Tag: Jacobian Guillory

On3’s JD PicKell slams NCAA’s suspension of Maason Smith

Maason Smith’s suspension has seen its fair share of criticism.

LSU will be without a key player on defense in the season opener against Florida State.

Defensive tackle [autotag]Maason Smith[/autotag], who is returning to the field after tearing his ACL in last year’s opener, will be suspended for one game for reportedly receiving improper benefits at a July 2021 autograph signing.

The decision from the NCAA to suspend Smith for actions that would be made legal just weeks later by the advent of name, image and likeness benefits has been controversial, to say the least.

On3’s JD PicKell is one figure in the media who has been critical of the decision.

“This, to me, I don’t understand it,” PicKell said, per On3. “I don’t understand it. I think it is lacking common sense. I think we’re thinking about this the wrong way and I wish we would just think a little bit less hard about things like this.

“If you want to punish him some other way, sure. Let’s figure that out. Make him give that money to a charity of his choice. That feels a little more common sense. But we’re suspending him for one of the biggest games of the season for LSU because he signed autographs before the season when everybody and their mama in college football is able to sign autographs and profit from it (now)? Let’s use common sense here, y’all.”

PicKell went on to elaborate that Smith’s alleged misconduct didn’t provide a competitive advantage, nor was it used as a recruiting inducement.

“So for Maason Smith, big loss for LSU because of what he could have done for the game,” PicKell said. “Impermissible benefit in NIL? Let’s figure it out a little bit here. Don’t like it.

“Common sense is a beautiful thing. Common sense allows us to adapt to our circumstances. The circumstances here have changed, we should adapt accordingly to them, in my humble opinion right now. Also this is not something where it’s like a recruiting violation. It wasn’t like Maason Smith was thinking about maybe coming to LSU and some guy met him in the back alley and said, ‘Maason, you come sign these autographs, we’ll get you paid, maybe you think about coming to LSU.’ He was already a player at LSU.

“This isn’t like a competitive advantage. He wasn’t trading autographs for game tape on Florida State. This doesn’t give LSU any better of a chance or worse of a chance if he signs autographs. Right? Also nobody got hurt. There’s no physical harm being done to anybody.”

Without Smith available in the opener, the Tigers will look to veteran [autotag]Jacobian Guillory[/autotag] and West Virginia transfer [autotag]Jordan Jefferson[/autotag] to pick up the slack and lineup on the interior with [autotag]Mekhi Wingo[/autotag].

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LSU defensive tackle Maason Smith suspended for season opener against Florida State

Maason Smith will be suspended by the NCAA for reportedly receiving an improper benefit at an autograph signing before NIL in July 2021.

LSU defensive tackle [autotag]Maason Smith[/autotag] will have to wait a week longer than anticipated to make his return to the field.

According to a report from The Advocate’s Wilson Alexander, Smith will be suspended for the season opener against Florida State. The suspension comes from the NCAA and stems from Smith receiving an improper benefit at an autograph signing in July 2021 before the name, image and likeness era began, per Alexander.

Smith would have served that suspension at some point last fall, but he suffered a season-ending ACL tear on the first drive of what was expected to be a breakout campaign.

He’s battled some injuries in camp this offseason but is expected to make a major impact on the field. Without him against a tough Florida State rushing attack, the Tigers will rely heavily on redshirt junior [autotag]Jacobian Guillory[/autotag] and West Virginia transfer Jordan Jefferson to play alongside Mekhi Wingo on the inside.

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2023 LSU Tigers Snapshot Profile: No. 90 Jacobian Guillory

Jacobian Guillory played in 14 games last season, and the defensive tackle could be a primary part of the rotation next season.

Going into the 2023 football season, LSU Wire will be looking at each player listed on the Tigers’ roster.

Over the preseason, each profile will cover where the player is from, how recruiting websites rated them coming out of high school, and what role they will play for Brian Kelly this season.

We’re looking at a former top-100 recruit who hasn’t made a major impact in his first three seasons with the Tigers but will look to change that during what will be considered his junior season this fall. Jacobian Guillory played in 14 games last season, and the defensive tackle could be a primary part of the rotation next season.

Jacobian Guillory Preseason Player Profile

Hometown: Dallas, Texas

Ht: 6-2

Wt: 320

247Sports Composite Ranking

Four Stars | No. 4 in Louisiana | No. 12 Defensive Tackle

Class in 2022: Redshirt Sophomore

Career Stats

Guillory has played in 25 games during his LSU career, making two starts.

Depth Chart Overview

Guillory was the No. 96 overall player in the country coming out of Alexandria High School, and the in-state prospect chose to sign with LSU on early signing day in 2019.

He has appeared in 25 games over his career at LSU, making only two starts, but he could see an uptick in that production as he enters his third year on the Bayou.

Jacobian Guillory’s Photo Gallery

LSU’s defense needs to create more negative plays in 2023

LSU’s defensive front needs to improve in this key area to make the jump to elite.

For the most part, LSU’s defensive front was good in 2022.

Despite losing [autotag]Maason Smith[/autotag] in the opener, transfer [autotag]Mekhi Wingo[/autotag] and [autotag]Jaquelin Roy[/autotag] gave LSU’s interior a solid one-two punch. [autotag]BJ Ojulari[/autotag] proved to be one of the league’s better edge defenders, and [autotag]Harold Perkins[/autotag] emerged as an elite pass rusher.

LSU’s front struggled in 2020 and for much of 2021, making last year’s turnaround more impressive.

It wasn’t all perfect, though. LSU ranked 80th in negative play rate, defined here as sacks and tackles for loss divided by total plays. If Matt House’s group wants to make the jump to elite, more disruption is needed.

It’s not the end all, be all. Elite defenses don’t have to rank top 10 in this stat. Georgia and Iowa didn’t last year, but they were still top 30. TCU sat just behind LSU, but it had one of the highest-scoring offenses in a sport.

When it came to takeaways, LSU ranked 90th and 89th in interception rate. When LSU’s defense struggled last year, it often had to do with big plays. It was a group giving up too many big plays and not creating enough of their own.

Again, on the whole, this defense was good. It delivered in big moments and got better as the year went on. I’d expect improvement this year. The return of Smith and Wingo, along with the development of [autotag]Jacobian Guillory[/autotag] and a slew of transfers on the defensive line, bodes well.

There are some questions about how LSU will replace Ojulari. Whether that production is replicated could play a big role in determining how much of a step forward this unit takes.

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Brian Kelly breaks down LSU’s defensive line depth in 2023

Here’s how the depth is shaping up on the defensive line as spring comes to a close.

With [autotag]Dashawn Womack[/autotag] and [autotag]Maason Smith[/autotag] getting back to the practice field, LSU’s defensive line is looking healthier.

However, don’t expect to see them out there on Saturday.

“It’s just not something that is worth the risk,” Kelly said when discussing potentially playing Smith, who is coming off a torn ACL, in the spring game.

With LSU thin all spring on the defensive line, several players got more reps this spring. Kelly believes that’s helped LSU improves its depth. On four-star freshman [autotag]Jaxon Howard[/autotag], Kelly said he benefited from extra work that wouldn’t have been there if LSU was fully healthy.

On the interior, [autotag]Jacobian Guillory[/autotag] also impressed Kelly, getting plenty of reps at several spots up front. [autotag]Paris Shand[/autotag], the Arizona transfer with a chance to take over for [autotag]Ali Gaye[/autotag], has also made strides.

“You could see his progress and his grit kind of grow throughout the spring to the point where we were like, that was a really good spring for him,” Kelly said.

Kelly also cited [autotag]Tygee Hill[/autotag] and [autotag]Fitzgerald West[/autotag] as two guys who benefitted from the available work.

The main takeaway: Kelly likes the depth LSU has up front.

Smith and [autotag]Mekhi Wingo[/autotag] are surefire starters up the middle, but it’s wide open outside of that.

It’s also worth noting this group has been working under interim defensive line coach [autotag]Gerald Chatman[/autotag] as LSU looks to replace [autotag]Jamar Cain[/autotag].

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Jacobian Guillory opens up about Jamar Cain’s exit

Guillory offered high praise for Cain on his way out to join the Broncos staff.

[autotag]Jamar Cain[/autotag] took a job on Sean Peyton’s staff with the Denver Broncos, leaving LSU looking for a defensive line coach.

Cain only spent a year at LSU, but he did a lot of good work in that time, both developing and recruiting. It’s a big loss, and [autotag]Brian Kelly[/autotag] will have to make a good hire to find an adequate replacement.

One of the toughest aspects of this sport is seeing how coaching departures affect the players. [autotag]Jacobian Guillory[/autotag] talked about Cain’s exit, offering a bittersweet tone.

“I have nothing but love for coach Cain,” Guillory said. “To see him go, it does hurt. I cried after practice.”

Guillory went on to speak about how this was Cain’s goal — getting an NFL job. Guillory said he’s happy to see Cain getting this opportunity and wishes him the best.

Guillory praised the work Cain did with himself and fellow defensive tackle [autotag]Mekhi Wingo[/autotag].

Guillory originally committed to [autotag]Ed Orgeron[/autotag] at LSU. When he took his official visit in June of 2019, [autotag]Dennis Johnson[/autotag] was the defensive line coach. Including Johnson, Guillory has seen LSU go through four defensive line coaches in that span and will soon see a fifth.

Guillory is part of a defensive tackle group that could be one of the nation’s best in 2023. Whoever takes over that room, whether it’s [autotag]Gerald Chatman[/autotag] or an out-of-house option, plenty of talent will be waiting.

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5 LSU players with the most to gain in spring practice

These guys could benefit quite a bit from spring ball.

“There’s no scoreboard out in spring practice. There’s no winners. There’s no losers.”

That’s how [autotag]Brian Kelly[/autotag] opened his spring practice press conference, emphasizing development and attention to detail, rather than leaning into any big narrative.

Kelly’s making it clear. Don’t overreact to spring ball.

With that being said, these practices aren’t irrelevant. It’s a small sample size compared to an entire offseason but coaches are going to notice guys who have taken a step forward.

On-field practices offer a chance for new leaders to emerge too. Here, we’ll look at five guys who have the most to gain this spring.

LSU offers Pac-12 defensive linemen

LSU is looking to beef up its interior defensive line with Kyon Barrs, a transfer from Arizona.

Transfer portal season has begun, and the LSU staff is well at work.

[autotag]Brian Kelly[/autotag] and defensive line coach [autotag]Jamar Cain[/autotag] have dolled out a scholarship offer to [autotag]Kyon Barrs[/autotag], a defensive line transfer from Arizona.

Barrs has significant experience, playing over 1,500 snaps in his four years at Arizona. In 2021, Barrs was one of the best DT’s in the Pac-12, earning all-conference honors. He started every game in 2022 and racked up eight TFLs and five sacks.

LSU’s looking good on the interior next year, but [autotag]Jaquelin Roy[/autotag] is expected to declare for the draft, leaving LSU with production to replace. However, the room will still be headlined by [autotag]Mekhi Wingo[/autotag] and [autotag]Maason Smith[/autotag], who could form one of the stronger interior combos in the country.

The Tigers could also return [autotag]Jacobian Guillory[/autotag], but depth is a concern. Adding Barrs would solidify an already strong unit and give LSU comfort should something happen to Wingo or Smith.

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Injured LSU DT Maason Smith expected to be ready for spring practice

Recovery is going well for one of LSU’s top defenders.

LSU’s defense took a massive hit when [autotag]Maason Smith[/autotag] tore his ACL in the opener on the first drive of the season.

The sophomore defensive lineman was expected to have a breakout year and be one of the top defenders in the SEC, if not the entire country. Smith underwent surgery shortly after the injury. On Sunday, [autotag]Brian Kelly[/autotag] offered an update on Smith’s timeline.

It sounds like Smith will be back in time for spring practice or sooner, as he has had no further setbacks, per Kelly.

Smith has a rare combination of size and athleticism. If he’s as good as his talent suggests or plays to the level coaches expected he would, then he’s the type of guy you can build an entire defense around.

 

 

LSU’s front has been adequate in Smith’s absence, thanks in large part to the emergence of [autotag]Mekhi Wingo[/autotag].

Wingo, like Smith, is just a sophomore. LSU should have both back next year. If Smith is the player he was prior to the injury, LSU’s interior is as good as anyone’s.

DTs [autotag]Jaquelin Roy[/autotag] and [autotag]Jacobian Guillory[/autotag] are both draft eligible. Neither is a likely first-round pick at the moment, and there’s a chance LSU could get them back, too.

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LSU football freshman profile: DE Jacobian Guillory

Guillory brings solidity to the LSU defensive line.

Going into the 2020 season, the LSU football defensive line has solid depth replacing the lost starters from a season ago. Tyler Shelvin, Neil Farrell and Glen Logan all return and will likely be the base of the defensive front in new defensive coordinator Bo Pelini’s 4-3 defensive scheme.

But, one freshman that is garnering attention on the line is Jacobian Guillory. The 6-foot-2, 344-pound defensive lineman is expected to play a role on the Tigers’ front line this season.

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Coming out of Alexandria High School in Alexandria, Louisiana, Guillory was one of the top prospects in the entire state ranking as the No. 6 overall prospect by 247Sports.

During his senior season of high school, Guillory totaled 76 tackles, 57 solo tackles, 27 tackles for loss to go along with seven sacks and two forced fumbles.

He was a two-time state champion at Alexandria High as a powerlifter and was rated as a four-star prospect during his recruitment. A three-sport athlete in football, track and field and powerlifting, Guillory certainly has the attributes to be the next great defensive lineman for the Tigers.

The highly-touted freshman defensive big man has been raved about ever since he stepped foot on campus in Baton Rouge. In the weight room, Guillory has squatted 740 pounds, benched 370 and deadlifted 625 pounds.

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When the Tigers need assurance in crucial down situations on defense, Guillory could step in and help earn a stop to get the Tigers’ offense the ball back in their possession.

Losing Rashard Lawrence and a few other great talents off the defensive front stings for LSU, but with a talented freshman in Guillory to compliment the starters, the Tigers should exceed expectations up front defensively.

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