LSU star DE Arden Key taking leave from football

BATON ROUGE — Arden Key, the LSU record holder for sacks in a season with 12 in 2016 and a first team All-Southeastern Conference player last season, is taking personal leave from the LSU football program, according to LSU coach Ed Orgeron.

"In consultation with our staff and his family, Arden Key has decided to take some time away from football for personal reasons," Orgeron said in a statement released by LSU's sports information department Wednesday afternoon. "We fully support Arden in his decision and look forward to welcoming him back home to the Tiger family at the appropriate time."

Key, 20, may miss spring drills, which begin March 11 and run through the spring game on April 22, but he could return for the 2017 season, which would be his junior year. Key, a sophomore from Hapeville Charter Academy in Atlanta, Georgia, is expected to remain enrolled in classes at LSU.

Based on past examples of LSU and other college's players being held out of spring drills without an injury and remaining in school, Key may be having academic issues, family issues or may have failed more than one drug test.

Key made the trip to College Station, Texas, for the Texas A&M game on Nov. 24 last season, but he was held out of the game for disciplinary reasons, which could have been a failed drug test. He practiced during the week before the game. He was not injured.

Because of privacy issues regarding academic and drug issues, colleges do not make public why student-athletes are suspended, dismissed or take leave.

LSU's athletic department has a strictly enforced drug policy. That policy is why defensive back Tyrann Mathieu, one of the most decorated players in a season in LSU history, was dismissed from the football team on Aug. 10, 2012. He was a Heisman Trophy finalist in 2011 along with winning the Chuck Bednarik Award that goes to the nation's best defensive player and being named first team All-American by nine entities at cornerback and three others as a kick returner. Mathieu had tested positive several times for marijuana use. He never returned to the LSU football team nor did he have a chance to as he was dismissed. Mathieu never took a leave from the program other than a one-game suspension in the 2011 season and he was not held out of spring practice in 2012. When his issues went public, it was already too late. He was dismissed.

Orgeron said he will have no comment on the matter, and LSU has asked Key to not discuss it with reporters.

Key ended his 2016 season with a flourish in the Tigers' 29-9 dismantling of No. 13 Louisville in the Citrus Bowl on Dec. 31 in Orlando, Florida. He made five solo tackles with two sacks and a quarterback hurry. His second sack broke the school record for sacks in a season, which was 11 set in 1994 by defensive end Gabe Northern of Glen Oaks High in Baton Rouge. Key finished the season with 23 unassisted tackles, 37 overall tackles, 14.5 for losses, 12 sacks and 11 quarterback hurries in 11 games and 11 starts. He started eight games and played in 12 in 2015 as a true freshman and made 41 total tackles with five sacks and nine quarterback hurries.

With 17 sacks in two seasons, Key is nine sacks away from breaking the school record of 25 set by outside linebacker Rydell Malancon of Vacherie in four seasons from 1980-83.

Key is projected to be a high first-round draft choice in the 2018 NFL Draft.

"He's a top three player in round one," NFL Draft expert Mike Detillier of WWL Radio in New Orleans said Wednesday. 

Glenn Guilbeau covers LSU sports for the USA Today Network of Louisiana. Follow him on Twitter at @LSUBeatTweet. Coverage of LSU and commentary by Guilbeau supported by Hebert’s Town & Country Automobile Dealer in Shreveport located at 1155 East Bert Kouns Loop. Research your next Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep or Ram at http://hebertstandc.com/.)