Jack Marucci is the Brain of LSU Football.

He'll push back on that, because he's humble and brilliant. But Marucci, who just finished his 24th season as LSU's Director of Athletics training, is the driving force behind so many innovations and ideas inside of the football program.

He has the trust of Ed Orgeron, who leans on him for research, analysis, technological advancement, player health, character evaluation, and much more. He also has the trust of Orgeron's players, who spend hours in his training room rehabbing, venting, relaxing, seeking counsel, and debating whatever topics of the day should arise in the Barbershop.

On today's show, we look back at the 2019 season through the eyes of Marucci, who was there every step of the way, as well as looking ahead to the future of Tiger football. Throughout the conversation, the same topics converge: character and trust, the blending of objective data with subjective analysis, the balancing of hard work and efficient work, and more.

6:30 - Jack Marucci
8:20 - How character affects recovery
10:38 - Marucci's character study and how it helped predict the 2019 national title
14:20 - SportSense testing and how LSU learned how its players process information
18:00 - Why guys bust in the NFL
19:24 - Why an above average arm is better than an elite rocket of an arm at quarterback
20:45 - Defensive line reaction timing
21:55- Picking which areas of the team to study in the offseason
24:34 - Ed Orgeron, college football's foremost innovator
26:57 - How Coach O built a culture of excellence from top to bottom
31:17 - How the 2019 exuded character in all areas
34:41 - How EA Sports is helping LSU's QBs work in virtual reality
35:38 - The one question every MLB team asks Marucci about LSU
37:25 - Balancing objective data with subjective interpretation
38:38 - Why the human element matters most
41:50 - Sustainability

Links:

Jack Marucci, LSU Bio: https://lsusports.net/sports/ad/roster/jack-marucci/7698

SportSense Testing/S2 Cognition: https://s2cognition.com/

LSU’s Eye Dominance/Eye Tracking Testing: https://lsusports.net/news/2019/9/5/211810894.aspx

Seeker Machine: https://www.monarcsport.com/

Inside The Barbershop: https://theathletic.com/1134423/2019/08/13/lsu-football-the-barbershop-training-room-brumfield-chark-battle-marucci-calvert/

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Hey Fightin' Podcast Network: The Official Podcast Network of LSU Sports By LSU SportsAug 19, 2020