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By LONN PHILLIPS SULLIVAN
After 4 campaigns where his development was marred by injury, stalled by limited appearances, while buried behind a host of defensive tackle talents, on the brink of year 5, LSU DT Jacobian Guillory's on-field value is nearing an apex.
Not only is Guillory a major asset due to the lack of available defensive tackles at DL Coach Bo Davis' disposal, he's also the only remaining Tiger DT from the days of Jaquelin Roy, Neil Farrell Jr, Mekhi Wingo and Maason Smith....LSU's most recent outstanding DTs.
Through Guillory, Coach Bo Davis has a standard bearer in experience, however, the Louisiana native DT's on field exploits have been remarkably stunted over his tenure.
Playing just 1 snap in 2020, a play he was injured on, Guillory would rise to 186 plays as a red shirt freshman, 237 plays in 2022, before featuring in a career high 258 snaps last fall.
Officially credited by Pro Football Focus with 25 career pressures, assisting 2 sacks (credited for 0.5 sack by other statistic outlets), delivering 7 QB hits, wrapping up 51 tackles, 2 tackles for loss, before registering an 82.3 tackling grade last fall, 2nd on the entire defense.
But will his truncated resume be enough for Bo Davis to develop Guillory into the gap-clogging, run-stopping, interior-destroying Braveheart the Tigers must have in 2024???
To find that answer, we must go back to move forward:
Arriving on campus as one half of the expected 2020 class Bash Brothers, alongside fellow freshman Jaquelin Roy, Guillory's progress was swallowed up by a nagging ankle injury, taking away his freshman year.
Then, he fell behind the order in 2021, with Roy now joined by then-freshman 5 star Maason Smith, who grabbed a 3 sack game during a strong first half of the year, establishing himself as a starter.
When Smith went down with an injury against Ole Miss, Guillory didn't take over Maason's vacant starting role, as his playing time was still considerably limited....until finding his first career start during the Texas Bowl vs Kansas State.
As part of a squad fielding 38 scholarship players, Guillory had his best game up to that point, playing 35 snaps, registering 1 pressure, hitting grades in the 70s for tackling, run defense, pass rushing and overall defense (according to Pro Football Focus), while passing the eye test as one of the few Tiger defenders who could keep up with the game's relentless pace and lack of available defensive substitutions.
Throughout 2022, it was much of the same for Guillory, until a start in the bowl game vs Purdue.
Playing 42 snaps, his most by far of that season, Jacobian issued 3 tackles, 2 pressures, and 0.5 tackle for loss in what was a breakthrough outing at the time.
Instead of the Purdue display turning into a launch pad for 2023, under yet another defensive line regime for the fourth straight year, Guillory found himself on the outside looking in once again last fall....though when his opportunities finally came, he seized the moment.
As All-SEC / All-American-level starters Maason Smith and Mekhi Wingo both suffered injury-torn seasons in 2023, Jacobian Guillory was able to find far more impact snaps than years prior....which culminated in a pair of strong games from Tank, a fine showing vs A&M, plus yet another fantastic bowl performance vs Wisconsin.
Yet once again, LSU's coaching staff looked elsewhere, diving into the deep waters of the transfer portal this spring, fishing for as many defensive tackles as they could find.
Despite all their defensive tackle transfer pursuits, Coach Bo Davis was only able to add former Badger Gio Paez and former Grand Valley State DT Jay'viar Suggs to the roster, missing on 3 other known targets.
On the surface, this may appear to be the worst scenario possible for the Tigers' interior D-line....
....but at the same time, the lack of a star DT signing hands the most experienced DT on the team, "Big Tank" Guillory, a major senior year opportunity.
As part of a 2024 squad littered with starters / potential starters who waited patiently for an opportunity, Guillory is yet another Tiger who's been forced to endure the sidelines, the rehab room, and ultimately had to suffer being overlooked for multiple years.....however, in 2024, LSU are placing full faith at the feet of their steely, relentless veteran DT.
Already making high impact plays throughout Spring (batting a pass which was intercepted by Sage Ryan, while also producing a couple forced fumbles), Guillory is making all the right moves & pressing the right buttons.
Quite simply, for LSU's defensive line to produce a strong campaign, Coach Bo Davis needs the best version of Jacobian Guillory....for all 13+ games.
By LONN PHILLIPS SULLIVAN
©️ 2024 Uninterrupted Writings Inc
Another Tiger who has that final opportunity to live up to his potential by staying on the field and holding the line of scrimmage.