LSU interim coach Frank Wilson outlines criteria to weigh on Michael Van Buren redshirt

As LSU gets closer to the end of its season with an interim coaching staff in place following the firing of Brian Kelly, difficult conversations are taking place. Some players, like quarterback Michael Van Buren, may opt to hang it up for the season to take a redshirt.

Players can play in up to four games while maintaining their season of eligibility. So anyone getting close to that mark might think about sitting.

Van Buren has played in three games so far for the Tigers. He can play in one more before potentially taking a redshirt, something that LSU has discussed even as the former Mississippi State transfer has seen more playing time recently.

“Michael’s no different than the rest of them,” interim coach Frank Wilson said. “If he can come in and contribute and help us to win, it’s something he wants to do. It’s something that we want him to do because we think he has tremendous value to us.”

Michael Van Buren came into the Alabama game in relief of a struggling Garrett Nussmeier. With the offensive line struggling, Van Buren’s mobility offered the Tigers a better option.

He finished 5-of-11 passing for 52 yards, taking two sacks and rushing for only one yard. Can the Tigers get more out of him? Enough to make burning a redshirt worth it if necessary?

“Those are the things that you have to take into consideration of student-athlete and family, of what may have been told to them prior and where we’re currently at as a program,” Wilson said. “And we’re taking those appropriate measures.”

Generally, though, and not related to Michael Van Buren, Wilson provided his gameplan when it comes to players redshirting. It’s not a hard and fast rule, but it’s close.

“For us the responsibility and the want-to of our players, if they can go into a game and contribute in a major way for us to have an opportunity to win that game, they would like to and we would like them to be in position to do so,” Wilson said. “That’s been something that’s been consistent with our team.”

Will Michael Van Buren fit into that category of players making a big enough difference to avoid a redshirt? It certainly seems likely, especially if Nussmeier continues to get hit hard and struggle.

“We have some guys or a guy or two that may have played two snaps on a field goal or a field goal block unit,” Wilson said. “In those cases, consideration and recommendation of protecting their redshirt is something that’s under consideration and certainly something that we would certainly be open to.

“A guy that is playing 30 snaps on offense, defense or special teams, we’ve still got a lot of season. We’ve got three games and a bowl game on the horizon. So we would like to be able to move forward and use those contributions to help us win these games.”