A rainy summer morning forced LSU to practice indoors for the third time during fall camp. LSU coach Les Miles said Thursday’s practice was “productive” and sees a rapid improvement on the defensive side of the ball.
After practice Miles met with the media to discuss how everything else went at practice.
Miles optimistic about the return of Travonte Valentine
LSU welcomed sophomore defensive tackle back to the program on Tuesday, despite what happened when Valentine was last on campus, Miles said he’s some growth and maturity and is optimistic about him.
Valentine signed with LSU in 2014 and practiced with the team, but never played. When he did practice, Miles said he always commanded double teams and had troubles blocking the hefty 6-foot-4, 340-pound lineman.
“He’s developing an understanding for what we’re asking him to do,” Miles said. “He brings a natural physicality. He’s low-slung, big, athletic man. He should give us, certainly, a playmaker in the front.”
Miles said when Valentine was at LSU, he weighed nearly 400 pounds, but has now dropped to around 330 pounds. The addition of Valentine gives LSU an extra body on the defensive line after the injury to LaCouture (torn ACL), Miles said he expects Valentine and freshmen defensive tackles Edwin Alexander and Rashard Lawrence to take some snaps this season.
“You’re looking at Greg Gilmore, he can certainly step in there with a lot of experience and understand how to play the position,” Miles said. “Ed Alexander and Rashard Lawrence and the new guy [Travonte Valentine] he may fit in there as well. We ought to be able to field a really quality nose tackle.”
Teuhema returns to practice, Miles unsure is Bower practiced today
Sophomore offensive tackle Maea Teuhema practiced Thursday, after sitting out the first few practices due to a sprained ankle.
Miles said Teuhema practiced at left tackle, but didn’t rule out the possibility of Teuhema playing at left guard again and junior offensive lineman K.J. Malone playing at left tackle. The 6-foot-5, 315 pound lineman could shift out to right tackle during practice also, according to Miles.
Senior outside linebacker Tashawn Bower was with the team today, but Miles said he was unsure if he practiced with the team.
Team unsure of how video of Fournette and Brumfield horseplaying got out
Yesterday afternoon a video surfaced on TMZ.com of junior running back Leonard Fournette and sophomore offensive lineman Garrett Brumfield participating in a game of slap-boxing.
Miles said he addressed the team and is unsure of how the video was publicized, but did mention the dangers of Snapchat.
“We had conversation about that,” Miles said. “We made mention of how that happen. First of all of you think it’s nothing and you snapchat it and then it’s captured and then it’s apparently everywhere.”
