LSU Football: Bo Pelini’s comments about Jabril Cox in 2019 are foretelling

LSU football defensive coordinator Bo Pelini will have a new stud linebacker to use in his defense in 2020.

When Bo Pelini walked off the field on November 2, 2019 after his Youngstown State squad lost 56-17 to North Dakota State, he had no idea he’d be back in Baton Rouge in 2020 serving as LSU football’s defensive coordinator.

Pelini also had no idea that he’d get the chance to coach North Dakota State linebacker Jabril Cox, the former Missouri Valley Football Conference Defensive Player of the year, in 2020.

Which makes his comments on November 2 about Cox even more interesting.

After Youngstown State lost to North Dakota State, Pelini found Cox on the field simply to tell the All-American linebacker that he was a special player.

According to The Athletic, Pelini told Cox he was a NFL player. Pelini then told reporters “I think he’s really good in coverage. He’s a good open-field tackler.”

The former Youngstown State head coach added “Sometimes I don’t know what the NFL guys look for, but how you’d watch this kid on film and say that you don’t want this kid on your football team, I mean, you don’t know much about football if anybody says that”.

Less than a year after saying those words, Pelini will get the chance to have Cox on his team — over a thousand miles away in Baton Rouge.

Cox announced earlier this month that he’ll spend his final season of eligibility at LSU, where he’ll instantly be a key part of the Tigers’ defense.

Pelini has one of best defensive minds in college football. He knows how to use players in an aggressive way that maximizes their potential. Cox is already an incredibly gifted football player, but I think we’ll see him flourish under Pelini in the SEC.

With key linebackers like Patrick Queen and Jacob Phillips heading to the NFL, the presence of Cox will provide much needed experience and production for LSU in 2019.