clock menu more-arrow no yes mobile

Filed under:

Best Players of the Les Miles Era #2: Glenn Dorsey

The Best Players of the Les Miles Era series continues with the most dominant defensive lineman I've ever personally seen play College Football. Glenn Dorsey.

Collegiate Images/Getty Images

Tim Tebow is just holding Glenn Dorsey's Heisman for him. Yeah, I said it. Glenn Dorsey was the most dominant college football player in 2007. And he had his leg taken out by Chaz Ramsey and was hindered for the last 5 1/2 games of the season. And was still dominant. F Chaz Ramsey by the way. Anyhow, there's no question to me that while Glenn Dorsey may not be the best player of the Les Miles era, even though he's damn close, he was undoubtedly the most dominant. As an SEC coach said in this article: 72 reasons why Glenn Dorsey should win the Heisman, there wasn't a huge difference between the best QB's and RB's in the SEC or in the whole nation. But the difference between Glenn Dorsey and the next best DL was massive. Just as massive as Glenn Dorsey's impact.

Glenn Dorsey's entire career was built upon domination. That was what he did. Sometimes with great defensive lineman they "take plays off", or "slow down", or have off days. Glenn Dorsey didn't have that. In his dominant 2007 season, his "off day" was 2 tackles. His best day? 8 tackles, a sack, and 1 TFL He was an absolute machine. In every sense of the word. But it wasn't all easy for Dorsey. He had to work himself up the depth chart. And that he did. It's a similar tale to many of the top players on this list. They didn't start out world-beaters. But they got better and better and reached the apex of their positions - Mo Claiborne, Glenn Dorsey. Or even college football - Tyrann Mathieu. And that's what makes so many of these players great. That's what made Glenn Dorsey do what he did best: Dominate.

In his first year, Dorsey started only 3 games, but the signs were always there. On his first play from scrimmage he recovered a fumble against Oregon State. He finished the season with 18 tackles.

In 2005, Dorsey only started 1 game, but was a key part of the 4 man rotation LSU employed at Defensive Line, along with Claude Wroten and Kyle Williams. He finished with 10 more tackles than 2004 - 28, and had 3 sacks.

Then in 2006 he became a man. Then he began to dominate. The stats are sterling

22 Solo Tackles, 42 Assisted Tackles, 64 overall tackles, 8.5 tackles-for-loss, 3 sacks. 2006 All-SEC, 2006 All-American. His individual stats per game are even better.

@ Auburn: 3 So, 5 Ast, 8 Total, 3 TFL, 1.5 Sacks

Vs Ole Miss: 3 So, 8 Ast, 11 Total

He had 5 tackles or more 6 times. He had 4 tackles or more 11 times. And that same word springs to mind again: Domination. His first 3 seasons could be worthy enough of a spot on this list. But was he done? Nope. Was he done dominating? You bet he wasn't.

Glenn Dorsey's 2007 season

  • 34 solo tackles
  • 35 assisted tackles
  • 69 total tackles
  • 12.5 tackles-for-loss
  • 7 sacks
  • Bronko Nagurski Award
  • Outland Trophy
  • Lott Trophy
  • Lombardi Award
  • Consensus All-American
  • SEC Defensive Player of the Year

And he did all of that despite having an injury during the back-half of his season. That's what he did..... with an injury. Again, F Chaz Ramsey. He also finished 9th in Heisman Voting. 9th. Are you kidding me? You're telling me there were 9 better football players in the country than Glenn Dorsey in 2007? Like I said before, Tim Tebow is merely carrying Glenn Dorsey's Heisman for him. This was a season that defines one word: Domination. This was a career that defines one word: Domination.

That's the story and legacy of Glenn Dorsey. He went out there, he searched, he destroyed, and he dominated. It's extremely hard to put Dorsey at #2 on this list. And that's just a sign of how good #1 was. Because Glenn Dorsey was an absolute machine.


Other Entries to the Best Players of the Les Miles Era Series:

#3 Tyrann Mathieu

#4 Jamarcus Russell

#5 Jarvis Landry

#6 Morris Claiborne

#7 Jeremy Hill

#8 Eric Reid

#9 Zach Mettenberger

#10 LaRon Landry

#11 Jacob Hester

#12 Kevin Minter

#13 Sam Montgomery

#14 Brandon Taylor

#15 Odell Beckham Jr