The school that prides itself on being DBU is suddenly looking a bit thin on the back end.
Starting cornerback Kristian Fulton will be out indefinitely, Ed Orgeron announced Monday. Freshman Kelvin Joseph, a candidate to start in Fulton’s place, is also uncertain to play against Rice on Saturday night due to an undisclosed injury.
“Kelvin is questionable right now,” Orgeron said Wednesday on the SEC Coaches Teleconference. “We’ll see how he’s going to be, but hopefully he can play on Saturday. Right now he’s questionable.”
Joseph, a true freshman, has appeared in every game this season, totaling 12 tackles and one pass defended. He hasn’t been spotted at the media viewing portion of practice yet this week.
If Joseph can’t go, LSU has a hole to fill at the cornerback position opposite Greedy Williams. Nickel back Kary Vincent could slide over and start in his place, but the versatile Terrence Alexander and converted receiver Mannie Netherley are in the mix as well.
“Terrence and Kary will have to play, and also Mannie,” Orgeron said. “Mannie can play and those guys can contribute there.”
O ON CROOTIN
Orgeron can’t publicly say the words “John Emery” until the five-star running back puts pen to paper on a National Letter of Intent, but the coach was asked about Emery’s commitment in not so many words.
“Our focus is always going to be on the state of Louisiana, keeping the top prospects in Louisiana home,” Orgeron said. “It’s a battle. We’re happy where we’re at in recruiting right now. Obviously we’ve got to finish strong. We haven’t signed anybody … I just think we have a lot of great things to sell at LSU, but we have to finish strong. Anything can happen down the stretch.”
Once the regular season ends in two weeks, Orgeron and his staff will be diving head first into the recruiting home stretch before the Early Signing Period begins on Dec. 19. The NCAA instituted the policy change last year, so coaches now have a better idea of the revamped recruiting calendar.
“It speeds things up obviously,” Orgeron said. “We’re going to sign as many guys as we can and leave spots open for the guys who’re going to wait until February, but what happens is there’s a crunch coming. I want to go in everyone’s home, and there’s 19-or-20 young men whose homes I need to be in in two weeks. So that’s a hustle.
“It’s a smaller window for us to get all the home visits in, but I like the early signing period. i think it’s great.”
LSU presently holds 20 commitments for the class of 2019.
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