Game on: LSU set to tangle with Goliath Alabama

Welp, here goes nothing!
October 31, 2018
Colonels deliver big win
October 31, 2018
Welp, here goes nothing!
October 31, 2018
Colonels deliver big win
October 31, 2018

Being a high school football coach is a 70-80-hour per week job.

Coaches work sometimes seven days a week, breaking down film, working on practice plans and doing everything necessary to get a team ready to compete over the course of a 10-week regular season and a multi-week postseason.

But even the hardest workers need a little time off and local coaches, like everyone else in the area, are eager to see the LSU and Alabama football game in Death Valley.


The Times asked several local high school coaches to break down the weekend’s matchup and they all had interesting things to say about the game.

The coaches all said that Alabama is the gold standard for college football excellence, but touted that they believe the Tigers have a shot to win the big game — more than just a puncher’s chance, too.

“Sure, I think they can win,” Thibodaux football coach Chris Dugas said. “They’re at home and they’re battle tested. I’m really looking forward to the opportunity for a Tiger victory.”


Coaches agree that Alabama’s strength of schedule could be a huge factor in this game.

The Tide are 8-0 and haven’t played a close game all season. But they also haven’t faced a real contender, either, unlike LSU.

Both Terrebonne coach Gary Hill and Central Lafourche coach Keith Menard said one of the keys to the game will be for LSU to start fast early and show Alabama that this will be a four-quarter game.


From there, can the Tide play a full 60 minutes? Well, that remains to be seen.

“Make it a four-quarter game and put them in a place that they’ve never been before this season,” Hill said. “I think if I’m Alabama, that’s one of the things I’m most concerned with is LSU has been in close games and has faced elite competition. Alabama hasn’t had to be in any of those type of games yet this year.”

“LSU’s played a more competitive schedule,” Menard added. “Alabama hasn’t been pushed to its limit yet. I think LSU will be able to test them — especially defensively. That Alabama offense is special, but they’ve not seen the caliber of defense like LSU has all season.”


Local coaches also think the Tigers will be able to move the football better now than in the past several seasons against the Tide.

Coaches lauded the play of quarterback Joe Burrow for LSU, stating that he’s been the elixir the Tigers’ offense has needed after several subpar seasons.

Dugas, an offensive-minded coach, said he notices a lot of the little things about Burrow that make he and the LSU offense tick. He said he believes those little things turn into big things on Saturday’s.


“He has that leadership,” Dugas said. “He’s savvy. He has great poise. I don’t think that you can look at him statistically and judge exactly the type of player that he is. I think he’s a good passer and he can make all the throws. And I think he has great command of the team. I was watching a game earlier this season — I think against Miami in the opener — and he checked out of a play at the line of scrimmage and audibled into a run. Well, we broke the play big for a touchdown. He just has great command of what the coaches are asking him to do.”

And, of course, a little extra motivation doesn’t help, either.

With Devin White suspended, Hill said he believes the Tigers will be playing with a chip on their shoulders — an opportunity to carry forward the, ‘us against the world,’ mentality that LSU has had on its side all season.


All three coaches conceded that missing White for a half will be huge. He’s an All-American and is unquestionably one of the top players in all of college football.

But with a bye week to get prepared, Hill said he thinks the Tigers will coach up another player to fill the void, while also rallying together as a team to try and get the job done.

“I think that will be a big rallying cry for them,” Hill said. “I think they’re going to use that as inspiration to rally together and try and pull out this big win.”


ORGERON VISITS TERREBONNE PRACTICES, GIVES INSPIRATION TO TIGERS’ TEAM

Maybe Hill has a little inside information about LSU’s plan.

After all, he did visit with LSU coach Ed Orgeron just last week when he was in Houma visiting the Tigers’ practices.

Orgeron spent time with Terrebonne last Monday, checking in with the 9-0 Tigers before their rivalry matchup with H.L. Bourgeois.


Hill said Orgeron’s visit inspired the team. The coach visited with a couple prominent Terrebonne players before watching a handful of the team’s practice drills.

Orgeron spent most of the bye week recruiting. He went to several high schools during the week, then visited several games on the weekend.

At Terrebonne, the Tigers changed a little bit of their practice routine for Orgeron to scout some of the team’s players.


“It really inspired our kids and gave us a lot of energy,” Hill said. “For him to come by and spend time with us, it meant a lot to our football team.”

Terrebonne junior Jakhi Douglas is a big piece of LSU’s recruiting board. Douglas, a receiver prospect, holds offers from almost all of the SEC Western Division powers, including the Tigers.

Ed OrgeronJOSE DELGADO | THE TIMES


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