The LSU football players have done plenty of trash talking leading up to Saturday’s annual spring game to cap off spring football practice — at least according to junior free safety Chad Jones.”It’s been going on all spring,” Jones said. “[Senior wide receiver] Chris Mitchell and I clown around all the time, and he’s never blocked me, so he’s always saying how he’s going to blindside me and all this stuff.”Jones and Mitchell are two members of the white team in Saturday’s scrimmage, consisting of the first-string and third-string players.The quarterbacks on the white team are sophomores Jordan Jefferson and Jarrett Lee, and freshmen Russell Shepard and Chris Garrett will be the offensive leaders on the purple team.”I’m looking forward to going against all the quarterbacks because each one of them has a different style,” Jones said. “This game is more about offense vs. defense than team vs. team.”Senior running backs Charles Scott and Keiland Williams will play on the white team, and Williams said everyone is eager to take the field and redeem themselves after a subpar 2008 season.”After the [Chick-fil-A Bowl] game last year, players were excited to get back into it and have that sense of urgency to show people we’re not the team we had last season,” Williams said. “We want to come out and be better and make sure we don’t have another 8-5 season. We have to show our energy.”Williams said each of LSU’s quarterbacks has a unique situation, yet he said they all “have a really good feel for each other.””Last year Jarrett just got thrown into the fire, and Jordan came on toward the end of the season,” Williams said. “They’re both pushing each other, which is going to make them both better. Russell came in, and as a quarterback he has to learn what everybody on the offense has to do. With his athletic ability he’s in good shape; he just has to continue learning the offense.”LSU coach Les Miles said the game will consist of about 120 plays in addition to special teams drills.”We’ll require certain special teams snaps, and when I feel like we’ve had enough of those, I’ll go right to the play,” Miles said. “We’ll put the ball down on the 30- or 40-[yard line], whatever appears to be the natural spot, and we’ll run it from there.”Miles said the goal of the spring game is for veterans to establish themselves and younger players to rise to the occasion in a game-like atmosphere.”You want everybody to play well,” Miles said. “A key piece is no injuries, but you also want to see young guys step forward and make plays, see veterans who will lead more, and see what it will feel like on game days.”Senior defensive end Rahim Alem will join his brother Jones on the white team, along with senior linebacker Perry Riley and junior Kelvin Sheppard, and defensive linemen Charles Alexander, Drake Nevis and Al Woods.Sophomore safety Ron Brooks highlights the purple team’s defense, along with seniors Chris Hawkins and Danny McCray. Brooks has converted from cornerback to safety in the spring, and Jones said the he is amazed at the progress of one of the youngest members of the secondary.”Ron Brooks is coming along real good,” Jones said. “We’ve got respect for him in the move from cornerback to safety. He’s a little man with a big heart.”Jones said this year’s spring game should have a fresh look to it, and he predicted a strong showing from the LSU defense as a whole.”It’s always a rivalry the three years I’ve been here,” Jones said. “The offense always wants to crush the defense, and the defense always wants to crush the offense. I think the defense is gonna get the offense this time.”CHAD JONES BACK TO BASEBALL NEXT WEEKJones said he will return to the LSU baseball team Monday, and he hopes to travel with the team to Metairie for the Wally Pontiff Jr. Classic against Louisiana-Lafayette.”I talked to Coach [Paul] Mainieri, and I should make that trip if I make the travel roster,” Jones said.——Contact Rachel Whittaker at [email protected]