The LSU football team completed half of its games in this season, and LSU coach Les Miles had a lot to say about his team on Monday.
In his weekly, “Lunch with Les” news conference luncheon presented by Subway, Miles said senior tight end Dillon Gordon is expected to miss the rest of the season due to re-injuring his achilles on his left ankle.
“Dillon Gordon looks like he’ll be out,” Miles said. “I hate to say for the rest of the season, but I can’t imagine him returning at this point.”
Western Kentucky
No. 5 LSU faces Western Kentucky University at 6 p.m. on Saturday at Tiger Stadium. Unlike the performance against Eastern Michigan University, Miles said the Tigers (6-0, 4-0 Southeastern Conference) are not overlooking the rising Hilltoppers (6-1, 4-0 Conference USA).
“This is a complete team,” Miles said. “This team will stop you on defense, move the ball and score on offense and play special teams very dangerous.”
Western Kentucky, a spread-offense heavy passing team, is led by the second-ranked quarterback in the Football Bowl Subdivision senior Brandon Doughty.
Doughty is second in the nation in passing yards at 2,709 on 197 completions through seven games this season. He’s thrown for 24 touchdowns and four interceptions on his 266 passing attempts.
“Their quarterback, Brandon Doughty, every bit an SEC quarterback, big, talented, strong, smart quarterback,” Miles said. “Big arm. Has already thrown for 2,700 yards and 24 touchdowns. He’ll get your attention.”
The Hilltoppers are coming off of a 55-28 win against University of North Texas. Doughty completed 26-of-37 passes for 350 yards, four touchdowns and one interception.
Western Kentucky’s aggressive passing game worries Miles, because LSU’s secondary is one struggle for the Tigers’ defense thus far.
“I think Jalen Mills being back will help,” Miles said. “We had some breakdowns in secondary coverage and didn’t make some really simple adjustments. So that being said, there’s a lot of work to be done.”
Protecting Fournette
Miles sent SEC officials video of then-No. 8 Florida Gators defensive lineman slamming sophomore running back into the grass after plays had finished.
“I want to protect my players, and that’s kind of one of the things that we sent in,” Miles said. “You know, the driving back and fall on them, I think there’s a point in time where that’s called a personal foul.”
“The whistle needs to be blown and then when the whistle is blown. The defense is allowed to let go of them as opposed to continue to drive them 10 yards and throw them on the ground. Those kind of things need not to happen.”
Miles wants to protect his star sophomore, who leads the nation in rushing yards at 1,202, rushing yards per game, 200.3, and rushing touchdowns, 14.
“A lot of his yards were after contact,” Miles said. “I thought the offensive line did a really good job and were tested. That Florida defensive line I thought was very good.”
Injuries
Gordon is not expected to return to action this season, Miles said. He was also uncertain on the return of Leonard Fournette’s “flashlight” sophomore fullback JD Moore.
Moore, who went down with a knee injury in the first quarter of the University of South Carolina game, hasn’t stepped onto the field since his injury.
“I don’t know,” Miles said about when Moore may return from injury. “I don’t know exactly there. I know that he’s getting better. I don’t know exactly to what extent, when he could possibly return.”