LSU heads into its first bye week of the season on a high note after an emotional 10-7 upset of No. 7 Ole Miss.
LSU coach Les Miles held a news conference during the team’s off week and took time to send his condolences to the family of the fan who died Saturday night while in attendance.
The fan, 59-year-old Brian Tingley, had an apparent heart attack late in the fourth quarter of the Tigers’ upset win.
East Baton Rouge Parish coroner Dr. Beau Clark said Tingley’s death was natural and related to cardiovascular disease.
“What a tragedy to have a young man, 59 years old, Brian Tingley pass away in our end zone,” Miles said. “Wish him well, and wish his family well.”
The Tigers have their first bye week after going 7-2 3-2 in the Southeastern Conference in their first nine games.
Including this season, LSU has gone five straight seasons with an open week before playing Alabama. Miles said the team will take the bye week in stride after playing nine straight games to begin the year.
“There’s some bumps and bruises there,” Miles said. “We’re looking to get back into the season; really with two open dates in the next three games, we should be fresh.”
The Tigers have won their last three SEC games while running for more than 700 yards and allowing 10 total points in the last two games.
Miles, who has been outspoken with scheduling decisions in the past, said he isn’t worried about momentum.
“We’ll take the schedule as is,” Miles said. “I’ve never been a guy who wants to move the schedule around, only with a permanent opponent, so I think the back end of the season is fine.”
The Tigers have two weeks to prepare for the Crimson Tide before Alabama head coach Nick Saban and his team come to Baton Rouge.
While the team hasn’t started preparing for Alabama yet, Miles said having two weeks to get ready for a primetime rivalry game is what he wishes could happen more often throughout the season.
“I don’t mind it at all,” Miles said. “I think we should do it five or six times a year.”
The Tigers will practice Wednesday and Thursday and have a team workout on Friday before taking the weekend off and reporting back to practice Monday.