Micah Baskerville trusted Brian Kelly, now both embark on unforgettable season

From the outside looking in, Micah Baskerville was an enigma during the 2022 spring football period.

The top leading returning tackler from LSU’s 2021 team and soon-to-be fifth year senior was buried on the depth chart behind a slew of younger players and transfers who had hardly played meaningful college snaps. With a complete overhaul of the coaching staff, Baskerville knew nothing was guaranteed, but still decided to return for a fifth season at LSU, now under new leadership.

Days and weeks passed and Baskerville remained down the depth chart, normally running with the third team in offense vs. defense periods, if getting on the field at all. Spring passed, then summer passed, and the fall season arrived with still no sign of Baskerville being a starter.

It was understood that there had to be off the field issues holding him out, but as the season approached, it looked like Greg Penn and Mike Jones would man the middle and Baskerville would be nothing more than a rotation piece in Matt House’s defensive scheme.

Fast forward to this week and Baskerville is preparing his final home game as an LSU Tiger as the leading tackler on the 2022 team and one of the unquestioned leaders on a squad that is set to play in the SEC Championship in two weeks.

How’s that for a turnaround?

While he’s always been a talented football player, getting his life outside of football together has been the far more valuable change for him this season.

“What stands out are the stories like Micah Baskerville,” Kelly said on Monday. “When I got here everyone was like ‘He doesn’t go to class, he doesn’t do this or that’ and he’s been amazing. He’s gotten his degree, he’s been a great leader, and he’s been inspirational in everything he’s done. I love that story. To watch him grow and do the right things in the classroom and overcome all of the things that were in his past, that to me is this senior class.”

Alignment

There was an agreement between Baskerville and Kelly early in 2022 that the veteran linebacker from Shreveport would hold up his end of the bargain, but Kelly wasn’t interested in words, he wanted to see the actions before he let Baskerville move up the depth chart. Even as Baskerville started to make the turnaround in the classroom and do the little things asked of him, it became about consistency.

“Before I decided to come back, I had told him I wanted to meet and I had a conversation with him,” Baskerville said. “He told me what I needed to do and I told him I would get it done if he gave me a chance and he gave me that chance. I’ve done everything he asked of me and I’ll continue to do that.” 

In 50 career games, Baskerville has now amassed 234 tackles and 22 tackles for loss, and there’s still four games left for those numbers to look even better when he looks back on his career in Baton Rouge.

This seniors season will be the one he remembers the most, not only because of the team and individual success on the field, but the hurdles he had to overcome to get to this point.

“I had my times where I didn’t want to go to class or do things like that, but now I understand why I needed to do all the [little] things,” Baskerville said of his past. “I was in the moment and not thinking about the bigger picture, like graduating. I really appreciate [coach Kelly] for putting it in a better perspective for me and my family.”

Trust

Kelly was abundantly clear from the beginning of his time at LSU and it forced players like Baskerville to make a choice: Buy-in or leave. Baskerville could have entered the transfer portal and had every P5 school in the country on his phone, but instead trusted Kelly to get him where he needed to go.

“There have been a lot of different emotions, but when he came in he told us the process and we all bought in and we’re happy now,” Baskerville said. “Everything he said was true and everything about the process, the little details, everyone is seeing our success from it, so it’s a wonderful feeling.”

Despite starting in 2020 and 2021, Baskerville knew there was more to gain from this experience. Now, he’s not only been one of LSU’s best players as the Tigers make one final push to the SEC Championship game, but he also has his degree. 

Both showing just how far he’s come in the past 10 months.

“There have been a lot of ups and downs,” Baskerville said. “Everything happens for a reason, though, like me coming back for my fifth year. I didn’t want to leave on [how we played] last year, I wanted to leave on something like this. It’s crazy how God works and everything falls into place. It’s been a good road.”