When junior quarterback Danny Etling found out that 12-year coach Les Miles was fired on Sunday, he was — like most of his teammates — surprised and at a loss for words.
“We got hit with a lot of info real quick,” senior tight end Colin Jeter said.
“Football is the greatest game in the world,” Etling said. “It’s also the worst business sometimes. That is kind of evidence in my career and unfortunately what happened [Sunday].”
Etling was at a low point in his life two years ago, when Miles and then-LSU offensive coordinator Cam Cameron reached out to the former Purdue quarterback. When he decided to leave Purdue, Etling wasn’t sure where he should transfer to or whether he was going to pick up a football again.
“They said ‘Don’t quit on it and give it another try and come here,’” Etling said about Miles and Cameron. “They kind of breathed some new life into me. I can’t thank them enough. I don’t know if I would want to play football if it wasn’t for them.”
But, even without Miles and Cameron, LSU’s (2-2, 1-1 Southeastern Conference) focus shifts to Missouri, which the Tigers face at 6:30 p.m. on Saturday at Tiger Stadium.
Missouri (2-2, 0-1 SEC) could care less that LSU is operating under an interim coach. And the reality for LSU is it has to turn quickly toward Missouri, six days after Miles was dismissed.
“It wasn’t fun to learn,” Etling said. “But Missouri isn’t going to come any slower because we’re going through a lot. They don’t care.”
Moving forward without Miles began with a sense of renewed energy throughout the LSU program, from Ed Orgeron becoming interim head coach to Steve Ensminger taking on the role of offensive coordinator.
The mood quickly turned from sad to elated when Orgeron, a Larose native with a heavy cajun accent, talked to the team on Sunday.
Etling, who worked with Ensminger extensively last season when he was the scout team’s lead man, initially had trouble understanding the then-offensive coordinator.
While it’s going to be different without Ensminger working the tight ends, Jeter was still excited about his new position.
“He’s been like a second dad to me,” Jeter said. “It’s going to be weird not having him in our meeting room. It’ll still be fun.”
LSU faced Missouri in 1978, when Missouri defeated LSU 20-15 in the Liberty Bowl.
The quarterback for LSU back then?
Ensminger, LSU’s newly appointed offensive play caller.
Under Ensminger, LSU’s offense won’t change much fundamentally, but sophomore offensive guard Will Clapp said to expect a more efficient offense that spreads the ball around.
“We’ve shown flashes of what we can do in the passing game,” Clapp said. “The pass against Auburn when we went with a hard play-action, and we hit [Colin] Jeter across the middle for 30 yards. Stuff like that, that’s big stuff we can do and that’s flashes of what Danny and all of the tight ends and receivers can do.”
Confidence breeds high for LSU’s offense, but stopping Missouri could be another issue.
Missouri sophomore quarterback Drew Lock leads the SEC in passing yards and passing touchdowns this season and threw five touchdowns in Missouri’s 79-0 rout against Delaware State.
Missouri also ranks No. 1 in the SEC in total offense and runs a fast-paced, offense similar to what Auburn ran last weekend against LSU.
“We’re going to have to rotate our guys on defense with the amount of plays Missouri is going to run at us,” Orgeron said. “You’re going to see guys running on and off the field.”
LSU didn’t envision starting the beginning of October with two losses, but that doesn’t mean the team is giving up on the season.
To Etling, the team’s goal going forward is simple: win the rest of its games.
“This season isn’t over,” Etling said. “We keep hearing how tough of a road we have from all the goals we set at the beginning of the year, but I don’t see how different they are than before. We just have to try and win every game we play.”

Gallery • 1 Photos

Haskell Whittington

LSU junior quarterback Danny Etling (16) waits for the next drill instructions from their coach during an outdoor practice on Tuesday Sept. 27, 2016, on the LSU footbal practice fields at the LSU Football Practice and Training Facilities.