Surtain-ly disappointed

Published 7:00 pm Thursday, February 8, 2018

LSU misses out on high-valued targets

There was no sugar coating LSU’s National Signing Day.

“Obviously we’re disappointed with some of the losses,” head coach Ed Orgeron said. “But we got the guys that want to fight for the Tigers.”

Orgeron tried to put a happy face on the latest recruiting class while discussing the two players the Tigers added Wednesday, but most of the buzz-kill was about the several who got away.

The Tigers were targeting five to six high-profile recruits for the four spots open after signing 21 in December’s early period, But they finished the day with the two newcomers.

They were the No. 2 and No. 3 rated players in the state — defensive back Kelvin Joseph of Scotandville (2) and wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase of Archbishop Rummel in Metairie (3).

“They’re two of the best players in the state of Louisiana that we’ve targeted for a long time,” Orgeron said.

But mainly Orgeron & Co. not only came up empty on the nation’s top remaining recruit — cornerback Patrick Surtain Jr. of Fort Lauderdale, Florida — but they lost him at the last minute to Alabama and Nick Saban at a position of need for both.

Surtain, whose family has roots in Louisiana, didn’t soothe the pain any when he explained his Bama decision by saying on ESPNU that, “They win championships. I want to be a part of that winning culture.”

Cornerback was a spot of real need for the Tigers following the early signing period. 

LSU also lost out on cornerback Mario Goodrich of Lee’s Summit, Missouri, who’s listed as an “athlete.” He signed with Clemson.

There was also River Ridge John Curtis tight end Glenn Beal, who chose Texas A&M, as did quarterback James Foster of Montgomery, Alabama.

“That’s recruiting,” Orgeron said. “We’re happy with the guys we got and we want guys that want to be at LSU.”

For most of his recruitment, going back three to four years, it appeared that Surtain, whose father Patrick Sr., was a three-time NFL All-Pro, would be in that number.

“We always thought Patrick was coming,” Orgeron said. “He was our No. 1 on the board. That didn’t change.

“We put a lot or work into it. All indications the whole time were that he was coming here. The night before (Tuesday), you get a phone call, and he’s not. Obviously, you have to change your plan.”

Orgeron had a Plan B — he immediately got on the phone to Goodrich, whom LSU had been recruiting but hadn’t officially offered a scholarship.

The Tigers were a day late. Goodrich had committed to Clemson on Monday night.

“I stayed on the phone with him all night trying to change his mind,” Orgeron said. “But he had committed.”

Orgeron indicated that Goodrich might have committed to the Tigers on Sunday night. But LSU planned to sign one cornerback and still thought Surtain was coming.

“We had several guys want to commit,” he said. “I didn’t know If I had a scholarship for them. I was not going to tell a guy I could take their commitment. I wasn’t going to do it. I wasn’t going to lie to them. I said we had certain slots that are slotted to people. Now, if you want to wait you can.”

Goodrich apparently did not.

“We weren’t going to settle for just anybody else. We’re going to find another cornerback next year.”

Joseph was recruited as a safety, but Orgeron said he was a versatile player who will at least start his career at cornerback.

LSU never felt as good about getting Foster, the lone quarterback the Tigers were recruiting, or Beal.

It left two spots open for the 25-man class, which Orgeron said might eventually be used.

“That was the plan all along,” he said of what the Tigers would do if they missed on some of their targets.

“We didn’t want to waste them. We wanted to save them … for either transfers or graduate transfers, perhaps a quarterback or cornerback.”

For now it leaves LSU without a quarterback in the signing class, although the Tigers did get one between the signing periods when Hahnville’s Jordan Loving agreed to join the program as a preferred walk-on.

And with the recruiting services ranking the Tigers’ haul between No. 12 and No. 15, it marked the first time since 2012 that LSU fell outside the top 10.

“Let’s see what happens with this class,” said Orgeron, who went heavy on linemen on both sides of the ball during the early period. “We have some defensive linemen and some offensive linemen who are very good. I trust in my rankings. I chose this class. I trust in my abilities to evaluate and develop better than anybody else.

“We could have had a higher class, and I understand that. We missed on some so-called guys. To get two of the best receivers in the country, that was something we wanted to do. To get five defensive tackles, to sign eight of the top 10 guys in the state of Louisiana, we are proud of them.”

Patrick Surtain Jr., a defensive back at American Heritage High School, center, announces he is attending Alabama to play NCAA college football during a national signing day event, Wednesday, Feb. 7, 2018, in Plantation, Fla. At right is Surtain’s father, Patrick Surtain Sr., the head football coach at American Heritage High School. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)