Nicholls, LSU and Saints prime for big-time success
August 21, 2014
Retooled roster has Saints eyeballing Super Bowl
August 21, 2014
By midseason, most fans expect the LSU football team to have true freshman starters at quarterback, halfback and wide receiver.
Surely, that’s a recipe for disaster in the always-tough Southeastern Conference, right?
The Tigers’ players and coaches say wrong.
Despite inexperience, LSU doesn’t think it will take a step back from the national title hunt this season, despite one of the most grueling schedules in the country and one of the most youth-filled offenses in the conference.
Tigers’ coach Les Miles acknowledged the youth but added that he expects his team to compete favorably in all 12 regular season games this fall.
“We’re going to coach them hard,” Miles said at the Tigers’ annual Preseason Media Day. “We’re going to make sure that we try to anticipate mistakes and avoid them. But yeah, I’m not anticipating just terrible growing pains there. Not in the least.”
For LSU to have any shot at another national championship run, the Tigers will undoubtedly need to find quality play for the quarterback position – easily the hottest position battle at fall camp.
Sophomore Anthony Jennings entered fall camp inches ahead of true freshman Brandon Harris, thanks to his game experience at the back-end of 2013. But the true freshman has done nothing but great things since enrolling on LSU’s campus in January. Harris statistically outplayed Jennings in LSU’s spring game and showed the ability to make deep passes down the field against a top-level secondary.
Harris has coupled up that showing with a solid start to fall camp, which has led coaches and players to indicate that the quarterback battle is a dead heat that may even linger week-to-week in the season.
“The quarterbacks are really competing,” Miles said. “And as long as they do that and they continue to get better, we have to find a quarterback that can do all the things that these guys can do in the week and can execute the offense extremely well. I think we’ll do that.”
With such a hotly contested battle at the most important position on the field, one might question the Tigers’ chemistry heading into the season. But Harris and Jennings both said LSU fans need not worry because they are on the same page, each fully supportive of the other – something they say will not change, regardless of who is the starter.
That chemistry is a must-have because the Tigers’ receivers are just as inexperienced as the quarterbacks – a group led by Travin Dural and true freshmen Malachi Dupre and Trey Quinn.
“It is a good relationship (we have),” Harris said. “Everything will continue to build our relationship. When I got here, I didn’t know Anthony. I knew of him when I got on campus, but now we’ve developed a relationship.”
“We push each other to get better each day,” Jennings added in agreement. “I wish the best for him, and he wishes the best for me. We always push each other to the extent we didn’t think possible.”
Then, of course, there’s true freshman halfback Leonard Fournette – arguably the top recruit to ever sign with LSU.
Besides the quarterback battle, the freshman phenom’s progress is the second-leading story of fall camp. Fournette joins a loaded backfield that already includes seniors Terrence Magee and Kenny Hiliard.
Fournette has looked the part so far this fall and is expected to have a huge impact on LSU’s season. He’s already been loosely compared to both Michael Jordan and Tiger Woods this summer by Miles.
Magee wouldn’t go that far, but he does think it’ll be an honor to share the backfield with Fournette in 2014.
Both players should benefit from an LSU offensive line that is loaded with experience, led by senior tackle La’el Collins – one of four returning starters in the group.
“I think Leonard will make a tremendous impact for the team,” Magee said. “With his skills and the things he can do for this offense, I think he will have a great year. He has quickness and versatility. It is unreal how he has come in and picked up on things so quickly. It’s a big plus for him and for our team.”
Question marks surround the Tigers’ offense, but defensively, LSU appears to be loaded.
The Tigers return a slew of starters from last year’s bunch that was one of the top units in the country.
In the secondary, LSU is loaded and will rely on lockdown cornerbacks, sophomores Tre’Davious White and Rashard Robinson, a pair of players who had solid true freshman seasons in 2013.
If that duo isn’t enough, the Tigers also return junior cornerback Jalen Collins, junior safety Jalen Mills, sophomore safety Rickey Jefferson and senior safety Ronald Martin.
LSU is also likely going to break-in five-star recruit and now true freshman standout Jamal Adams in the defensive backfield this season.
“The secondary, I think will be really good at safety and really good at corner,” Miles said.
At both linebacker and defensive line, LSU has experienced bodies who need to progress into greater roles.
At the linebacker position, senior D.J. Welter returns on a group that will be looking for big-time contributions from heralded prospects like juniors Lamar Louis, Kwon Alexander and Deion Jones, sophomore Kendell Beckwith and true freshman Clifton Garrett.
On the defensive line, the Tigers will likely be sound on the ends with senior Jermauria Rasco and junior Danielle Hunter rushing the opponents’ quarterback.
But in the middle, younger names like sophomore Christian LaCouture, junior Mickey Johnson and freshmen Frank Herron, Greg Gilmore, Maquedius Bain and Travonte Valentine will need to step up and make an impact.
Defensive coordinator John Chavis said the Tigers know they must have a solid defense to boost what could be a youthful offensive group.
“We want to play great defense regardless,” Chavis said. “It’s no secret. It doesn’t matter where you go or how you cut it, if you don’t play great defense, your chances of winning championships are lessened. You have to play great defense and our goal is to be a great defensive unit. We work towards that ever day.”
So with the offense learning the ropes and the defense polishing its skills, the mood around LSU is quiet confidence as the season-opener with Wisconsin looms near.
The rest of the country may not think the Tigers have much of a shot, but they tout that folks should expect the unexpected in the new season.
“We think we have as good a shot as any,” Miles said. “I like us. I like the group that we have. We think the Tigers can play, compete and win every contest.”
LSU coach Les Miles prances the LSU sideline during a game last season. The Tigers’ coach is confident that LSU will remain a power in 2014, despite losing more than 50 percent of its total offensive output from last season’s 10-win team.
