LSU's Roster for NCAA Football 12 Released

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Custom cover via WatsonTiger and the amazingly talented folks at the Operation Sports forums

 

As the release of NCAA Football 12 approaches, EA tends to leak out details in a trickle to keep folks interested all the way to the final days and this year has been no exception. Recently, their online Teambuilder site, which takes a lot of the pain out of making a custom team, (like my annual creation, the K&B Creoles) went live and perhaps inadvertently revealed the entire built-in rosters for the game. As always, to comply with NCAA rules, none of the players have names, just numbers on the back of their jerseys. However, EA does try to make the teams realistic and usually gets pretty close on the simulated rosters. I've taken the basic identifying stats and overall ranking for each player and tried to match it to the current available LSU roster. 

LSU is loaded with highly talented players as always, with only four players ranked below 70 on it's 100 point scale. There aren't very many superstars in their opinion, however, with only 4 players ranking 90 or above (and the highest ranked player on the team may surprise you). 

 

 

ATVS Estimated name	EA's Given number	Pos	Ht/Wt	Yr	Rating
Zach Mettenberger	11	QB	6’-5"/245	JR	85
Jordan Jefferson	9	QB	6’-5"/244	SR	84
Jarrett Lee	12	QB	6"-2"/207	SR	79

 

QB - Here's your big controversy right off the bat. His stats may be incorrect, but make no mistake, EA is clearly saying Mettenberger is the better QB. It remains to be seen who they have set as the default starter.

 

 

Alfred Blue	24	HB	6’-2"/207	SO	84
Kenny Hilliard	27	HB	6’-0"/218	FR	74
B.J. Wilson	23	HB	5’-9"/184	JR	78
Terrence Magee	20	HB	5’-9"/209	FR	61
Michael Ford	42	HB	5’-10"/202	SO	87

 

HB - Alfred Blue's number is wrong (currently listed as 4); Terrence Magee is currently without an official number, and the #20 EA gives him obviously won't be what he wears on the field.

 

 

Spencer Ware	16	FB	5’-11"/225	SO	73
James Stampley	35	FB	5’-10"/230	SR	77

 

FB - None of our FBs match the vitals listed for the 1st FB on the list. There is, however a 5'-11"/225 SO RB who used to wear #16 in Spencer Ware (he'll be wearing 11 this year). That leaves JC Copeland without a spot on the roster.

 

 

James Wright	82	WR	6’-2"/197	SO	74
Chris Tolliver	21	WR	6’-1"/178	JR	81
Jakhari Gore	85	WR	5’-10"/165	FR	74
Jarrett Fobbs	5	WR	5’-11"/185	SO	67
Russell Shepard	10	WR	6’-1"/188	JR	85
Rueben Randle	2	WR	6’-4"/207	JR	90
Kadron Boone	86	WR	6’-0"/202	SO	80
Odell Beckham Jr.	80	WR	5’-11"/178	FR	79
Jarvis Landry	81	WR	5’-11"/190	FR	66

WR - The guesses at this position all involve the freshmen, RS and otherwise (Jakhari Gore, Odell Beckham Jr., and Jarvis Landry). Gore's #3 has been given to a punter so I've had him take Long Snapper Alex Russian's #85 with close statistics. Beckham slots into the #80 (currently used by RS FR DB Jeffrey Lang) and Landry get #81 from another WR, FR RS Armand Williams who doesn't appear to have a match on EA's roster.

 

Deangelo Peterson	19	TE	6’-4"/243	SR	86
Mitch Joseph	83	TE	6’-5"/265	SR	80
Chase Clement	88	TE	6’-5"/261	JR	84

 

TE - Nothing wrong here, all the players you would expect to see make the field this year are listed correctly.

 

 

La'el Collins	71	LT	6’-5"/285	FR	78
Chris Faulk	76	LT	6’-6"/316	SO	86
Josh Dworaczyk	68	LG	6’-6"/295	SR	89
Trai Turner	61	LG	6’-5"/280	FR	72
Matt Branch	79	LG	6’-6"/287	JR	82
T-Bob Hebert	53	C	6’-3"/280	SR	92
P.J. Lonergan	64	C	6’-4"/300	JR	89
Josh Williford	74	RG	6’-7"/324	SO	81
Jonah Austin	67	RG	6’-5"/340	FR	74
Will Blackwell	60	RG	6’-4"/303	SR	88
Greg Shaw	75	RT	6-5"/295	SR	85
Alex Hurst	72	RT	6’-5"/329	JR	88

 

OL - It is here we find the EA Best Player on The Team in T-Bob Hebert with an overall rank of 92/100. Whether he starts at C or RG may be one of the more interesting battles of Summer Ball with Will Blackwell expected to be back at 100%. I think Matt Branch is on the wrong side of the line, but the listed stats are a match. The positions of #71, #61, and #67 are difficult to guess as there are no direct matches with the freshman on the roster. I've placed my best guesses in those spots.

 

 

Barkevious Mingo	49	LE	6"-5"/237	SO	82
Quentin Thomas	92	LE	6’-3"/227	FR	71
Kendrick Adams	94	LE	6’-5"/255	SR	86
Jordan Allen	98	LE	6’-6"/252	SO	74
Chancey Aghayere	87	RE	6’-4"/230	JR	85
Justin Maclin	54	RE	6’-4"/230	SO	75
Lavar Edwards	89	RE	6’-5"/265	JR	84
Dennis Johnson	97	DT	6’-2"/287	SR	74
Chris Davenport	91	DT	6’-4"/311	SO	69
Ego Ferguson	96	DT	6’-4"/298	FR	72
Josh Downs	77	DT	6’-1"/278	JR	85
Michael Brockers	90	DT	6’-6"/300	SO	81

 

DL - Quentin Thomas picks up a currently unassigned #92, and Justin Maclin is on the wrong side. I've put TEAM EGO as the best match at #96 (he's listed as wearing #9, but I believe EA shares Hawthorne's problems with duplicate numbers and doesn't allow them) Note that FR Anthony "Freak" Johnson is not on the roster.

 

 

Stefoin Francois	23	LOLB	6’-1"/215	SR	86
Luke Muncie	52	LOLB	6’-3"/223	SO	70
Tahj Jones	58	LOLB	6’-2"/205	SO	74
D.J. Welter	31	MLB	6’-0"/226	SO	71
Jarrett Hardnett	48	MLB	6’-2"/230	JR	70
Kevin Minter	46	MLB	6’-1"/225	SO	80
Josh Johns	39	ROLB	6’-2"/206	SO	73
Ryan Baker	22	ROLB	6’-0"/227	SR	89
Lamin Barrow	57	ROLB	6’-2"/221	SO	78

LB - This is a tough one for EA to do because they stick with a standard right-middle-left LB positions while many teams have multiple variations that give positions different names and often move personnel to different sides for coverage of specific targets. With this in mind, I basically ignored EA's directional listings and just tried to find the best match for all of the LBs. Only Trevon Randle, Nick Rice, and Seth Fruge don't make EA's roster.

 

 

Ron Brooks	13	CB	6’-0"/179	SR	85
Tre' Sullivan	34	CB	6’-2"/180	FR	73
Tharold Simon	26	CB	6’-3"/190	SO	78
Morris Claiborne	17	CB	6’-0"/177	JR	90
David Jenkins	30	CB	6’-1"/185	FR	71
Tyrann Mathieu	14	CB	5’-9"/180	SO	87
Karnell Hatcher	37	FS	6’-2"/212	SR	89
Craig Loston	6	FS	6’-2"/200	SO	83
Ronnie Vinson	28	FS	5’-11"/187	SO	73
Brandon Taylor	15	SS	6’-0"/195	SR	90
Eric Reid	1	SS	6’-2"/207	SO	85

 

CB and S - Same caveat as with the LBs but now with the nickel and dime positions. Tyrann has since picked up Peterson's #7. Tharold Simon is wearing 24 this year. Everyone is a close match with the exception of #30 and #34, which are not currently assigned to any DBs (#30 is P/K Drew Alleman). Again, I've made my best guess.

 

 

Drew Alleman	38	K	5’-11"/182	JR	85
Brad Wing	3	P	6’-1"/200	FR	78

 

P and K - EA's not really close on these. They've got Drew's number wrong and nothing right for Wing.

And that's all for EA's roster. Just 68 spots, with no room for Long Snappers (sadly, we may never seen the Kinchen brothers in a video game) and not a lot of spare room for depth, with guys like JC Copeland, Cameron Fordham, Sam Montgomery, and Rockey Duplessis left off.