This weekend ends LSU’s last bye week until December, and the players and coaches plan to use it to the fullest.While several Tigers plan to rest and recover during the time off, their minds are not wandering far from football or their Oct. 11 matchup with Southeastern Conference rival Florida.Junior linebacker Perry Riley said he plans to watch the No. 12 Gators play Arkansas. Florida lost last week to Ole Miss, 31-30, on a blocked extra point.”On Saturday, I’m definitely going to kick my feet back and enjoy watching football on TV,” Riley said. “I want to see the Florida game. I want to see how they’re going to react coming out after a loss. I don’t even know the rest of the matchups this weekend. I just know I want to see Florida because they’re our next opponent.”Junior defensive tackle Ricky Jean-Francois and senior defensive tackle Charles Alexander said they will spend a lot of time in the training room recovering from injuries suffered Saturday against Mississippi State.”It’s just a day-to-day process getting ready for Florida, getting ice and rubbed down,” Alexander said. “This isn’t new to me to rehab something, so I just have to stay positive and get better.”Alexander missed all but the first three games of 2007 with a torn right anterior cruciate ligament. He played in his first game of 2008 against North Texas on Sept. 13 and has recorded six tackles this season. Jean-Francois left the Mississippi State game with an “overstrained groin,” but he wants to be back for Florida. During the bye weekend, he plans to go home to Miami.”I have different favorite schools, so I’m basically going to get a TV and just be a fan,” Jean-Francois said. “We have Friday, Saturday and Sunday off, so I’ll be at the Miami-Florida State game and cheer on my friends on Miami.”LSU coach Les Miles said he will be watching his two sons play in their football games.”I am going to watch at least two games this weekend,” Miles said. “I’m watching the Prairieville Broncos C-Team and A-Team with Ben Miles and Manny Miles. It’s a pretty stout team, too. They’re great practice players.”Miles’ son Ben plays center and defensive end for the Broncos, and Miles said he is a “rugged, heavy-hitting guy.” He said his son Manny is an aspiring quarterback.LSU junior running back Charles Scott said his mind will definitely be on Florida this week.”I wouldn’t say I’ll relax,” Scott said. “I’ll just focus more on what I can do to get better this week because Florida is going to be big. We have to be on our toes and 100 percent.”- – – -Contact Rachel Whittaker at [email protected]
Players ready to relax during bye weekend
October 1, 2008
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