Change is never easy, especially when expectations are set at the highest level of college football. LSU’s team has undergone a period of transition with new leadership adjustments on and off the field.
Despite all of the change, two players on the defensive line have shown up and stood strong as leaders for their teammates.
Defensive tackle Jacobian Guillory II, a Tiger for his entire career, and defensive lineman Bernard Gooden, who’s grown through two programs before finding his home here in Baton Rouge, have led the LSU this season with persistence and grit.
“Things can be difficult,” Gooden said. “But in those moments, I see it more as a blessing that I’m here.”
Different roads may have led the two standout defensive players here, but both have embodied what it means to wear the purple and gold.
Guillory, an Alexandria, La., native, returned for his sixth season at LSU this fall. The lifelong Tiger was once a redshirt freshman waiting for his moment to shine on the gridiron. Now, he stands as a prominent player on the defensive roster.
His path wasn’t linear, but it’s one that has showcased his humility and dedication to excellence, not just on the field, but who he is as a person.
At just age six, he survived a car accident that took the lives of his mother, Sherrika Vincent, and unborn sister, Kieahnie. This loss went on to guide and shape him into the leader who can withstand any adversity that comes his way.
He saw and learned strength and fortitude from an early age after being raised by his aunt, Angela McMillan, who battled breast cancer twice.
“She showed me how to navigate life,” Guillory said. McMillan stands as a constant support system that is steadfast through Guillory’s journey.
Guillory committed to LSU following the 2019 LSU-Alabama game. The Tigers’ victory would empower him as he would begin to embark on his own path the following year.
After only appearing in one game his first year, Guillory grew through his mental toughness.
“Mentally, I just had to be tough because it took a lot for me to wake up every morning, work out, come to practice, and then sit the bench during games,” Guillory admitted. “That took a toll on me, but it needed to happen.”
In order to become the leader and anchor he is today, he continued to work around the clock, gaining both physical and mental strength despite challenges like new coaching staffs and teammates leaving to pursue their own paths.
His mental toughness paid off after Guillory became a steady presence in the Tigers’ 2021 season, playing in 11 games.
“The day I signed that paper to commit to LSU, that was a four to five-year commitment,” Guillory said. “I never wanted to leave, and I’m all about LSU. I just grinded it out like I always do and found a way.”
Last year, he appeared in two games before suffering a season-ending injury. Now, carrying the nickname “Tank,” Guillory is back full throttle and has started and played in every game this season for the Tigers.
“I come in here every day with a smile on my face just knowing I get to be leader of the defensive line group at LSU,” he said. “I never would’ve dreamed this would’ve been my role.”
Guillory’s teammate on the line may not have started his career in Baton Rouge, but Gooden’s commitment to the program and success on the field have made him a leader on the Tigers’ defense.
Gooden grew up in Montgomery, Ala., where he found love for the game at an early age. Football ran deep in his family, with his father also playing ball.
“With my dad being a player, and being in a household that loved watching football, it shaped me to be where I’m at today,” Gooden said.
Gooden stated he felt late to the game and unsure about his future after not receiving his first college offer until his senior year of high school.
In addition to his journey’s uncertainty, Gooden’s recruiting year fell during the COVID era.
“It was hard to feel seen,” he shared.
The unprecedented times made the transition challenging, but Gooden persevered and began his college career at Wake Forest back in 2021.
His time with the Demon Deacons came to a close when he decided to transfer after spending the 2021 season on the sideline and playing a backup role in 2022.
Gooden’s grit carried him to South Florida, but would still teach him patience. After having to sit out the 2023 season due to NCAA transfer rules, he got his break-out. In 2024, he recorded 35 tackles, including 10 tackles for loss and 1.5 sacks.
These stats made a player who once felt unseen bright in the spotlight. Gooden was on the radar of many scouts, leading him to make a decision as to where he would close out his collegiate career.
“I was already going into my fifth year,” he said. “It was my last chance, and I wanted to go big or go home. And what better place to do that than at LSU, in the SEC?”
Gooden’s move to Baton Rouge was met with a sense of home and belonging.
“Really, it’s the people that make LSU,” he shared. “People are so welcoming. Overall, everyone feels like family here.”
Gooden’s work ethic and diligence cinched his spot as one of the SEC’s top interior pass rushers in LSU’s first six games.
“I feel like my game has gotten better overall,” Gooden said. “I feel more advanced.”
He recorded two solo tackles, 11 assisted tackles and 1.5 sacks this season before suffering a bruised collarbone in the Tigers’ win against South Carolina, which would result in him missing the October 18 Vanderbilt game.
Gooden’s injury would only be short-term, as he returned the following week during the LSU-Texas A&M game.
Although Guillory and Gooden had different paths, they were led to the same line, now standing as key voices and leaders for LSU’s 2025 team.
The pair complement each other, both bringing qualities that are essential for success on and off the field.
Guillory showcases maturity through life’s challenges and steadfast loyalty to a program that has grown with him as he has stepped into a leadership role.
Gooden has brought a fresh perspective and hunger from his journey through multiple programs and a desire to play on one of the biggest stages in college football.
Both players have set the tone for the defensive line and hold themselves to a higher standard that will make an impact on the program for years to come.
LSU is marked as a home for perseverance for the two, and their unique stories embody what it truly means to be a Tiger.
“Football teaches you so much about how to be a better man that other sports can’t,” Guillory said. “I just love football, and that will never change.”
Side by side, Guillory and Gooden hold a shared purpose despite taking different roads to Tiger Stadium. They are bound by the belief that perseverance, not the path, defines the player.