LSU football: Derek Stingley to play offense and defense in 2020

LSU football plans to use Stingley on both sides of the ball in 2020.

It’s kind of a given. If you manage to score a scholarship with LSU football, you’re more than likely an exceptional athlete with top-end athleticism and skill. That’s why the Tigers have consistently continued to recruit and produce high-level players for countless years.

Since 2000, the Tigers have sent 126 players to the NFL, placing them third in all of college football. And just like Alabama, Ohio State and Florida, the Tigers use their reputation to persuade and alter their roster for the sake of national championship rings.

But Ed Orgeron conveyed a different kind of offer to reel in Derek Stingley, as opposed to the normal crowd-puller that has oftentimes worked on many other athletes before him.

Orgeron reached out to the versatile cornerback and proposed an offer that he just couldn’t pass on.

During a local Louisiana radio show, Orgeron explained how the commitment ultimately came to fruition.

"“I promised him two years on defense and then the next year, the third year, I think you’re going to see Derek play both ways for us”"

In the past, LSU has utilized their cornerbacks in more ways than just covering wide outs and coming to the line to make a tackle. Patrick Peterson and Tryrann Mathieu each produced on impactful plays on special teams throughout their careers in Baton Rouge which proved to escalate the Tigers’ big play potential.

And though Orgeron was years away from becoming the head coach at the time, it seems that he’s beginning to incorporate the proven Les Miles’ formula.

While it can be considered taboo throwing a defensive back out to return punts, Orgeron plans to take it a step further by incorporating Stingley on the offensive side of the football.

The unorthodox approach is without doubt an aggressive style of play which could show to be hazardous for the all-down defensive back. It’s already demanding as it is to go down-for-down with the speedy receivers in the SEC- but Stingley will now be expected to go toe-to-toe with some of the best defensive backs in all of college football.

But don’t be fooled, Stingley will see this as an opportunity to solidify his athleticism within the conference and further prove his prominence on the LSU football team.

Will Stingley succeed on offense for LSU football?

This may come as new news, but the sophomore cornerback actually supported his high school team as a two-way athlete, playing both defensive back and receiver.

Stingley is only two years detached from his days at Durham High School which leads me to the assumption that he still has it in him to play in multiple roles for 2020.

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And though high school football is significantly incompatible from college football, Stingley’s dexterity should prove to pay dividends in his new role with LSU football.

The common phrase in football is that defensive backs were just wide receivers who couldn’t catch.

And while that may or may not be true for DBs in today’s realm of football, it’s certainly not accurate with Stingley who made good use of his hands in 2019 after picking off a total of 6 passes from opposing parties.

Orgeron has a good eye for talent. If O believes it’s beneficial, we should probably just have faith in the longtime football scholar and go with it. After all, he is the reigning national champion.