Saturday night’s contest against Mississippi State marks the first of five games for LSU against Southeastern Conference Western Division opponents. At his Wednesday press conference, coach Nick Saban said divisional games definitely contain more significance.
“Everybody in our division is going to play [MSU],” Saban said. “So, if they all beat them and we don’t … you’ve lost a game to everybody that you can never get back, and I think that’s true with whoever you play in your division.”
LSU teams under the direction of Saban are 3-0 against MSU and 9-6 against SEC Western Division competition.
Despite MSU’s 0-3 start, Saban said the Tigers still have to prepare for a team that plays well on offense and special teams. The Bulldogs average more than 32 points per game on offense but give up more than 38 points on defense.
“I think that they wouldn’t be scoring a lot of points if they weren’t doing some things very well,” Saban said. “I think they have made a lot of big plays, and I think they have good skill people on offense.”
“I think they’ve got good team speed and they play pretty well on special teams.”
Saban said the MSU defense is very young and gave up some big plays earlier this season. He said the Bulldogs could clean up their mental mistakes from earlier in the season and give the Tigers a great game.
“Usually when you don’t have success, it’s because you make mental errors or make mistakes,” Saban said. “And that’s what’s been very costly for them to this point. The thing you get concerned about is if they get it all fixed and have a good game. How good could they be?”
Saban said Saturday’s game against MSU will show if the Tigers can handle the success of defeating then No. 7 Georgia last weekend.
“This is a defining game for our team,” Saban said. “This will show if we have what it takes to be a consistent performing, improving team like we need to be to win in this league with any kind of consistency.”
The Tigers could be without two of their starters on defense Saturday. Defensive end Marquise Hill (ankle) and linebacker Adrian Mayes (wrist) sat out of practice Wednesday. Saban said if they do not practice tomorrow they will be questionable against MSU.
LSU may also see cornerback Randall Gay return to the starting lineup for the first time since the Louisiana-Monroe game when he fractured a bone in his arm.
“Last week we went into the game saying we were only going to play him in an emergency situation,” Saban said. “He begged me to put him in the game at the end of the game and we decided not to do it. I feel a lot more confident about playing him this week because I think he’s a lot more comfortable about playing.”
Saban also commented on Ohio State running back Maurice Clarett’s decision to sue the NFL in order to become eligible for the draft. The current rule says that a person cannot enter the NFL draft without being at least three years removed from football.
Saban said football is a developmental game and players are better served to stay in college as long as possible. He said most players that enter the draft before their senior year of college are making a mistake.
“The history on juniors coming out is not very good for the NFL,” Saban said. “What’s the history going to be for even younger players who are less mature physically and emotionally in being able to make that jump?”
Saban said he thinks Clarett will probably win the lawsuit whether it be for his good or detriment.
“It would be interesting to know how this guy would have responded, what he would have done with his life as a person if he didn’t have this choice,” Saban said.