A full week of spring practice for the LSU football team is in the books, and the influences of the two new coaches are evident.
The Tigers concluded their fifth of 15 spring workouts Saturday with a 120-play “partial practice/scrimmage” in full pads.
LSU coach Les Miles said senior quarterback Jordan Jefferson threw two touchdown passes, and the special teams unit is working on a new punt formation inspired by newly hired special teams coordinator Thomas McGaughey.
“Punts will be more traditional and pro-style with McGaughey from the New York Giants,” Miles said. “We’ll have a single protector with more guys on the edge. … I’m not necessarily ready to commit to a punter just yet, but I like what we’re doing.”
Miles said the quarterbacks have benefited from the arrival of offensive coordinator Steve Kragthorpe this spring. He said the overall performances of Jefferson, senior Jarrett Lee and sophomore Zach Mettenberger were “pretty sharp” in the scrimmage.
“[Kragthorpe] has worked hard to take a lot of the gray out,” Miles said. “There’s much more matter-of-fact to it. The quarterbacks are very strongly directed.”
Miles said Jefferson’s touchdown strikes in the scrimmage were to junior wide receivers Russell Shepard and Rueben Randle.
He added that Jefferson is more sure of himself as a starter because of how much he has learned the past three years.
“We probably overloaded him to some extent by my direction. … Now he’s conceptually picking everything up so much quicker,” Miles said. “He wants to have a great year. If he doesn’t want to have a great year, people will go by him because there are some other guys who really want to have great years.”
Miles said the scrimmage included primarily first-and-10 plays with about 50-50 runs and passes. The carries were divided among five running backs  — sophomores Spencer Ware, Alfred Blue and Michael Ford, redshirt freshman Jakhari Gore and true freshman Kenny Hilliard.
LSU sports information director Michael Bonnette confirmed fullback Brandon Worle has left the team and returned home to Georgia.
Worle was expected to vie for snaps with senior James Stampley and sophomore J.C. Copeland.
NOTES
Senior guard T-Bob Hebert played at left guard for senior Josh Dworaczyk, who has been out after minor knee surgery. Junior cornerback Morris Claiborne played after missing time with a high-ankle sprain he suffered in the Cotton Bowl. Senior safety Brandon Taylor and sophomore defensive end Sam Montgomery sat out after practicing with green non-contact jerseys so far this spring.
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