BATON ROUGE – Quarterbacks Anthony Jennings and Brandon Harris splits reps with the No. 1 offense here Saturday as LSU wrapped up its first week of spring practice with a 100-play scrimmage in Tiger Stadium.
Saturday’s scrimmage was the first of what will be four for the Tigers during the spring, which will be capped on Saturday, April 18 with the National L-Club Spring Game in Tiger Stadium. Kickoff for the annual spring game is set for 1 p.m. and admission to the contest is free.
LSU coach Les Miles said the Tigers went about 100 snaps during the scrimmage with the 1s and 2s each getting 40 reps and the 3s getting the remaining 20 snaps. LSU also worked all phases of special teams during the two-hour workout.
Miles said the scrimmage was a first down scrimmage and that no other down-and-distance situations were featured.
“It was a sloppy first scrimmage certainly,” Miles said. “I felt like the knick-knack penalties, the slow drives, linemen mistakes made it a basic first scrimmage. It was just a lot like our first scrimmages we’ve had here in the past.”
Miles said the offense scored four times, which included a long touchdown run by Leonard Fournette on the first series of the scrimmage. Miles said that quarterbacks Jennings and Harris combined to throw three TDs passes and one interception. LSU did not fumble the football.
Miles said Travin Dural, Trey Quinn and D.J. Chark caught touchdown passes during the scrimmage.
“We split the reps up equally (between Harris and Jennings) and I think both guys have improved,” Miles said. “I think there are spots were they need improvement. Our tempo is a little faster. I think our guys enjoy faster tempo. Our quarterbacks are coming, and our offense is helping them come.”
Miles was pleased with the play of the defensive line saying, “I think they were better than the offensive line today. I felt like at times they were very dominant.”
The scrimmage was also the first time LSU’s defense was able to perform under new coordinator Kevin Steele, who has spent time coaching the linebackers and safeties during the first week of spring practice.
“The defense has done a nice job of responding to Coach Steele and picking up what he and the other coaches are teaching,” Miles said. “Coach Steele does a great job of teaching and relating to the players. He’s done a nice job of working his way through each of the position groups.
“In a teaching progression, that free safety and that linebacker have to be on the same page. The adjustments that have to be made by the line backing crew, nickels or dimes, have to be called and signaled by the free safety. There is a consistent thought that when Steele runs from one position to the other that he is addressing those kinds of specifics. I think it the right thing and the players appear to be responding well to it.”
The Tigers will return to practice on Tuesday for the first of three practices next week. LSU will also host its annual high school coaches clinic beginning on Thursday March 19 and running through the scrimmage on Saturday, March 21 in Tiger Stadium. This year’s list of featured speakers include NFL Hall of Famer Michael Irvin, former LSU defensive line coach Pete Jenkins, Cincinnati Bengals offensive line coach Paul Alexander along with LSU coaches in Cam Cameron, Ed Orgeron and Steele.
For more information on the LSU Coaches Clinic or to register visit www.LSUcamp.com.