By Lee Feinswog
Special to LSUsports.net
Sooner or later it’s going to happen. After all, LSU has just one quarterback sack this season, that by sophomore linebacker Bradie James.
You just know that junior defensive end Jarvis Green, who had seven sacks in 1999, is going to break through and start terrorizing opposing quarterbacks. But this season the 6-foot-3, 265-pound product of Donaldsonville is paying the price for leading LSU’s defense last year.
“He’s our version of The Freak,” said LSU senior cornerback Fred Booker, referring to former Florida star linebacker Jevon Kearse, now with the Tennessee Titans.
“Jarvis is just as fast as I am,” said Booker, who would like to see the Tigers rack up some sacks Saturday when they play host to UAB at 7 p.m. “He’s a real big,
fast physical guy. We need him if we’re going to have a good year.”
LSU senior left offensive tackle Brandon Winey doesn’t go head-to-head with Green all that much in practice, but when he does knows he’s in for a battle.
“It’s like going against an All-American defensive end in practice every day,” Winey said. “He gives me a lot of work and with us going against each other for three years, he makes us both better. We come off the ball hard.”
Last year, Green had his hair died blonde. This season, he’s back to his natural black, but gray hair is staring to show on the 21-year-old, who said his father went gray early.
“Jarvis is pretty underrated and does a lot of great things for us,” sophomore linebacker Trev Faulk said. “He’s not very vocal, but he does a lot of great things for us. He hadn’t gotten too many opportunities to tee off on the quarterback, which is his specialty, but he’s a real good pass rusher who’s getting better every day at playing the run.”
Green is taking everything in stride.
“We’re a much better defensive line. We still need to get after the quarterback and stay focused and believe in ourselves and get out there and do it,” he said.
“We had a bad game against Auburn, but the defense will pull together and get after the ball. We’ve got to get better and better every week.”