The LSU Tigers’ football program is eliminating eight football scholarships over a two-year period under a set of self-imposed sanctions, which could impact Alabama football and other major Power 5 programs’ recruiting efforts.
Reducing recruiting visits, evaluations and communication are also included in the list of sanctions. These sanctions were put in place as a result of multiple rules violations, which includes Odell Beckham Jr., a former LSU wide receiver, giving members of the Tigers football team cash after the 2020 National Championship Game. With the Tigers expected to lose multiple scholarships, this could play out in multiple ways on the recruiting trail.
LSU is undoubtedly one of the top college football programs in the world. Their recruiting classes usually sit near the top of most recruiting rankings, and they often go head to head against Nick Saban and Alabama on the recruiting front. The Tigers and the Crimson Tide have a couple of mutual 2021 targets with this cycle set to wrap up in approximately four months. It remains to be seen if LSU’s 2021 recruiting class will be impacted by these sanctions, especially with the current recruiting dead period in place.
Recruiting is usually done strategically with scholarship numbers playing a huge role, which comes to the forefront late in recruiting cycles when numbers get tighter. This opens the door for program like Alabama to snag highly-talented recruits both teams want late in recruiting cycles. The main prospect, who looks to be a toss up between Alabama and LSU in the 2021 class is 4-Star WR, Brian Thomas Jr, but the Tide also have to make a decision whether or not they want to add another wide receiver to their 2021 class.
With theses sanctions in places, the LSU football staff will have to be more strategic than before when it comes to prioritizing targets.
However, the biggest impacts will most likely happen in future recruiting classes and will deal with the reduction of visits, evaluations and communication. Building relationships with recruits and their families via communications and visits are vital parts of the recruiting process. This could give other teams an edge over the Tigers, especially teams like Alabama, who tend to take things to the finish line with LSU during recruiting battles.
Alabama-LSU Mutual 2021 Targets:
Ga’Quincy McKinstry – 5-Star ATH
Maason Smith – 5-Star DT
Korey Foreman – 5-Star DE
Sage Ryan – 5-Star DB
Brian Thomas Jr. – 4-Star WR
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Justin Smith is a Scouting/Recruiting analyst for Touchdown Alabama Magazine. You can follow him on Twitter, via @Jdsmith31Smith
