Severe weather wreaked havoc on the LSU football indoor practice facility and Football Operations Center early Thursday morning, and the football team cut its spring practice short Thursday, coach Les Miles said.LSU will have a scrimmage Saturday, and Miles said he hopes the indoor practice facility will be usable by the middle of next week.”We got a good half practice in today,” Miles said. “We want to have a quality scrimmage, and we want to challenge ourselves. The good news is we’ll be able to use [Tiger Stadium] on Saturday, and that’s what we need to do.”Miles said most of the damage to the indoor practice facility was on the roof.”Several pieces of the roofing shingle, which is metal tin, were torn and are laying in an awkward position,” Miles said. “Once they get those pieces off, clean up the debris and start laying the tin yet again, we’ll be ready to go back.”Miles said the facility has stayed strong through past storms in the area, but this band of severe weather “got us pretty good.””Fortunately no one was injured,” he said. “This building has been just a rock through Katrina, Rita and Gustav, virtually everything that’s come along.”Miles said sophomores Jordan Jefferson and Jarrett Lee and freshmen Russell Shepard and Chris Garrett will see playing time at quarterback at the scrimmage.He said Shepard will likely take snaps at wide receiver as well.”All four quarterbacks will have the opportunity to play,” Miles said. “[Shepard] may take a snap or two at other positions,” Miles said. “We’ve thrown him a couple of routes. He has to be an advantage for us, and right now we are figuring out if him at receiver is an advantage or not. With the ball in his hands, he makes people miss.”Miles said junior Richard Dugas, a possible candidate to play at fullback next season, will have surgery this spring.He said redshirt freshman linebacker Kellen Theriot is also out for spring practice.Miles said sophomore offensive lineman T-Bob Hebert will have a chance to compete for a starting job.”He’s progressing very well for someone who will not take live scrimmage reps,” Miles said. “He’s tough and got good quickness … he wants to help the guy beside him when he’s on the line of scrimmage. The only thing he’s not getting is a live look.”Miles said two walk-ons will play at fullback in Saturday’s scrimmage. He said seniors Charles Scott and Keiland Williams and junior Richard Murphy will be at tailback along with freshman Drayton Calhoun.”We’re very fortunate [Calhoun] is here. He weighs 205 pounds, and he came in at 190. He’s getting an idea of what it all looks like.”——Contact Rachel Whittaker at [email protected]
Football: Tigers cut practice in half Thursday
March 25, 2009