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Elias Camp Draws Attention
By Mike Detillier
Over the past few weeks Nicholls State University has been host to the Offensive/Defensive Line Camp, the Manning Passing Academy and last week The Pro Football Combine Camp.
Dr. David Elias, an orthopedic surgeon with his practice in Thibodaux is the leader of the Pro Football Combine Camp and has dedicated this camp to his brother Albert Elias.
“This is our eighth year and my brother Albert, who was a well respected sports agent, really pieced this camp together at the beginning and there was no way I would let this go after he passed away a few years back,” Elias said. “We have had some weather issues. The past couple of years it poured down rain, but God smiled on us today and gave us great weather. I know my brother would be so proud to see some 180 high school kids out here and getting work in with some of the best high school coaches in the area, we were able to bring in some former LSU Tiger standouts in Richard Dickson, Jarvis Green, Rohan Davey and Skyler Green, Phillip Livas, who was a superb football player at South Terrebonne High School and Louisiana Tech, and Elijah McGuire from Vandebilt and now at UL-Lafayette. Elijah is one of the most exciting players in college football today.
Tim Rebowe and his staff at Nicholls State are out here in force and we really appreciate their efforts in this camp so much and then we also have LSU middle linebacker Kendall Beckwith, cornerback Tre’Davious White and a guy that’s pretty good too in Leonard Fournette. You are talking about three possible All-SEC players and a possible Heisman Trophy winner. That’s just marvelous for this camp and for the kids and also I have to thank the many sponsors that help us along with Greg Stock and Thibodaux Regional Medical Center for their special help. Also Don Rodrigue and Laury Dupont, two former coaches from our area, for helping with the organization of the camp and making sure everything is done right. The connection with Thibodaux Regional Medical Center and the trainers who work the camp along with everyone at Nicholls State has made this day memorable.”
While the work done by the 180 camp participants was what the camp is all about there was no doubt who the star of the camp was and Leonard Fournette took centerstage when he arrived.
“It’s great to be here and work with the young men,” Fournette said. “Just a few years back I was right where they are today. I was fighting to get someone to notice me and working hard to get better each day. God blessed me with talent and I am just giving back a little bit to the area and players because I was one of them at one point. No one is perfect and in this game you constantly are striving to become a better player. I had the SEC Media sessions, but I couldn’t miss this because it is about helping someone else too.”
Fournette says this off-season has been about him gaining more focus as a player and also working on his blocking and pass catching skills.
“I think every freshman running back goes through this. You are bigger and faster than most guys you play against in high school, but major college football is totally different. The guys are every bit as fast and as big. I worked on being a little more patient with my runs and following my blockers better. I wasn’t asked to do a lot of blocking at St. Augustine and so it was new to me. It’s not easy, but it’s a big part of being the complete back. As a receiver I have pretty good hands and I catch the ball well, but it’s about running more precise routes. I have been training hard and getting in the best shape I can be in and I have a daughter now so it has matured me a lot also. I have her to take care of and it’s a big responsibility. But for me at LSU it is all about winning championships and not individual achievements.”
When asked about the toughest guy Fournette played against in 2014, he didn’t have a name, but he had a place.
“The game against Florida was brutal. It was really hot and really humid. It wore us out, but we hung in there as a team and pulled it out late. That was the toughest game for me in 2014.”
Fournette is also confident LSU’s quarterback situation will be much better than in 2014.
“Brandon (Harris) is making a lot of strides in understanding every aspect of the game and he is improving each day. He has all the tools. It is about understanding all levels of this game and we all hope everything works out for Anthony Jennings too. Both are good players and we all saw it in the spring the improvement in both their play, their confidence and also having a better grasp of the offense.”
While Fournette was getting use to the transition from high school to college, middle linebacker Kendall Beckwith was getting use to a change of position.
“I always wanted to play linebacker, but in high school I played with my hand in the dirt as a defensive end and also at quarterback,” Beckwith said. “It was a tough transition and I struggled as a freshman, but mid-season last year as a sophomore everything sort of clicked in for me. It was just learning to get away from some of the blocking schemes and getting myself in the right place to make a play. I love rushing the quarterback and maybe Coach (Kevin) Steele might let me do some of that this season too. I have worked hard on my pass coverage drops and making sure I take the best angles of pursuit and reading the route better. I have worked all season with the defensive backs to improve my pass coverage game.”
It didn’t take long for Beckwith to make a comment about former South Lafourche High School star lineman and current LSU defensive line coach Ed Orgeron.
“At first I couldn’t believe anyone could talk that way. He is something else, but it’s his energy that is remarkable. He is one of the oldest guys on the staff and he might have the most energy of any of them. He’s a great coach and he’s always talking to you about what is happening at home, your studies and how you feel. Coach O gets your attention, but he cares about you too.”
Another potential All-SEC performer is junior cornerback Tre’Davious White and he was thrilled to work with the young campers.
“This is great for me to be here and work with the kids on their techniques and footwork. I was where they are today just a few years back and I know that it means something for us to be here along with all the coaches and former Tiger players. We just want to encourage them and get them to understand how hard work pays off.”
White, along with Fournette and Beckwith are anxious for the season to start.
“The off-season is long and it didn’t end good for us against Notre Dame. That’s a bitter taste for us. This is DBU so there is a certain brand of excellence with the LSU secondary that is passed down. We have some great safeties with Jalen Mills, Jamal Adams and Rickey Jefferson and there is a big fight for the other cornerback spot opposite me with Kevin Toliver, Donte (Jackson) and Ed Paris. Every day we go up against Travin Dural, Malachi Dupre, Trey Quinn, John Diarse and D.J. Chalk. Those guys get you ready for game day. I watch film every day on Morris Claiborne and Tyran Mathieu at LSU along with Darrelle Revis and Richard Sherman. I am like a sponge trying to pick up anything that can help my game and my team win.”
The junior cornerback also heaped plenty of praise on Florida wide receiver DeMarcus Robinson.
“I have went up against Amari Cooper (Alabama) and Laquon Treadwell (Ole Miss) and both of those receivers are outstanding, but the player that gave me the most trouble was DeMarcus Robinson from Florida. Robinson’s a big guy and he is really fast. He’s a real physical player and he fights hard for positioning and the ball. Robinson’s the toughest guy I have played against at LSU.”
Interesting was that in speaking to Fournette, Beckwith and White if this was a Presidential election wide receiver D.J. Chalk would win in a landslide since all three players said the former Alexandria High School speedster was the most improved player on the team from a year ago.
But one of the most interesting comments of the day came from former LSU standout defensive end Jarvis Green, who played 8 seasons with the New England Patriots before signing with the Denver Broncos.
“LSU has great talent across the board,” Green said. “I might be “Monday Morning Quarterbacking”, but they have to find a pro-style quarterback. I truly believe you need that element to win at LSU. They have great running backs, same at wide receiver and they are loaded along the offensive line and at tight end. Defensively LSU has to find a couple of defensive ends, but every other spot is filled with tremendous players. I don’t believe in this spread-option stuff and I am still a strong believer in that certain systems a pro-style quarterback is best. LSU is that and you can sell it to those high school pro-style guys that you come to LSU and we get you better prepared to play at the next level because of our system. They could use that in recruiting. There are no spread option quarterbacks starting in the NFL and if they are, they aren’t good.”
Thibodaux Regional CEO Greg Stock says that the camp is another boost to the area and it brings high quality football expertise to the community and area.
“The Pro Football Combine Camp along with the Manning Passing Academy and the Offensive/Defensive Lineman Camp bring some of the best and most talented players to our community and the current players and coaches along with the former players and coaches are some of the best in the business. We are pleased to team up with Dr. Elias and the staff at OrthoLA and their efforts to organize the camp. They are the only sports medicine trained orthopedic specialists in the region and we work closely with them in providing the best care to our area athletes. We have a great relationship with the many camps, Nicholls State University and a number of the area high schools. We were the first to provide trainers to the area high schools and so the quality of the camps that come here say a lot for our staff and what we can medically provide here at Thibodaux Regional.”
180 kids really benefited from terrific high school and college coaches, former players and coaches at the Pro Football Combine, but just think about what has happened over the last 30 days. The biggest offensive/defensive line camp in the country brought in over 500 high school players to Nicholls State, the first name of football, the Manning's, came to town and they brought along over 1,100 high school players and a bevy of college quarterbacks that will one day play in the NFL and last Friday Leonard Fournette, Tre’Davious White, Kendall Beckwith and Elijah McGuire all attended the Pro Football Combine Camp at Nicholls State. And it all of this happened on Bayou Lafourche.
Follow Mike on Twitter at @MikeDetillier