New LSU Athletic Director Joe Alleva weathered quite a few challenges in his first semester. The first came in the form of a Category 2 hurricane rolling into Baton Rouge.Hurricane Gustav presented early challenges, such as the postponement of the Troy football game and damage to several athletic facilities.But Alleva, who left his post at Duke for the LSU position, said the experience made his staff closer and strengthened his bond with football coach Les Miles.It’s a bond Alleva is glad to have, especially after Miles and the Tigers struggled through a five-loss regular season.”It’s gone by unbelievably fast,” he said of the first semester. “Obviously I’m not really pleased with the fact that we lost five football games. But it’s been really fun.”With fan criticism intensifying,  Alleva is working with Miles to identify any coaching staff changes that could be made. Co-defensive coordinators Bradley Dale Peveto and Doug Mallory are rumored to be under high pressure after the defense’s performance this season.”I discuss with him my thoughts, and he’ll discuss with me his thoughts,” Alleva said. “We’ll be doing that here in the near future. We’ll see where we’re going to go.”Upon his arrival at LSU, Alleva said he planned to wait one year before making any personnel changes within the Athletic Administration Building. As of Tuesday, he stood by that estimate.”I’ve been learning a lot,” he said. “I tried to take this first semester and learn by evaluating our personnel and  evaluating our facilities. I’m really pleased with where we are, and I’ve got some good ideas on where we’re going.”He wouldn’t elaborate on  specific changes that may be coming within his staff.”I don’t want to say anything right now,” he said. “Let’s just wait and see.”Another potential change involves student seating in Tiger Stadium. Alleva said he was disappointed an average of 3,673 students who paid for tickets but did not show up to each game. He said he may discuss the elimination of some student seats.The most poorly attended game of the season was the Troy game, where the stadium’s actual attendance was just 58,125. The student section was just 47 percent full.”My biggest surprise is probably the fans, from a positive and a negative standpoint,” he said. “I think we have absolutely great fans. We have tremendous fans. But I was disappointed with the fact that our fans sometimes booed our players and left games early sometimes or didn’t come to games.”Alleva is now transitioning into basketball season and hopes to see more Tiger fans at the men’s and women’s games. But he’s quick to correct a faulty guess that basketball is his favorite sport.Alleva claims it’s a common assumption that a former Atlantic Coast Conference athletic director would always prefer basketball.”I like watching every single sport,” he said. “I like them all. You’ll see me at tennis matches when tennis starts.”—-Contact Amy Brittain at [email protected]