Maason Smith betting on himself in Year 2 at LSU | 'He's built different.'

LSU fans have known about Maason Smith for a long time, even prior to him signing with the Tigers.

The defensive tackle was the No. 1 ranked overall player in the country for the majority of his senior year at Terrebonne High School in Houma.

Prior to getting injured last year during the middle of his freshman season, Smith was off to a good start in his college career, but still learning. He never felt completely comfortable until recently.

The SEC should be on notice, Smith is betting on himself in Year 2 and that could be scary for opposing offensives.

"I've been around Maason for almost two years now and the stuff that he does at that size I've never seen before," said linebacker Greg Penn III, who is signed with the same NIL agency as Smith. "The crazy thing is I'm getting used to seeing him do it that it doesn't surprise me anymore. When he does freaky stuff like earlier in spring camp he went up and blocked a pass, he got so high in the air that I don't know how he did it. He's 300-something pounds doing that. He just does what he does and it's different. He's built different. I'm just happy he's on my team."

Smith recorded 19 total tackles, five tackles for loss and four sacks in Year 1 and with the offseason work, plus the guidance from new defensive line coach Jamar Cain, Smith is heading in the right direction for 2022 and beyond.

"Obviously, he's just the biggest human being you've probably ever been around," Cain said. "He's more mature than his age. You kind of forget that he's 19-20-years-old -- he's still a kid even as big as he is. He's very mature. He attacks the details and he wants to get better."

"I bet on myself every year," Smith laughed, then added: "This year is for me to establish that I'm one of the best defensive linemen in the country. If everything goes to plan like it's supposed to go, I'm going to kill this year. This is the money year. The price will go up. I'm just betting on myself and giving it all to the man above. If I'm destined to do it, I'm going to do it. That's really how I feel."

Smith has signed a handful of NIL deals, including Hollingsworth Richards Ford, the Q-Collar, the device linebacker Luke Kuechly wore the last few years before his retirement, and a trading card company, just to name a few.

He said: "I think it's me not worrying about it anymore or worrying what people think or how I play. I just got to go out and play how I play and how I played in high school. I know when I play to the best of my ability, no one is beating me."

He has continued to work on all aspects of his game from getting better in stopping the run to getting stronger in the weight room and his mental health.

At 6-foot-5, 305-pounds, Smith said a recent test showed he has just 21 percent body fat, which of course has to do with the new nutrition and strength and conditioning program. Smith described the new program as less taxing on the body for overall wear and tear or injuries.

"I feel like I'm a whole different person from when I first arrived on campus in both aspects of mental and physical. The things we had to endure with the whole coaching staff, and I'm not saying it was bad, but it was rough. Coach O was an old-minded head coach and he wanted us to hit, which is okay and it prepares you physically for how things are going to be," he said, adding, "I've also gotten a lot stronger in the weight room and building my body to where I can play on the inside at a comfortable weight and take on those double-team blocks and everything. Mentally, I feel like I've aged three years. I can't tell you why or how. In the spring I look like a whole different person playing the run. I sharpened up my run game and made it a whole lot better."

Cain believes Smith is finally getting comfortable in his own skin and his abilities.

"When I got here in January I think he was still working to get his confidence up because it was all still new, and then after spring it was kind of like, 'Okay, I've been here and done that already.' You can see the game slowing down for him," the defensive line coach said.

The offseason is finally over as the real work is just getting started as the Tigers kicked off preseason fall camp last week under Brian Kelly, who called Smith an "impact player" during a TV segment at SEC Media Days.

Smith wants to leave an impact on his team and open some eyes nationally this season. He has goals of achieving at least 10 sacks and 10 tackles for loss. He also has his eyes on finishing the year as a finalist for the Outland Trophy, which is awarded to the best college football interior lineman. Defensive tackle Jordan Davis of Georgia won the award last year. The lone LSU player to ever win the award was DT Glenn Dorsey in 2007.

MORE FROM JAMAR CAIN ON SMITH

How can and will someone like Maason, with that amount of talent, be used on the line with the depth you have? "The beauty of Maason is he can play any position on the front, so we can move him around as much as we want. He's got such a work ethic that he knows every position and I forced him to learn every position. In spring ball, I threw him out there and he was like, 'I don't know it,' and I told him he had to figure it out. I can see him playing multiple positions. We're going to put our best players on the field.

"This is probably the first room I've been in where the depth dictates the way we practice because you can't have a bad practice in our room. If Ali has a bad practice then Saivion is sitting right behind him. If Saivion practices bad then Quency is right behind him. So, if Maason has a bad practice then Mekhi Wingo, who played in the SEC last year, is right behind him or Jacobian Guillory. There's enough depth that it dictates our practice and how we attack each day. My first day I knew these guys were good because I watched the Kansas State game after I accepted the job, but after winter workouts and seeing these guys move I knew we have a good group and I cannot mess this up."

Maason obviously has goals he wants to reach with stats or other personal marks, what's your thoughts on what is he capable of doing? "Maason is a very intentional kid in his work. We talked today about some of his goals and he wants to know how he can reach those goals as a sophomore. He's going to be very detailed in doing his work and I don't see any reason why he shouldn't hit those goals this season. There's been days where he could have sat out of practice with a stiff back or this or that, but he wants to go every day.

"I don't want to say he'll his this rack or certain numbers because that applies stress and I don't want to apply stress, I want to apply pressure. I just want him to come out every day and do his best and work hard. A kid who is blessed with that much talent, it could be easy for him but you can't get satisfied with the routine, and that's what Maason has to fight against. It's so easy because he is so talented, but he has to do the extra because of that talent. Can't be satisfied with having just a good practice. He should dominant every practice where Coach Kelly says, 'We can't put him in.' That should be his expectation that coach Kelly wants him out of practice because the offense can't get a snap off. That's got to be on him, not me, to want to dominant the SEC, and I know he will. I just have to put him in the right position to succeed."

MORE FROM GREG PENN ON SMITH

What do you think he's capable of accomplishing this season? "I think Maason should be the best defensive tackle in the SEC this year. In spring, he was taking on two blocks and making it easier for me and Mike to make plays, so I appreciate Maason -- him and J. Roy are both big-time D-tackles. Maason should be a first round pick when he comes out of LSU. He knows that. He knows the expectation people have for him, which pushes him every day I think. We're pretty close. We talk a lot. I just think he's in for a really big year."

MORE FROM MAASON SMITH

How's your relationship with coach Cain? "We talk ball of course but the things me and him talk about aren't always football. I called him earlier and it was just about how things work. I like how he is as a person and he really helped me out mentally. This spring I was so tough on myself, I didn't want to miss a rep. I don't ever want to lose, ever. He just really told me some things to help me with my mental and some of the techniques he's taught me has really helped. I played in a defensive three-man front in high school, but I never played it how they do in college. So that was a change for me. I was so used to playing a four-down front like we played last year, so he's really helped me out with mirror-stepping, keys on what the offensive linemen do and stuff like that."

How ready are you for Week 1 against Florida State and facing off against WR Ja'Khi Douglas, a friend and former high school teammate? "It'll be like TPR all over again. I'm expecting Ja'Khi to kill but everyone else I don't want them to win. I play against him, but ultimately growing up with him and playing with him since I was 6-years-old, I want to see my boy win. I want him to catch some passes, not a touchdown pass, but make some noise. It's going to be like the old days. I'm so ready for that game. I can't wait. It'll be my first time playing in the Dome. It's going to be packed with my family and everybody will be there -- the whole city of Houma will be at that game."