LSU received a boost to its defensive line in the offseason with the addition of Ali Gaye. The JUCO transfer recorded 44 tackles, a sack and a pair of blocked kicks last year at Arizona Western Community College.

It has been a long and winding path for Gaye, who was born in The Gambia but emigrated to the United States with his family as a 12-year-old.

“Just being from a third-world country is different when you come out to a place like here,” Gaye told LSU digital media reporter Cody Worsham. “Everything out here is different from back there. I’m not going to say I made it, but so far I’m on the right path on trying to find success.”

Gaye also shared the reason why he chose the jersey number 11 when coming to LSU. It’s in memory of one of his former teammates at Arizona Western, Bryce Beekman, who died in March.

“He was somebody that would light up the room every time he walked in, somebody that just brought the energy in practice or wherever we were,” Gaye said. “I wear ’11’ because it reminds me of him and the kind of energy that he brought out.”

You can watch the entire video below.