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For Mekhi Wingo, LSU vs Missouri is unique trip back home

On3 imageby:Matthew Brune•10/04/23•

MatthewBrune_

Mekhi Wingo LSU Football
Mekhi Wingo LSU Football

It’s a homecoming for Mekhi Wingo, LSU’s star defensive linemen, this Saturday as his team faces Missouri on the road on Saturday at 11 a.m. Out of Saint Louis, Wingo spent one year at Missouri before transferring to LSU looking to play on the biggest stage in college football.

As a freshman, he was named to the SEC Freshman team, then as a sophomore was an All-SEC caliber player at defensive tackle for LSU. Now, it’s his first time to play in front of friends and family since leaving.

“It’s a great feeling to go home and play in front of my family,” Wingo said. “I’ve been talking to those guys over there for the last few weeks. It’s a great feeling to see those guys again and compete in front of the crowd I used to play in front of.

“For opposing teams it can be hostile. Fans are going crazy, but guys will be ready. It’s nothing we haven’t experienced, we play in Death Valley.”

Over the past week, Wingo has been working to get as many tickets as possible from his LSU teammates as he looks ahead to getting his family in the game. 

“I’ve got about 50 or 60 people coming to the game,” Wingo said. “It’s definitely going to be great for those family members that haven’t been able to travel, to play in front of them. I’ve been asking teammates for tickets all week, so I’m excited to be back.”

Taking the next step

Out of DeSmet High School, Wingo was a three-star prospect with offers from a litany of Big 12 schools and says he was interested in leaving his home state before committing to play at Missouri. When his high school head coach Robert Steeples took the job as cornerbacks coach for LSU, Wingo had the perfect opportunity to take the next step in his game.

“Even from the beginning, I really wanted to branch out and leave,” Wingo said. “I’ve had the desire to just experience different things and to play at a big time school like LSU is what I always wanted. Coming here I did love the different coaching I was given and being in a room that was really deep and pushing me.”

Now, his LSU team is looking for answers on defense, and as the captain, he continues to keep the group focused on improvement. Missouri has a high-powered offense and for LSU the challenge comes in matching their determination with execution on the defensive side of the ball.

“We come into every game looking to win,” Wingo said. “This is definitely going to be a statement game for us and one that we really want to win coming off of a loss like that and putting our identity on film and showing who we really are.”

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