South Terrebonne graduate joining LSU football

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LSU head football coach Ed Orgeron won’t be the only Cajun in the Tigers locker room next fall.

South Terrebonne graduate and former Southern University long snapper David-Michael Carrell announced on social media over the weekend that he’s transferring from the Jaguars program to LSU where he will finish up his eligibility as a Tiger.


Carrell was a starter for the Jaguars’ special teams unit last year. He has two years of eligibility remaining with the Tigers.

He said the opportunity to play for one of the best college football programs in the country is a feeling of pride that won’t go away for a long, long time.

“It feels great to be a Tiger,” Carrell said. “I feel like I have a lot in common with Coach O, being it’s a South Louisiana boy’s dream to play for the Tigers. … To play in the SEC will be a great experience. It’s definitely a different culture than the SWAC, but it will be an amazing feeling to play in the best conference that college football has to offer.”


For Carrell, his job is now to fight for playing time for a Tigers special teams unit that seeks to return to its former position as one of the best in the country after a very tough season in 2016.

Carrell is a long snapper. His job is simple.

He is to accurately snap the football from the line of scrimmage to the punter so that he can boot the football down the field before the rush gets there.


It’s an unappreciated job in football, but is arguably among the most important, because any hiccup at all could literally cost a team the game.

Once the ball is snapped, the long snapper’s job is to move up the field to try and stop punt returns, which often puts the player in a position to make a tackle.

In addition to the punting duties, the long snapper also sometimes works on the field goal team. In that role, his job is to accurately get the ball to the holder so that he can place the ball onto the ground before the kick.


Again, any mistake made in the process, can change the entire complexion of the game.

“It’s a high-stress position,” Carrell said. “It’s a position that isn’t known by the average football fan. It’s funny. It makes you wonder sometimes if people think the ball just magically gets back to the holder and the punter.”

But it’s a position that Carrell has thrived in during his time at the college level.


Carrell was a contributor for the Jaguars last season – even making his mark in the Bayou Classic game against Grambling.

In that contest, Carrell successfully snapped the football to the Jaguars’ punter, then moved down the field in coverage. The kick was fumbled and Carrell was in the right spot, falling on top of it to give the ball back to his team.

He said to make a play of that caliber in a nationally televised game was something he will remember for the rest of his life.


He added that he’s grateful for his time with the Jaguars and he’ll always wish the team well.

“I enjoyed my time at Southern,” Carrell said. “It was such a huge part in helping me mature as a man and as a football player.”

But now, he’s a Tiger and Carrell said he wants to make sure he hits the ground running when fall camp starts in a few weeks.


He said he’s worked throughout the summer perfecting his technique with Kyle Stelter and his body/athleticism with local trainer Gabe Barahona.

In between time, Carrell said he’s worked a summer job at Louis Mohana Furniture.

Carrell said he will report to Baton Rouge soon and will join the team before the start of practices in the 2017 season.


He said he can’t wait to get started, adding that the first chance he gets to wear the purple and gold will be a dream come true – a feeling he will not be able to describe.

“I’m excited to finally meet Coach O in person,” Carrell said. “From attending the youth football camps since I was 7 years old to now be able to call myself a Tiger, it’s just a surreal feeling. I’m so honored to be in this position.”

David-Michael Carrell


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