Michael Divinity no longer with LSU

LSU senior linebacker Michael Divinity has left the team for personal reasons, head coach Ed Orgeron announced Monday.

A disciplinary element was also a factor in the parting of ways, sources told The Athletic's Brody Miller. The Tigers held the starting linebacker out of several early-season games due to "coach's decisions."

Previously the team's sack leader for the season, Divinity's locker nameplate is already gone from LSU's facility.

Divinity's departure comes just five days after defensive lineman Justin Thomas left the team due to disciplinary reasons, sources confirmed to Miller.

Last season, Divinity stepped up as an outside linebacker while K'Lavon Chaisson was out. When Chaisson returned, Divinity suggested he should be moved to starting inside linebacker.

After proving himself as one of the smartest guys and better communicators in the unit during the 2019 offseason, defensive coordinator Dave Aranda awarded Divinity the job.

"From one scrimmage when he wasn't at the Mack to when we moved him, and the very next couple of scrimmages, just night and day difference," Aranda explained. "The energy and how we responded to adversity. I credit Mike with that."

However, after playing only sparingly in the first five games due to discipline issues and injuries, Divinity was firmly replaced at inside linebacker by Patrick Queen and Jacob Phillips.

Divinity, still one of the team's defensive leaders, then moved back to the outside for LSU's last two games. Playing significant snaps, he recorded sacks in back-to-back wins over Mississippi State and Auburn.

With Divinity and Thomas gone, the Tigers are down two significant pieces of their pass rush for their big-time matchup with Alabama in Week 11.

Considering those absences, LSU may play in more nickel and dime packages that don't call for an outside linebacker on top of Chaisson. Juniors Andre Anthony and Ray Thornton will wait behind him with high-upside freshman Marcel Brooks.