To see a video from Les Miles’ press conference, click here.
LSU coach Les Miles stressed the importance of maintaining an effective passing game if the team wants to come away with a victory against No. 1 Alabama this Saturday.Miles said redshirt freshman quarterback Jarrett Lee has been “pretty sharp, if not on the money” in practice, and the team’s game plan will have to include a successful passing attack.”We have to get the ball to our top playmakers,” Miles said. “We have Demetrius Byrd, who had a big game against [Alabama] a year ago, and Brandon LaFell, who also had a big game. The ability to make plays at the quarterback position is something we’re going to need to have. We expect him, and we’ve coached him, and we believe the plan we have for him allows him to function best.”Miles said true freshman quarterback Jordan Jefferson has been getting significant practice time as well.”[Jefferson] looked good,” he said. “He did about 50 percent of the [repetitions], and he is much more prepared to play.”HATCH OUT SATURDAYMiles said sophomore quarterback Andrew Hatch, who suffered a lower leg injury during LSU’s 52-38 loss against Georgia two weeks ago, won’t play against the Crimson Tide.”Hatch is legitimately out of this one,” Miles said.He also said junior safety Curtis Taylor has “some lagging effects” from an injury that caused him to leave the Tulane game, and junior running back Charles Scott and sophomore defensive tackle Drake Nevis will play Saturday.”Nevis didn’t get a lot of practice the week before,” Miles said. “We held him, and he’s pretty fresh. I think he’ll play this week.”GAMEDAY SITEESPN’s College GameDay will broadcast from 9 to 11 a.m. Saturday at the “old front nine” grass on LSU’s golf course. The location is near the intersection of Burbank and Nicholson drives.The show is usually filmed on the LSU Parade Ground, but a military ceremony was already scheduled for the same time.Fans are encouraged to arrive at 7:30 a.m. to be in place for the live broadcast.UP TO THE CHALLENGEMiles said the Tigers are looking forward to facing the top team in the country during the regular season for the first time since 1997, and he urged LSU fans to show their continued support in sensible ways in Tiger Stadium on Saturday.”There’s always the responsibility of our fans to be responsible and conduct themselves well in our stadium and root for LSU,” Miles said. “I encourage them to look at this game like every game, again with good fellowship, and not be responsive to who’s coaching on the other team. Alabama wants to win, too.”—-Contact Rachel Whittaker at [email protected]
Lee ‘pretty sharp’ in practice
By Rachel Whittaker
Sports Contributor
Sports Contributor
November 6, 2008