BATON ROUGE — On Monday, LSU Football Head Coach Les Miles addressed the media prior to the Tigers’ first trip to Morgantown, W.Va., to face West Virginia. Kickoff is set for 7:12 p.m. CT on ABC.
Watch the on-demand video using the link to the right.
LSU COACH LES MILES MONDAY PRESS CONFERENCE TRANSCRIPT
Opening Statement…
“I can tell you that we are happy to be into a normal game week off of a short week. I think our team really applied ourselves. The staff came up with a great plan. Our team got in late the week before and really understood the game plan in a short week. I can tell you that this weekend there was needed rest. We gave the players off Saturday. I took in two football games, a swim meet or two and a soccer game. The Miles family enjoyed the events.”
“I am looking forward to getting to this game. I feel like our offense managed the situation at Mississippi State well. I felt Jarrett Lee, minus a couple throws, threw the ball very well. He did the things we needed him to do for us in that game. I like the work we got out of Spencer Ware. He is becoming an intuitive runner and a guy who is a tough and hardnosed back. I thought the offensive line did a good job. Greg Shaw came in at left tackle for Chris Faulk, who incidentally may be back. I thought Greg did a very good job subbing in for Chris. If the defense continues to play with that intensity, it has the opportunity to be a special defense. We’re not perfect by any stretch, but if we correct some mistakes and continue to play how we’ve been playing at defense, we’ll be good enough to do what we need to do. On special teams we had four field goals from Drew Alleman. It really gives you a view into what his potential is. He’s that guy who has been in the backdrop of some great kickers around here. He steps in and understands his position and what he is supposed to do. He’s stepped up and nailed it. We’re still looking at our kickoff game. We think with more help to Drew’s leg that we’ll start getting the distance that we want. We’ll spend a little more time with the kickoff.”
“There were guys that won awards this past week. Mo Claiborne was the national defensive player of the week. In the SEC, Bennie Logan was the defensive lineman of the week and Odell Beckham Jr. was the freshman of the week. That tells you that there are people recognizing some of the spectacular play from some of our young people.”
“West Virginia is a very good football team. I’ve been looking forward to this because I’ve been told Morgantown is a wonderful place to play. Their game day experience is a lot like an SEC game. They have a crowd that is into their team and makes a lot of noise. Our guys enjoy that type of environment. They tell me that College Gameday will be there and it is also another primetime nationally televised game. Our guys love that. It speaks to us in an environment like that. It is another challenge. The good news is that we’ve been on the road and understand it. We’re getting to a point where our road character is established, as is our personality. Offensively, they are a very talented offense with a great quarterback. They’re averaging 42 points and 435 yards per game. They are rushing it for about 80 yards and throwing it for a bunch. They’ve converted 45 percent of third downs, 17 of 38. It just lets you know that they are efficient and that their quarterback handles situations well. I remember him from last time we played. He has a strong arm, good feet and can scramble out of the pocket. He’s only thrown one interception in 118 attempts. His completion percentage is just under 70 percent. They move the ball around. Four players have at least 10 receptions. One of their most dangerous players is Tavon Austin, who is also their punt and kick return guy with real speed. We’re going to be challenged again but in a little different way by the West Virginia offense.”
“Defensively, they are a very stingy defense. They’re allowing 316 yards per game, 116 yards rushing and 200 yards passing. They play an Okie front and move linebackers all around. It will be a different challenge for us offensively. We’ll need to make sure that our guys are comfortable in their technique and able to adjust to an Okie Front. Their secondary is very good. They have a veteran corner in Keith Tandy and a strong safety in Terence Garvin. They look like a veteran secondary. They’re always in the right place and making tackles. They are a real quality group. Their special teams are dangerous. Austin is the return guy. Their punter has a 42-yard average and they have a good kicking game. I’ve never had the opportunity to take a team into Morgantown. I think it will be one of those things that our team will enjoy and need to play up to.”
“I’m enjoying the fact that Russell Shepard is back and working into the plan. Again, I think Chris Faulk has the potential to play in this Saturday’s game. Health is returning to Brad Wing. This may be the healthiest we’ve been in a while.”
On the effect on Odell Beckham Jr. with Russell Shepard returning….
“Both are very good players that deserve touches and we’re going to make sure that happens. We’re going to find a way.”
On Russell Shepard‘s return…
” I think that there will be some immediate awareness and fondness for the offense. I don’t think it will take time for Russell to get back into it in any way. I am sure that he will make some appearances on special teams.”
On the depth of the offensive line…
“Both Josh Williford and Greg Shaw played a number of snaps. We have other guys that will play a number of snaps. I like how the depth of the offensive line is coming. I’m pretty comfortable that whoever who we field there, we will be putting five very quality guys on the line of scrimmage who give us an opportunity to play.”
On the amount of national exposure so far this season…
“There are guys that understand big games, loud crowds and big stadiums. It is a nice opportunity to start the season with some quality experiences that will lend us to the remainder of the schedule. This won’t be foreign to this LSU team when we go to West Virginia. We will expect a loud crowd, expect a quality opponent and expect to play a tight ball game. Those things benefit us. Certainly the media exposure, when we are in as many homes as our Tigers are, is something that speaks to the recruiting and the reputation of the program. I’ve enjoyed how we’ve started the season to this point.”
On the chemistry of the team with Shepard’s return…
“I don’t think adding a guy like Shepard will upset the chemistry in anyway. The chemistry stirs really well with Russell in the mix.”
On playing three of the first four games on the road…
“We don’t like to focus on hardships or adversities that we’ve faced on the road. We’re more into the personality, the character, who we are and how we’ve played in whichever stadium that we decide to play in. The LSU personality will take hold wherever we play. There is a confidence and an enjoyment of a road venue that this team has now. I don’t necessarily look at it as adversity, other than getting in late at night after a trip on the road.”
On Drew Alleman‘s leg…
“He had good kicking range of motion, but his strength was a little light. We could have gone with another kicker in the extra point and field goals, but he told us that he was good there. We’re working on getting his leg back to full strength and looking forward to his kickoffs.”
On James Hairston…
“He is getting a look and is a guy we look at repeatedly. He’s another guy that has a big strong leg that can occasionally knock it out of the back of the end zone. There is some competition there.”
On the solidarity of the SEC…
“I have not given much thought because there is one league that everyone wants to become a part of and one league that was based on a geographical print in a tremendously competitive environment. I think that is the type of recipe that stands up over time. I never gave much thought to that because I could have been in a position where every two days or so I would have to meet with the athletic director and discuss which league looks better than that league. That doesn’t happen here. We’re firmly and very happily competing in the SEC.”
On comparisons between Morris Claiborne and Patrick Peterson…
“I think Mo is as fast and athletic as any. Patrick was equal to Mo’s athleticism, fluidity and ball skills, but bigger, stronger and more explosive. I would certainly like to have Mo at either corner and Patrick at any corner as well.”
On Dana Holgerson…
“I can only tell you that his background is one that shows he really knows how to throw the football. His team’s are comfortable in the no huddle and in tempo offense. He has done a wonderful job wherever he has been with an offense. Whether he was at Houston, Oklahoma State and now West Virginia, I’ve followed him and understand the style of offense he runs. I see how accomplished he is at running it. It is a much different attack than it has been in the past. They had Noel Devine and a number of guys that operated differently. They still run the ball effectively and throw the ball very well. As much as it is different, it is still very productive.”
On kick off coverage…
“We really aren’t very happy there. We get a very good kick off coverage at times and then we get a little sporadic. When you spray the ball into the backfield there and try to get into a specific area there, it really throws your coverage off. We’re still mixing the personnel around. We want to find the best guys. We expect to have a great kick off team.”
On the difficulty in facing a scheme like West Virginia…
“It is a very different challenge and one in which you have to give view to. Rushing the passer is generally the same, but the combinations in how they get it off and put their passing game together is much different. It requires some adjustment.”
On comparing this year’s defensive depth to previous years…
“I’ve been very fortunate. People ask me those questions and it is hard for me because I am the LSU coach and I love every one of those teams. I can tell you that this defense is one of the fastest teams that I’ve had. There are more big times plays made on this defense than I’ve been around for a while. To compare it to other great defenses here is hard for me to do.”
On if the defense is where he expected it to be at this time of the season…
“Yes, I expected this to be a very good defense and there is no surprise here. Making sure that the level of intensity does not change and that there is improvement in all three phases will allow us to become a special defense. You can coach it and insist on it, but there comes a natural intensity that this defense seems to bring. There are some guys that take the field that just can’t wait for the next play. That is a wonderful piece for a defense. Just line the offense up so that we can get one more play in. That kind of want is pretty special.”
On any opponent that compares to West Virginia…
“I think Arkansas would compare and possibly a Georgia team from the past. These guys are very comfortable throwing it and put it in the air, but also have a quarterback that can pull it down and make some plays with his feet.”
On Brad Wing…
“Wing has the opportunity once he returns to health to have a look at his leg off of kick off opportunities.”
On playing the first three of four on the road…
“I want to play every game I can in Tiger Stadium. That is a fact. I feel that the administration feels the same way to. If it gets onto the schedule in a lopsided way, these guys are going to be ready to play.”
On comparing the Mountaineers’ offense to Texas Tech’s offense under Mike Leach…
“There is much more run in this offense than the past Texas Tech offenses. There are some strong similarities. The want and enjoyment in throwing the ball is certainly the first.”
On what West Virginia’s defense did well against LSU last season…
“I thought they played a very inspired game. I thought their competition was good and that they were a physical team. I thought they were a competitive defense.”
On red zone scoring…
“We really didn’t have that many short yardage situations, and when were in them we did pretty well. We were in more of third and medium and third and long situations. That is really where the drives stalled. We didn’t have many opportunities to miss third down and short. We liked our short field attack, so we threw the football maybe as much as we could down there.”