Five years and 50 games later, LSU's Baskerville glad he went the distance
Seventeen seniors, including eight players who were members of the LSU 2019 national championship team, will be honored on Senior Night when the 6th ranked Tigers host UAB Saturday at 8 p.m.
Of those eight, the only player who has played in at least eight games in each of his five LSU seasons is senior outside linebacker Micah Baskerville.
“It's been a lot of ups and downs,” Baskerville said earlier this week. “Everything happens for a reason, like me coming back for my fifth year. I didn't want to leave on that note (a 6-7 losing season).
“I wanted to end up more something like this. And it's just crazy how God works and everything just falls into place. It’s been a good five-year roll.”
The former Shreveport Evangel Academy star been a Tiger so long that he:
•Came off bench to replace Jacob Phillips in the 7-overtime 2018 loss at Texas A&M when Phillips was ejected for targeting in the 3rd OT period.
•Blocked a punt vs. Vanderbilt in 2019 and recovered it for a TD as well as returning an onside kick 46 yards to the Vandy 1 to set up another LSU TD.
•Became a starter and had three double-digit tackle performances in 2020.
•Finished second of the team in tackles in 2021 and returned an interception 54 yards vs. Florida to set up an LSU TD.
.•This year after losing his starting job and playing just 6 snaps in the season-opening loss to Florida State and just 20 in game two against Southern when he scored on a 29-yard interception return, Baskerville has started the last six games and leads the Tigers in tackles with 63.
“It was just doing all the things, making all the pieces fit in the puzzle, whatever Coach (Brian Kelly) needed me to do I was going to do it," said Baskerville, who has played under four different LSU defensive coordinators.
After last season, Baskerville had plans to turn pro and even accepted an invitation to the NFLPA Collegiate Bowl. But he changed his mind when he remembered he promised his mother he would graduate.
“I wanted to own up to that,” Baskerville said. “Graduating was more important than leaving and going to the league (NFL).”
Baskerville met with Kelly in January to discuss his return.
“I had a conversation with him and he told me what I needed to do,” Baskerville said. “And I told him that I'll get it done. Just give me a chance, he gave me a chance and I've done everything he asks me. I'm going to continue to do that.”
Earlier this week when Kelly was asked about the Tigers’ senior class, he immediately mentioned Baskerville.
“What stands out are the stories like Micah Baskerville who when I got here everybody was like `He doesn't go to class, he doesn't do this, doesn't do that,’” Kelly said. "And he has been amazing.
“The standards of the program obviously were set, and he was going to meet and exceed the standards that were set. Along the way he started to feel really good about his academics and getting his degree, and it was important to him. He knew could be successful both in the classroom and on the football field.
“We gave him the belief and the trust that once he was able to get those things accomplished, he would be a center point in terms of what we did defensively.
“He has been a great leader. He has been inspirational in everything he has done. To watch him grow and do the right things in the classroom, to overcome all the things that were in his past, that to me is the senior class.”
If Baskerville stays healthy for the rest of the season, he’ll finish his five-year LSU career having played in at least 54 games with 30 starts. He currently has 234 career tackles with 22 tackles for loss.
There are big games remaining for the SEC Western Division champion Tigers, including playing in the league championship game on Dec. 3 vs. defending national champion and No. 1 ranked Georgia.
But the most monumental date on Baskerville’s calendar is Dec. 16 when LSU holds its fall graduation ceremony and he recieves his bachelors degree.
“That’s what I’m really ready for,” he said.
So is his momma.