Senior defensive end Lewis Neal had one message to his teammates during workouts on Monday: There’s still football to play beyond the Alabama game.
“I talked to the players today, and I told them to keep their heads up,” Neal said. “Finish strong. We have a lot of ball left to play.”
For the sixth-straight season, LSU lost to Alabama, thus ending the Tigers’ hope of winning the Southeastern Conference’s West division. The last two seasons, the game following Alabama has lead to an emotional letdown.
Last season, LSU’s three-game skid began with a 31-14 home loss to Arkansas.
Neal said it’s up to the leaders on LSU’s team to take responsibility and to right the ship.
“It’s going to boil down to us leaders talking to everybody and making sure we’re on the same page,” Neal said. “Just continue to play hard and play our hearts out. You never know what the outcome can be.”
The Tigers travel to Fayetteville, Arkansas, Saturday to face the Razorbacks, who have defeated LSU two years in a row — and five of the last nine times — and shut out LSU 17-0 the last time the Tigers visited Fayetteville.
Additionally, Arkansas coach Bret Bielema owns a 25-12 record in November, and the Tigers are preparing to face the Razorbacks’ high level of play, junior quarterback Danny Etling said.
“That’s something we have to match: their intensity,” Etling said. “They have a good defense, and they played a good game last week. They had a good win in Fayetteville. We have to get up for this game and make sure we’re prepared.”
But LSU coach Ed Orgeron is confident the Tigers will be fine following this loss.
“I know we’re going to bounce back,” Orgeron said. “I know these guys. I know this team. I’ve been with them, and this is not going to affect us. This last game will not let game four affect game five. We’re going to be mentally tough. We’re going to go up there. We know how tough Arkansas is to play, especially in Fayetteville.”
The feeling around LSU’s facilities is also different with Orgeron as the coach, junior tackle K.J. Malone said.
LSU wants to rally around Orgeron and keep winning for its new interim coach.
“There’s a different feeling in the air,” Malone said. “Everybody wants to come together. We love Coach O, and that’s who we’re playing for. We want him to be our coach.”