BATON ROUGE — On Tuesday, LSU Head Coach Les Miles along with Offensive Coordinator Greg Studrawa and Defensive Coordinator John Chavis addressed the media at the annual Football Media Day press conference in the Lawton Room of the Football Operations Center.
Video from each of the press conferences is available by using the links on the right.
HEAD COACH LES MILES
Opening statement…
“How wonderful it is to have a job that everyone considers so important. I appreciate that the members of the media are here. I recognize that we really share our lives through this time of the year. You follow our teams and these times are experiences that we share. Highs are highs and lows are lows for the room. I can tell you we are excited about the season. I like our team. I will give a quick overview like I have in the past of my team. We have 16 seniors and 24 freshmen and sophomore in the two deep. I think there a great blend of leadership and veteran with very young talented players. I think they have had a very strong summer. We’re really just five days into a practice schedule, and frankly a ways to go to be the team we want to be. I think these guys are about that business. The opportunity to switch responsibilities to have Steve Kragthorpe to continue to coach the quarterbacks and to move Coach Greg Studrawa to the offensive coordinator, I think is making a strong transition. The reason that is happening is the strength of the room. There is a real cooperative commitment to get things right. I just think there is some great sprit in that room and a lot is getting done. The idea that Stud has been in that room for years now, he’s really bringing in all his skills. Kragthorpe is very involved. He’s doing all of the things he would have normally have done without the coordinator title. I like it. There are some shortcomings. The preplanning of the coordinator is not something that is taking place, but it is coming quickly. There are some things that need to be done so that these game time things go smoothly between Studrawa and Kragthorpe in the box. That is under way.”
“Jordan Jefferson five days in is doing what he is supposed to do. He did very well at the back end of last season and we expect him to continue that way. I like the running backs. I think there is tremendous potential here with the loss of Stevan Ridley. Spencer Ware, Michael Ford, Alfred Blue, and for that matter Terrence McGee and Kenny Hilliard will be quality backs that can run the football and catch the ball out of the back field. The offensive line is the most experienced position n the field. We will have four of five that will have played a lot of football. Guys that have had starts and understand starting. Guys that have can make the adjustments needed from the offensive line. The receivers, I think Rueben Randle and Russell Shepard will be as good as a receiver tandem that there is. I like the veteran in James Wright and Kadron Boone. I have to be honest with you, I’m not ready to say Odell Beckham and Jarvis Landry won’t get to the field quickly. “
“On defense, John Chavis is a wonderful advantage for me. I turn to him for many ways and ask for his opinion. He’s one of the best in the business. He’s doing a great job. I like the defensive front. I think that we’ll have great speeds at the ends with Kendrick Adams, Sam Montgomery and Barkevious Mingo. Inside, you will see Michael Brockers and he is starting camp really well. He is continuing to improve. Anthony Johnson a long with Ego Ferguson will be guys who play a lot inside. We’ll miss Kelvin Sheppard, but Ryan Baker is that guy. It is his time to be a leader. There is a responsibility for the veteran leading backer to lead that group. I think that he has taken that upon his shoulders. The secondary is very deep. We have corners that can all covers and safeties in the middle who are talented and physical men. There is a good nucleolus of young freshmen added to this class, all of which can play and eventually work their way into playing time.”
“Special teams, we said good bye to Josh Jasper, but Drew Alleman in my opinion is having a nice start to the fall. It would be a little premature to say that he is going to be as good as Jasper, but I think he is going to have a very good year. He understands what it takes on kickoffs, extra points and field goals. Brad Wing and James Hariston are the punters of note, along with DJ Howard, who in my opinion is a guy who busted his behind this summer to compete. I like us. I think we will have 40 yards good hang time and a very fast coverage unit under that punt. For the return game, I like Tyrann Mathieu for our punts and Ron Brooks and Mo Claiborne to fill the void for the kickoffs. I think we’ll be very fast in coverage. I think some of the things that Thomas McGaughey brings from the NFL will really factor in very quickly into this unit. I think we will be much further ahead doing some of the things he did during the NFL. It allows us a little better use of the year.”
“The schedule is going to be a very fun one. I think everyone is very excited about the Oregon game. They are a certainly talented team who was the runner up team in the National Championship game. When you watch the film you recognize they are very talented and very capable. They run a very good scheme. Our guys are challenged by that, and I think that challenge will allow us to step up and compete. That will help us get the season started off we’re ready to play at a high level. Six home games are about three to few for me. I like nine or 11, but I don’t know if I get that. Six may well be short, but again the Oregon game, everyone I see is telling me that they are going to Dallas to see us play and I need tickets.”
“Again, I like my team. They understand what a two a day schedule does. And that is making us better. They are willing to give. I enjoy them. Again, five days in and we’ve improved but we’re not yet at the speed we need to get. We’re looking to offset the beginning of camp issues to get to operating much faster, efficiently and cleaner.”
Q&A with Coach Miles
On Zach Mettenberger…
“I appreciate the idea that our fans are most interested in him coming in to play. He is a tremendous talent and a guy that needs to mature. He is coming to speed. You have to give him time to mature, and once you do he will be fine.”
On Coordinator Greg Studrawa…
“I think the offseason went how we had wanted it have gone had Stud been the coordinator all along. The responsibilities changed a little in where he would have a lot of thought going into the preseason that he didn’t have.”
On Steve Ensminger and Greg Studrawa‘s communication during games…
“I think Stud will operate that area of the field effectively. Steve is an old hand, and he understands the communication and how important it is. He is going to have the tight ends there anyway, so I think it will all work.”
On replacing the former stars…
“That leadership starts to unfold in a difficult grind of two a days. It is one that has progressed to this point and the view of it being their team more has come. The heat of two a day practice and the everyday consistency have yet to come. I like the leadership of this team. I’m sure they will step forward. We will have a quick meeting tonight on leadership. I think it will be a strong start to the season.”
On defensive ends…
“Sam Montgomery and Lavar Edwards are both getting snaps, but Sam looks very healthy. I enjoy him. He’s come to play with a real want. Once you miss a year, there is a hunger there that is real. You see him play that way. I think you will see Lavar there play a lot of talented football.”
On Josh Dworaczyk…
“He is playing every day. We’re picking our spots. He could be in every play and every practice, but we’re trying to go slowly. He will be fine.”
On Tyrann Mathieu…
“It’s all about a perception and than a feel for the ability to do whatever your asking him to do. He’s a very talented guy. He has quick feet. The thing that makes him special is that his mind operates with the ability to make big plays. He always thinks there is something else to do in the play that is in question. Those types of guys come up with turnovers, with picks and they knock it out and force turnovers. The plays that you just didn’t think you could make, he’s finding ways mentally to make them. That is the difference in him. The guys that we have had here that ran the 40 faster, I don’t know if there is a sudden player in college football than him. A guy who can put his foot in the ground, change direction and see the play that needs to be made.”
On Greg Studrawa‘s niche…
“I still think that you will see that Kragthorpe will have strong input in some of the styles of passing and those things Jefferson is comfortable with. Stud’s niche is his efficiency and making sure the things we are running are practiced well and that we’ll have advantages. His style is not necessarily the issue here. It is more substance. Whether it was Kragthorpe or Studrawa, the key is to make us efficient. I think that is something that he will do.”
On the running backs…
“It is very interesting piece. I like Spencer Ware, Michael Ford and Alfred Blue is very talented. It is a bit premature. What happens at the beginning of camp is some guy can get a tape cut or a hamstring, and it slows him. Suddenly in the back end of the camp he catches his speed and you recognize who he is. It is hard for me to predict at this point. I think we will start with Ware and see where we go from there. I think all of the guys that I’ve mentioned will give us a freshness and a specific talent that we need.”
On Tharold Simon…
“Tharold Simon is a difficult guy to get beyond because he has great speed and athleticism. He is a 6”4 player who plays with a lot of range. Frankly, when the ball is in the air, there is not a jumpy necessary. He is already there with his body presence and rangy length. He gives us a very quality corner physical against the run and as a cover guy.”
On Morris Claiborne…
“Mo was always one of the more athletic and talented guys. He continues to improve and improve. I would expect him to play like he would play last year, but will have more opportunities with touches at kick return. Now it will be interesting which side of the field they try to attack with Mo. The year that he will have will be special. I can’t predict how the opponents will see him.”
On Drew Alleman…
“What we will always try to do is use the skills of the guys that we have. The one thing he’s been able to do is kick the ball down the middle of the field with great hang time. That will help us with our attack kick off team. Field goals and extra points, he’s already lined up for those.”
On Jordan Jefferson‘s confidence…
“I think that he is relaxing. He’s enjoying the position that he has on this football team. He realized this is more his team. I saw him laugh and enjoy a play on the field differently than I have ever seen him before. That speaks to a guy who is comfortable in his skin and knows what the team expects of him. He is not enjoying being who he is in that role. I think he is confident in where he is at and more relaxed. Nothing will happen on Saturdays that he hasn’t experienced before.”
On Tyrann Mathieu in the nickel and corner…
“The corner spot is one that he came in and trained for. He understands it. He was our starter in nickel, and played about two thirds of every game just in the nickel spot. He gives us a suddenness and a playmaker in that position. Few offenses are ready for his quickness. I like him at both spots.”
On studying Auburn’s game against Oregon and the risk of the game…
“I have studied the game and how they attacked Oregon. I don’t know if that is the same team we have. Some of the things are consistent with us, but some are not. I don’t see risk-reward specifically. If you just took that game off of the schedule, and you won your league, I think you are playing in the game anyway. Aspiration wise it is a very important game just like the other 11. It counts as one even though it is an important one. Frankly, all of our goals are in tact if we had not taken that game or taken that game. What it does for us is the most important piece. It gives us the urgency to prepare real early knowing we are playing a quality opponent. The upside is where we need to focus.”
On the depth of the linebacker…
“I like Karnell Hatcher, Lamin Barrow, Kevin Minter and Stefoin Francois. I think what I’m seeing is our linebacking core has depth, speed and there are some guys without experience, but that happens every year. A linebacker steps onto the field and it is their time to grow. I think Baker and Hatcher are an athletic two some at linebacker that there is. On top of that you bring in big strong guys like Minter and DJ Welter. I think they are responding to the two a day schedule and they’re learning.”
LSU OFFENSIVE COORDINATOR GREG STUDRAWA
Opening Statement…
“Thank you for having me here. We are excited about getting the season started and starting practice as well as getting the chance to work with these guys on the field. It seems like a long time since the spring, so we are excited to get back out there with some of those guys and some of the new guys. Practice has been going well. We have gotten five practices in so far and put the pads on yesterday, so we will get a lot more hitting in which will give us a better chance to evaluate what is going on and to make sure we have guys in the right position. We are excited to start the season with our first game. A game of that caliber is a great opportunity and we are preparing for it.”
On Zach Mettenberger…
“His development is continuing. Like anything else, when you bring a kid into a system like this, he has to learn the offense and get to know Steve (Kragthorpe) as well. Zach is doing well. In the off-season, he had a real chance to improve. He stuck around this summer and is throwing the ball really well. The key is that we have three guys who are doing really well right now. Jarrett Lee is throwing the ball really well and as good as he ever has thrown the ball. But the reason Jarrett (Lee) and Jordan (Jefferson) are ahead of Zach (Mettenberger) right now is because of their understanding of the offense. He still has to see that more and now he gets the chance with the things that we are doing in the fall camp that he didn’t get to see in the spring. There is more game preparation. I think the more he sees, the better he will get. But, he is coming along well. I am proud of him.”
On his new role during the game…
“This is going to be the biggest transition for us. The good thing about it is that we had a system in place with what we had before and what Steve (Kragthorpe) brought in before any of this even happened, so that system is not even going to change. I have worked with Billy (Gonzales) before in the pass game. Billy, Steve and I came in during the spring and sat down to discuss and evaluate what our kids could do. It is like anything else, if you want to run certain plays or certain things, if that’s not what your kids do best, it doesn’t matter what type of play you call. We want to do the things we can do and I think that is what we have made many more strides in; What does Jordan (Jefferson) do well? What does Jarrett (Lee) do well? How do we get the ball to our wide receivers? How to we run the ball well? The transition is going to be good. Steve Ensminger and my relationship is probably going to be where the biggest transition comes in. Steve is a wonderful football coach and him taking the offensive line down on the field during game day will be the biggest transition, especially with how we communicate. We are working through that as well as calling plays. I believe if your preparation throughout the week is what it should be, then you know what you are going to do. I mean all of the guys are basically on the same page; this is how we are going to attack; this is what we are going to do and those kind of things. Now, the part of the chess match during the game is has the opponent changed what they are going to do on defense? Those things we are going to try and work through during scrimmages, team practices and team sessions. Right now, those guys in that room are wonderful. They are absolutely unbelievable.”
On late game clock management for the future…
“What has happened in a couple of those situations deals with trying to get different personnel groupings on to the field when you do not have any timeouts and the clock is running. You can’t do that. When you are in those types of situations, you need to be ready and you need to have a list of what to do. It all comes down to practice. You have to practice these situations and not wait for them to come up during the game. It is talking about these situations and saying if this comes up, what is the first thing we are going to do? Our job on offense is to have an understanding of the game and how to manage the game. We have to manage those situations. We have been drilling those situations and two-minute drill since day one. Through practice, communication and talking about them as a staff, you are able to handle these types of situations as they come.”
On the running game…
“Something we saw from Stevan Ridley last year was that when a guy gets hot, keep him in. We are fortunate to have three or four guys this year that each have different tools. One is big, some are lighter and some can catch the ball out of the backfield. We want to take advantage of their abilities the best we can. We will have different running plays and schemes where we can use the talents of those guys and do what is best for us and them. We are going to mix and match these guys and try to use their abilities all at the same time.”
On Josh Dworaczyk and T-Bob Hebert…
“It is looking really good so far. Right now, Josh (Dworaczyk) is doing great. He has had two practices so far. He hasn’t taken a ton of reps because I do not want to wear him out during this two a day part, but he has been really good. He is happy and is having no problem or pain driving off. He has to manage not only this injury, but getting back into the swing of things. It is going well.”
“T-Bob (Hebert) is as healthy and physically strong as he has been. He has had a knee injury, an ankle broken in three places and a shoulder injury that he has been fighting his whole career. Right now, he is as physically strong, in shape and healthy as he has ever been. He has had a great camp so far. He has been playing center and guard. I am looking for him to have an outstanding year.”
“Those two guys are so smart. They are the reason I can go up in the box and still feel comfortable knowing they are like two more coaches on the field. They have been in this system and know what they are doing. Without these two kids, it would be a lot more difficult than it is because they are such an asset to the team.”
On what they will do if Kragthorpe has to miss practice or a game…
“What we are talking about now is that Steve Ensminger used to be a former quarterback, so he is going to help us with the quarterbacks and jump into that role if necessary until we have to adjust something obviously at that point. Steve (Kragthorpe) right now is a logical guy who can handle the quarterbacks. Billy (Gonzales) can do a good job. He can talk them through the passing game. Not as much on technique and things like that, but help them with the schemes and what we are doing with the passing game. It is something that we would handle with the team and all be able to help with and chip in. We want what is best for Steve and that is what we have all been concerned about. None of us really know how this is all going to go, but like I said, when you have wonderful guys who can jump in, it makes the job real easy.”
On Rueben Randle as a leader…
“We are starting to see it right now. I have talked to Rueben (Randle) about it and you know that is critical. He is a guy that we have to have make plays. When you can make plays or have two or three guys out there that can make plays, it only enhances and opens up the ability to run the ball. It is critical for Rueben to continue to develop into a leader. He is doing a great job. He had a wonderful practice yesterday afternoon. He made a couple plays on a slant, he made a couple of plays on the draw, where he broke the draw. He is understanding his role and stepping up as a leader. It is hard to step up if you are not playing well or confidently. He wants to play confidently and when he starts making plays, that leadership ability will enhance not only within him, but in the eyes of the team. I think right now he is progressing very well.”
On how this year’s offensive line compares to previous O lines…
“They are as good as any line I have ever had. It’s about playing well together. This group, other than (Chris) Faulk, have played a lot of football together. The good thing is that (Chris) Faulk got in there during Ole Miss, Arkansas, and the bowl game last year. Now he has been in there during three big time games. It is a group that works, lives, and hangs out together. They do everything together. When you have that cohesiveness, they get to be really good. Right now they have confidence in each other and they know each other. They know what to do at the snap of the football. This is definitely as good of an offensive line as I have had.”
On how he would describe his offensive approach…
“I would describe it as a group that is going to attack and be very physical. That is what I want to be. This is the best way I can describe it. I don’t know much about style and those kind of things, I’m not very much of a style guy. We are going to be enthusiastic, we are going to hustle and we are going to be physical and win on the line of scrimmage. I like to make big plays and put our kids in a position to make a play. We are going to be aggressive and attack. We are going to come after you and after you and after you. I don’t want to be passive. From wide receiver blocking on the perimeter to running backs and pass protection to offensive linemen when it is fourth down and you need that much. We are going to be known as a physical group that attacks you.
On the celebration rule…
“As I understand, you can not challenge on a celebration call. I think sometimes it is necessary to call it and is warranted, but some of the things like with Georgia a couple years ago and what Charles Scott got penalized for was not deserved. This rule change was one of the first things we talked about with our players. If you want to celebrate, do it on our bench. We want to celebrate. When we score, it is a celebration. I want everybody to run down there and celebrate together. The guy who just scored didn’t just do that all by himself. Somebody threw it and another person blocked somebody in order for you to make that play. Run back over to those guys and celebrate together. Supposedly if they do that, they are not supposed to call anything. So celebrate with our guys on our bench and we will be fine, but we are definitely going to celebrate. We are going to attack, be fun and be physical, but we are going to celebrate when we score.”
LSU OFFENSIVE PLAYER QUOTES
QB Jarrett Lee
On the running backs…
“Here at LSU, we’ve always had a great stable of running backs, as you know. This year we’ve got a great group, as well, with Spencer Ware, Michael Ford, Alfred Blue, Jakhari Gore, and all those guys. They all bring a little something different to the table with speed, power and quickness. They’re a smart group of players and they’ve done a great job for us through camp and through spring and we’re looking forward to what they will bring to us this year.”
On role in helping develop the other quarterbacks…
“Me and Jordan have been here together for three years now, so I think competition is important. It helps you become a better player. I think helping the other guys out, helping Zach (Mettenberger) out, is key for a veteran. Not only does it help them learn the system, but I think it also helps you, too. Me and Jordan, we try to help those guys out as much as we can.”
On Coach Studrawa…
“My first year here was Coach Stud’s first year, so we’ve been together four years now. I have all the respect and trust in the world for Coach Stud. He’s done a great job, he has a great resume and the last couple of days he’s been the same Coach Stud. He’s knows a lot of football, we trust in him and we know he’s going to do a great job.”
On Coach Steve Kragthorpe…
“Like I said about Coach Stud, he has a great resume looking at his past, he knows a lot of football and he’s helped me and Jordan out tremendously in the film room with the X’s and O’s aspect, which is a big part of being a quarterback. He’s helped us out a lot in that area. We’ve learned tremendously from him and we’re looking forward to our future with him.”
On relationship with Jordan Jefferson, Jarrett Lee and the other quarterbacks…
“We’ve been tight. In the spring there are only three of us and now we have six. Me, Jarrett and Jordan have definitely stuck together because we are the oldest guys. I was at Georgia, I went through a season in the SEC and I know what it’s all about. We kind of help each other out and feed off of each other. Learning the playbook was my own thing, just studying every night. They’ve helped me out with things like what to see, when we go to Tennessee how loud it’s going to be and things like that. They’ve helped out a lot in things to look forward to.”
On the transition from previous schools to LSU…
“It’s a lot different, but the junior college league that I was in had a lot of athletes. We played a lot of good guys and a lot of guys signed with Division I schools. Being at Georgia really helped me out in knowing what to expect in the SEC. It’s the fastest league. Teams here are close to what you’d see in the NFL, so I kind of knew what to expect.”
On competing for the starting job…
“It doesn’t matter if you’re a freshman coming in or a fifth year senior, you’ve got to compete every day to solidify a job. Even with the three new guys, they’re competing for the starting job. Coach Miles is going to play the best guy. It’s his job on the line and he has to win games. The best guy at quarterback is going to win the spot.
On the expectations for the team…
“We have high expectations for ourselves in going for a national championship. That’s where this team’s mindset is and we aren’t striving for anything less. The Cotton Bowl isn’t something we look forward to going to this year. We will only settle for a national championship.”
On being described as confident by coaches…
“I definitely feel a lot more confident. I already know what’s going to happen on the field before the play starts. Basically, it’s just repetition, not really me working on other things because I’ve prepared so much for what’s in store for this season. It’s just about getting reps and getting a feel for certain defenses. So, it’s actually fun being out there picking up blitzes and throwing to the right receiver. There’s a good deal when you know what you’re doing.”
On what Kragthorpe has helped him improve…
“We’ve worked on footwork, drills and using your feet to throw an accurate ball. The quarterback position is all about footwork and small mechanical things. He really emphasized that every day at practice. Every time we could figure out what kind of ball we threw by mainly looking at our feet. By the time the season comes, our footwork should not be an issue. So, that’s where his mindset is and that’s what we have been focusing on since the spring. Right now, we’re just getting a lot of reps in and paying attention to that so when the season comes it should be natural.”
On high expectations for the season…
“I’m excited. Ready to go out and play ball and show what we’ve been doing all summer.”
On preparing for a tough roll and schedule…
“I’ve been training on the weekends down in New Orleans working on my individual craft, getting better at getting in and out of my routes. That’s something I’ve improved on.”
On stepping up and leading receivers…
“Yes. I’ve been here for two years. This year I’m really going to step up and make some plays for my team and show what I can do.”
On believing in Jordan Jefferson…
“Of course, I mean I’m impressed with Jordan over the last two years. A couple of games he came out struggling but we’re confident in him. He’s going to show what he can do.”
To the people of Bastrop…
“Be ready for a great season.”
RB Spencer Ware
“Try to stay humble. Try to stay humble and just go out there and play and do what my team needs.”
On stepping up into Stevan Ridley‘s shoes…
“There’s no set starter yet. We are all competing for the starting job. And every day we are going to practice like we want to be that guy for this season. I mean whoever that guy is there is going to be a lot of pressure on their back.”
On learning from Stevan Ridley…
“I learned a lot. There have been some big runs that he had in big games that sets teams apart. That’s the difference of making it to the National Championship and not making it to the National Championship. He kept his composure through the tough times and the good times. He just kept them rolling. “
What was learned from freshman year…
“You’ve got to stay healthy. Especially playing in this tough conference, the SEC with the linebackers they have. Obviously the SEC has the best linebacker cores in the nation. As far as size and speed combined. That’s a lot of hit and comeback in those trenches. You’ve just got to take care of your body.”
On confidence…
“I learn more each and every day. Try to stay humble. And continue to work hard.”
Difference in change of coaches…
“No not at all. Actually Coach Kragthorpe is still out there with us calling plays, still involved with the offence and still coaching the quarterback coaches. We haven’t lost a step yet. We’re just keeping on moving.”
C/OG T-Bob Hebert
On Les Miles…
“He’s got a great family. He’s a father and a good husband. That’s what you want in a head coach. You want a guy who’s grounded. He has those good morals and values.”
On Les Miles music selection…
“He wasn’t feeling the latest songs. He’s going to bring in his own music to show us. Might be some 1920s music.”
Les Miles‘s Favorite song…
“I don’t know. I haven’t heard yet. I guess if he brings it in we’ll figure out what.”
On football camps…
“Keep grinding and take it one day at a time. You can’t look too far ahead or your going to sike yourself out and get exhausted.”
LSU DEFENSIVE COORDINATOR JOHN CHAVIS
Opening Statement …
“This is my third year here and certainly I think we’ve made progress in terms of playing our scheme and getting the kind of personnel that we need to play this scheme. The players have responded really well and we’re excited about our personnel. Brick Hayley has done a fine job with our defensive line. We’re going to have a lot of skill back so we’re excited about that. Ron Cooper has done a nice job with the secondary. Certainly we had a chance to see what some of that young talent was like, particularly in the Cotton Bowl. I was very impressed with the way those three freshmen played in that game but also during the season. We played the last three quarters of the Alabama game with two or three freshmen in the secondary, and we had four takeaways in the Cotton Bowl, and all four of those takeaways were plays made by three true freshmen in the secondary. There is some young talent back there that we’re really excited about. Thomas McGaughey will be helping Coach Hayley with the defensive front, and he brings a wealth of experience and a great addition to our staff.
“I’m sure Coach (Miles) has already talked about Steve Kragthorpe, and certainly we’re going to support him and his family. Let me tell you something that’s really important to me. I had a chance in the spring to go out and do some of the Tiger Tours. I had a chance to be over in Lafayette and a guy made a comment at the end of our talk and really made me feel great. The thing he said was ‘Coach, you guys talk about the Tigers, we want you to understand that you’re a Tiger too!’ What a great feeling that was to hear from one of our fans. Well so is Coach Kragthorpe, he’s a Tiger too and we’re going to have his back. I know he’s got my back when I need it, because that’s the way we operate. When you’re a Tiger you’re a Tiger, there’s no question about that. It’s also the same thing with Coach (Studrawa). What a quality coach and a quality person, I guarantee you he’s ready for the task. I don’t have to speak for him but there’s no doubt in my mind. He’s done it before and he’s done it at a high level. He brings a lot of energy so I’m excited about seeing that part of it go into action and I know he’ll do an outstanding job.
“The thing you want to hear about is not as much the coaches but the football team, and that’s what you should be writing about. I think we have some outstanding talent. Certainly there are some people to replace. You lose two tackles off your starting defense, you lose your middle linebacker and you lose a corner that was the best defensive player in the country last year. What that does is it creates opportunities for other guys to make their mark in LSU football. The thing they say is tradition never graduates, and that’s so true. Tradition never graduates. We have players that go on to the NFL and I’ll be shocked if those guys I’m talking about aren’t on an NFL roster and probably starting at the same time. They were good quality men for us but now it’s time for a different era. It’s time for some different guys to step forward. I’m now going to go through the depth chart and talk about the players a little bit.
“It’s been my philosophy that if you’re going to be strong on defense you’ve got to be strong up front. There’s no question when you start looking at where we are at defensive end I think we’ve gotten better every year. We were better last year than my first year, and I think we’ll be even better at defensive end this year. There will be five or six guys that will do the majority of the playing for us. Ken Adams came in and really did a fantastic job for us. Ken’s a big, physical guy who can run. You’d be shocked at his speed, I’m not going to advertise it, but you’d be shocked at how well he does run. Barkevious Mingo is another guy with great speed. I don’t think you’ll find two faster defensive ends in the country. They may be playing side-by-side or they may be playing across from each other. Getting Sam Montgomery back is a big plus. I will tell you that he’s healthy, he’s full speed and he isn’t missing a beat. Certainly it put us in a situation where we had to make some adjustments last year when we lost him. He’s raring to go and he brings some special things to our defense in terms of a guy who can play the run well and who can also rush the passer. Also Lavar Edwards and Chancey Aghayere, those five guys give us five guys who are SEC ready and have been tested and played at a high level in the SEC. When you bring in five guys like that you have to think that’s going to be one of your strongest positions on defense.
“Inside like I said we lost two starters last year. What we try to do is play five or six tackles in every single ball game, and that’s what we’ll do again this year there will just be some different names in there. Michael Brockers has had an outstanding offseason. He’s played a lot of football for us and is ready to take on that roll. Josh Downs is another guy who’s done a tremendous job for us. He gives us some quickness and speed at the position and really causes problems for opposing blockers. We also have two young guys, Ego Ferguson, a redshirt freshman, and Anthony Johnson, a true freshman, who will see some playing time. When you start talking about young guys who haven’t really taken snaps in the SEC, they’ve been in practice and they’ve been through some of the battles so we got a good look at them. You’re talking about two quality players that are both 310 pounds plus and they have outstanding speed and outstanding strength. Both of them are very aggressive and both do a great job of being run stoppers for us, but they also give us a great pass rush inside. Also Bennie Logan has gotten himself into position where he’s going to be an impact player for us. Again, we’re talking about five guys that we feel very confident in right now that can line up and play at a high level in the SEC.
“At linebacker we lost an outstanding player there, but it happens every year. I think a big part of our leadership is going to come from Ryan Baker. At the end of the season last year I thought he was playing as well as any linebacker in the country. He’s got to pick up where he left off and certainly be a leader for us, and he can do that. Stefoin Francois played a lot of football for us here and certainly he’ll be in the mix. Tahj Jones has turned the corner and I feel quite confident in Tahj and his ability. He’s a guy that’s got tremendous speed and he’s put on a few pounds and worked his rear end off in the weight room. I think the one guy that’s going to really impact us the most at linebacker in terms of people not knowing him is Karnell Hatcher. Of course he played safety for us last year, but I’m excited about where Karnell is at this point. He’s still learning but let me tell you he’s a football player and he’s got great instincts and can find the football. Having him inside is going to be a big plus for us, particularly with the number of spread teams we’re going to be facing this year. Kevin Minter‘s had a great spring and a great offseason, so certainly those two are going to be battling for the starting position inside. Lamin Barrow is SEC ready, there’s no question about that. He’ll give us some depth and I feel quite confident that we’ll be able to play more linebackers this year than we did last year. I really like where Josh Johns is. Certainly he’s going to have to stay healthy but he’s a guy that’s talented and can give us some playing time there in a hurry.
“Now we’ll move on to the secondary. When you look at it you may ask who’s going to be the starters here. Well I think we have three corners that are capable of starting. Tharold Simon gives us a big body, and when you’re fortunate enough to have a big body you can put on a guy who can play press man and do the things he can do, it’s unusual. It’s highly unusual to have a guy with that kind of height who can turn, run, play bump and run and do the things we like our corners to do, but he gives us that along with Mo Claiborne. You look at those two and then you throw in Tyrann Mathieu who will play corner or nickel for us. If you look at the season he had as a true freshman and when you look at the number of tackles, the number of interceptions, and the number of passes broken up, Tyrann Mathieu was at the top of the chart. Obviously we feel comfortable with him. Those three corners can play and they’re game ready, there’s no question about that. Then you throw in Ron Brooks and that gives us a fourth corner. When we are playing our nickel and dime packages you will see all four of those guys in.
“At safety it’s great to have Brandon Taylor back. We lost him early in the Alabama game last year and it changed us a little bit, but what it allowed us to do was get those young guys in and get them some playing time. One of the guys that really benefited from that and took advantage from that was (Eric) Reid. You look at where Eric is right now and he’s a tremendous athlete. The thing we want to do is keep him healthy. He’s a very physical guy and he’s a guy you can plug in inside, he can get down in the box and play the run and he can cover one-on-one. Craig Loston has made as much progress as anyone on our entire defense. When you start looking at those three guys it gives us three guys along with Derrick Bryant as a fourth that can go play at safety.
“We’re talking about a very talented group with high expectations. I get asked every year if there is any pressure and most people will tell you no, but the pressure is there. Let me tell you this, nobody will put any pressure on me any greater than what I put on myself to perform for LSU, to perform for this football team and for this program. It’s an outstanding opportunity. Every chance I get I let Coach Miles know that I appreciate the opportunity to be here and to be at LSU. We go through and talk about these athletes and that’s important. It’s important that you have those kinds of quality athletes to go play in the SEC. The schedule’s going to be plenty challenging, there’s no question about that. That’s what you want to see. That’s the kind of schedule that you want to be a part of and you want to prepare for. Our guys are excited about preparing for this schedule, and during pre-season and two-a-days that’s what we’re doing. We’re preparing for the entire schedule. There are some things we’ll be doing when we get a little closer and we’ve already started on some things for Oregon, but we’re preparing for the whole season. That’s what we’ve got to be concerned with right now is getting LSU ready to go play a long and demanding schedule. It’s one we’re excited about and look forward to. It’s a great feeling knowing that every time we step on that field if we play to the level we’re capable of we’ll have the opportunity to win the football game. That’s what we got to go do. Every single week we can’t make mistakes. Every offseason we talk about ways we can improve and one of the things we’ve got to do is eliminate mistakes. We look at our progress from the first year to last year and from a stat standpoint we were better in a lot of areas, and that’s encouraging, but we’re not satisfied by any stretch of the imagination. We’ve got room to improve, we expect to get better and that’s why we’re excited because we have athletes who give us the opportunity to go win.”
On what changes he’s made in personnel to prepare for the spread offenses he will face this season …
“I think in some cases there will be some changes. Certainly coaches are guys who like to borrow, steal and get ideas from other coaches. You’re always trying to improve what you do, so we’ve had an opportunity to visit and talk, even with our own offense. Our offense does a great job running the spread so we’ve spent time with them to understand it a little better. I think as our players understand it a little better it gives us a better chance to stop it. More and more teams are playing it, that’s been the way for the last few years and we’ve gotten better at it every year. One of the ways we’ve gotten better is with speed. That’s what you’ve got to be able to do. You’ve got to put speed on the field, you’ve got to be able to match up and you’ve got to be a great tackling football team. Tackling is something we stress every day. Certainly the way we deploy our personnel is important, but being a great tackling team is what eliminates big plays and certainly we’re spending a lot of time on that this fall like we did in spring practice.”
On if this is the most talented defensive backfield he’s ever coached in his career ….
“Probably so. From a speed standpoint there’s no question, and in terms of having guys who can truly go out and play press man and you aren’t concerned about matchups, I think by far. Now we’ve had some very talented teams, and we were very talented last year and the year before, but I think we’ve got more depth in the secondary than any I’ve been around.”
On going back to Tennessee for the first time as a coach at LSU …
“Really I hadn’t really thought about it that much. The biggest thing is, and I’m not avoiding the question, is it’s not about me. It’s about LSU. I’m happy and that’s a great venue to go play, but there’s none greater than Death Valley. I wish we were playing them all at home but we’re playing that one on the road, so we’ll go up and play in that venue and we’re excited about the defense we’ll be taking up there.”
On Karnell Hatcher‘s adjustment to the linebacker position …
“Let me tell you he’s taking on quite well. To be honest it’s natural for him and he played some linebacker in high school. In the scheme we play we have safeties that have assignments to be in the box and they will be box players from time to time. He’s going to be in ground he’s been on before, he’s just going to be doing it every down now is the only difference.”
On what Anthony Johnson brings to the team and if he can be a game changer …
“You don’t know. He’s very, very talented and when we were here last year no one would have predicted what Tyrann Mathieu would do for us last season. At his position I think he’s close to being as talented as Tyrann was at his position. I think a lot of it depends on opportunities, which he will get, so we’ll have to see. It’s a lot more difficult in there but talent wise he has all the talent he needs to be a fine football player. We need to make sure he’s having success. We want to put our athletes in position where they can have more success because when they have success they become more confident and when they become more confident they become better football players. It’s important he’s handled correctly which we’re going do. We’re going to give him opportunities to be successful because he is talented and also hard-working. That’s important. A lot of times we don’t mention character in here, but it would be hard to find a young man that had better character. When you look at character, talent and his willingness to work I think he will make an impact. I don’t know how big but he will make an impact.”
On Oregon’s offense and if they will change from what they ran last year …
“I think they’re going to run their offense. Obviously when you’ve had as much success as they did and you have your tailback back, your quarterback back, your tight end back and a lot of good players back with the success they had, I don’t see them changing very much. I think everybody will tweak their system a little bit. They’re going to study themselves just like we studied ourselves. They’re going to try to find better ways to move the football and maybe some different formations and personnel groupings. They will tweak it but they won’t get far away from what they’ve done because they’ve been very effective with an offense they’ve done very well with. The plays they run aren’t any different than what we see. We’ve watched all 14 games of their film and we haven’t seen anything we haven’t seen at one point in time or another. It’s a really neat offense and they do a great job coaching it and they’ve got great talent to play in their system. I don’t think they’ll change what they do very much.”
On how challenging it’s been all offseason preparing for Oregon to start the season …
“It’s been a lot of fun. You look at our schedule and it’s that way from top to bottom. We’ve got a schedule with a lot of good football teams, and we open up against a good football team. They played in the national championship last year, and that doesn’t just happen. You have to work and you have to earn your way there, and they definitely should have been there and did a good job. You get ready and certainly it keeps you busy all summer. It gets your players’ attention and they’re excited about it. It’ll be a challenge but we think we’re going to bring a challenge with us as well. We’ve got a lot of hard work to do before we’re ready to play but that’s what fall practice is all about. We’re in great shape we have to go out and do quality work on the field that’s going to get us ready. We’re getting that from our offense because we’re getting challenged every day from our offense. It’s a fun fall in terms of this kind of preparation. I look at it a little bit like NASCAR. They start off with their biggest race of the year in Daytona, and when you look at our schedule certainly they’re all big but this is a big game. As you go through the SEC every one of them will be that way.”
On how important it is to have a multi-role player like Tyrann Mathieu was last year …
“It’s really big. A lot of the same techniques we ask our safeties to play our linebackers play as well. That’s why we’re looking for that caliber of athletes for us a linebacker. It’s about matchups. To have a corner to come in and do what Tyrann Mathieu did for us last year won’t happen every year. Let me say something to his credit, we put him in position but there were a lot of things that he did on instinct. In terms of being a football player he’s a playmaker. It doesn’t matter where you put him he makes plays. It’s about getting as much speed as we can on the field. That’s what we need to do and we’re never going to sacrifice speed for size, we’re going to put as much speed on the field as we can.”
On if the defense has the speed to match up with a team that consistently runs the football …
“There’s no doubt. We’ve got tackles that are well over 300 pounds, and we’ve got run stoppers inside. We’re going to rush the passer with speed and we’re going to stop the run with numbers. What speed allows you to do is play man-to-man and what that allows you to do is within our scheme get an unblocked player at the point of attack to stop the run. That’s our philosophy. We’re going to rush the passer with speed and rush the passer with numbers. That means bring corners and safeties in the box and putting a guy the offense doesn’t expect in the box. When we hit it right we’re going to have an unblocked guy at the point of attack and if we can get an unblocked player at the point of attack then we feel we can stop the run game successfully.”
On getting Sam Montgomery back …
“To be quite honest with you last year going into the season we felt Sam was our best pass rusher. He’s also got great strength to be a great run stopper for us. Then the leadership he brings. We’ve got quality at that position but Sam’s a guy that is second to none from a competitive standpoint. Some guys have that factor and with him he has it. It’s going to be every play, it’s going to be full-speed and he’s going to be a leader on our defense. We’re excited to have him back.”
On how confident he is in Tyrann Mathieu‘s ability to be a starting corner …
“You look at the NFL I think the average height of the corner is a little over 5-foot-9, and that’s about where he is now. Certainly he has the ability to play the ball with his ball skills and his leaping ability. If you’ve got a guy who is 6-foot-4 that can go do those things then that makes him even better, but there are very few of those guys out there, even at the next level. You’re going to see a lot of guys around the country with his size doing quite well, and certainly we have all the confidence in the world. He’s plenty big enough. Size isn’t going to be a factor with what we’re going to ask him to do.”
On what Morris Claiborne‘s done to improve his game the last two years …
“I think it’s been a combination of things. Obviously it starts with Mo himself and his willingness to work and prepare. I think our strength and conditioning program is second to none. If a player comes to LSU he’s going to be developed, there’s no question about that. He’s going to get bigger, he’s going to get faster and he’s going to get stronger. We do a great job coaching him, but that’s probably the least of the three. It starts with Mo, then our strength and conditioning and then we do a great job of coaching them from there.”
On how limited he will be personnel wise due to Oregon’s hurry up offense …
“We started preparing in the spring, and we will not be limited. We’ll have opportunities to change personnel if we need to. Our offense has given us the kind of look right now that’s preparing us and preparing us well. It’s exciting to go out there and getting those things done. I feel good with where we are right now, and certainly we have some work to do but we will be prepared. Our offense has given us some good looks so I feel confident about where we are right now.”
On Morris Claiborne‘s improvement this offseason and if he can have a bigger impact than Patrick Peterson did last year …
“I don’t like to make comparisons. Let me say this, where Mo has made the biggest growth has been in the weight room. His technique has been as good as I’ve seen any defensive back since I’ve been here, and that’s a pretty big statement because we’ve had some kids play with great technique. A lot of that has to be taught and Mo has been eager to learn. He’s improved himself on and off the team, but his biggest improvement has been in technique and fundamentals. I love where he is with his technique, but the biggest thing about that position is confidence, and he’s a confident individual. He thinks he can line up there and cover anyone who’s going to line up in front of him, and that’s the way we want him to think. He’s got to prepare himself to go play that way.”
On who will take over the leadership role of the defense this season …
“We’re trying to develop some of that now. Obviously with experience Ryan Baker can give us that, but there will be some other guys in the secondary. I think Eric Reid as a freshman took on that leadership role. If you ask Eric right now he can tell you just about what everyone on that field is doing. There’s going to be a lot of calls that he’s responsible for making. There will be several people but he’s the first person that comes to mind when it comes to taking the bulls by the horns and getting people lined up and making adjustments. We’ll put a lot of responsibility on him to make our checks for us and there are things he will actually call on the field.”
LSU Defensive Player Quotes
LSU LB Ryan Baker
On stepping into a leadership role …
“It’s about work ethic. I learned from guys like Drake Nevis and Kelvin Sheppard that you have to put in the work beforehand. Drake Nevis was a prime example because he came to practice each and every day working harder than anybody on the team. I want the young guys to see me do those things because that’s what it takes to be successful in the SEC.
On the defensive line …
“Their most important attribute is their speed. They’re mostly young guys, but a lot of them have a year under their belt so their experience will be pivotal to our development as a team.”
On the linebackers …
“I’ve been working with the young linebackers telling them take it slow and let the play come to you. That’s what guys like Kelvin Sheppard did for me in my first year. “
LSU CB Morris Claiborne
On taking on a leadership role in the secondary …
“Guys like Patrick Peterson, Chris Hawkins and Jai Eugene taught me a lot. It says a lot about them that they weren’t threatened by talented young guys and they were willing to impart their knowledge. I use a lot of what they taught me. We have some big shoes to fill, but I think we’ll do well this year.”
On transitioning to cornerback at LSU …
“I never played cornerback in high school, I was a quarterback my senior year. When it was first proposed to me that I switch to cornerback, I wasn’t that interested because I was a player who likes to get the ball. The more I played and the more I worked at it I realized it came naturally to me and I never looked back.
On training camp this year …
“Camp has been hot. Our expectations are high. We’ve all bought into what the coaches have told us. We’re motivated to put a lot of work in now to be ready to play a game in a few weeks.”
On kick returning this year …
“I’m very excited to be a returner. I got a couple of chances last year and I think I did pretty well, but I’m trying to take it to another level this year.”
LSU DE Sam Montgomery
On the Defensive Line …
“I care about all those guys. We’re like a family and that makes us play harder for each other. Barkevious Mingo is the best pass rusher we have. He’s a difference maker on the field.”
On preparing for Oregon …
“We want to play disciplined but dangerous and smart but fast. We understand they’re a great opponent so we’re doing all we can to execute our game plan.”
On returning from injury …
“It feels good to be back and be out there with the guys. I missed being on the field with my teammates. I also miss the coaches, the jokes and all that goes along with being on the field. One of the biggest reasons I was successful in my recovery was Brandon Taylor and the training staff’s support, they kept me laughing and happy.”
LSU DT Anthony Johnson
On working in with the older players …
“I want to be one of the best defensive linemen to ever come out of LSU. I have a lot of great players in front of me like Michael Brockers and Josh Downs to help me become the best player I can be.”
On the biggest challenge in transitioning from high school to college …
“It’s a little bit the speed of the game, but the biggest challenge for me was learning the playbook just because it’s so long. A lot of the older guys helped me to get the playbook down in the spring so I feel I’m ready to go.”
On being nicknamed “the freak” …
“I was at a football camp in high school and I was 315 pounds and ran a fast 40-yard-dash so the coaches there gave me that nickname and it stuck with me ever since.”