Detroit Native Joseph Barksdale has Embraced the Louisiana Lifestyle
Games are won and lost in the trenches. Anyone who knows football will agree. They may not be the prettiest or flashiest players, but offensive linemen are key to a team’s success.
The development of the offensive line is one of the many reasons for LSU’s success this season. The Tigers’ offensive line is a special cohesive unit led by senior left tackle Joseph Barksdale.
“I think the offensive line jokes around a lot,” Barksdale said. “We’re all kind of similar. We’re all kind of nerdy and goofy type of people. The offensive line has gotten a lot more competitive. We crack a lot more jokes, and we’re all funny people. We hang out a lot together. That is one thing that I’m happy about. We’re not similar to the ‘T,’ but we’re like puzzle pieces and we definitely fit together. That has definitely helped us this year.”
Barksdale, a Detroit native, is the first football player from the state of Michigan to attend LSU. He was rated as a five-star defensive tackle by every major recruiting publication and was named to the prestigious Parade All America Team in high school.
He decided to enroll at LSU in the spring of 2007 after graduating a semester early. During his first semester of practice, the coaching staff approached Barksdale about switching to offensive line. After seeing that the depth chart was highlighted by Drake Nevis, Glenn Dorsey and Tyson Jackson, he agreed to make the position change. He hasn’t looked back since.
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“I love offense,” Barksdale said. “I learned the offensive tackle position through battling the third overall pick in the (2009) NFL draft (Tyson Jackson). After I learned it, I loved it. I’d never go back to defense.”
After playing in 14 games as a freshman, primarily on special teams and as a backup right tackle, Barksdale became the full-time starter during his sophomore season. He started 26 straight games at right tackle, spanning his sophomore and junior seasons, and has started the first 10 games this season at left tackle. He credits his “iron man” streak to his dedication on and off the field.
“Prayer and hard work is how I’ve kept healthy,” Barksdale said. “Some of the stuff that has happened to me, it has been a pure miracle I could still play football. Hard work in terms of rehabbing when I need to, eating right, getting the right amount of rest and doing the things the trainers tell you to do.”
Prior to his senior season, Barksdale was tasked with manning the left tackle position, but believes playing on both sides of the ball and both tackle positions have made him a better player.
“It’s given me a lot of versatility,” Barksdale said. “From learning how to strike with your hands on defense, to learning the right tackle position, which helps you learn the left tackle position, I feel like it’s all coming together and has helped me become a better player overall.”
Because of the added responsibility associated with the left tackle position, extra pressure on him was to be expected. He has succeeded at making the transition and through 10 games has not given up a sack.
“I like left tackle better because there’s more responsibility,” Barksdale said. “The quarterback can’t see that far over and it is pretty much you one-on-one trying to protect him from getting hit on his blindside.”
The added responsibility and his four-year experience at LSU have naturally made Barksdale one of the leaders of the team. Although he may be one of the funnier and more vocal guys off of the field, he tries to lead through his actions.
“If you take on more responsibility then people are going to look to you more,” Barksdale said. “The more they look to you, the more you have the ability to lead. I don’t like to talk much, and I’m a lead-by-example kind of guy. I can show you how to do something better than I can tell you.”
The leadership Barksdale brings to the squad only adds to the closeness of this team. One of the reasons Barksdale traveled so far to play football is the family atmosphere the team feels in the locker room.
“It just comes from the nature of the game,” Barksdale said. “Football is a team sport. It’s a lot like a family. You have to look after each other and work together, and that creates a kind of special bond that people have from when they first get here until death in some cases. It really is a family-like atmosphere here. That is one of the reasons I came.”
It comes as no surprise that Barksdale was very supportive of the Tigers giving coach Les Miles the game ball after the Alabama victory.
“It was well deserved,” Barksdale said. “I agreed with everything that Shepp (LSU linebacker Kelvin Sheppard) said. I think that was a great move.”
One of the other reasons Barksdale decided to attend LSU is the quality of competition. He thoroughly enjoys playing in games against opponents who challenge his skill and desire, and the SEC has provided that level of play.
“I came here for the big games,” Barksdale said. “You come to a school like LSU because you want to play against the top talent week in and week out. If you can prove that you’re good against somebody else who is good, than everyone else knows that you are good.”
One of the bigger games of the season and his career was the victory over Alabama on November 6. Barksdale admits that he may not have ever heard Tiger Stadium so loud and was proud of his teammates for pulling together.
“It was crazy,” Barksdale said. “The win didn’t hit me until we started singing the alma mater. It was great to see all of that hard work come together. People were crying, people were excited and it was just a great experience.”
Barksdale was a freshman in 2007 on the National Championship team and feels that the 2010 Tigers share likenesses to the 2007 squad.
“I think we have a lot of similar qualities,” Barksdale said. “We might have different talent levels at different areas, but overall as a team I think we’re very similar and I think we have a lot of the same capabilities.”
Today will mark Barksdale’s last game in Tiger Stadium, and he will be ready as ever to make an impact and help lead the team to victory.
“I’ve got to play big. I’ve got to play good. I can’t give up any sacks. It’s my last one and I’ve got to play like it’s my last one,” Barksdale said.