To see a video on Les Miles’ press conference, click here.
The last time LSU was scheduled to take the field against North Texas in 2005, Hurricane Katrina forced the game back more than a month.With the Mean Green on LSU’s schedule this season, Mother Nature may again disrupt the teams’ plans.As Hurricane Ike prepares to enter the Gulf of Mexico late this evening, LSU Athletic Director Joe Alleva updated on Monday the status of the Tigers’ game against North Texas.”Our No. 1 priority is to play the game,” Alleva said. “No. 2, we want to play the game in Tiger Stadium, but that may be out of my control.”LSU has spoken to officials in Dallas, New Orleans, Shreveport and Atlanta regarding hosting Saturday’s game, and it appears Atlanta is the best choice should the game be moved, Alleva said.”If you look at the track of the storm, Dallas may not be the best place to go because it looks like the storm is headed in that direction,” he said. “The same could be true of Shreveport. At this point the safest place to go and play the game would probably be Atlanta.” Alleva said LSU hopes to make a final decision Wednesday regarding this weekend’s game so the Tigers can make proper travel arrangements if necessary. LSU coach Les Miles said his preference is to keep the game in Louisiana, but he and Alleva will work together to create the best solution for the team.”I would be for playing in the state in any way that we could,” he said. “It’s our athletic director’s call. But I know his priorities are mine, and he is working hard to keep it in Tiger Stadium or in this state.”Alleva said problems with relocating the game include allocating tickets to LSU fans. Tiger Stadium seats more than 92,000 fans whereas the Georgia Dome, where the game would be played if moved to Atlanta, seats 71,000. Alleva said the Athletic Department has not yet made a plan regarding whose tickets would be honored and who would be left out if the game were to sell out.Another issue with moving the game is the cost LSU would have to incur to rent another venue to host the game. “It’s a serious financial burden,” he said. “I do not know all of the numbers yet, because I do not know where we may end up. But it will be a financial burden. There’s no doubt about that.”Senior linebacker Darry Beckwith said after having a week away from the game, the Tigers will be prepared regardless of where the game is played.”I’m itching to play,” he said. “This past Saturday was kind of weird watching other teams play when you know you’re supposed to have a game. We’re ready to get at it. We can play in South Africa and it really won’t matter at this point.” LENGTHY SCRIMMAGE REPLACES GAMETo ensure LSU got an adequate number of reps during the off week, Miles said the Tigers went through a lengthy scrimmage Thursday designed to replicate game situations they would have faced against Troy.”We needed to continue to advance our football team, offense, defense and special teams,” Miles said. “Our young linebackers needed to make some checks. Our special teams guys needed to be put in situations to make plays. [The clock] needed to be managed by our quarterbacks, and we did all of that Thursday.” Miles said the entire team should be healthy for Saturday’s game with the exception of junior defensive back Danny McCray, who likely will not play because of an ankle injury.MILES SPENDS WEEKEND WITH EYE ON TELEVISIONMiles said he watched many of the other college games over the weekend with free time left open by the postponement. The fourth-year coach said being near the TV allowed him to see first-hand some of the lessons he has to teach his team before it faces North Texas, a team the Tigers are favored to defeat by 40 points.”I watched bits of the Ohio and Ohio State game where Ohio played extremely hard and played well over their head and knocked an Ohio State team off their feet,” he said. “I watched a Notre Dame team that is as talented as any team in America be played by San Diego State and were fortunate to come away with a win.”The example [is] that the teams that you play will play well and each Saturday, you’d better be ready to play.”TIGERS TO FACE AUBURN ON ESPNAthletic Department officials announced on Monday that LSU’s Sept. 20 contest against Auburn will be televised at 6:45 p.m. on ESPN.LSU has beaten Auburn two of the last three seasons, including a 30-24, come-from-behind victory last season.—-Contact Casey Gisclair at [email protected]