Tag: SEC Football

Billy Cannon’s statue being unveiled and the rivalry against Ole Miss

Posted on by Matt Delaney

Billy Cannon’s statue will be unveiled on Friday night and it is a big deal because he is one of the all-time greats to play here at LSU. They will be honoring the 1958 National Championship with a reunion on Saturday. I want to personally thank them for setting the standard for all LSU Tigers, and all LSU coaches. Obviously, those guys are icons in LSU history and a lot of them are still around today and a lot of them are very supportive of what I and the LSU Tigers are doing. This is a big deal with obviously his run at night is very historic. You hear about it, we watch it and we talk to our recruits about it. This is a great rivalry. It is a going to be 8:15 at night in Tiger Stadium with LSU and Ole Miss and it is a great opportunity.”

 

LSU Coach Orgeron at the Press conference talking about Ole Miss Rebels

Posted on by Matt Delaney

Coach Orgeron opening statement :

“Here’s a little about the game on Saturday night. Obviously, we are pleased about the win but there are some things that we need to improve on and we are working hard today. Last night, we did a lot of searching on the film about what went wrong and what allowed them to score 21 points on us and I’m sure those corrections will be made this week. As far as some of the highlights, I thought our offensive line played pretty well. Chasen Hines and Badara Traore to be specific. They started and played most of the game and I thought both of those guys were excellent. I thought Coach (James) Cregg has continued to do an excellent job with those guys as we were able to rush for 218 yards. I thought Clyde (Edwards-Helaire) had his best games as he had 136 yards and two TDs. Nick Brossette had 23 carries, 78 yards and three touchdowns. I was happy for both of those guys, they are like brothers and I am really happy for that pair. Joe Burrow had no interceptions for the fourth straight game and I thought Dee Anderson had his best game with five catches for 80 yards. Foster Moreau had his best game with four catches. On defense, Jacob Phillips had 13 tackles and is continuing to have a good year. Devin White had 11 tackles, one sack, one fumble recovery and three pass breakups. As far as special teams, we had a 45.8-yard average on five punts, three of those inside the 20-yard line. We were one-for-one on field goals and all seven kickoffs went for touchbacks. As far as other things, we lead the nation in red-zone offense. It was something that we wanted to improve on. Since Coach (Steve) Ensminger has been the offensive coordinator, we are 40 of 43 in the red-zone which is phenomenal. We lead the nation in the least turnovers committed, and we are plus 8 overall in the turnover margin which is good for fourth in the nation which is something we have been working very hard on and we are very proud of.

On to Ole Miss, they are very explosive on offense. Matt Luke is doing a great job. Matt was on my staff when I was there and he is an outstanding man. I think that Ole Miss did a great job in hiring Matt. He loves Ole Miss, he’s been a great recruiter there and he is doing a phenomenal job with this team. On offense they are very hard to stop. They score 42 points a game and average 500 yards per game. Jordan Ta’amu is an excellent quarterback and he fits their scheme perfectly. He’s an accurate passer and he is a very good quarterback. Scotty Phillips is a good running back, we had actually looked at him. He was a junior college player. They probably have the best set of receivers that we are going to see all year. A.J Brown and D.K Metcalf are both going to be in the NFL and both are outstanding receivers and their tight end Dawson Knox gave us problems last year so we are going to have our hands full with this offense. Defensively, they are struggling a little bit. They run a 4-2-5 but they have some very good players. Benito Jones is a guy that we tried to recruit and he is a very good nose tackle. They also have Cedric Woods at strong safety who is a good player. On special teams, they are solid.”

 

LSU Tigers whips the no.8 Miami Hurricanes 33-17

Posted on by Matt Delaney

 

LSU Tigers came out explosive on offense as they lit up the Hurricanes in the first half of the game. LSU always plays good in Jerry’s World in Arlington,Texas. I remember watching LSU play Oregon in 2011 in the first game of the season as LSU whipped the Ducks 34-13, a embarrassing loss for Chip Kelly and the PAC 12. LSU already knew QB Joe Burrows was gonna have a big game the way he commands the huddle and called different audibles even at the line of scrimmage. Midway thru the first half Miami was sending a safety blitz on the right side, so Joe Burrows changes the play at the line of scrimmage and calls a running play to the left side as he hands the ball off to Nick Brossette and opens up a whole with the size of a dump truck, Nick runs up the middle untouched 50 yards for a touchdown. Amazing Burrows has only been here for 2 months and already making improvements on the offense. Amazing how Nick Brossette has waited behind Leonard Fournette, and Darius Guise and he gets his chance to show his skills on the big stage in Jerry;s World. Simply Amazing !

The LSU Defense really stood out especially in the 1st half, Miami march down the field a few times, settle for a field goal by Baxa, and then Miami had a chance to take the lead but Baxa hooked the kick as it sailed left. Funny how LSU was driving again, and Burrow throws a long pass to Wr Chase by the goal line as he makes the-catch, it looked like he scored as he knocked down the goal line cone for the endxone but the refs rulled him out at the 1 yard line without checking the replay. I do believe it was a touchdown. It’s okay because the next play LSU qb Burrow hands the ball off to Brosette and he scores again on the left side, there was like no Miami defenders there to stop him as he walks into the endzone, Amazing indeed, LSU was up 17-3. Soon there after as the LSU defense stopped Miami qb Rozier III and co again LSU gets the ball back and sets up another field goal for LSU kicker Cole Tracy, so LSU IS UP 20-3. By this time the LSU kicker Tracy has scored more pts than the Miami offense 8-3. Before everything gets crazy Miami gets the ball back Miami qb Rozier rolls back and tries to dump the ball off to a receiver but throws it right to LSU lb Jacob Phillips and he is somewhat surprised the ball is thrown right at him, and he scampers untouched for 40 yards for a touchdown and let the Hurricanes start flowing in New Orleans because LSU is on its way for a blowout sitting at halftime with a 27-3 lead.

The 2nd half was pretty dominant by LSU as well, they got in the red zone twice but settle for field goals from LSU kicker Cole Tracy. At this time the LSU Kicker scored 14pts and Miami as a team only scored 3pts. Miami would go on to score a pair of touchdowns as Hurricane qb Rozier III ran one in from the one yard line and then threw a deep pass to Canes WR Hightower for another touchdown. So LSU wraps up this game 33-17, which they were not favored to win, I heard some announcers saying it was gonna be a huge blowout for Miami. Funny how the players decide the game and the predictors and announcers talk.

 

 

 

 

 

FOUR LSU FOOTBALL PLAYERS AWARDED SCHOLARSHIPS

Posted on by Matt Delaney

BATON ROUGE – Four members of the LSU football team have been awarded scholarships, head coach Ed Orgeron announced on Tuesday afternoon.

Wide receiver Tiger Scheyd, fullback Trey Gallman, punter Zach Von Rosenberg and offensive lineman Turner Simmers are now scholarship players for LSU.

“We are very proud of all of our walk-ons,” Orgeron said. “The work that they do every day is very important to our program. I wish I could give a scholarship to every walk-on that is a part of our team. It is a very proud moment for our team when we get to reward their teammates for the hard work that they put in to play for the Tigers.”

Scheyd, Gallman, and Simmers are all seniors, while Von Rosenberg is a sophomore. Simmers graduated last spring with a degree in kinesiology, while Gallman graduated earlier this month in sports administration. Scheyd is on pace to graduate in December.

Heading into the season-opener against Miami, Von Rosenberg is listed as LSU’s starting punter, Gallman is the No. 2 fullback, while Simmers is third on the depth chart at right guard.

 

LSU COACHES CARAVAN HEADS TO OMNI FORTH WORTH ON SEPTEMBER 1

Posted on by Matt Delaney

LSU COACHES CARAVAN HEADS TO OMNI FORTH WORTH ON SEPTEMBER 1
Tour stop will feature Alleva, Wade, Fargas, Breaux, Torina and Mainieri

BATON ROUGE – Fans in the Dallas-Fort Worth area will have the opportunity to meet an all-star lineup of LSU head coaches along with vice chancellor and director of athletics Joe Alleva on Saturday, September 1. The group will be part of the LSU Coaches Caravan that will make a tour stop at the Omni Forth Worth as part of the weekend’s events culminating in LSU’s season-opener against Miami on Sunday.

The event, which is free and open to the public and media, runs from 3 to 6 p.m. and will feature men’s basketball coach Will Wade, women’s basketball coach Nikki Caldwell, gymnastics coach DD Breaux, softball coach Beth Torina and baseball coach Paul Mainieri.

Presented by 104.5 ESPN and Guaranty Broadcasting and sponsored by the Tiger Athletic Foundation and the LSU Alumni Association, the LSU Coaches Caravan will be hosted by Gordy Rush and Jacob Hester and will feature a sidebar Q&A “chalk talk” session with each coach.

Rush and Hester will host the radio show from the Whiskey and Rye Bar, which is located on the first floor
of the Omni Fort Worth. Each coach, along with Alleva, will take a turn on the broadcast.

Chris Blair, the Voice of the LSU Tigers, will moderate the chalk talk session with the coaches as well as the Q&A segment of the event, which will take place in the Cast Iron Restaurant, also located on the first floor of the Omni.

“The Dallas-Fort Worth area is very important to us,” Alleva said. “This is a unique opportunity that will give fans in Texas a chance to interact with these coaches on Saturday and then cheer the Tigers on to victory on Sunday night.”

Fans can also participant in a TAF silent auction, while the LSU Alumni Merchandise Store will be on hand with the latest LSU gear.

For more information on the LSU Coaches Caravan visit www.LSUsports.net and www.LSUtaf.org.

About the Tiger Athletic Foundation
Tiger Athletic Foundation (TAF) is a private, nonprofit, corporation dedicated to supporting LSU and its Athletic Program. TAF is exempt from federal income tax under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. Since 1987, TAF’s members have enhanced the lives of every student-athlete on every team by providing financial support for programs and facilities that ensure the opportunity to win in the classroom, on the field, and in life.

Why LSU is ‘the Cleveland Browns of college football’ as far as QBs | College Football Live | ESPN

Posted on by Matt Delaney

With quarterbacks Justin McMillan and Lowell Narcisse transferring from the LSU Tigers football program, Marcus Spears and Todd McShay join College Football Live to discuss the latest comments from Ed Orgeron about Joe Burrow and Myles Brennan and the QB job, whether it’s Orgeron’s fault or former coach Les Miles, the recent spate of QB transfers, and more. Spears, who went to LSU, calls the team “the Cleveland Browns of college football.”

Alot of movement here at LSU in the last 10 years when it comes to quarterbacks. I think overall Joe Burrows will start at quarterback for the Tigers. Narcisse and McMillan are the two latest quarterbacks to transfer out of LSU, but the deal was pretty clear you can’t start 4 quarterbacks during a college football season, maybe in the NFL because there’s lots of injuries.

The biggest problem for LSU is the quarterback development which is the most important position on the football field. You can have all the db’s and linebackers you want, and have a great defensive line, a solid O line, running backs and talented tall receivers, but if you dont have anyone to distribute the football then that’s a done deal. Basically it would be like taking Magic Johnson away from the Los Angeles Lakers during the 80’s. The quarterback is the one who runs the offense, thats a key position to win football games. You can always have a great defense for stopping other teams, but they dont score points like a offense does, plain and simple.

I do think its the culture with LSU Football they just dont develop quarterbacks and that needs to change. I think Joe Burrows will be a big asset. If LSU gets ahead in some games by 30 points, then they can put Brennan in to mop up the games. Also its gonna be a tough schedule for LSU, they might need two quarterbacks to play during the season. No one is injury prone when you step on the football field especially in the SEC with the toughest defenses in College Football. So should Myles Brennan see some playing time, there is a good chance for that to happen. If Joe Burrows has a Heisman Trophy year that might be it for the Ohio native. That remains to be seen. It might be a tough year for LSU, perhaps 8-4 or 7-5, according to Vegas Odds. It remains to be seen how LSU’s season will play out especially with Georgia and no.1 Alabama coming to Baton Rouge.

 

DEFENSE SHINES IN LSU’S FIRST SCRIMMAGE OF TRAINING CAMP

Posted on by Matt Delaney
  1. BATON ROUGE – The defense held the upper-hand in LSU’s first preseason game of training camp here Saturday as head coach Ed Orgeron put the Tigers through approximately 100 snaps in a workout that started in Tiger Stadium but was forced indoors due to rain and lightning.The Tigers got about 30 minutes into the workout when rain and lightning forced the team to the indoor facility where the majority of the scrimmage took place.

    Saturday’s scrimmage had the Tigers focusing on third-down situations while also working on several areas of special teams, including field goals and kickoff returns and coverage.

    “I was very pleased with the energy and the effort of our football team and the preparation of our coaching staff,” Orgeron said. “We treated it just like it was a game. Our guys were excited about being in Tiger Stadium, but it started raining and it got a little sloppy (due to the rain) so we moved inside and continued to scrimmage.”

    Orgeron complimented the play of the defense, which was led by All-America linebacker Devin White, who had six tackles, two tackles for loss, a sack and a pair of quarterback hurries. Other defensive standouts on Saturday included outside linebacker K’Lavon Chaisson (7 tackles, 2 sacks, 1 tackle for loss), linebacker Damone Clark (5 tackles), linebacker Michael Divinity (2 sacks).

    “I thought the front seven was dominant today, like I expected them to be,” Orgeron said.

    Orgeron also praised the play of LSU’s secondary, including cornerbacks Terrence Alexander and Kelvin Joseph along with Kary Vincent, Jontre Kirklin, Grant Delpit and Todd Harris. Orgeron said returning All-American Greedy Williams sat out the scrimmage.

    Offensively, all four quarterbacks took reps with the 1s and 2s.

    “They rotated a bunch today and we had a lot of different scenarios,” Orgeron said of the quarterbacks. “I think each quarterback started each different period. They all played with the ones and they all played with the twos. It was a rotation. It wasn’t like you could say one guy went with the ones more than another. I think Steve (Ensminger) did a great job of rotating them all the way through.”

    Lowell Narcisse connected on 6-of-14 passes for 122 yards. He was followed by Joe Burrow (7-of-13 118 yards), Myles Brennan (5-of-10 94 yards) and Justin McMillan (8-of-13 83 yards).

    Running backs Nick Brossette, Clyde Edwards-Helaire and Chris Curry got most of the carries out of the backfield. Curry led all rushers with 43 yards on 16 carries, while Brossette had 36 yards on 10 carries and Edwards-Helaire 17 yards on nine attempts.

    “Nick ran the ball hard today,” Orgeron said. “Nick lowered his pads and ran the ball hard. He ran with the most authority today. Clyde did some good things and we gave Chris Curry some reps.”

    Freshman Ja’Marr Chase led all receivers with three receptions for 52 yards, followed by Derrick Dillon (3 rec., 41 yards), Justin Jefferson (3 rec., 42 yards) and Jonathan Giles (2 rec., 48 yards).

    “On offense, we had way too many mistakes,” Orgeron said. “Way too many penalties, way too many false starts. Sometimes when we were executing we made some good plays, but we shot ourselves in the foot with too many penalties.

    “It was the first preseason game and the guys are fired up and trying to do too much. We’ve got to settle down and stay focused.”

    On special teams, graduate transfer Cole Tracy was perfect on his three attempts.

    The Tigers will take Sunday off and then return to the practice field on Monday. LSU’s second preseason game is scheduled for next Saturday afternoon in Tiger Stadium.

    Statistical Leaders
    Rushing
    Chris Curry 16 att., 43 yards
    Nick Brossette 10 att., 36 yards
    Clyde Edwards-Helaire 9 att., 17 yards

    Passing
    Lowell Narcisse 6-of-14 122 yards
    Joe Burrow 7-of-13 118 yards
    Myles Brennan 5-of-10 94 yards
    Justin McMillan 8-of-13 83 yards

    Receiving
    Ja’Marr Chase 3 rec., 52 yards
    Derrick Dillon 3 rec., 41 yards
    Justin Jefferson 3 rec., 42 yards
    Jonathan Giles 2 rec., 58 yards
    Nick Brossette 2 rec., 54 yards
    Terrace Marshall 2 rec., 41 yards
    Drake Davis 2 rec., 47 yards

    Defense
    K’Lavon Chaisson 7 tackles, 1 tackle for loss, 2 sacks, 2 QB hurries
    Devin White 6 tackles, 2 tackles for loss, 1 sack, 2 QB hurries
    Ray Thornton 6 tackles
    John Battle 5 tackles
    Damone Clark 5.5 tackles
    Michael Divinity 4 tackles, 2 sacks

    Special Teams
    Cole Tracy 3-for-3 on field goals

ORGERON WELCOMES TIGERS TO CAMPUS AS LSU OPENS PRESEASON PRACTICE

Posted on by Matt Delaney

Heading into 2018, tight end Foster Moreau has the most starts of any player on the offensive side of the ball with 19, while White and Williams lead the defense with 13 starts each. Others players with double-figure starts to their credit include senior offensive tackle Garrett Brumfield (13), senior safety John Battle (12), junior defensive end Rashard Lawrence (10) and sophomore safety Grant Delpit (10).

LSU’s roster includes 28 players (13 offense, 15 defense) that have started at least one game during their collegiate career.

As for Friday, the Tigers spent the day going through a series of meetings, physicals, and getting fitted for equipment in preparation for the first day of practice, which takes play on Saturday.

The Tigers are scheduled to have 25 practices, which includes three “preseason games” before facing Miami at AT&T Stadium in the Advocare Classic on Sunday, September 2.

The Tigers are scheduled to practice in shorts and helmets on Saturday and Sunday followed by helmets and shoulder pads on Wednesday, shells on Thursday and full pads for the first time next Friday. LSU’s first scrimmage of training camp is scheduled for Saturday, August 11 in Tiger Stadium.

 

Camp Notes

  • Three more Tigers became LSU graduates on Friday as tight end Jacory Washington, quarterback Justin McMillan and fullback Trey Gallman earned their college degree as the school held summer commencement.
  • The Tiger roster now features six players with degrees from LSU as fullback David Ducre, snapper Blake Ferguson, and offensive lineman Turner Simmers earned their diploma last year.
  • Overall, LSU’s roster features nine college graduates, which includes transfers Joe Burrow (Ohio State), Terrence Alexander (Stanford), and Cole Tracy (Assumption College).

 

LSU coach Ed Orgeron Press Conference Transcript from Reporting Day

Opening statement…
“What an exciting time for us all. I’m proud to announce we just graduated three of our outstanding students at LSU: Trey Gallman, Justin McMillan and Jacory Washington. We’re awfully proud of them for graduating today. What a tremendous feeling.

 

As far fall camp, we’re ready to go. Our coaches have been preparing all week and we’re ready for practice. I want to thank Tommy Moffitt for doing an outstanding job with our team. Everyone that was healthy has passed the conditioning test, which is the first time in Tommy’s 17-year history that that’s happened. We’re in excellent shape, but as a reminder our summer conditioning gets you ready for fall camp and fall camp gets you ready for football. This is going to be a physical, tough, hard-nosed camp.

 

 Jamal Pettigrew and Cameron Wire are going to be the only two players not able to practice when we start. Obviously, we think Cameron Wire had a lingering injury from high school. He needs a couple more week maybe and then he’ll be ready to go.  Thaddeus Moss will not be here. We’re proud for him; he’s introducing his father Randy to the NFL Hall of Fame. What a tremendous honor and what a tremendous weekend for Thaddeus and his dad. Ed Ingram has been suspended from the team indefinitely for violation of team rules. He will not be with us.

 

We’re very excited for camp. You all heard me talk about the depth chart the other day. There’s a lot of competition, especially at the quarterback position. It’s open and our guys are ready to go. They had a good summer. It’ll be interesting to see. Our offensive line gelled together. Now that Ed (Ingram) isn’t there, movement will be made by Damien Lewis to right guard. I just talked to Chasen Hines who has done a tremendous job losing weight and I think he’s an outstanding defensive lineman, but we’re going to move him to the left guard position behind Garrett Brumfield to give us more depth. We should be in good shape.”

 

On the quarterback competition…
“Steve (Ensminger) is going to do a good job with that. We have walk-throughs in the morning, we have team periods and we’re going to split our seven-on-seven in two. We’re going to have two spots of seven-on-seven and several of the team drills may have two spots instead of one spot so the guys will get more reps.”

 

On Miami’s ranking in the opening poll affecting the first game of the season…

“We knew Miami was going to be a good team whether they were ranked highly or not; Coach (Mark) Richt has done a tremendous job. But we’re going to be ready. We’re going to be ready to take on the challenge. Our goal for right now is to focus on camp. We’re building the foundation of our football team; it’s not about our opponent. This is a great time. We’ve got about four weeks to focus on our football team.”

 

On what Joe Burrow needs to do to win the starting job…

“I’ll say this. Here’s what any quarterback has to do: everything. Show it on a daily basis. Leadership, working in the classroom, being able to run the offense, making the throws, doing the right things that a quarterback does and really just being consistent every day. Obviously, all four of those guys have an equal chance and we’ll see what happens.”

 

On the level of competition in the quarterback room…

“There’s no question they’ve stepped it up. I can see the difference in all four guys. Everyone has their own demeanor. Some guys are watching film and some guys are being more vocal leaders. They stepped it up. I talk to Tommy Moffitt all the time about their workouts. All the guys have stepped up their workouts; they’re in better condition and they look good. They’ve answered the bell just like I thought they would.”

 

On Glen Logan’s Progress…

“This time last year, during camp, Glen (Logan) was thinking about transferring.  Thank God for his mother and our relationship, we got him to come back and I think that’s when he made the decision.  He said “I’m at LSU and I’m going to give everything I can.  His body has changed.  He’s lost body fat, he’s matured.  Things are easier for him now because he’s older, he’s stronger, he’s accepted the role that he’s in and tomorrow he’s going to line-up as the starting left defensive end for LSU.  I think all of that maturity, and getting his body right which allowed him to gain more confidence.”

 

On what he’s looking to see on Day 1 of Practice…

“Consistency.  Execution.  We’ve had a lot of player-only practices this summer.  And from what I hear, the guys did a very good job.  Now we’re going back to installation, day one and everybody is going to be fired up.  There’s going to be no question about that and there’s going to be no questions about everyone’s energy.  But it’s about execution, and we have to hit the ground running fast and we’re going to take the next step.

 

On Jamaar Chase and Terrace Marshall…. 

“With Terrace, I do believe that he is healthy and even though I have not seen him practice, after talking to Jack (Marucci) I have 100 percent confident that he is.  He can make all the cuts and from what I’m hearing he has had some great player-only practices.  I’ve heard Jamaar Chase looks fantastic and if you look at Jamaar Chase, he looks very mature.  He hit the weight room and he’s developed his body.  I think those guys are ready to go. 

 

On the back-up left guard position…

“We’re going to move Chasen Hines to guard.  He was a very good guard in high school.  And Chasen has worked very hard to trim his body fat, and he has lost a lot of weight.  Chasen would’ve lined up at the fourth-team defensive nose tackle and instead tomorrow he will line-up at the second-string offensive guard spot.  And obviously, he has a lot of learning to do, but originally he was recruited as an offensive guard. “

 

On the player that intrigues him the most going into fall camp…

“Jacob Phillips stands out to me.  He had an outstanding summer.  Obviously, Devin (White) is going to have an outstanding year along with Greedy (Williams).  I’m excited to see the other cornerback position with Kelvin Joseph, Terrance Alexander and Jontre Kirklin and Kary Vincent.  We don’t know what’s going to happen with Kristian Fulton except for the fact that he will be out at practice like he always has.  Hopefully he gets a chance, again we do not know what’s going to happen, but I’m excited to see him.  On offense, I’m excited to see Chris Curry.  I have not seen him run the ball yet, I’ve only seen him on film and I think he’s an excellent player.  I’m excited to see Joe (Burrow) throw the ball and obviously, I’m excited to see the other guys compete and throw the ball as well.”

 

On the uncertainty involving Kristian Fulton’s situation…

“He will be getting reps with the first and second team until we have a decision. We’re going to go forward getting him quality reps. We’re not going to change that until we get a final decision on whether or not he can play.”

 

On the expectation for Patrick Queen…

“Patrick has had an outstanding summer. He’s changed his body. I do believe Patrick Queen is going to be a core player on all special teams. I do believe he is going to push for some playing time at linebacker.”

 

On which new defensive linemen coach is intrigued to see play…

“I want to see Dare (Rosenthal). Dare is 6’7”, 331. He runs. He’s worked very hard. Tommy Moffitt says he reminds him of some of the great linemen we have, but again, I have to work with him. I’m excited about Dominic Livingston. I’m excited to see Tyler Shelvin. He’s at 354. I’m excited to see Ed Alexander. He’s had a knee problem. He’s the first one ready for the team meeting. That excites me and I want to see if he’s ready to play.”

 

On Breiden Fehoko’s transition from defensive end to defensive tackle…

“Now he’s going to play a one or zero technique at the nose. He’s played that before. It’s not like he hasn’t played that. It’s kind of the same technique, just a little bit different with more double teams. He’s a big strong guy. Physical. He can handle it.”

 

On moving over to helping coach the defensive line more…

“We lost Pete (Jenkins). Pete was an icon around here. A great coach. Not that Dennis (Johnson) couldn’t do it, but I want to give my team all I can. I want to be the head coach, but I just don’t want to sit around at practice. My expertise is on the defensive line so I want to help. That doesn’t mean I’m not going to be the head coach. I will be doing the same thing I’ve always done. I will be very involved in what we do defensively. I will spend more time with the defensive linemen. I’ll watch the defensive linemen at night after I watch I’ve watched the whole team’s film. It’s an added responsibility, which I enjoy.”

 

On the offensive line situation…

“First of all, coach Grimes did a tremendous job for us last year. We went in to camp with six offensive linemen. I was nervous as heck. He promised me that those guys were going to be ready and he did a great job. Here’s what going to happen. Saahdiq Charles has got to step up if he’s going to be our starting left tackle. He’s got to be the bell cow. He’s got to answer the bell. We can’t chip block. We’ve got to be able to block the top rusher and he’s got to be able to win his one-on-one. Lloyd Cushenberry has got to come. He has not started yet and he has to come. Donovaughn Campbell had one of his best springs last year. Donovaughn has the ability to be a great offensive lineman. He just needs to be more consistent. Right tackle, Adrian Magee and Austin Deculus. Those guys are young pups. Austin played. Adrian is fired up. We have to get two people that we can play throughout the season. This is going to be a physical camp. Those guys are going to have to prove that they can do it in camp to prove they can go against some of the best defensive linemen in the country.”

🏈LSU Joe Burrow vs Nebraska (November 5, 2016)🏈

Posted on by Matt Delaney

LSU QB Joe Burrow looks pretty good in 2016 vs Nebraska, if he throws the ball consistently like this versus the SEC Schools, and Miami, LSU could go 12-1 and  to the NCAA Playoffs, no pressure Joe Cool.

I am sure Joe gets alot of knowledge and confidence from his dad Jimmy Burrow who is a defensive coordinator at Ohio University. Jimmy Burrow said he never coach son Joe not that much, but he always been around football, and has a good understanding of the game. LSU needs a good pocket passer to assist their tall talented and fast wideouts.

As seen in the highlights if Burrow gets an opening in the backfield he can take off running and pick up big yardage…. we have to wait til Labor Day Weekend when LSU plays Miami at the AT&T Stadium in Dallas Texas.

LSU LEGEND BILLY CANNON PASSES AWAY

Posted on by Matt Delaney

BATON ROUGE – LSU legend Billy Cannon passed away peacefully in his home early Sunday morning at the age of 80.

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 may be no other figure in LSU sports who was more beloved and revered,” LSU Vice Chancellor and Director of Athletics Joe Alleva said. “His loss will be felt across the world today. The LSU family mourns with the Cannon family. He will always be a Tiger and will always be in our memories.”

“To say that Billy Cannon was legendary is an understatement,” LSU President Dr. F. King Alexander said. “His talent catapulted LSU Athletics into the national limelight, but more than that, he had unwavering commitment to his alma mater. He will forever remain a part of the LSU legacy throughout the nation.”

A private ceremony for Dr. Cannon is planned for early this week. Details for a public remembrance later this week will be announced. The Cannon family asks that in lieu of flowers, donations be made to Johnny Robinson’s Boys Home and the Tiger Athletic Foundation Billy Cannon Endowed Scholarship.

“Billy Cannon was LSU football through and through. He was a legend. He will be missed and never forgotten,” LSU football head coach Ed Orgeron said.

One of the most versatile players to ever wear the Purple and Gold, Cannon’s No. 20 jersey was retired by the university in 1959. The LSU Athletic Hall of Fame Committee also unanimously approved a proposal that a statue honoring Cannon be erect on campus in August 2017.

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.

After the 1958 season, Cannon finished third in Heisman Trophy voting behind Pete Dawkins of Army and Randy Duncan of Iowa. Nobody else was close, and Cannon led in the South and Southwest.

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. The radio call by then-announcer the late J. C. Politz along with the grainy black-and white film footage is regularly played on Halloween (Oct. 31), the date of the contest.

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 was not only named the Back of the Decade in the 1950s, but the Defensive Back of the Decade.

In winning the Heisman in 1959, Cannon piled up 1,929 points, more than tripling runner-up Richie Lucas of Penn State. He had more points than the combined totals of the next eight players, sweeping all sections of the country.

Cannon 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. He was a two-time MVP of the AFL Championship game. After a back injury in 1963, he was traded to the Oakland Raiders where he played tight end for seven years, earning All-Pro honors on Oakland’s first Super Bowl team.

In an 11-year pro career, he gained 2,455 yards rushing and caught 236 passes for 3,656 yards. He had another 1,882 yards in kick returns, and scored 392 points.

Cannon prepped at Istrouma High in Baton Rouge where he was an all-state halfback leading them to an undefeated season. Cannon gained more than 100 yards in 12 or Istrouma’s 13 games and scored 33 touchdowns.

Dr. Cannon earned his D.D.S. at the University of Tennessee and a master’s at Loyola University in Chicago. He was the Director of Dentistry at the Louisiana State Penitentiary in Angola before his retirement in January.

He was inducted into the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame in Natchitoches in 1976.

Cannon is survived by his wife Dorothy and five children – Terry, Gina, Billy Jr., Bunnie and Dara.

The following are comments that are to be attributed to the Cannon Family in response to media queries on the passing of LSU legend Dr. Billy Cannon.

“Today is profoundly sad for all of us. We know the thoughts and prayers of so many who were touched by my father’s life are with him and with us. There are no words to express how grateful we are for the outpouring of support from all over the country. It is overwhelming and comforting.”

“LSU meant more to our dad than anyone could ever know. It wasn’t the awards or the acknowledgements on the football field. It was always the love of the LSU family that meant the world to him and to all of us. There is simply no other place on earth where so many come together to love and support their own like LSU. His life was intertwined with the purple and gold, and he wouldn’t have had it any other way.”