LSU football coach Les Miles took the podium Monday after a week off for his weekly press conference to discuss the Tigers’ upcoming opponent, much like he does every week.
But this is no ordinary week. This Saturday, No. 14 LSU (7-2, 3-2 Southeastern Conference) will host No. 4 Alabama (7-1, 4-1 SEC) in a rivalry game that has had national implications for the past seven years. Miles said there is a noticable air of excitement among the Tigers as they prepare for their last home game of the season.
“There’s an enjoyment of playing [Alabama],” Miles said. “You enjoy competition. You enjoy playing at a very high level. You enjoy playing in Tiger Stadium, which these Tigers do. I think we’re looking forward to it, not necessarily based on what happened in the stadium two years ago, but based on the fact that there’s something very specific that can happen this year.”
The Tigers are riding a hot streak after winning their last three games, the last being a 10-7 win against then-No. 3 Ole Miss before the bye week.
Miles said the crowd in Tiger Stadium helped push LSU to victory against the Rebels in its last game, and he expects nothing less on senior night against Alabama.
“When we come into Tiger Stadium and it is a live environment, there’s energy in the crowd, our guys play off of it,” Miles said. “They feed on it, and again, we play best in Tiger Stadium, and that atmosphere is very, very special and very conducive to those Tigers playing well.”
After playing nine consecutive weeks of football, LSU greeted its bye week with open arms. Miles expressed little to no concern over a loss of momentum caused by a week off.
“I have always enjoyed bye weeks in the fact that it allowed for health to re-gear, allow us to do some things within our football program,” Miles said. “I don’t think there’s really any disadvantage for this team going into this bye week.”
The Crimson Tide will come to Baton Rouge after a week off of its own, which it entered after a stretch of good performances.
After falling to Ole Miss and barely edging out Arkansas a week later, Alabama seemed to hit its stride with a 59-0 thrashing of Texas A&M followed by a dominant 34-20 win against Tennessee that brought it into a bye week.
Among Alabama’s most deadly weapons on offense is junior wide receiver Amari Cooper, who has accumulated 1,132 receiving yards and nine touchdowns through the air through eight games this season.
Miles said it’s not necessarily Cooper’s size and speed that make him so dangerous, but rather his football IQ and route-running ability.
“That’s not something that just comes with speed and size and ball skills,” Miles said. “You have to understand what the route is called to do and how it fits within the scheme and then have the ability to make it work, and he has all that.”
LSU will play against one of the top run defenses in the nation for the second consecutive game. The Crimson Tide leads the SEC in rushing defense, allowing just 2.71 yards per carry and two touchdowns on the ground all season.
The Tigers will once again rely on a good push up front from the offensive line and its stable of running backs for all four quarters, Miles said.
“I just think there’s a desire by our group to share the responsibility moving the football, and it’s no mistake that Kenny Hilliard comes in and is fresh in the back end of the game and really leads the charge and some great runs in the last drive,” Miles said.
As big a rivalry as LSU has with Alabama and as big as the implications of the upcoming contest between the two programs are, Miles said it’s important for his team to remember that Saturday will simply act as another opportunity to grow and move toward its goal.
“It’s an opportunity to continue to show improvement, continue to take a step, and to enjoy the excitement of yet another big game in Tiger Stadium,” Miles said.
You can reach Tyler Nunez on Twitter @Nunez_TDR.