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Post by Boudreaux on Aug 2, 2014 18:18:30 GMT -5
Geaux Tigers! Attachments:
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Post by Boudreaux on Aug 3, 2014 15:08:07 GMT -5
Counting down Attachments:
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Post by Boudreaux on Aug 4, 2014 20:20:37 GMT -5
Flanked by teammates and coach Les Miles, LSU senior running back Terrence Magee was presented Sunday with the team’s honorable No. 18 jersey, a tradition dating back to the Tigers’ 2003 national championship season under the direction of quarterback Matt Mauck.
The player worthy of the No. 18 jersey is expected to carry himself in a selfless manner both on and off the field upholding the university’s values as its football leader.
LSU Football’s official Twitter account was the first tweet a photo before Michael Bonnette, the Tigers’ sports information director, shared a picture of Miles handing over the jersey to Magee a few minutes later.
Last season, linebacker Lamin Barrow, a Denver Broncos rookie, donned the jersey for the Tigers. Running back Jacob Hester was the first player after Mauck to wear No. 18 in 2007.
Magee, who compared heralded freshman Leonard Fournette to Adrian Peterson at SEC Media Days, is LSU’s top returning rusher after picking up 626 yards and eight touchdowns on 86 carries last season. Barring an unexpected depth chart shake-up, Magee will be the featured back when the Tigers open against Wisconsin on Aug. 30.
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Post by Boudreaux on Aug 5, 2014 10:58:57 GMT -5
One of LSU defensive line coach Brick Haley’s main objectives during fall camp is to establish some depth at the defensive tackle position.
Frank Herron lends quality depth inside LSU’s starters in 2013, Anthony Johnson and Ego Ferguson, both jumped ship early to the NFL leaving the Tigers short on the experience end.
Granted, Johnson and Ferguson did not set the world on fire in 2013 as the two combined for just 12.5 tackles for loss and four sacks. Still, they played the majority of the snaps in every game, which did not give the backups many opportunities to get their feet underneath them.
Entering fall camp, Christian LaCouture and Quentin Thomas are the two projected starters inside, but the duo accounted for just 11 and 9 tackles, respectively, last season.
LaCouture had a good spring and summer and appears ready to lead the young defensive tackles into battle. He feels Thomas is ready to answer the call too and the two have forged a strong bond.
“He and I were the guys last year that came in for Freak and Ego,” LaCouture said. “He’s a hard-worker, too. He’s a guy I can always count on. He’s someone that I’ll look to at times this year to help me out, and the same thing for him with me. It’s just a brotherhood, the defensive line, that’s what we are.”
LSU signed three defensive tackles in the 2013 class that were all highly acclaimed coming out of high school in Frank Herron, Greg Gilmore and Maquedius Bain. All three redshirted last season and when one factors in Davon Godchaux from the 2014 class it gives the Tigers four young, talented players trying to prove their worth in camp.
LaCouture worked next to two of those freshmen in the morning session on Monday and he liked what he saw from the duo.
“Frank did some great things today, came off the ball real hard with great intensity,” said LaCouture. “Godchaux did some good things too.”
Junior defensive end Danielle Hunter says a couple of redshirt freshmen have grabbed his attention with the work they put in over the summer with one name having a familiar ring to it.
“Frank has been doing some good things and he looks ready,” Hunter said. “Greg Gilmore is another one that looks ready to step up.”
Another talented freshman could enter the mix soon if four-star defensive tackle Travonte Valentine gets cleared by the NCAA Clearinghouse. But don’t expect the other young guys to make it easy for Valentine, who was the No. 3-ranked defensive tackle in the country for the 2014 class.
“The guys here worked their tail off and they’ve been doing the things they need to do to get on the field,” said LaCouture. “You have to prove yourself around here.
“I’ve heard great things about the guy and look forward to him being on campus. But like I said, we got five guys right now, really six or seven guys here right now, trying to keep their spot and looking forward to helping the team win.”
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Post by Boudreaux on Aug 5, 2014 11:08:07 GMT -5
Expected to be one of the more intriguing quarterback battles in the country over the next few weeks, LSU’s Anthony Jennings and Brandon Harris joined teammates for the Tigers’ first fall workout Monday but did so in different shifts.
Jennings, a sophomore who started one game (Outback Bowl) last season after leading a game-winning drive against Arkansas, performed during LSU’s morning practice while Jennings, a heralded five-star early enrollee, took snaps during the afternoon.
Les Miles didn’t let any quarterbacks speak to the media. He’s waiting until Sunday, the team’s media day, a spokesman said according to The Advocate.
“I want them to relax and play football,” Miles said. “I don’t want (their progress) to be interfered with with the questions of, ‘What do you think?’ ‘How’s it going?’ ‘Where you at — first or second?’ ”
Mostly veterans practiced during Monday’s morning session, while the afternoon shift was designed for the majority of the Tigers’ newcomers. It was the first time Miles was able to see most of the nation’s second-ranked recruiting class in action.
“I was really excited to finally get out there with them. There were a number of guys that really showed well,” Miles said. It’s a good group. I like our receivers. I think they are going to be really good and the young guys will be pressing to play. It takes time to run routes and learn adjustments.
“You’ll see some talented guys in this (freshman) class that will learn quickly. They will eventually get there. This class is the style of class that you can win a national championship with hopefully sooner or later.”
One of those potential first-year stars is Leonard Fournette, the nation’s top-ranked player and five-star running back. Fournette will battle for early playing time with veterans Kenny Hilliard and projected featured back Terrence Magee, who was recently presented with LSU’s prestigious No. 18 jersey.
Though pleased with Fournette’s first day, Miles is reserving judgment until he can see the 6-foot-1, 225-pound beast hit the hole.
“We have to see (Fournette) with pads on,” Miles said. “He has acceleration, good vision and good ball skills. I would guess that he would be a physical back once we put the pads on. We’re going to see how fast he comes, and I’ll be able to tell once we get closer to a game.”
Harris and Jennings will switch practice sessions on Tuesday. LSU’s first full-pad practice is Friday morning.
“We divided the team so we can have twice the reps,” Miles said. “The split squad practices are beneficial to young guys who are getting a chance to get a lot of work during these first four days.
“Don’t make too much of which group players are practicing with. This is designed so that everyone is getting maximum reps. It may be as deceptive as pairing linebackers together so they can see it being done extremely well. It is fully for teaching purposes so that everyone can get maximum reps.”
In a bit of a surprise, junior defensive back Jalen Mills practiced with team after being welcomed back following a summer-long suspension. He was expected to miss the start of fall camp, but recently had a second-degree battery charge reduced to a misdemeanor simple battery.
Miles hasn’t yet announced whether or not he’ll take further disciplinary action when the Tigers open the season against Wisconsin on Aug. 30.
“Jalen practiced with us today,” Miles said. “He was suspended from the team for the entire summer. He will continue to be disciplined internally. The decision to let him come back took time. After an entire summer of suspension we felt like we’d bring him back, but he will continue to be disciplined.”
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