An example of how loyalty remains

It was one of those anti-climactic bowl build-ups for LSU.
After a 6-6 regular season that had saw its head coach get fired while opt-outs and injuries ran rampant, the Tigers managed to squeak into the Texas Bowl to play Kansas State.
Then, the opt-outs continued. Prominent defensive players transferred or opted-out of the game to prepare for the NFL Draft. The transfer portal also decided to take its toll on LSU.
When the smoke cleared, LSU was left with a certifiable skeleton crew by FBS standards. They had 39 players, and no scholarship quarterbacks, able to dress out for its bowl game.
That’s a decently sized Class 1A football team. For perspective, LSU is allowed 85 scholarship players.
The results were about as expected. The proud few that were left lost 42-20 to a full-strength K-State squad.
But note the key word: proud. There was nothing about the remaining Bayou Bengals that suggested they were going out without a fight.
And fight they did. While many couldn’t help themselves but to be as negative as they could possibly be, there was nothing to be ashamed of.
If anything, we should be celebrating this rag-tag group of Tigers, in particular Jontre Kirklin.
Kirklin, by every standard, had an unremarkable career at LSU.
A high school quarterback, Kirklin was recruited to play defensive back at LSU. Then, he was moved to receiver to give him a better chance of getting playing time.
In five years at LSU, Kirklin racked up an unremarkable 20 career catches. Yet, he stuck it out. He always wanted to be a Tiger. And there’s something to be said for that.
I’m not anti-transfer portal. I think kids should have the opportunity to maximize their potential. I believe the portal does that.
But I’m not anti-loyalty either. In the grand scheme, I’m very portal-neutral.
But, when a kid like Kirklin sticks it out he deserves his opportunity to shine. That’s exactly what happened in the Texas Bowl.
His stat line will not stand out in the grand scheme of things. But everything about it said storybook ending.
Kirklin threw three touchdown passes. It’s a feat that has previously been accomplished four other times in LSU’s bowl history, three of them by Joe Burrow.
His final touchdown pass, actually his final pass attempt, was an 86-yard touchdown pass to freshman Chris Hilton.
That’s a cool detail. But, what stood out about Kirklin is something that was already established by his sticking it out. His passion for LSU may be unmatched.
This quote says it all.
“Shoot. We’re Fighting Tigers. We’re not going to back down from nobody. If we’ve got 11, we’re going to go play.”
Well said, and a shining example of how powerful loyalty still can be in college sports.