BATON ROUGE — LSU head coach Les Miles addressed the local media on Monday for the first of his weekly press conferences to discuss the upcoming opponent, Arizona State. At 4:30 p.m. CT, another press conference will be held to discuss the location and time of this week’s game.
Please check back later for this transcript of Les Miles press conference, or watch the archive in the Geaux Zone after its conclusion.
Live video and audio of the 4:30 p.m. press conference with Athletics Director Skip Bertman and other administrators will also be available in the Geaux Zone in its entirety.
LSU Football Head Coach Les Miles
September 5, 2005
Opening Statement…
“The Arizona State team is a very talented team. They played extremely well against Temple. They have the ear mark of a nationally ranked team in all three phases, offense, defense and special teams. They are extremely talented on special teams. They have a tremendous punter. (Jesse) Ainsworth is an extremely talented kickoff and return guy. They have great cover teams and return teams.
On defense, they’re fast and have a big playmaker in their middle linebacker. He’s a guy who can run to the football and make plays. He’s a real physical player. Their defensive line is fast and mobile. On the corners, they have one veteran back. They have some inexperience there but they’re very talented. They’re a very capable defense and played that way against Temple.
Offensively their quarterback throws the ball well. He’s a good decision-maker. They have (Rudy) Burgess, their converted wide receiver now a tailback. He’s very shifty and very physical. (Keegan) Herring, No. 24, rushed for more than 100 yards.
They’re a very good football team and this will be a great challenge. Our team will look forward to it. I can tell you that with respect to the state’s tragedy in the aftermath of Katrina, our school and certainly our football team is respectful of the loss, both in life and physical property, as well as way of life for many people who support LSU and LSU athletics and our football team. When we take the field we will do so with respect for that tragedy.”
On the overall team…
“Certainly there’s some kind of variance high and low emotionally, and certainly it’s something that’s a steady, constant wearing. But our team has practiced well and is showing the ability to put everything on the backburner for two hours and practice a little football. That’s been a break, sort of a release, for me and a positive release for them.”
On the status of the location of the Arizona State game…
“I know that we’re playing a game on Saturday, and our football team wants to play. We want to do what’s right and will play where directed. If the administration and the people who make those decisions deem it’s necessary that we play away from Baton Rouge, the so be it. We’ll do so understanding very comfortably that that decision was made for the best of the state, the best of the school, and with respect for those people that have loss. Frankly, we want to do the right thing and we want to be respectful for the people of Louisiana.”
On if the team might use the circumstance as an excuse…
“I can tell you there is no excuse. At the end of the year there will be a ledger. The ledger will read wins and losses. There’s no asterisks. Our kids are looking forward to playing and aren’t looking for any excuses. They’re competitors and are looking forward to playing.”
On his readiness to play a game in Tiger Stadium…
“At the right time when I’m fortunate enough to be the head coach of LSU and we enter Tiger Stadium to play a home game, I’ll be very happy. And it won’t make any difference if it’s this Saturday or a week from Saturday or two weeks from Saturday. It doesn’t make any difference.”
On Arizona State having the advantage of already playing a game…
“They’re 1-0 and certainly have been through the rigors of getting it on the field and getting it off the field, communicating, and doing all of the thing that have to happen. It really is something that every team has to get through. We had a nice run through Friday. It was a pretty good rehearsal, but the only real rehearsal is gameday. Hopefully we’ll get by without much startup cost.”
On how the staff and players feel about the changes going on with the schedule…
“I’m a creature of habit. I like to know when practice is and what’s the schedule and those basic fundamentals. That has changed regularly, but I haven’t seen any real cost (because of that). They understand the reason for the change, and the team really has responded the same way.”
LSU Player Quotes — Weekly Press Luncheon
What are your thought about the aftermath of the hurricane…
“I think you just have to take it one day at a time. We’ve had to do it as a team and I think that’s what people have to do in general. We’ve had to approach it that way and get done what we need to get done and help out in any way we can.”
What volunteering have you been involved with…
“Yes. We’ve visited the different facilities, played with kids, donated stuff. We’ve got an 18 foot trailer and packed it full of stuff that the guys were willing to donate. It’s been a great experience for us and the best way we can give back is just to be able to do what we can.”
When you see these people what hits you…
“I think it’s just the emotion of seeing a person when they’re down. You want to do anything you can to bring some inspiration to them and to uplift them and make them feel proud and that’s what we try to do. They do that for us when we play football. People support you and inspire you to play and we have to do that for them in a tough time like this. We have to do everything we can to inspire people to be uplifted and to understand they can still have pride in where they’re from.”
Do you feel that the team has a responsibility in playing this weekend…
“Well I think there’s no doubt that a lot of people from this area, a lot of people from this state follow college football and follow LSU most importantly and I think there’s no way we can say that we’re not going out there with this on our minds and this being an inspiration for us to have a chance to make this state proud of something. From all of the people I’ve talked to that have been through this can’t wait for some sense of normalcy. Some sense of something to be happy about and take their mind off of it for a little while. It think a lot of people want this, a lot of people support this and we’re going to do our best to make this state proud.”
Does it matter where the game is played…
“No. I don’t think it matters at all. We’re ready to play football. We’re ready to strap it up and go so wherever they allow us to play, we’ll be there to play. We’re just ready to put the ball on the ground.”
What kind of pain has this brought to you personally…
“Just like anyone else, it’s almost like it’s a dream. It’s weird, you know, you don’t know what to expect each day with different things like gas running out, food stores not having things. It’s different. It’s not everyone’s routine day. Personally, I would say if affects you in that you just worry about all of those people that are in need and anything you can do to help them and that’s what we’ve tried to do as a team and as individuals. You’ve got to feel as if we have to go out there and put this on our backs and give these people a sense of pride and that’s how we have to approach it and that’s how we will approach it. With this team, it’s hit home for a lot of guys. There’s an extreme amount of guys that are from the areas affected. I think it’s pulled the team closer and it’s something that definitely will inspire us to play.”
RB Justin Vincent
On not knowing where the team will play Saturday…
“It is kind of weird not knowing, but at the same time you know what has to get done. We’ve been preparing for months no matter where it’s going to be. Actually, we’re not going to be just prepared, were going to be well prepared.”
On if the players use practice to take their mind off the situation…
“In a way. At certain times you can’t help but to hear the helicopters passing and the sirens going off, but you know what you have to do. We just have to go out there and get it done for those two hours.”
On if the team’s focus has been affected by last week’s events…
“Not really, but at the same time everybody has a positive attitude no matter what’s going to happen. We know that we are going to play. Not knowing where is a different situation, but at the same time we know what has to be done. I guess we’ll wait ’til Saturday.”
On if he believes the team should play…
“Visiting the shelters and whatnot, everybody knows we’re playing ball and every time we go in there they are asking ‘When are you going to play’ and stuff like that. I think they’re looking forward to something like that — something to keep their mind off certain distractions going on in their life right now. They’re looking for a positive experience in a way.”
On if playing a game will help the team…
“Most definitely. Not only will it help us, but it will help the state of Louisiana. We know how much people out here love LSU and love LSU football. It will just give them something to look forward to this coming weekend. They’ll be rooting us on, and we’ll try to do our best for the state.”
On if he had anyone in his family affected by the hurricane…
“At first. I have a little cousin. She’s from Ohio and this is her first year at Xavier. She’s playing basketball there. Actually, I didn’t hear the word until late that she had left. I didn’t even know she had arrived. She made it home from Lake Charles in about nine hours.”