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Del.i.cious
LSU dismisses Tyrann Mathieu
Tyrann Mathieu’s dismissal will be a big loss for LSU, which is No. 1 in the preseason Coaches’ Poll. (AP)
“We’ll miss him, but we have to go on.” — Les Miles
Suspend your Honey Badger jokes and wallow in regret that we, as a nation, can’t roll out the Honey Boo Boo Badger bits we’ve been crafting with such care: LSU cornerback Tyrann Mathieu, who appears on SI’s preseason All-America team as both a corner and a return man, has been dismissed. Les Miles announced the decision at a Friday afternoon press conference.
It’s a high-profile loss for the Bayou Bengals: Mathieu ranked as the country’s top fumble-forcer in 2011 and was fourth in punt return yardage. He was honored following last season, his second on the field, as a Heisman Trophy finalist. And he’s become a fan favorite through social media channels, not least for his willingness to openly needle opponents.
Mathieu sat out the Auburn game last season, serving a one-game suspension for what, according to LSU’s drug policy, would have to have been his second positive drug test. LSU won 45-10.
Redshirt freshman Jalen Collins was listed as Mathieu’s backup on the Tigers’ post-spring depth chart; at punt return the No. 2 man is sophomore receiver Odell Beckham, whose play Miles praised during Friday’s media session. Losing a starter of Mathieu’s caliber is obviously a blow to a team hoping to contend for a national title, but a back-loaded schedule may help LSU adjust going forward. The Tigers open their season with three straight home games, hosting North Texas, Washington and Idaho before traveling to Auburn in Week 4 to begin league play. Of those early opponents, the Huskies pose the only real threat on paper, and they have to play in Death Valley at night. More ominous hurdles will arise once LSU gets into the thick of its never-cakey SEC West schedule, and an SEC East rotation that includes South Carolina.
Let us now take to the comments and argue over whether LSU is totally doomed or Mathieu was criminally overrated as a corner. Away!
Stephen. and when are you going to learn that no one wants to work or play a football game with either one. One that drinks or one that smokes pot. Everyone seems to want to compare alcohol to weed.. The bad or the worse.
@RichardGreer sir I went off on my rant before i read you comment. You did a much better job of saying the same thing. just so tired of mental cowards, But man well said!!!
when are we as a society going to accept the fact that smoking some pot is actually better and safer for you than alcohol?
Congrats to Mathieu, time to go take a real paycheck like a man deserves, instead of working for free for the NCAA.
To be kicked off the team AND to be kicked out of school is serious...Miles has shown he takes no crap when he thinks there is a serious infraction, and he probably gave Mathieu more rope than he would have given others. He is overrated as a cover CB, but he brings so much else to the game and gives our D/special teams so much energy. With him and MO gone, it will be a big loss...
We'll see what plays out...GEAUX!!
@marksolomon1117 Don't you mean Miles gave him some rope and he smoked it?
PSU will gladly accept the Honey Badger!
LSU kicked him off the team? He must have killed someone.
@ItsTripp Not true. Miles has not hesitated to get rid of even great players when the circumstances warranted. He suffered through three years of substandard quarterbacking because he refused to put up with Ryan Perrilloux.
@McNicollb I kinda agree with you, but you still haven't proven he didn't kill someone. I'm just sayin'.
You think these potential Super Stars in the NFL would learn their lesson. Obviously the Honey Badger broke the rules several times last year. You think he was aware of the situation going into this season knowing he could help LSU on their way to a possible Title Game and at the same time create more value in the NFL draft if ihe would have decided to turn pro. But he decided to ignore the rules and wad caught red handed using drugs yet again. The Honey Badger's reputation has just turned sour putting into jeopardy millions of dollars in endorsements and a shot at being a #1 draft choice in 2013. Not only is his football future is in doubt but so is his future. He may have to be content with a future life outside of football. W hat a waste!
@jdina123 He was not as big an NFL prospect as you think. He is undersized for an NFL corner and was exposed by larger WRs last season. His value would have been as an extra DB and PR/KR.
We will be just fine without him.
Add another vote to the "criminally over-rated" column.
he is definitely a play-maker but lsu should be fine without him