Welcome to The Situation Room
What is the Situation Room? For anyone that missed the previous two releases, The situation room, not unlike the one in the White House is an intelligence management room. A place where you can come get the latest inside scoop on LSU news and recruiting information.
It’s our version of a popular series across the Rivals network. A lot of sites that do these types of reports call them “War Room”, our Missouri site calls theirs “The Chamber”, and while I’m stealing their idea, I wanted to come up with something original for the name and to my knowledge no one is using The Situation Room.
With that said, lets gets right to it.
The Latest on the Jalen Cook Situation
Cook was initially expected to play on Saturday after the judge imposed a restraining order on the NCAA allowing multi-transfer athletes a window to play in games. The NCAA did react well to this news and released what was essentially a threat to those players saying that anyone that played during this window would lose a year of eligibility if the judge's ruling was overturned.
As of Friday afternoon Death Valley Insider is told by a source close to the situation that the expectation is Jalen Cook will play on Saturday.
lsu.forums.rivals.com
Here's more on the issue from Yahoo! Sports analyst Ross Dellenger.
It's a slippery slope and not one that should be treaded lightly especially if a few games results in losing an entire year of eligibility. A lot of what the NCAA does doesn't make sense to me and this is right there with the rest of their overreaching decisions. But I honestly think it'll continue to happen until a program stands up to them and ultimately turns it into a massive story with a heavy spotlight on the NCAA and their decision makers.
Harlem Berry's Decision
Just days away from Harlem Berry's decision and not much has changed. LSU still seems like the school in the driver's seat while Florida and Texas continue to try and make up ground. Based on everything I've heard over the last week; I'd be really surprised if Berry made announcement anywhere other than LSU. I actually went ahead and put in a FutureCast pick in favor of the Tigers landing Berry on Monday. There's just too much momentum there with LSU and I don't think these other programs have done enough over the last month to make up that ground.
Dominick McKinley
McKinley hosted LSU head coach Brian Kelly and assistant coach Frank Wilson earlier this week for an in-home visit. From talking to a source close to situation the thought is that the visit went really well for both sides. Texas A&M is making a push to retain McKinley's commitment, but LSU continues to push and work for the flip. There is now an expectation that McKinley will delay his LOI signing until February. This gives the Tigers a massive opportunity to get the big fella back to Baton Rouge for another visit prior to him making his final decision. McKinley keeps things close to the vest and it will be hard to get a good read on the situation if he were to decide to change his mind, but we will keep digging and bring what we can.
A few Portal Updates
There's a lot of LSU buzz right now in regards to Mississippi State transfer Zavion Thomas. So much so that Thomas appears to be close to cancelling visits he had lined up elsewhere indicating he could be ready to announce his decision. The LSU staff feels like they're in a good spot here. He had a great visit to Baton Rouge, he fits a need that the staff wantedt to address in the portal and with another WR target in Ja'Mori Maclin already off the board, he becomes the clear No.1 target for this LSU staff. A lot of positivity swirling in regards to Thomas to LSU right now.
Vanderbilt QB transfer AJ Swann took in a visit to South Carolina on Tuesday but has his eyes set on a couple more visits including another SEC stop in Baton Rouge this weekend. I'm told the SC visit went well, but he wants to check out a few more stops before making a decision. He's expected to take in LSU over the weekend for a multi-day visit. Could be an intriguing name to watch as things move forward.
Another name to keep an eye on that's been generating a lot of buzz is Texas A&M transfer Jardin Gilbert. The former U-High prospect is one to watch as things unfold and I'm told the staff is feeling pretty optimistic about this one as well. Gilbert played a total of 75 defensive snaps for the Aggies in 2023.
Official Visitors This Weekend
lsu.forums.rivals.com
As Rivals national recruiting director Adam Gorney mentioned above Echols will be in town this weekend for an official visit. The former Texas A&M commit is one of many Aggie commits that LSU continue to work on. Getting him on campus this late in the process is a major win for the LSU staff. Auburn is another program making a serious push for Echols.
Other Visitors
What is the Situation Room? For anyone that missed the previous two releases, The situation room, not unlike the one in the White House is an intelligence management room. A place where you can come get the latest inside scoop on LSU news and recruiting information.
It’s our version of a popular series across the Rivals network. A lot of sites that do these types of reports call them “War Room”, our Missouri site calls theirs “The Chamber”, and while I’m stealing their idea, I wanted to come up with something original for the name and to my knowledge no one is using The Situation Room.
With that said, lets gets right to it.
The Latest on the Jalen Cook Situation
Cook was initially expected to play on Saturday after the judge imposed a restraining order on the NCAA allowing multi-transfer athletes a window to play in games. The NCAA did react well to this news and released what was essentially a threat to those players saying that anyone that played during this window would lose a year of eligibility if the judge's ruling was overturned.
As of Friday afternoon Death Valley Insider is told by a source close to the situation that the expectation is Jalen Cook will play on Saturday.
INTEL - Jalen Cook to Play on Saturday
According to sources close to the situation I'm told Jalen Cook is planning to play on Saturday. From what I'm told the staff is leaving the decision up to him given the recent announcement from the NCAA, but as of Friday afternoon the expectation is that he will play.
lsu.forums.rivals.com
Here's more on the issue from Yahoo! Sports analyst Ross Dellenger.
It's a slippery slope and not one that should be treaded lightly especially if a few games results in losing an entire year of eligibility. A lot of what the NCAA does doesn't make sense to me and this is right there with the rest of their overreaching decisions. But I honestly think it'll continue to happen until a program stands up to them and ultimately turns it into a massive story with a heavy spotlight on the NCAA and their decision makers.
Harlem Berry's Decision
Just days away from Harlem Berry's decision and not much has changed. LSU still seems like the school in the driver's seat while Florida and Texas continue to try and make up ground. Based on everything I've heard over the last week; I'd be really surprised if Berry made announcement anywhere other than LSU. I actually went ahead and put in a FutureCast pick in favor of the Tigers landing Berry on Monday. There's just too much momentum there with LSU and I don't think these other programs have done enough over the last month to make up that ground.
Dominick McKinley
McKinley hosted LSU head coach Brian Kelly and assistant coach Frank Wilson earlier this week for an in-home visit. From talking to a source close to situation the thought is that the visit went really well for both sides. Texas A&M is making a push to retain McKinley's commitment, but LSU continues to push and work for the flip. There is now an expectation that McKinley will delay his LOI signing until February. This gives the Tigers a massive opportunity to get the big fella back to Baton Rouge for another visit prior to him making his final decision. McKinley keeps things close to the vest and it will be hard to get a good read on the situation if he were to decide to change his mind, but we will keep digging and bring what we can.
A few Portal Updates
There's a lot of LSU buzz right now in regards to Mississippi State transfer Zavion Thomas. So much so that Thomas appears to be close to cancelling visits he had lined up elsewhere indicating he could be ready to announce his decision. The LSU staff feels like they're in a good spot here. He had a great visit to Baton Rouge, he fits a need that the staff wantedt to address in the portal and with another WR target in Ja'Mori Maclin already off the board, he becomes the clear No.1 target for this LSU staff. A lot of positivity swirling in regards to Thomas to LSU right now.
Vanderbilt QB transfer AJ Swann took in a visit to South Carolina on Tuesday but has his eyes set on a couple more visits including another SEC stop in Baton Rouge this weekend. I'm told the SC visit went well, but he wants to check out a few more stops before making a decision. He's expected to take in LSU over the weekend for a multi-day visit. Could be an intriguing name to watch as things move forward.
Another name to keep an eye on that's been generating a lot of buzz is Texas A&M transfer Jardin Gilbert. The former U-High prospect is one to watch as things unfold and I'm told the staff is feeling pretty optimistic about this one as well. Gilbert played a total of 75 defensive snaps for the Aggies in 2023.
Official Visitors This Weekend
RECRUITING - Big visitor coming in this weekend...
Former Texas A&M commit and high three-star OL Coen Echols will take an official visit to LSU this weekend.
lsu.forums.rivals.com
As Rivals national recruiting director Adam Gorney mentioned above Echols will be in town this weekend for an official visit. The former Texas A&M commit is one of many Aggie commits that LSU continue to work on. Getting him on campus this late in the process is a major win for the LSU staff. Auburn is another program making a serious push for Echols.
Other Visitors
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