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Is this the year LSU will have a productive third WR? Chark, Ferguson set to emerge
By Gary Laney
Published:
BATON ROUGE, La. — It’s a dubious distinction LSU quarterback Brandon Harris put on D.J. Chark last week when he declared that Chark, LSU’s little-used junior wide receiver, had emerged as the team’s “starting” third receiver.
“D.J. Chark is the guy,” he said.
What does that really mean in what’s been a top-heavy offense?
If there’s any part of LSU’s offense that has been under-utilized in the last 10 years, it’s been the third wide receiver. Not since Demetrius Byrd led LSU in touchdown receptions during the Tigers’ 2007 national championship run have the Tigers had a dangerous third receiving threat.
Since then, only three times have the Tigers had a third wide receiver catch 20 passes and none have hit the 500-yard mark for the season. Only once — in 2010 — did a third receiver catch at least 30 passes and that receiver, Russell Shepard, was more of a running back hybrid who caught most of his passes out of the backfield.
Below is the breakdown for the third receiver in the LSU rotation:
SEASON | No. 3 WR | RECEPTIONS | YARDS | TDS |
---|---|---|---|---|
2015 | John Diarse | 13 | 137 | 0 |
2014 | John Diarse | 15 | 275 | 3 |
2013 | Travin Dural | 7 | 145 | 2 |
2012 | Kadron Boone | 26 | 348 | 4 |
2011 | Russell Shepard | 14 | 190 | 4 |
2010 | Russell Shepard | 33 | 254 | 1 |
2009 | Rueben Randle | 11 | 173 | 2 |
2008 | Terrence Toliver | 22 | 257 | 1 |
2007 | Demetrius Byrd | 35 | 621 | 7 |
Those aren’t huge numbers, but it’s something that Chark and Jazz Ferguson, the likely candidates to be the Tigers’ No. 3 and No. 4 receivers this year, are out to change. Harris thinks he may have a third receiver ready for a statistical breakthrough.
“I wouldn’t be surprised if (Chark) leads us in receiving yardage,” Harris said, noting that his uncanny speed will allow him to turn short passes into big gains.
But let’s not get too ahead of ourselves here.
The third receiver role has been frustrating for the player in the position. Last year, LSU used primarily two players in the role in John Diarse and Trey Quinn, and neither was productive and both opted to transfer in the offseason.
LSU’s fifth receiver, Tyron Johnson, also left the team during camp, meaning the top two candidates, Chark and Ferguson, come into the year with no career receptions between them. So expectations may be tempered a little bit.
“I try not to put any pressure on myself to do too much, just do what the team asks of me,” said Chark, whose breakout moment to this point was a 79-yard touchdown run on a reverse against Texas Tech in last year’s Texas Bowl. “That’s been going well. I was always taught to do what you’re supposed to do, and as long as you do that, you’ll be OK.”
That might even mean not catching a lot of passes. With Leonard Fournette getting carries in the backfield and Harris’ top two targets — Malachi Dupre and Travin Dural — the focus of most pass plays, how many balls will be left for the third receiver?
That’s a legitimate question in LSU’s offense. Even in 2013, when Zach Mettenberger threw for over 3,000 yards, Kadron Boone only caught seven passes as the third receiver. In that season, the offense featured Odell Beckham Jr. and Jarvis Landry as the top two receiving options and Jeremy Hill at running back. All three were future NFL stars.
So maybe it’s a matter of an offense that isn’t so top heavy in talent.
If that’s the case, is this an offense that will have enough balance to accommodate a fourth offensive weapon? Certainly Fournette should get a ton of touches, and both Dupre and Dural have proven to be big-play weapons.
But one can argue that the speedy and tall (6-foot-3) Chark, and the tall, rangy (6-foot-5) Ferguson may have talent that past third-receiver options did not have.
Chark showed his talent in the Texas Bowl run.
“Growing up, I’ve always been a guy who can rely on my speed,” he said. “I’ve tried to work on things other than speed like route-running and being a good teammate. Now I have to step up to be a leader.”
Harris said Chark has worked hard on his pass-catching, and both he and Ferguson have had good offseasons.
“I feel like I’m ready to have a much bigger role,” Ferguson said. “If I get to play — not start but just play — and get more adjusted to playing, I’ll get more comfortable.”
In 2012 and 2013, Kadron Boone only caught 33 passes as the Tigers’ third receiver, but six were for touchdowns. Perhaps that’s where the third receiver could be a factor this year. With all the eyes on Harris’ main three weapons, there may be a chance to make big plays, even if they aren’t in high volume.
“The thing is to just be ready,” Chark said, “and do what’s asked of you.”