BATON ROUGE – LSU held a one-hour walk-through in shorts on Friday as the 20th-ranked Tigers continue to prepare for their matchup against Texas Tech in the AdvoCare Texas Bowl in Houston.
LSU and Texas Tech will meet at 8 p.m. on Tuesday, Dec. 29 at NRG Stadium – the home of the NFL’s Houston Texans. The game will be televised on ESPN.
Friday was also graduation day on the LSU campus and nine current members of the football team received their diploma. When LSU lines up against Texas Tech on Dec. 29, 12 members of the football team will have earned their degree.
Among those who got their diploma on Friday include starters Lamar Louis (linebacker), Jamie Keehn (punter), and John Diarse (wide receiver). Defensive tackle Quentin Thomas became the first member of his family to get a college degree.
“We are really proud of all of these guys,” LSU coach Les Miles said after practice. “We bring them to LSU to get a degree and to compete for championships. Getting a degree and quality education is every bit as important as what they accomplish on the field.
“We recruit players on the fact that they will get a quality education and a degree that will help them launch their career when they are done playing football. These guys are well on their way to being successful in what career path they choose.”
Miles said the Tigers will practice on Saturday afternoon followed by a Monday-like workout on Sunday. The Tigers will also have the annual Senior Banquet to honor the squad and their accomplishments for the 2015 season on Sunday night.
“Practices have been really good up to this point,” Miles said. “The players have a good understanding of what we are trying to accomplish. We are zeroing in on getting the game plan in place before we break for Christmas.”
Miles said that he’s been pleased with how the offense has looked during bowl practice and expects to see a more efficient unit on the field against Texas Tech.
“If we execute the offense, we will have an opportunity to move the ball down the field,” Miles said. “It’s our goal to be balanced. The necessity to throw the football will give us a better opportunity to the run the ball. I don’t think you can do one without the other.”
LSU goes into the game with the nation’s leading rusher in Leonard Fournette, who is averaging 158.3 yards per game. As a unit, LSU leads the SEC and ranks No. 9 in the nation in rushing with 245.9 yards a contest. Texas Tech, on the other hand, is allowing 540.2 total yards, which includes 271.8 rushing yards a game.
LSU will break for Christmas following a morning workout on Dec. 23. The Tigers will have a two-day break before departing for Houston on the morning of Dec 26.