While the LSU football team may have fell short of its lofty expectations this season, players are looking forward to completing their season on a high note against Notre Dame in the Music City Bowl on Dec. 30.
The Tigers (8-4, 4-4 Southeastern Conference) were all business when talking about a talented Fighting Irish (7-5) team that struggled late in the season.
“[They’re] very athletic,” said sophomore defensive tackle Christian Lacouture. “[Senior quarterback] Everett [Golson] is a guy that can move around. He’s a great, great passer, but can also run it when he wants to. [They have] a big offensive line. He’s got a lot of weapons. We’re going to have our hands full, but we’re going to try to bring that No. 1 SEC defense to that game.”
The time between LSU’s last game and the bowl game will allow players extra time to improve in spots they may not have been able to focus on during the season.
Junior linebacker Kwon Alexander sees bowl practices as a positive step for younger players heading into next season.
“Just try to get better,” Alexander said. “Work on your technique. This is the last game of the season, so you want to get better…do all the things you can before next season.”
The Tigers entered the month-off stretch coming off a 23-17 win against Texas A&M on Thanksgiving night. The Tigers used a dynamic rushing attack between freshman running back Leonard Fournette and sophomore quarterback Anthony Jennings on their way to 384 yards on the ground.
Jennings said LSU is carrying that momentum from the win into the bowl game.
“Going into Texas A&M [is] a hostile environment.” Jennings said. “The offensive line played great. I still have to improve, but it was good coming out of there with a win to end the season with a ‘W’.”
Defense experienced with dual-threat quarterbacks
Much like LSU for most of the season, Notre Dame enters the Music City Bowl with uncertainty at quarterback. Everett Golson, who started in the 2013 National Championship game against Alabama, was benched in favor of sophomore Malik Zaire in the first half of a 49-14 loss to Southern California.
Although both quarterbacks may play in the bowl game, Lacouture said there shouldn’t be much change in the defensive approach.
“We’re going to treat it like the same thing,” Lacouture said. “They’re both relatively similar. [Malik Zaire] and I played in the same All-American game. They’re both guys, really, who can throw the ball and run it, so, at the same time, we’re going to have to look at those two and see what separates them from what they do.”
Throughout the conference schedule, the defense has faced dual-threat quarterbacks in Mississippi State’s Dak Prescott, Auburn’s Nick Marshall and Ole Miss’ Bo Wallace.
Senior safety Ronald Martin said the experience in the SEC will be an advantage for the Tigers in the bowl game.
“You just got to be patient [when facing a dual-threat quarterback],” Martin said “You got to make the right checks [and] keep everybody in the right position…make sure we’re communicating and everybody is on the same page.”
Jennings expects Miles to stay, embraces offensive scheme
Jennings said LSU coach Les Miles didn’t speak directly to his team about rumors of him filling the coaching vacancy at Michigan, but the quarterback didn’t find it necessary.
Jennings said he knows where Miles’ heart lies and thinks the coach wants to continue to build the program.
“Everybody in here knows that he loves being [at LSU],” Jennings said. “Again, he’s a great coach, and everyone in this organization knows that he loves it here and wants to continue to make LSU better.”
Despite his performance against Texas A&M, in which he accumulated more than 100 yards both passing and rushing, the sophomore quarterback doesn’t care how the Tigers have success on offense.
“It doesn’t matter if I throw 50 times a game or I run 50 times a game,” Jennings said. “Anything to help the team win throughout the game. Obviously, the zone-read was working the last game, so we’ll continue to go with it. Giving the ball to Leonard is always going to be a great day for us.”
Delahoussaye shakes off misses
After connecting on all seven of his field goal attempts through the first eight games, sophomore place kicker Colby Delahoussaye struggled in the final four games, going 4-of-8.
“As far as the misses, [I’m] just hitting them off my toe a little more,” Delahoussaye said. “I’ve gotten better with it. I’ve worked these past few off days…I feel a lot more comfortable with it.”
After a 22-yard miss in the first quarter against Texas A&M, Delahoussaye was replaced by Trent Domingue, who was successful on field goals in the second and third quarters. Delahoussaye was put back in the game after Domingue missed a 39-yard attempt in the fourth quarter.
Delahoussaye converted a 43-yard attempt to put the Tigers up by six late in the fourth quarter. It was a kick Delahoussaye didn’t think he struck well.
“I got really underneath it,” Delahoussaye said. “At first, I noticed the rush [from the] side. Whenever I hit it, at first, I wasn’t sure if it got tipped or not. I thought, ‘did that ball go behind him.’ So, it was close.”
Despite his stumbles in the latter half of the season, Delahoussaye welcomes competition with Domingue.
“I was really happy that Trent went in and did well,” Delahoussaye said. “I’m always rooting for Trent. Me and him are like brothers when it comes to that…[I was] happy that I got to go back out there and fix my kicks. I want to get better and work on the small details. That’s what kicking comes down to.”
