LSU Coach Orgeron talks about the practice Wednesday afternoon, the biggest concerns seems to be about the offensive line. LSU offensive seems really thin this year and kinda small. LSU definitely needs to recruit some big boys like Stanford, Alabama, and Norte Dame does, like some big 6’5 and 325lb boys and stack the line. It seems like special teams are looking pretty good, there is a contest to be the best field goal kicker and the kickoff kicker as well. Coach O said the field goal kicking is about one third of the game, and special teams.
LSU WRAPS UP FIRST WEEK OF TRAINING CAMP WITH PRESEASON GAME NO. 1
BATON ROUGE – As part of the plan to get LSU ready its season-opener against BYU, head coach Ed Orgeron and his coaching staff are treating the four Saturday scrimmages in August like preseason games.
Saturday served as preseason game No. 1 for LSU and Orgeron liked what he saw as the Tigers wrapped up their first week of camp here with a fast-paced, high energy 90-play workout at the Charles McClendon Practice Facility. Saturday’s practice started outside but was forced indoors about midway through the workout because of lightning in the area.
“It was a balanced scrimmage,” Orgeron told the media after the workout. “The first offense went against the first defense and they scored twice. The offense had a good day for the installation that’s been taking place this week. The defense had a tremendous scrimmage. Guys were playing very well and they were playing very fast.”
Quarterback Danny Etling connected on 5-of-11 passes for 86 yards, including TD tosses of 32 yards to Darrel Williams and 28 yards to Russell Gage. Etling also had another lengthy touchdown pass dropped.
“I thought he did fantastic,” Orgeron said of Etling’s performance. “We missed a long ball that would’ve been a touchdown. It was on the money and we should’ve caught it. I thought his passes were on the money. He was under duress all day with the rush. His leadership, he’s probably out there working out right now. All through camp he’s been consistent. It looks like he’s throwing the ball better.
“Myles Brennan has made some tremendous throws. He’s a young player who’s growing. We’ve had him working some second team reps to see what he can do and give him a chance, just like we told everybody. Justin McMillan, Lowell Narcisse, all the guys have been working second team reps. We’ve been as fair as we can with the reps that we can give in camp.”
Etling led a total of six quarterbacks that took snaps during the scrimmage. Lindsey Scott Jr. and Lowell Narcisse each completed 1-of-2 passes, while Myles Brennan connected on 1-of-4 attempts.
Williams led all running back with 40 yards on eight carries, while Derrius Guice added 23 yards on seven attempts and Clyde Edwards-Helaire rushed six times for 19 yards.
Jacoby Stevens, who made the switch from safety to wide receiver earlier in the week, led all receivers with two catches for nine yards. Drake Davis added a reception for a 15-yard gain.
Defensively, Orgeron singled out the play of recent LSU graduate Frank Herron, who had four tackles, including a pair of sacks and another tackle for loss. Herron graduated on Friday morning with a degree in interdisciplinary studies.
“Frank lost the starting position in the spring and he’s fought back and came back in great shape,” Orgeron said. “Today he was one of the most powerful players on defense.”
Another defensive standout for LSU during its first preseason game was that of freshman linebacker K’Lavon Chaisson, who had three tackles for loss and a sack.
“We love the play of Rashard Lawrence,” Orgeron said. “Greg Gilmore and those guys were strong in the middle. K’Lavon Chaisson has been dominant. He’s exactly the type player we thought he’d be. Jacob Phillips, Tyler Taylor and Patrick Queens are getting a lot of reps. They’re playing hard. With Matt’s offense, it makes it hard on our defense. When the game slows down a little bit I think those young guys are going to be fantastic.”
The Tigers are scheduled to watch the film from the scrimmage on Saturday night and will then take Sunday off from practice before returning to work on Monday with a morning walk-thru followed by an afternoon practice. LSU will hold its second preseason game next Saturday in Tiger Stadium.
“First of all, there’s preparation all week leading up to the game,” Orgeron said of LSU’s preseason plan. “Then we go out and play. The grades tonight on the film will be awfully important. Number one, effort. Number two, assignment. Number 3, technique. To see what they do full speed and how the compete and how hard they play is important.”
LSU opens its first full season under Orgeron on Saturday, September 2 at NRG Stadium in Houston against BYU. Kickoff is scheduled for 8:30 p.m. CT on ESPN.
LSU ATHLETIC HALL OF FAME COMMITTEE APPROVES DR. BILLY CANNON STATUE
BATON ROUGE, La. — The LSU Athletic Hall of Fame Committee has unanimously approved a proposal that a statue honoring football legend Dr. Billy Cannon be erected on campus.
Cannon, a Baton Rouge native and 1959 LSU graduate, was the winner of the 1959 Heisman Trophy as a halfback, and he led the Tigers to the 1958 national championship. He was inducted into the LSU Athletic Hall of Fame in 1975 and into the College Football Hall of Fame in 2008.
“There is no player more synonymous with LSU football than Billy Cannon,” said Bill Demastes, LSU faculty athletics representative and Athletic Hall of Fame Committee Chair. “His ability on a football field made him a legend and the decision to honor him as such was unanimous.”
Cannon, who celebrated his 80th birthday yesterday, was also named LSU Alumnus of the Year in 2010.
Cannon was a rare athlete, even by today’s standards, combining sprinter speed with brute strength. He could consistently run a 9.5 in the 100-yard dash and, at 6-foot-1, 210 pounds, he had the size to overpower his opponents as well as outrun them.
He was an immediate standout as a sophomore in 1957, starring on both offense and defense for LSU. As a junior in 1958, he was the driving force behind the Tigers as they carved out a perfect season and claimed the national title that season. He passed for a touchdown and kicked the extra point in LSU’s 7-0 win over Clemson in the Sugar Bowl to earn MVP honors in that game.
“Billy is among the most heralded and identifiable college football players in NCAA history, and is largely responsible for the emergence of big-time football at LSU,” said vice chancellor and director of athletics Joe Alleva. “I also believe his commitment to rebuild and dedicate his life in service to his family, the community and the university he loves is admirable. He’s a very human hero and LSU’s most renowned.”
Cannon’s most memorable performance came in his senior season of 1959 against Ole Miss. Top-ranked LSU trailed the third-ranked Rebels 3-0 early in the fourth quarter when Cannon fielded a punt at the LSU 11 and broke seven tackles on his way to a winning touchdown, as the Tigers won 7-3. The run helped cement the Heisman Trophy for Cannon in 1959.
In his three-year career from 1957-59, Cannon rushed for 1,867 yards on 359 carries and scored 24 rushing touchdowns. He also caught 31 passes for 522 yards and two touchdowns. An all-purpose player who was also a defensive standout, Cannon returned 31 punts for 349 yards and 21 kickoffs for 616 yards in his career, punted 111 times for an average of 36.7 yards a punt and intercepted seven passes. He also completed 12 of 26 pass attempts for 121 yards.
Cannon, who had his LSU jersey No. 20 retired by the university in 1959, played 11 years in professional football, the first 10 in the American Football League, helping lead the Houston Oilers to the AFL title in 1961 and 1962.
Dr. Cannon earned his D.D.S. at the University of Tennessee and a master’s at Loyola University in Chicago. Today, he is the Director of Dentistry at the Louisiana State Penitentiary in Angola.
Dr. Cannon and his wife, Dorothy, reside in St. Francisville. They have four children, Terri, Gina, Billy Jr., and Bunnie.
Funding for all statues is provided by private donations through Tiger Athletic Foundation. Details about the design and construction of the Billy Cannon statue will be announced in the coming months.
TEUHEMA SUSPENDED FROM LSU FOOTBALL TEAM
BATON ROUGE – Offensive lineman Maea Teuhema has been indefinitely suspended from the LSU football team for violation of team rules, head coach Ed Orgeron announced on Wednesday morning.
J.D. MOORE JOINS LACOUTURE AS NO. 18s FOR LSU IN 2017
BATON ROUGE – LSU will have two No. 18s in 2017 as senior J.D. Moore was presented with the jersey at a team meeting on Sunday night.
Moore will join defensive end Christian LaCouture as the two No. 18s for the Tigers this year. LaCouture was presented with his No. 18 jersey during the spring.
“This team has a number of guys who would be a perfect fit to wear No. 18 for the Tigers and I am very proud that both Christian and J.D. will get a chance to do that,” LSU coach Ed Orgeron said. “The leadership they have shown makes them both a great choice.”
On the field, Moore has been a mainstay in the LSU lineup, serving as the starting fullback for the Tigers for the past two years. Off the field, Moore carries a 3.995 grade point average in architecture.
LaCouture is one of the senior leaders on LSU’s defense as he enters his third season as a starter on the defensive front for the Tigers. LaCouture, who graduated in August of 2016 with a degree in sports administration, has racked up 86 tackles, 8.0 tackles for loss and 4.5 sacks during in his career.
LSU’s jersey No. 18 tradition was born in 2003 when quarterback Matt Mauck led the Tigers to their first national title in football since 1958. Mauck’s No. 18 became synonymous with success – both on and off the field – as well as a selfless attitude that has become the epitome of being an LSU football player.
Moore and LaCouture join an impressive list of previous No. 18s for the Tigers, including Mauck (2001-03), running back Jacob Hester (2004-07), tight end Richard Dickson (2008-09), running back Richard Murphy (2010), safety Brandon Taylor (2011), defensive tackle Bennie Logan (2012), linebacker Lamin Barrow (2013), running back Terrance Magee (2014) and cornerback Tre’Davious White (2015-16).
LSU’S MARAVICH CENTER TO FEATURE LARGEST CENTER HUNG VIDEOBOARD IN COLLEGE BASKETBALL
BATON ROUGE – The Maravich Center on the LSU campus will be home to the largest center hung videoboard in college basketball when the school completes installation of the new board later this month.
Featuring the latest in HD technology, the Maravich Center videoboard would rank 11th in size among all center hung boards in NBA arenas.
“This is a huge upgrade to that facility that will have an immediate impact for our fans,” LSU Vice Chancellor and Director of Athletics Joe Alleva said. “It’s a perfect match for the excitement we can expect in that arena with volleyball, women’s basketball, and of course our top-ranked gymnastics program and our men’s basketball team under new head coach Will Wade.”
The videoboard will feature two sideline high-definition screens that each measure 42 feet by 21 feet for a total of 882 square feet of video space per board. The baseline facing boards, also in HD, will measure 24 feet by 20.5 feet for 984 square feet of video space. In all, the videoboard will give fans 2,748 square feet of HD video.
Alleva said the videoboard, priced at over $3 million, was fully funded by the Tiger Athletic Foundation and will be used for sporting events and other major events in the Maravich Center including LSU’s commencement ceremonies, which take place three times a year in the venue.
“LSU athletics and the Tiger Athletic Foundation are fully invested in providing the best in-game experience possible for our fans while giving our student-athletes every advantage possible to have success,” Alleva said. “This new videoboard goes a long way to helping accomplish both of those goals.”
To put the size of the videoboard into perspective, it would take 105 50-inch televisions to equal the size of the new board.
“No matter if it was the largest in the country or not, we wanted to create the best possible game-day atmosphere for our fans,” LSU Deputy Athletic Director Eddie Nunez said. “It isn’t just big, it’s the latest in technology and will allow us to feature a brand new suite of services to make the game experience just that much more exciting. This board is a game changer for our student-athletes and our fans.”
Some of the features that fans can expect to enjoy with the videoboard include:
True 16:9 aspect high-definition video
Dedicated area for game-in-progress information (score, clock, etc.), individual and team stats
Dynamic content area that will feature out of town scores, crowd prompts, in-depth player stats and social media content
In addition to the new center hung videoboard, the Maravich Center will be outfitted with four new portal screens, which will replace the scoreboards that used to occupy that space. There will also be a new scorer’s table LED board.
The portal screen boards and scorer’s table will feature game-in-progress information, stats and other dynamic content.
All new boards and screens in the Maravich Center can be tied together to produce content or unique displays during the course of a game or event.
Here’s what members of the LSU coaching staff had to say about the new videoboards in the Maravich Center:
Gymnastics coach D-D Breaux:
“This video board is going to be the largest in NCAA gymnastics. Our fan experience is something we take great pride in, and this is only going to enhance the experience for the 10,000-plus fans that pack the PMAC.”
Women’s basketball coach Nikki Fargas:
“The installation of the video board at the Maravich Center will allow our fans to connect with our team and the game in so many new ways. We are excited about what this brings to women’s basketball and all the sports that call this building home.”
Volleyball coach Fran Flory:
“We are thrilled to be the first team to compete under the new scoreboard. This is THE best in the country. The opportunities to provide incredible video and statistical enhancements at our events are endless. Fans are going to LOVE what this adds to all of our events.”
Men’s basketball coach Will Wade:
“I know our fans will be excited about the videoboard being installed in the Maravich Center. It will be an outstanding addition to the fan experience that we will be trying to incorporate into our basketball games to give our team a great home-court advantage.”
Scott Rabalais comments on LSU Coach Orgeron, and a change for the fans.
Scott Rabalais from the The Advocate makes a big statement about Ed Orgeron and the condition of LSU Football at the time. There is a big change for the LSU offense with Orgeron hiring Matt Canada from Pittsburgh, a offense that put up 39 points a game. That hire alone will make LSU fans happy with more offense, if LSU starts putting up 35 points a game and the defense holds the opponents to 10 to 14 points a game will be pretty anazing.
LSU CB Donte Jackson heads up the LSU Sec
LSU CB Donte Jackson will head up the LSU secondary this year. Donte is very quick fast and full of speed. He can cover bigger receivers because he can out jump them for the ball. Donte made some big plays versus Alabama last year tackling the Bama running backs in the backfield, also tackling QB Hurt before he tried to score a touchdown inside the 5 yard line, as the LSU D dropped him for a loss. Donte had a big fumble inside the five yard line versus Ole Miss which LSU went on to win 38-24. Expect big things from Donte Jackson this year.
sportsguychat.com
LSU ANNOUNCES PARTNERSHIP WITH ARAMARK AS NEW CAMPUS ATHLETICS CONCESSIONAIRE
LSU ANNOUNCES PARTNERSHIP WITH ARAMARK AS NEW CAMPUS ATHLETICS CONCESSIONAIRE
BATON ROUGE – As part of LSU’s ongoing effort to enhance the fan experience at its athletic venues, the school announced it has partnered with Aramark to provide food and beverage services at all athletic facilities on campus. Aramark, which provides food and beverage service to more than 15 NCAA Division I athletic programs as well as 10 NFL, eight MLB, seven NHL and five NBA franchises, will manage all aspects of concessions for LSU’s eight campus venues, including Tiger Stadium, the Pete Maravich Center, Alex Box Stadium and Bernie Moore Track and Field Stadium.
“This is a significant enhancement for LSU athletics and most importantly for our fans,” LSU Vice Chancellor and Director of Athletics Joe Alleva said. “This is a long-term commitment between LSU and Aramark and our fans will start noticing immediate improvements in food and beverage at our athletic events this fall.”
Those LSU fans going to Houston for the season-opener against BYU will be able to experience Aramark concessions as they provide food and beverage service at NRG Stadium. Aramark is also the food and beverage provider at SEC member institutions Georgia, Tennessee and Kentucky. “We are honored to partner with one the most prestigious athletic departments in all of college sports,” said Carl Mittleman, President of Aramark’s Sports and Entertainment division. “LSU has some of college athletics most energetic and passionate fans and we look forward to utilizing our insights and expertise to deliver a dynamic food and beverage program that enhances the game day experience.”
Alleva said the new partnership will mean more efficient service and greater menu options with more local flare. “This is Louisiana – food is a very important part of our culture,” said Alleva. “We want to better meet the needs and desires of our fans and we are confident this partnership helps us to do that.” Initial points of emphasis will focus on increasing speed of service, upgrading basic cooking equipment and integrating new point-of-sale technology. Over the course of the partnership, LSU and Aramark will work together to renovate existing concessions stands, design more vibrant and accessible destinations, and offer greater menu variety.
Aramark has a long history and extensive experience managing operations for premier live events such as the NCAA Final Four, BCS Football Championship, Super Bowl, MLB, NBA and NHL All-Star Games, World Series, Stanley Cup Finals, Copa America and World Meeting of Families/Papal Visit.
LSU’S ED ORGERON HEADED TO ESPN CAR WASH IN BRISTOL
BATON ROUGE – LSU head football coach Ed Orgeron will travel to Bristol, Connecticut and spend Wednesday on ESPN’s campus for the “Car Wash”. Orgeron will participate in nearly 25 interviews during his trip to the Worldwide Leader in Sports.
Orgeron will actually start his ESPN “Car Wash” experience tonight as he will tape a segment for SportsCenter that will air following the Yankees vs. Twins game on ESPN. Orgeron’s interview is expected to air sometime between 10 p.m. and midnight tonight.
On Wednesday, Orgeron will start the day with a live appearance on Mike & Mike at 7:30 a.m. Mike & Mike can be seen on ESPN2 or heard on ESPN Radio.
Other highlights of Oregon’s day at ESPN include a live appearance on SportsCenter:AM at 8:30 a.m. on ESPN followed by appearing live on First Take at 9:40 a.m., also on ESPN.
Coach “O” will be a guest on SportsCenter on ESPN2 at 10:15 a.m. followed by a taped interview with Paul Finebaum. Orgeron’s interview with Finebaum will be aired later that day.
Orgeron will be a radio guest with Stephen A. Smith at 1:15 p.m. followed by an appearance on the Ryen Russillo Show at 1:30 p.m. Both of those interviews will air live on ESPN Radio.
After an afternoon spot on SportsCenter, Coach “O” concludes his day with a taping on College Football Live, which will air tomorrow between 4 and 4:30 p.m. on ESPN2.
The following is a look at Orgeron’s “Car Wash” Schedule:
Tuesday, July 18th
8:30 p.m. SportsCenter – (ESPN) Airing on ESPN following Yankees/Twins game
Wednesday, July 19th
7:30 a.m. Mike & Mike (ESPN2)
8:30 a.m. SportsCenter:AM (ESPN)
9:40 a.m. First Take (ESPN)
10:15 a.m. SportsCenter (ESPN2)
10:40 a.m. The Paul Finebaum Show (ESPN Radio)
11:30 a.m. Coast to Coast (ESPN)
1:15 p.m. Stephen A Smith Radio (ESPN Radio)
1:30 p.m. The Ryen Russillo Show (ESPN Radio)
3:30 p.m. Highly Questionable (ESPN)
5 p.m. College Football Live (ESPN2)
6 p.m. SportsCenter (ESPNews)
The Preseason NCAA Football top 25 is out.
1. Alabama 147
2. Ohio State 142
3. Florida State 137
4. USC 134
5. Penn State 120
6. Clemson 119
7. Washington 111
8. Oklahoma 110
9. Oklahoma State 95
10. Auburn 92
11. Michigan 88
12. Wisconsin 80
13. LSU 76
14. Georgia 76
15. Stanford 67
16. Louisville 65
17. Kansas State 47
18. Florida 44
19. South Florida 43
20. Miami, Fla. 36
21. West Virginia 34
22. Texas 21
23. Tennessee 16
24. Oregon 14
25. Boise State 11