By Warren Arceneaux  and Jim Gazzolo

American Press

Former McNeese State defensive back Andre Sam, who played his high school football at Iowa, has committed to LSU.

Sam made his announcement Thursday morning on social media.

The safety made his decision one day after making a formal visit to Baton Rouge. He had moved to Tulane, where he did not appear in a game, after playing last season at Marshall.

Sam was following former McNeese head coach Lance Guidry, who was the defensive coordinator at Marshall before moving to Tulane after last season. When Guidry took the defensive coordinator job at Miami shortly after arriving at Tulane, Sam re-entered the NCAA transfer portal.

Sam signed with McNeese in 2017 when Guidry was the head coach. He played five seasons at McNeese.

During his time with the Cowboys, Sam twice earned all-Southland Conference honors. He finished with 179 tackles, five interceptions, 20 pass breakups and a fumble recovery.

In 12 games with Marshall last season, Sam made one interception, one fumble recovery, 53 tackles and eight pass breakups, earning an honorable mention spot on the all-Sun Belt Conference team.

Sam has ties with LSU. Another former McNeese head coach, Frank Wilson, is on Brian Kelly’s Tigers staff. Wilson left McNeese when Kelly was hired from Notre Dame in December of 2021.

Wilson is a top recruiter with LSU and gave Sam a safe landing spot for his final season of eligibility.

“It feels amazing, especially being a kid from Louisiana and getting the opportunity to play at LSU,” Sam said. “It is a dream come true.”

While not being a Tigers fan growing up, Sam said he was a fan of the team’s string of outstanding defensive backs.

“I loved to watch guys who went there — Patrick Peterson, Tre’Davious White, Jamal Adams, Tyrann Mathieu,” he said. “You can tell they played with a lot of passion.”

Sam said he is going to use his experience to help other members of the LSU secondary, which will have a new look after losing four players from last season.

“I feel like I am someone who is a great leader; I love to work,” he said. “I feel like I am going to bring speed to play a third of the field, someone who can be flexible so that everyone can move around and make plays. I feel I am also going to push others to reach their fullest potential.”

Sam said he is not afraid of taking on the challenge of playing at the highest levels of college football.

“I wasn’t the biggest, strongest or fastest,” he said. “I wasn’t recruited highly out of high school, I walked on at McNeese. I just put my head down to keep working, to strive to reach the highest. I feel like there is more to go, more to improve. I’m excited and looking forward to it. I can’t wait until the fall.”

Sam is the second Cowboy who played for both Wilson and Guidry to transfer to LSU in the last two years.

Colby Richardson started his college career with McNeese at the same time Sam did. Last year he transferred to LSU where he played in 12 games with five starts.

Richardson is trying out for the Carolina Panthers where he signed as an undrafted free agent. Richardson graduated from McNeese in the spring of 2020.