Divinity chooses road less taken
NEW ORLEANS >> Trouble off the field caused LSU senior linebacker Michael Divinity to miss the majority of one of the most extraordinary football seasons in school history.
The team’s 2018 co-leader in sacks even briefly quit the team in early November. But he decided to come back about two weeks later, knowing his remaining punishment would prevent him from ever playing college football again unless LSU advanced all the way to Monday night’s national championship game.
“I love these guys so much. I love football so much,” Divinity said this weekend as the national title tilt between No. 1 LSU (14-0, No. 1 CFP) and No. 3 Clemson (140, No. 3 CFP) approached.
“I could have went and declared (for the NFL draft) and started training, but that’s not what my heart wanted,” Divinity continued. “I just wanted to stay with the team and be a part of it, and if I got the opportunity to
play, I’ll play. And if I didn’t, I’d still be joyful just to be part of the team with them. It helped me stay positive, along with my family and friends.”
LSU has not publicly explained the nature of the team violation that triggered Divinity’s suspension this season. Divinity also has elected to discuss his personal struggles in general terms.
“It was a hard time. I was going through a lot, dealing with a lot. I had to take a step away back from football, focus more on just me myself personally, fixing myself as a young man, and focus on graduating, which I did. It’s just finding myself again, finding the ability to be the Michael I was before all the things that was going on.”
The 6-foot-2, 241-pound Divinity has missed nine of LSU’s 14 games this season, partly because of an ankle injury but mostly because of his suspension. But in the five games he did play, he had four tackles for losses and three sacks.
Coach Ed Orgeron announced Divinity had left the program on Nov. 4, the Monday before LSU visited Alabama for one of the most anticipated games of college football’s regular season.
The 21-year-old Divinity watched LSU’s thrilling 46-41 victory over the Crimson Tide from his home in the New Orleans area as his 1-year-old daughter played nearby.
“She was just running around the house and I’m screaming at the TV, standing up the whole time, and she’s just looking at me like, ‘Daddy, what are you doing?’” Divinity recalled. “Just being able to see them and watch them play, even if I was there or not, I felt the energy.”
Divinity returned to the team Nov. 18, two days after LSU’s victory at Mississippi. He had to sit out LSU’s final two regular season games against Arkansas and Texas A&M, as well as the Southeastern Conference championship against Georgia and the Peach Bowl, which doubled as the College Football Playoff semifinal, against Oklahoma.
Orgeron said he wasn’t surprised the senior returned without any guarantee playing again.
“Michael had a chance to go out early (for the NFL draft) last year. He wanted to come back. He wanted to finish his career at LSU,” Orgeron said. “He had a bump in the road. He paid his penalty, and he came back. So it tells you a lot about his character, tells you a lot about his grit and who he is.”