Scooter Hobbs

BATON ROUGE — Maybe LSU is going about this whole Alabama conundrum all wrong.

Never mind that three of the Tide’s four starting linebackers were from Louisiana — Baton Rouge, no less.

Or that two of Bama’s three starting receivers were bayou bred, including the three touchdowns and 231 yards receiving from DeVonte Smith.

That’s recruiting. Stuff happens.

Nick Saban has always dipped into his old stomping grounds. Probably always will.

But recruiting isn’t the Tigers problem — not under Ed Orgeron, not even under Les Miles.

The Tigers get enough of their share.

Maybe the lesson to be taken from Saban — he has a pretty good track record — is in the re-recruiting.

Orgeron has mentioned it. Said it’s now as important as high school recruiting.

Take the latest debacle in Tiger Stadium Saturday night — Alabama 55, LSU 17.

Smith may be the best wide receiver in college football no matter how deep the position is nationwide. There’s not much doubt that Nashee Harris is the best running back in the country.

They accounted for six of the seven touchdowns that the merry-go-round Bama offense hung on the way-too-young Tigers Saturday night.

Look a little closer.

Are your sitting down? What if I told you that both Smith and Harris are seniors?

And wait. There’s more.

So was Alex Leatherwood, one of the NCAA’s best offensive tackles.

In fact, three of the five offensive linemen who kept the pocket as peaceful as a spring garden for redshirt junior quarterback Mac Jones were — don’t everybody answer at once now —yes, seniors.

What a concept, huh? How does that happen? What about all that NFL money?

It’s not like they hadn’t proven themselves. Or that the Tide doesn’t stock the NFL.

Alabama has more players in the NFL than any other school (LSU is close behind).

But apparently it’s not automatic to leave as a junior like it is at LSU, where any hope of the NFL means an early exit.

In last year’s 46-41 victory over the Tide in Tuscaloosa, the Tigers’ trio of receivers included a junior (Justin Jefferson) and two sophomores (Ja’Marr Chase and Terrace Marshall), plus a junior tight end (Thaddeus Moss), who combined for 310 yards.

None were on the roster Saturday night. Only four starters from last year’s team were.

It’s hard for LSU to complain too much. The Tigers’ recruiting pitch has always been “Come see us, it’s the fast track to NFL riches.”

Can’t blame them for making good on your promises before the eligibility is up.

Saban sells the same carrot on a stick and certainly doesn’t discourage his players from the NFL — he’s always said it’s a no-brainer for projected first- or often a second-round pick. But he does occasionally counsel them on improving their stock with some senior seasoning.

True, Smith kind of had to wait his turn to be the featured receiver with Bama. But last year against LSU — as a junior — he had two touchdowns and 212 yards receiving. So if you’re keeping score at home, the two-year total for the Amite native against his home state Flagship is four touchdowns on 15 catches for 444 yards. He was hardly an unknown.

Harris, who Saturday had three touchdowns to go with his 145 yards rushing, is the prototypical NFL running back. And he’s no late-bloomer. He had 146 yards rushing (another 44 on three receptions) against LSU’s national championship team last year.

So what in the world is that guy still doing on campus?

Every case is different

The word I got on Harris, who’s a bit of free spirit to boot, is that he wasn’t happy with his pre-draft grade — he might have slipped to the second round.

It’s doubtful that would have kept anybody at LSU for a senior moment.

And you sure can’t blame the four Tiger juniors who were among the seven Tigers taken in the first two rounds of last year’s draft.

The LSU culture seems to have become that if you’re still hanging around campus as a senior, you’ve somehow failed, just a “program” player.

If you’ve got “Sr.” next to your name, it’s almost like you’re wearing a Scarlet Letter.

And it’s not just the draft. Well, it is the draft, but not always directly.

The pandemic and the suddenly-in-vogue opt-out has hurt the Tigers this year as much as juniors leaving early.

Take that receiving corps from a year ago.

Jefferson declared for the draft after his junior year — good choice; he is in the running for NFL rookie of the year as the Vikings’ first-round pick.

Chase, last year’s Bilitnikoff award winner, decided to skip this, his junior year, during the August uncertainty over whether a season could get played.

Marshall returned and was having a monster year ­— before suddenly opting out on the rest of the season just before the Alabama game.

Marshall made it five Tigers who opted out on the season.

They all leave pledging lifetime allegiance to LSU — “I’ll always be a Tiger!” seems to be the most common sayonara — but not enough to stick around for any more football.

Alabama has had no opt-outs this season.

The LSU defectors do already have a national championship ring.

But maybe the lasting memory in the afterglow of last year’s LSU celebration in Tuscaloosa was Joe Burrow hugging running back Clyde Edwards-Helaire, the two biggest keys in the win.

Both were seniors.

Probably just a coincidence.Scooter Hobbs

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