funding a department to ensure your female athletes are treated fairly and properly was just a little too expensive. LSU officials promised, following the revelation of these failings, to make significant changes to the Title IX department. However, I don’t believe them. I am sure in the short term they will make changes to the system as a way to save face. However, in the long term, little will change. They appear to be sorry they got caught. One of the victims of this process said it best: “You are not here because of the goodness of your heart,” said Caroline Schroeder, an LSU alumna who dealt with the ineptness of the Title IX process after she was sexually assaulted in 2018. “You are here because a national newspaper published a story,” she told LSU officials. It is fairly easy to tell LSU is not serious about protecting its female students and changing the Title IX problems. It is clear by the utter lack of significant penalties for those involved. The only two people punished by

LSU were executive deputy athletic directors, Verge Ausberry, who was suspended 30 days without pay after he mishandled the Drake Davis case, and Miriam Segar, senior associate athletic director, who was suspended 21 days, also without pay, after she botched the Derrius Guice case. Two of the most important people regarding the failures of the Title IX office essentially received an extended vacation as their “punishment.” After their suspensions, they were free to return to their high-paying jobs. Other universities are the only ones taking action for LSU’s failings. Oregon State University fired F. King Alexander, who had been the LSU president. Les Miles was relieved of his head coaching job at the University of Kansas. Why are other schools holding people accountable for LSU’s failings? This fiasco is extremely embarrassing to me, a rabid LSU fan and supporter, as well as numerous other students, faculty and alumni. My colleague at KLSU, Logan Cullop, described how embarrassing it is for her to be at a school that is currently embroiled in the biggest sex scandal since Pennsylvania State University’s Jerry Sandusky’s sordid misconduct a decade ago. The LSU affair has deeply affected her thoughts about the university. “It’s embarrassing,” Cullop said. “As a woman, I can’t believe my university would do some of the things they did.” Another colleague at KLSU, Tyler Viso, described how he has been more hesitant to wear LSU merchandise, especially when he leaves Louisiana. “I’m worried what others who just hear the news might think,” Viso said. I tend to agree. I love my university, as it has given me four of the greatest years of my life. With law school imminent, I hope it gives me three more great years. However, this scandal has irreparably changed how I view this university. I can’t help but ask the questions, “Do I want my younger sisters to attend?” or “Will I want my future daughter to attend?” Currently, I do not think I would.

TIGER PRIDE 2021 | The passion and pageantry of LSU football

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Tiger Pride // guest columns

Shame On You, LSU By Mary Chauvin

get as much information as we can about the abusive I AM AN athlete, and I know that we are held to very interactions Jade had with Drake.” high standards. Except if you’re on the football team. Lewis was my friend, so I was hesitant about saying As a freshman in college, there are a lot of things you anything she didn’t want to be said because of how expect to experience. As a collegiate athlete, you are sensitive the subject was. exposed to a completely different world. I showed police the screenshots Lewis sent me from There are amazing experiences, such as winning a Davis that read: “I’m gonna punch you,” “come over,” “I championship or meeting the winner of the Heisman might kill you,” “you’re so stupid,” “I don’t care at this Trophy, along with a few downsides such as having point,” “hurry up.” many aspects of your life monitored, including your I also showed photos of bruises on her neck from weight and your image. Athletes are held to a higher when Davis came over and gripped her neck, choking standard. Well, that is, if you’re not on the football team. her, and held her against the wall at her apartment on Out of all the experiences that I expected in college, the night the police were called. being involved in a sexual assault case in any capacity Davis was arrested on Aug. 17, 2018, and quickly wasn’t on that list. released on bail. At this point, several incidents One day during the summer after my freshman had occurred. Davis was arrested again after year, I received a phone call. My phone buzzed allegedly being abusive for the second time a couple times. I looked down and didn’t in one month. recognize the number. I clicked the lock I worked for Tiger TV at the time, button and moved on. A few minutes and it needed a reporter to cover Davis’ later a notification on my phone hearing. I agreed to go with a coworker. popped up. It was a voicemail from that We drove to the courthouse in downnumber. I listened to the voicemail, and town Baton Rouge, walked through the my heart dropped. The call was an LSU doors and had to leave our camera outPolice officer asking me to come to the side. We went through the metal detectors station to answer a few questions. and went up the stairs. We sat I met Jade Lewis, an LSU tennis in the hallway with the other player, through a friend I had on reporters for what felt like the team. We started hanging forever. They opened the doors out and quickly became friends. to the courtroom, and we all We would gossip and have fun flooded in. I sat down on one of and lay out by the pool. Most the wooden benches and waited of our conversations had one for Davis to walk through the constant: Drake Davis, a former doors. He came out in an orange wide receiver for the LSU football jumpsuit and handcuffs, and we team. immediately made eye contact. I I remember the first time I could feel his embarrassment in went to Lewis’ apartment. It that moment. was empty because she had just Davis’ lawyer stated that transferred back to LSU after he made a mistake and asked trying to play professional tennis. for him to be released. I She got a text from Davis while I —Mary Chauvin remember—clear as day—being was there. She rolled her eyes. LSU Manship School of so appreciative of the judge’s “What’s the matter?” I asked. Mass Communication, 2021 response. “If I talk back, I get blocked,” Hammond “I can’t take it easy on you Lewis said. I was only 18. I had just because you play football not yet been introduced to a lot of for LSU,” the judge said. “Your actions aren’t forgiven the dark places a relationship can take you until I met just because of your status as an LSU athlete.” Lewis. He did not view his actions as a mistake, he viewed A few days before this call from the police, Lewis sent them as a choice. me text screenshots of Davis threatening her along with I tried to forget. The gravity of the situation weighed photos of bruises all over her body. I wanted to help her heavily on me. This could’ve happened to anyone, and in whatever way I could, so I agreed to go to the police it happened to a close friend. As time went on, the station after Lewis decided to press charges. memories started to fade. I walked into the LSU Police station and thought to Until a few months ago. myself that the only other time I had been there was to We walked into golf practice following the ask for a parking tag. I sat on a bench right inside the allegations of the way LSU Athletics has handled door and waited. sexual misconduct. I had no idea there were so many Minutes later, an officer opened the door and told me circumstances of football players being protected to come with him. I walked through the cold hallway from their indiscretions. Our coaches talked about it, with blank walls, then sat down in the back room. My assuring us that if anything bad ever happened to us to heart was racing. I was running through scenarios in not hesitate to come to them so it could be handled. my head of questions they might ask. I thought to myself: “Yeah, it will be handled—as long “We have talked to a couple of Jade’s friends, and as the man isn’t an LSU football player.” your name came up,” the officer said. “We are trying to

“The gravity of the situation weighed heavily on me. This could’ve happened to anyone, and it happened to a close friend.”

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TIGER PRIDE 2021 | The passion and pageantry of LSU football

Where are they now? • In March, Les Miles was terminated from his position as head coach of the University of Kansas football team, following the publication of the Husch Blackwell report, which included reports of Miles’ alleged inappropriate behavior with female students.

• That same month, Drake Davis was released from a probation sentence in a 2018 domestic battery case. The judge gave him a warning rather than jail time, despite the fact that Davis was arrested again in 2019 on a new domestic abuse case.

• In June, domestic assault and battery charges against Derrius Guice were dropped after a settlement was reached with his ex-girlfriend.

• As of press time, Ed Orgeron remains head football coach at LSU. In an April statement, he denied ever having direct communication with Gloria Scott, a Mercedes-Benz Superdome security worker who testified that Guice and his friends had sexually harassed her. Orgeron called Guice’s actions "utterly unacceptable.” Orgeron's business, O The Rosy Finch Boyz LLC, is now one of several defendants in a Title IX lawsuit against LSU. The lawsuit was filed in April in Louisiana’s Middle District Court, and Orgeron's company was added as a defendant in June.

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OUTLOOK I N S I D E : In-state talent / Defenders to watch / New coaching leadership

On tour

The good news about the Tigers returning from a rough season? The only way to go is up

JORDAN HEFLER

B Y MATT MO SCO N A

TIGER PRIDE 2021 | The passion and pageantry of LSU football

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JORDAN HEFLER

Tiger Pride // season outlook

Sept. 4 at UCLA

LSU will open against Chip Kelly’s Bruins at the Rose Bowl. The Tigers opened against Kelly’s Oregon squad in 2011, and that season proved to be special.

Sept. 11 vs. McNeese

Ed Orgeron takes on his son Cody, the Cowboys’ starting quarterback. And that should be the only interesting part of this game.

Sept. 18 vs. Central Michigan

The last time head coach Jim McElwain was in Tiger Stadium, his Gators upset LSU and then-interim head coach Orgeron. Those Gators might not have been scared to play in Death Valley, but these Chippewas should be.

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Sept. 25 at Mississippi State

After upsetting LSU in last year’s opener, State finished just 3-7 under Mike Leach’s year one. This squad won’t be much better.

Oct. 2 vs. Auburn

Since lighting victory cigars in 1999, Auburn has lost 10 consecutive times in Baton Rouge. Can new coach Bryan Harsin end the streak? The attempt could come with former-LSU Tiger-turned-Auburn-Tiger T.J. Finley under center.

Oct. 9 at Kentucky

The quintessential Trap Game. Kentucky has only beaten LSU 16 times in its nearly sixdecade-long series, but 11 have come in Lexington.

TIGER PRIDE 2021 | The passion and pageantry of LSU football

RI CH

THE PURPLE AND Gold Redemption Tour 2021 is nearing. After failing to reach eight wins and missing a bowl game last year—for the first time since B.S. (Before Saban)—LSU looks to restore the natural order of the college football universe. If COVID-19 taught us anything, it’s to mark your schedule in pencil. Here are the planned tour stops.

Matt Moscona is the awardwinning host of After Further Review, heard weekdays on ESPN Radio in Baton Rouge, New Orleans, Alexandria and simulcast on Cox Sports Television.

I LL CO

Oct. 16 vs. Florida

Insert shoe-throwing-joke here.

Oct. 23 at Ole Miss

The Rebs nearly pulled off the upset in Baton Rouge last year and might have the SEC’s best offense in 2021. Orgeron has not lost to his former squad as LSU head coach. Hold your breath.

Nov. 6 at Alabama

Is this the year we finally see the Saban Era start to fade? Hey! Stop laughing!

Nov. 13 vs. Arkansas

Will the Hogs be motivated after LSU plucked the team’s offensive line coach? Come on, I’m trying.

Nov. 20 vs. ULM

LSU played some iconic games against Terry Bowden while he was at Auburn. This one will not be added to the list.

Nov. 27 vs. Texas A&M

Oddsmakers are high on these Aggies. I am not. LSU could spoil the best season in College Station in decades.

Additional tour dates could be added at a later time— notably Atlanta, Georgia, and Indianapolis, Indiana.

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Tiger Pride // season outlook

HOME

THE SURE-HANDED The proven talent

A new wave of in-state wide receivers will bolster LSU’s offense this fall By Mark Clements

THERE MUST BE DID YOU KNOW? Along something in the with his football prowess, murky waters of LouisiBoutte was a track star in ana, because the wave high school. His 4-x-200 of wide receivers commeter relay team broke a 23-year-old state record ing out of the Bayou by rattling off a time of State has been noth1:28.87—the new Louisiana ing short of remarkable. state mark and the fastest Louisiana native NFL stars like Odell time ever recorded on Beckham Jr., Jarvis Landry and D.J. LSU’s indoor track. Chark paved the way for some younger Louisiana talents like Justin Jefferson, Ja’Marr Chase and Heisman Trophywinning Devonta Smith to take the sport by storm … or hurricane? And the next crop of up-and-comers looks like it will continue that trend. Browsing through LSU’s receiving corps for the 2021 season reveals a rotation full of Louisianans looking to follow in the footsteps of their Pelican State predecessors. The Tigers’ Issue Date: August LSUnew-look, Ad proof #2 high-flying offense should be an exciting • Please respond by e-mail or fax with your approval or minor revisions. one to watch, and here are a handful of • AD WILL RUN AS IS unless approval or final revisions are received within 24 hours names that of will run. timeframe will apply for tight deadlines. from receipt thismake proof. Aitshorter • Additional revisions must be requested and may be subject to production fees.

KAYSHON BOUTTE

6-foot, 185 pounds Sophomore Westgate High School in New Iberia Boutte burst onto the scene late in 2020, racking up 527 of his 735 yards in the final three games of the season. He capped off the breakout year with a record-setting 308-yard performance against Ole Miss, marking the most receiving yards in a single game in SEC and LSU history. If that finish is any indication, gear up for the next superstar receiver to don the purple and gold.

JARAY JENKINS

6-foot-4, 194 pounds Junior Jena High School Jenkins enters 2021 as LSU’s second-leading receiver behind Boutte after compiling 397 yards on 23 catches last season. The versatile athlete earned all-district honors at three different positions during his high school career, and his larger frame coupled with his raw athleticism give the Tigers a big, reliable target in the receiving game.

KOY MOORE

6-foot, 174 pounds Sophomore Archbishop Rummel High School in Kenner When you watch him play, it’s easy to see why Moore constantly draws praise from the LSU coaching staff. He’s quick, shifty, creative and has hands that can snag any pass in his vicinity. He hauled in 22 balls last year—the fifth-highest on the team— for 177 yards. He will be a strong contender for the No. 2 spot in the Tiger receiving corps.

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TIGER PRIDE 2021 | The passion and pageantry of LSU football

PHOTOS COURTESY LSU ATHLETICS

Close to

Tiger Pride // season outlook

INSTANT IMPACT

JONTRE KIRKLIN

6-foot, 184 pounds Senior Lutcher High School

The newcomers to watch

Kirklin only appeared in flashes for LSU last season, but they were often big-impact plays in important games. The former Lutcher High quarterback had only 13 catches but averaged more than 14 yards per reception, scoring three times in the process. And after recording a total of three catches in his LSU career prior to 2020, it’s no wonder you can’t catch Kirklin lately without a smile on his face.

TREY PALMER

6-foot, 180 pounds Junior Kentwood High School Tiger fans have gotten a good glimpse into the potential Palmer possesses a few times in his collegiate career. As a true freshman, he tallied LSU’s only punt return for a touchdown of the 2019 season, taking it 54 yards to the house against Northwestern State. Palmer followed it up by scampering 93 to the endzone Issue Date: August yards Ad proof #3 on a kickoff last season, • Please respond by e-mail or fax withreturn your approval or minor marking revisions. the time an LSU player within scored on • AD WILL RUN AS IS unless approvalfirst or final revisions are received 24 hours kickoff will since 1981. from receipt of this proof. A shorteratimeframe apply for tight deadlines. • Additional revisions must be requested and may be subject to production fees.

CHRIS HILTON JR.

MALIK NABERS

6-foot, 178 pounds Freshman Zachary High School

6-foot-1, 188 pounds Freshman Southside High School in Youngsville

Hilton has been a rising star around the city following a standout career at Zachary High. He finished as the No. 3 recruit in the state, teetering on the brink of five-star status. The speedster claimed 5A state titles in both the 400-meters and high jump as a senior to go along with his slew of football accolades.

LSU nearly missed out on Nabers, who was initially committed to SEC-rival Mississippi State for about five months before decommitting from the Bulldogs and signing with the Tigers during the early signing period in mid-December. Nabers is a physical athlete who is known for his toughness and ball skills in the air, and he’ll certainly make a push for some playing time this fall.

BRIAN THOMAS JR.

JACK BECH

6-foot-5, 198 pounds Freshman Walker High School

6-foot-2, 207 pounds Freshman St. Thomas More High School in Lafayette

Thomas, like many other LSU wideouts, was a twosport athlete in high school, excelling in both football and basketball at Walker. He didn’t play a snap of football until his sophomore season but wound up with 1,272 yards and 17 touchdowns as a junior and 507 yards and seven touchdowns in his senior season.

Purple and gold runs deep in Bech’s blood. Two of his uncles—Brett Bech and Blain Bech—played football at LSU, and his aunt, Brenna Bech, was on the school’s first soccer team. So it comes as no surprise that Bech already has the build of a seasoned college athlete, making him versatile as both a wide receiver and tight end in the new LSU offense.

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Where things are Always looking TIGER PRIDE 2021 | The passion and pageantry of LSU football

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Tiger Pride // season outlook

the scales LSU’s focus on defensive line recruiting seems to be paying off in a big way in 2021 By Mark Clements ED ORGERON DIDN’T hide his sentiment. It was 2018 and LSU had just lost to Alabama—for the eighth straight time—by a score of 29-0. It was another chapter in a frustrating line of defeats the Tigers had suffered to the team’s biggest rival. But Orgeron felt like he knew what he needed to do to change the narrative. “We’ve got to recruit better defensive linemen,” Orgeron said after the loss. “I’ve got to get defensive linemen like them. I’ve got to recruit better offensive linemen. Same old thing—you’ve got to beat Alabama on the line of scrimmage.” In his three recruiting classes since, Orgeron has certainly made the defensive line a top priority, and it all looks to be coming together in 2021. LSU is bigger, deeper and more experienced on the D-line this season than it has been in some time. Orgeron’s vision seems to be coming true. Here’s a rundown of just eight of the many names opposing quarterbacks will have their eye on this fall.

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TIGER PRIDE 2021 | The passion and pageantry of LSU football

6-foot-3, 255 pounds Graduate student While the LSU defense struggled overall in 2020, Anthony was quietly one of the bright spots. The fifthyear senior led the team with 5.5 sacks while finishing fourth on the team in tackles for loss. He’s back again this fall another year older, another year wiser—and another year growing into his naturally athletic build. Don’t be surprised if his name is at the top of the sack list again this season.

Neil Farrell Jr. 6-foot-4, 319 pounds Senior

Farrell has had an impact on LSU’s defensive line since his arrival on campus as a true freshman in 2017. He’s already played in 39 games in his Tiger career and has shown his versatility along the way, moving both inside and outside whenever needed. He’ll undoubtedly be one of the anchors on the defensive line this fall.

Glen Logan

6-foot-3, 339 pounds Senior Logan is the most seasoned Tiger on the defensive line, with a whopping 45 starts already to his name. He had a relatively quiet campaign last season after explosive sophomore and junior seasons that featured a combined 21 starts, 66 tackles, 7 tackles for loss and 5.5 sacks. LSU will turn to his experience and leadership this fall as he looks to get back on track in 2021.

PHOTOS COURTESY LSU ATHLETICS

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Andre Anthony

Tiger Pride // season outlook

Jacobian Guillory

Ali Gaye

6-foot-6, 262 pounds Senior

6-foot-2, 344 pounds Redshirt freshman

Gaye had a monster first season in purple and gold after transferring into the program last year from Garden City Community College in Kansas. His raw athleticism helped him to 32 tackles and a team-high 9.5 tackles for loss to go along with 2 sacks, a forced fumble and even an interception. If he did all that his first season in the SEC, watch out for year two.

Guillory redshirted last year, but it’ll be tough to keep the big man off the field this fall. At 344 pounds, Guillory is already the third-heaviest player on LSU’s roster and the biggest defensive lineman. He won two state titles as a powerlifter and another in the shot put, all while being ranked as the ninth-best defensive tackle in the country, according to Rivals.

Joseph Evans

6-foot-1, 310 pounds Sophomore

Maason Smith

Evans has already shown off his size and versatility in his college career so far, contributing on both the offensive and defensive lines in his two seasons on campus. That flexibility will come in handy this season as well, as Evans can slot in at both defensive tackle and nose tackle.

Jaquelin Roy

6-foot-4, 302 pounds Sophomore

6-foot-6, 312 pounds Freshman Smith is one of the most highly anticipated defensive linemen to step onto campus in quite some time. Rivals rated him as the top defensive line prospect in the country, and his rare combination of size and athleticism makes him college-ready from day one. Even with the substantial amount of size, depth and experience that LSU boasts on the defensive line, it won’t take long for Smith to be near the front of the pack.

Roy was one of the crown jewels of the 2020 recruiting class that was loaded with defensive line depth, and he showed Issue Date: August Ad proof #2why in his first season at LSU. He played in nine of 10 games last year, recording 18 total tackles, • Please respond by e-mail or fax with your approval or minor revisions. tacklesare forreceived loss and 2 24 sacks. • AD WILL RUN AS IS unless approval or final4 revisions within hoursThe future is bright for Roy,will who poised to have a breakout season in 2021. from receipt of this proof. A shorter timeframe applyisfor tight deadlines. • Additional revisions must be requested and may be subject to production fees.

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Becoming a legacy doesn’t occur overnight. It requires organization and leadership. A strategic game plan. And an enviable playbook. It means recruiting just the right people for just the right positions. People who are determined in their training. Confident in their ability. And most importantly, give it their all until the final whistle blows. It’s been said that teamwork is what makes the dream work. Speaking for legions of Tiger fans, we couldn’t agree more.

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TIGER PRIDE 2021 | The passion and pageantry of LSU football

Tiger Pride // season outlook

Football head coach Ed Orgeron (who will lead several new coaching hires this year) Women’s basketball head coach Kim Mulkey

PHOTO BY CHRIS PARENT / COURTESY LSU ATHLETICS

PHOTO BY GUS STARK / COURTESY LSU ATHLETICS

PHOTO BY CHRIS PARENT / COURTESY LSU ATHLETICS

Baseball head coach Jay Johnson

The start of something new

A wave of coaching hires has brought a renewed sense of excitement to LSU Athletics BY MA RK CLE ME N T S

HEN HE FIRST arrived at LSU, athletics director Scott Woodward already had a reputation for making elite coaching hires. In his previous stops at Washington and Texas A&M, he had managed to lure multiple marquee names away from other major schools and to his universities. It took two years for that skill to get some use in Baton Rouge, but when the time finally came, Woodward didn’t disappoint. His first big splash hire came in April, when he landed Kim Mulkey, the former Baylor women’s basketball coach who has earned just about every accolade a college coach can achieve. The Tickfaw native—who spent her playing career at Louisiana Tech—won three NCAA Tournament titles with the Bears, was a three-time national coach of the year, a seven-time conference coach of the year, and made it to the Big Dance in all but one of her 21 seasons in Waco, Texas. The allure of coming home always sat in the back of Mulkey’s mind, but Woodward managed to get her there. And even though her time back in the Boot so far has been short, she’s already managed to get right back to living (and eating) like a local. “Strawberries, crawfish, Barq’s Root Beer in a

bottle, roast beef po-boys,” Mulkey tells 225. She’s sitting in her temporary office in late June, as the new one gets renovated. Her smile grows wider as she begins running through all the foods she had missed the most. “I can’t get enough. I guess being away for as long as I’ve been—I feel like I’m over-indulging. It’s just so good.” Mulkey’s short-term office isn’t decorated with much more than a cardboard cutout of her son, Kramer Robertson, who played baseball at LSU from 2014 to 2017. She attended as many games as a D1 basketball coach could during those years—in case you missed the TV cameras focusing on her—and still tries to catch him in action in the minor leagues when she can. Robertson was one of the first things Mulkey mentioned in her opening press conference at LSU as she thanked Paul Mainieri for “(taking) a cocky little boy and (making) him a man.” Little did most people know, Mainieri was just a few weeks away from announcing his retirement, meaning Woodward would be called upon again to make an important hire. Woodward answered the call by hiring Pac-12 Coach of the Year Jay Johnson to take over the baseball program. Johnson has become known for reigniting the

baseball teams he takes over, making history at both Nevada and Arizona. He helped lead the Wolfpack to their first-ever Mountain West Title in 2015, compiling 41 wins in the process, which is the second-most in program history. With the Wildcats, he became the first coach in school history to have led his team to the NCAA Tournament in each of his first two seasons as head coach. And he’s looking to continue that sort of success in Baton Rouge with an LSU program built on an already rich history on the diamond. “I am really excited to put in our system relative to program development and player development with this group of players,” Johnson tells 225 in an exclusive interview. “I think we can have some positive outcomes from that at the outset. I’m excited about the players, and I’m excited about their talent. It’s our job to get to work and help that talent become skill and let the results go from there.” Add those two fresh faces to the slew of new football hires made by Ed Orgeron, the recent success Will Wade has had with the basketball program and the new season of gymnastics under Jay Clark—just to name a few—and it feels like a new era, of sorts, is beginning in the LSU Athletics department. It’s an exciting time to be a Tiger.

TIGER PRIDE 2021 | The passion and pageantry of LSU football

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Issue Date: August LSU Ad proof #1 • Please respond by e-mail or fax with your approval or minor revisions. • AD WILL RUN AS IS unless approval or final revisions are received within 24 hours from receipt of this proof. A shorter timeframe will apply for tight deadlines. • Additional revisions must be requested and may be subject to production fees.

Tiger Pride // season outlook

Jay Johnson, who brought Arizona to the College World Series twice in his five years there, will look to lead LSU back to Omaha for the first time since 2017.

PHOTO BY CHRIS PARENT / COURTESY LSU ATHLETICS

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TIGER PRIDE 2021 | The passion and pageantry of LSU football

IT MAY NOT be the biggest sport on campus, but Mulkey might be the most accomplished hire LSU has made in its history. It’s rare to lure a multi-national championship winning coach away from any school, especially one they’ve been at for more than two decades. But as much success as she’s had in her career, Mulkey, who was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in May, knows that winning doesn’t come overnight. “When I have that very first team meeting with everybody that will be a part of the program, from managers, to players, to coaches, everybody in that one locker room in that one team meeting … you lay your expectations out, and you set the ground rules,” Mulkey says. “And then after that will be when you start actually working with the players. That excites me to see how talented we are, to see how hard we will work and to lay a foundation along those lines.”

So, what will that foundation look like? Mulkey says her teams are centered around seven key principles, most of which remain in the locker room amongst the players and coaches. But it all stems from leadership— whether it’s leadership on the floor, by example or by simple verbal communication. To Mulkey, finding leaders on the team will be pivotal to getting LSU where it wants to be. The Tigers haven’t made the NCAA Tournament since 2017 and haven’t advanced past the first round since 2014. It’ll take an overhaul of not only the roster, but the culture and mentality of the entire program. Here’s what Mulkey thinks will stand out in the program: “We’re going to guard you,” she says. “Defense is a big, big deal to me. I think you will see a team that emphasizes rebounding. And obviously we’re going to play hard, so I would say those three things is where I would start, no matter how talented our teams are or how much they struggle.”

Tiger Pride // season outlook “REBOOT, NOT REBUILD” WHILE THE LSU women’s basketball team is searching for some newfound success it hasn’t had in quite some time, the baseball team is just looking to get nudged over the hump. The Tigers have only missed the postseason once since 2008, making it all the way to the Super Regionals or beyond nine times in that span. Mainieri led the team to the College World Series five times in his tenure and won the national title in 2009. “(Coach Mainieri) is just an elite human being and a good program leader,” Johnson says of his predecessor. “When you talk about the pinnacle of college baseball, that’s what I view LSU as. Skip (Bertman), to me, is the John Wooden of college baseball. He motivated me as a young coach. I like to think of myself as somebody that has studied the best and taken things that can help me be better as a coach and implemented them in my program. That’s led me to

(LSU), and I couldn’t be more excited about that.” Johnson will spend the next few months beginning to mold the program in his own image, but he’s already begun having success both on the recruiting trail and in the transfer portal. But even more important than the squad of players Johnson has at his disposal are the three core pillars he wants his team to live by: fundamentals, competitiveness and character. “Being incredibly fundamentally sound is rooted in work—the right kind of work—and development,” Johnson says. “There’s no program, no team that can value winning more than LSU baseball, and that’s going to be reflected in our actions. And I want to build a program of people—players and staff—of high character. That’s basically guys that make sound decisions day after day after day, that lead to winning.”

“We have a history here at LSU … we just have to refresh people’s memory. We have to make the state of Louisiana proud of us and the product that we put on that floor.” —LSU women’s basketball coach Kim Mulkey

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TIGER PRIDE 2021 | The passion and pageantry of LSU football

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PHOTOS COURTESY LSU ATHLETICS

Tiger Pride // season outlook YOUNG AND ENERGETIC THE LSU FOOTBALL team is just one season removed from its most historic run to date, but to most Tiger fans around town, it feels much, much longer. Last season’s COVID-riddled 5-5 finish made for a rather draining season that was full of frustrating finishes, dismal defensive efforts and injuries and opt-outs galore. LSU needed a boost of energy and enthusiasm, and it seems to have gotten it from the wave of young coaches Orgeron has tapped to replace a handful of the aging assistants from a year ago. “We’re building a championship program, but while we build After following up its national championship run with a disappointing it, we’ve got to go through the 5-5 season, Ed Orgeron decided it was time lows,” Orgeron tells 225. “We’ve to make some refreshing changes to the coaching staff. got to develop grit, and we’ve got to develop toughness. I sat in all the meetings the last couple years, and I felt we had to have a better Even though first-year personal relationship with our defensive coordinator players.” Daronte Jones hasn’t called So Orgeron took it upon himself a defense in over a decade, his young, innovative mind Issue August LSU Ad proof #2 to make Date: some changes. has brought new excitement • Please respond e-mail or fax with your approval or minor revisions. “We’ve hadbysome great teams, to the team. • AD WILL RUN AS IS unless approval or final revisions are received within 24 hours but to aA shorter spread fromwhen receiptyou of thisgo proof. timeframe will apply for tight deadlines. • Additional revisions must be requested and may be subject to production fees.

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TIGER PRIDE 2021 | The passion and pageantry of LSU football

Tiger Pride // season outlook offense and defending the spread, the younger (coaches) know how to do it,” Orgeron tells 225. The 38-year-old Jake Peetz will take the place of retiring 62-yearold offensive coordinator Steve Ensminger. New passing game coordinator D.J. Mangas (31) replaces Scott Linehan (57). Former defensive coordinator Bo Pelini (53) is out, while Daronte Jones (42) steps in. And 66-year-old Bill Johnson makes way for new defensive line coach Andre Carter (42). “We cannot have the mistakes we made on defense last year. That’s not LSU football, which is why I made a change,” Orgeron says. “The younger guys are going to obviously relate better to the players, because they’re close to their age. I love their energy. I’m ready to get to work in camp and see what type of team we can be.” All eyes will be on Orgeron and his new-look team, but he won’t be alone. Mulkey and Johnson will most certainly feel the pressure to bring more of the same successes to their new programs and put LSU back in the national spotlight.

Passing game coordinator D.J. Mangas, who was the quarterbacks coach for LSU’s national title team in 2019, is back to try and recreate the successes from that historic year.

Jake Peetz will bring his modern spread offense to LSU as he takes over as offensive coordinator after a year of working in the NFL under former play caller Joe Brady.

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TIGER PRIDE 2021 | The passion and pageantry of LSU football

TEAM I N S I D E : Quarterback battle / Cade York’s big kick / Dynamic defenders / Baseball to football

Stingley

CHRIS PARENT / COURTESY LSU ATHLETICS

season

Derek Stingley Jr. may be the best player in the country. And this season, he’ll have help from another rising star at DBU Turn to page 55 for more >>

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Tiger Pride // the team

Senior vs. sophomore The LSU quarterback battle heats up again as the Tigers search for a starting signal caller

CHRIS PARENT / COURTESY LSU ATHLETICS

B Y M A R K C LE M E N TS

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TIGER PRIDE 2021 | The passion and pageantry of LSU football

Tiger Pride // the team

HERE’S AN OLD cliche in college football that says, “If you have two quarterbacks, you have

none.” In many cases, that may be true. If two players are fighting for one starting job and neither has managed to stand out, it can often spell problems for the offense. But applying that adage to LSU this season feels unfair. Sure, the Tigers are entering fall camp in what seems like a pretty tight quarterback battle between senior Myles Brennan and sophomore Max Johnson. But in this case, it feels like a win-win scenario for LSU. On one hand you have Brennan— the older, wiser veteran who has been on campus since 2017 and got to learn under the tutelage of the Heisman Trophy-winning Joe Burrow and the now-NFL offensive coordinator Joe Brady. In the opposite corner is Issue Date: August Ad proof #2 Johnson—the younger, quicker • Please respond by e-mail or fax with your approval or minor revisions. lefty who isAS the son of a Super • AD WILL RUN IS unless approval or final revisions are received within 24 hours

CHRIS PARENT / COURTESY LSU ATHLETICS

Myles Brennan’s career-high record for passing touchdowns, which came despite a season-ending injury during last year’s game against Missouri

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TIGER PRIDE 2021 | The passion and pageantry of LSU football

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Tiger Pride // the team

“It’s obvious that we all know that we’re in a competition … but we’re also helping each other out.”

AT HL ET ICS

Bowl-winning quarterback and salvaged the Tigers’ season in 2020 by rattling off two huge wins against a pair of conference rivals in then-No. 6 Florida and Ole Miss. Brennan won the starting job outright a year ago before a freak injury ended his season just three —Myles Brennan on the competition for the starting quarterback job games into the year. It was late in the first quarter, and S TE UR CO LSU had the ball second and goal from E/ N RU UB B EA the Missouri 2-yard line. Brennan took the snap and shuffled slightly to 45-41 defeat. His performance was schedule with four ranked rivals on bringing in some new additions from his right, feeling some pressure from overshadowed by the Tigers’ second the horizon, but it still speaks volumes his own knowledge. Our main mission a Tiger defender. He lobbed a pass loss in their opening three games to Brennan’s development over the is going to be to get the ball out of our through traffic and into the hands of of the year, but a closer look at his past four-plus years. hands and into our playmakers’ hands, Terrace Marshall for a touchdown as early-season numbers reveals some And if the new-look offense led by get them in space and let them make he took a hard hit from behind. impressive findings. first-year coordinator Jake Peetz can plays. That’s something we’ve done a “My knee just jammed into the Through those first three contests, capitalize on the senior signal-caller’s really good job of the past two or three turf,” Brennan recalls in an exclusive Brennan had compiled 1,112 yards and strengths, the Tigers could be in for years.” 225 interview. “My lower half was 11 touchdowns. Had he kept that pace a treat reminiscent of 2019’s historic It’s also an area that Johnson going one way, and my upper half was for the rest of the year, he would have numbers. excelled in when he was called into going the other way. And I just felt led the entire country with 370.7 yards “It’s super nice that Coach Peetz action following Brennan’s injury. everything kind of rip.” per game and been third in the nation came from Carolina with Joe Brady, so The true freshman got his first minWorking through the pain, Brennan in both total yards (3,707) and passing at least they had a year or so together utes in Week 4 against South Carolina still somehow managed to finish the touchdowns (36). to coach with each other,” Brennan but didn’t throw his first pass until game and even set career highs in To be fair, that is a tough says. “Coach Peetz wants to come in the following week’s blowout loss to Issue Date: August Ad proof #3 assumption to make. LSU had faced completions (29), yards (430) and and pretty much try and make it as Auburn. Johnson played a backup role • Please respond by e-mail or fax with your approval or minor revisions. passing (four) in a brutal threewithin of the weakest opponents on the similar to 2019 as possible, while also to fellow freshman T.J. Finley—who has • AD WILL touchdowns RUN AS IS unless approval or final revisions are received 24 hours from receipt of this proof. A shorter timeframe will apply for tight deadlines. • Additional revisions must be requested and may be subject to production fees.

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Tiger Pride // the team

1,069

CHRIS PARENT / COURTESY LSU ATHLETICS

Number of yards Max Johnson finished with last year across six total appearances.

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TIGER PRIDE 2021 | The passion and pageantry of LSU football

“Of course, we’re competing, but we’re friends, in and out of football.”

UR T

—Max Johnson on competing against Myles Brennan

since transferred to Auburn—for five straight weeks before earning his first start on the road at No. 6 Florida. “I really wasn’t nervous at all,” Johnson tells 225. “I felt like I was pretty prepared. Coach O had a speech with us the night before the game … and it kind of just inspired all of us to just go out there and just ball and be ourselves. I feel like we all believed in each other, and we came out with the win.” The 37-34 victory was the marquee win of LSU’s season. The headlines Bay Buccaneers to their first-ever were stolen, of course, by Kole Taylor’s championship in Super Bowl XXXVII. cleat, launched downfield by a Florida The younger Johnson, who defender and resulting in a 15-yard started the season as the third-string penalty. It kept LSU’s final drive alive, quarterback, finished the year with which was capped off with Cade York’s 1,069 yards with eight touchdowns 57-yard game-winning field goal. and just one interception in six total But Johnson’s performance still appearances. turned a lot of heads. So it’s easy to see why there’s optiHe wound up finishing 21-of-36 for mism on each side of the quarterback 239 yards with three touchdowns and battle. Both guys have shown flashes no interceptions, tacking on 52 critical of their skillset, and Ed Orgeron has rush yards. It was a performance made it clear he’ll give all parties a fair akin to that of his father, Brad, who shot to earn the starting job. Issue Date: August Ad proof #3 “It’s been really good,” Johnson spent 15 years in the NFL as a relative • Please respond by e-mail or fax with your approval or minor revisions. underdog leading theor Tampa says,within when asked about learning under • AD WILL RUNbefore AS IS unless approval final revisions are received 24 hours

YL SU ATH LETIC S

Tiger Pride // the team

Brennan last season. “Of course, we’re competing, but we’re friends, in and out of football. It’s been good to compete and learn from each other and just get better every day.” Brennan says he took pride in becoming a coach on the field last year while he was injured, helping Finley and Johnson get up to speed each week in practice and talking them through mid-game scenarios on Saturdays. But now that he’s back to full strength, Brennan is ready for yet another fall camp competing for the starting job.

“(Quarterback competition) is nothing new for me,” he says. “I did it last year competing with the same guys, so I know I’m super capable of doing it again. Max and I have a really good relationship. It’s obvious that we all know that we’re in a competition … but I think that it’s good, because we understand that we’re also helping each other out. When we’re on the field, we’re competing, and we’re having a good time. We’re making it fun and making it worthwhile. But at the same time, we’re understanding that we are in a competition, and somebody is going to get the start.”

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TIGER PRIDE 2021 | The passion and pageantry of LSU football

Tiger Pride // team

Big foot He has kicked during a national championship—and made last year’s historic field goal against Florida. What’s next for Cade York?

GUS STARK / COURTESY LSU ATHLETICS

B Y LE E F E I NS WOG

TIGER PRIDE 2021 | The passion and pageantry of LSU football

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Tiger Pride // team

MG MILLER / COURTESY LSU ATHLETICS

THE GREATEST FIELD goal in LSU football history was going to be good no matter what, all 57 yards of it. The ball had plenty of room to spare as it cut through the fog and split the uprights at the University of Florida’s Ben Hill Griffin Stadium last Dec. 12. Tigers place-kicker Cade York says he wasn’t even bothered when the hometown scoreboard operator tried to distract him by using a display with blinking white lights. When the kick was in the air, “in between flashes you could see the ball carrying, and I just kind of took off and let the emotions take over after that,” he recalls. Florida still had one more chance, but ultimately LSU came away with a 37-34 victory. It was the highlight of an otherwise disappointing season, in which York was a star. The 6-foot-1, long-legged York, who grew up in the Dallas suburb of

The nation’s top-rated kicker coming into LSU, Cade York quickly made an impact on the team during his freshman year, when LSU would go on to win national championship. • Please respond by the e-mail or fax with your approval or minor revisions.

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TIGER PRIDE 2021 | The passion and pageantry of LSU football

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Tiger Pride // team “It was probably time to get a few practice swings in,” he says. “It was definitely a strange turn of events.” York had hit from 75 in practice, but that was off a tee with a wind at his back. But he knew 65 was realistic.

GUS STAR LSU ATHL K / COURTESY ETICS

McKinney and played soccer from York made 18 of his 21 ages 4 to 17, finally went all-in on field goal attempts place-kicking before his junior year in and was perfect high school. on all 36 extraBut becoming a college star with a point tries. chance to kick in the NFL was the farThis thest thing from his mind at that time. included, of “I didn’t start training like (I needed course, that to) for football until after that season,” schoolYork admits. record What really changed everything was boot against the success he had at a kickers camp. Florida. The score He was told kicking was his future, was tied 34-34 and and in the next year, York was the topthe Tigers’ possession ranked kicker in the nation. appeared to end on He stopped playing the other footthe LSU 25 with an ball after his junior year, though he incomplete pass. says soccer “was where it all started “I took my helmet from.” Not coincidentally, York also off,” York recalls. committed to LSU after his junior year. But inexplicably, It paid dividends for the program Florida’s Marco Wilson right away. threw downfield the As a freshman in 2019, York hit 21 shoe an LSU player had of 27 field goal attempts—including a lost on the field. The 52-yarder against Ole Miss—and led resulting unsportsmanthe nation with 89 extra points as the like-conduct penalty undefeated Tigers won the national cost the Gators 15 yards Issue Date: August LSU Ad proof and #2kept the drive championship. • Please respond by e-mail or fax with your approval or minor revisions. InWILL 2020, but alive.within 24 hours • AD RUN the AS ISteam unless struggled, approval or final revisions are received

Six plays later, with 27 ticks left and the ball on the Florida 39, York lined up for what would be the longest field goal in LSU history into a fog so thick he could only see the bottom of the uprights. “That field goal started out as a ‘May Day’ situation. The clock was running down, and we didn’t have any timeouts left, but luckily they called one,” York says. “Otherwise it would have been running out there, taking my steps and kicking it.” Instead, LSU had time to breathe. Punter Zach Von Rosenberg caught the snap, set it down, and York hit it clean. “I hit it like it was a normal field goal.” York, named a secondteam All-American, would love to kick one even farther. But, he says, “I’ll —Cade York, on kicking the winning field goal during last year’s game just keep making what against Florida. The win came after the they give me, I guess.”

“It was definitely a strange turn of events.” immediately infamous shoe-throwing incident.

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A good game plan.

TIGER PRIDE 2021 | The passion and pageantry of LSU football

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TIGER PRIDE 2021 | The passion and pageantry of LSU football

Tiger Pride // team

Elias Ricks

A dominant

DUO

Derek Stingley Jr. and Elias Ricks have the potential to be one of the best cornerback tandems in the country BY MA RK CLE ME NT S

GUS STARK / COURTESY LSU ATHLETICS

CHRIS PARENT / COURTESY LSU ATHLETICS

Derek Stingley Jr.

EREK STINGLEY JR. might be the best player in college football. You’ll never hear those words come out of his mouth, but ask anyone around the LSU football program— or really, anyone who knows the sport as a whole—and his name will be one of the first ones mentioned. He’s already topped CBS Sports’ list of the 20 best college football players to watch in 2021. Pro Football Focus ranked him as the No. 1 returning defensive back in the country. And he’s all the way up to No. 2 on ESPN football analyst Mel Kiper’s 2022 NFL draft Big Board. So it makes sense that the Tigers’ defensive struggles in 2020 turned a lot of heads, both locally and nationally. LSU, which prides itself on its wellearned “Defensive Back University” moniker, ranked dead last in the entire country, giving up 323 passing yards per game, and second to last as they surrendered 16.31 yards per completion. Back in 2019, Stingley led the SEC and ranked fifth nationally with six interceptions. Last year, he saw opposing quarterbacks avoid throwing to his side of the field altogether, opting to

target the younger, more inexperienced underclassmen around him. Oftentimes—as the numbers indicate— this strategy worked. But teams also learned quickly that there was another highly touted talent in the Tigers’ secondary who isn’t to be tested. It took true freshman Elias Ricks just over three quarters of action to snag his first collegiate interception. He went on to grab two more picks in the next three games and tacked on one more in LSU’s win over No. 6 Florida, placing him second best in the SEC on the year. “I knew I could come in and do those things if I worked hard and listened to (defensive backs coach Corey Raymond),” Ricks tells 225. “Football is football. If I know what I’m doing, it’s going to get done.” He had worked his way into a starting role by the season opener and didn’t seem to have too much trouble adjusting to the college game. Coming originally from California, Ricks did say the size of the players in the SEC took some getting used to. But he used every new opponent and matchup as an opportunity to grow his game. “The size (of the players) was

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“DBU is in good hands with Elias.” —Derek Stingley Jr. (at right) on Elias Ricks

“He’s the best player I’ve ever played with.” —Elias Ricks (above) on Derek Stingley Jr.

PHOTOS BY CHRIS PARENT / COURTESY LSU ATHLETICS

definitely different, and the game was a lot faster,” Ricks says. “But I was learning something new every week. Every week was like a first game for me almost. I was really taking everything from the last week and trying to minimize mistakes.” Having Stingley around certainly helped Ricks’ rapid development. The two first met on the recruiting trail back when Ricks was a sophomore in high school. Both athletes were ranked as the best prospects in their respective states and had to learn to handle the pressures that come with being a five-star recruit in the SEC. “When I first came in, he helped me a lot and gave me a lot of pointers,” Ricks says. “He already knew basically what I was going through, and he’s always there for me. We had a lot of similarities coming out of our high school careers with how we were highly touted, so we relate a lot. Talking to him about all the things he went through, and him seeing it from my point of view and knowing that it worked for him his freshman year—I’m just trying to take in everything.” He seems to be doing a good job so far. To go along with his teamhigh four interceptions, Ricks compiled 20 total tackles, five passes defended, and he even scored two defensive touchdowns—which happens to be the same number he surrendered all season. He was named third team All-American and graded out as the second-best cornerback in the country in man coverage by Pro Football Focus. “(Ricks) plays with a lot of confidence, which is good to have as a defensive back,” Stingley tells 225. “His passion to win every play is what DBU is all about. DBU is in good hands with Elias.” Stingley’s comment foreshadows what’s inevitably coming in LSU’s future. He’ll almost certainly go off to the NFL after this season, being projected as a top-five pick in the upcoming draft. That means he’ll pass the DBU torch onto Ricks, who will become the new face of the Tigers’ secondary. But for just one last season, LSU fans will get to watch one of the greatest cornerback tandems that’s come through Baton Rouge in recent memory—and arguably the best duo in the country. “Honestly, if me and him play at our best,” Ricks says, “that’s all we’ve really got to do. He’s the best player I’ve ever played with.”

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