The LSU football team will scrimmage for the third and final time this preseason today with the season opener against North Carolina looming just 11 days away.The Tigers emerged at No. 21 in the Associated Press preseason poll Saturday and are preparing to face the No. 18 Tar Heels on Sept. 4.Miles had no reaction to the rankings, and he said the team’s attention will turn solely to a game plan for North Carolina after the scrimmage.”We’re always told we have to earn where we’re at,” Miles said. “We’ve been ranked first, and I didn’t appreciate that. We’re ranked No. 21, and I don’t appreciate that. … Our team recognizes they’ve not been complimented with the preseason rankings.”Miles said the scrimmage will still primarily pit the LSU offensive scheme against the LSU defensive scheme. Some LSU players wore blue jerseys at practice Monday to “get used to the [North Carolina] color scheme,” Miles said.”We’re not that far along [in preparation], to be honest,” Miles said. “I always feel like we’re ahead, but when I look at the execution, it has to be better. We’ll start to introduce North Carolina. … There might be a period or two that is NorthCarolina in nature, but by and large we’ll be practicing against LSU.”Miles said sophomore wide receiver Chris Tolliver will not play in the scrimmage after suffering a non-contact injury in practice.Junior linebacker Ryan Baker also won’t play, but Miles said his recovery from a broken jaw is progressing at an encouraging rate. Miles said the earliest Baker could return would be the first week in September, three weeks after the injury.”[Tolliver] took a very unusual fall. No other player was involved,” Miles said. “They’re trying helmets on [Baker]. We’re closer than we’ve been.”The condition of sophomore defensive tackle Josh Downs, who was carted off the field Aug. 19 in the team’s scrimmage, is questionable. Miles said he had “an inconclusive view” of Downs’ injury.With the departure of quarterback Zach Lee to the Los Angeles Dodgers last week, Miles said LSU has awarded the scholarship he left, though he would not acknowledge the recipient.”It makes no difference how I coach these guys if they’re on scholarship or they have no aid,” Miles said. “I don’t necessarily focus on the people on scholarship as I do the team. We’re using the scholarships we think we should use.”Miles complimented the play of freshman defensive back Eric Reid in practice, and he said Reid, redshirt freshman safety Craig Loston and freshman defensive back Ronnie Vinson “may play real snaps.””[Reid] is a guy with good size and speed, and he’s smart as a whip,” Miles said. “In time he’ll certainly hold down a secondary spot. … He’s potentially a bright player long-term.”
 
 
 
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