by www.LSUsports.net, LSU Sports Interactive
BATON ROUGE -- LSU football coach Les Miles spoke to the media on Monday as his team prepares for its 2:30 p.m. CST matchup against Ole Miss on Saturday in Oxford. Watch on-demand video of the press conference for free in the Geaux Zone.
LSU HEAD COACH LES MILES
Opening statement...
“We recognize this league as a dominant league to play in, and certainly we are looking forward to returning to league play. In terms of injuries, Jordan Jefferson returns to practice today. We’re excited to get him back and throwing and moving around. Richard Dickson should return to practice today. I suspect T-Bob Hebert will return to practice today. We thought Dickson hurt his knee, but we found out later he tore something in his thigh, so it was very sincerely a thigh contusion. When I tell you stuff like that, sometimes I’m deceptive, but sometimes I’m right to the point. The good news is they’ll be back.
“I felt like the offense was spotty at times. I felt like Keiland Williams and Stevan Ridley came back to replace Charles Scott and did so in a very strong fashion. I think they understand the position their in and look forward to playing big certainly in these next games. I liked the play of our offensive line. The offensive line was our MVP on the offensive side. Except for one or two instances of pressure, I felt like they blocked the right guys and played well. I was impressed with P.J. Lonergan. He made his first start and played well. His abilities are growing, and we can count on him to play more significant football for us.
“Jarrett Lee is our second-team quarterback and competing like heck. He goes into the game and does not play well and certainly not as well as he would like to play. He was 7-of-21 for a little over 100 yards and a touchdown. He was our quarterback that piloted the team that won the game. He’d like to play better. I think he understands how to, but again, we’re fortunate that he competes and fights for us. I think you’ll find that he’ll play better as we go forward.
“In the first half, I thought the defense played with a ‘somebody else will make that play’ mentality. I didn’t think that they were as intense to start the game as they needed to be, but they came to life. I think the opponent gained 220 yards in the first half, and in the second half, they gained 100 yards. It was really a tale of two halves for our defense, but when they turned it on, they played like the defense we are used to seeing. I think Rahim Alem had a big day. It appeared to me that when his motor got turned on, it ran hot for the rest of the night. I recognize that we’re the fourth-ranked defense in the league, but we can be better.
“On special teams, I think our punter (Derek Helton) had another good night. I think our punter is becoming more and more consistent. Josh Jasper is proving to be very consistent in field goals and kick offs. We had a mishap at the holding spot. We have to do better there. Helton is very sure-handed, and we expect him to continue to hold there and get better as we go forward. Trindon Holliday leads the conference in punt returns, so our special teams, in my opinion, are improved now.
“We’re into a two-game season. Certainly each game will be a different challenge. This Ole Miss team is a very, very talented team. I think coach (Houston) Nutt does a great job preparing them. I think they will come to play. I think their offense with Dexter McCluster, Jevan Snead and Brandon Bolden is a very talented offense. They can run it and throw it. They’re very balanced. Jevan Snead, in my opinion, can do everything that you want a quarterback to do. The combination of Dexter McCluster’s and Brandon Bolden’s power and speed and perimeter and tough-to-touch, and their a very, very talented offense.
“Their defense is third in the conference in sacks. They’re allowing just 15 points a game with 313 total yards. They are a very talented defense. They play a very physical brand of football. On special teams, they have a very dangerous kick returner, again very much like our opponent a week ago. We understand this is going to be a big contest. We are looking forward to it. Our football team looks forward to playing in these games. We’re looking forward to getting back into the league. We are looking forward to getting some of our nicked guys back. We’re really ready to look to the last two games of the season.”
On his concerns with how Louisiana Tech ran its offense efficiently in the first half as they prepare for Ole Miss...
“I think the style of athlete that Louisiana Tech employed was not as talented but certainly gave a view of the style of running that can be used by Ole Miss. We are concerned how that happened, but again, the difference in playing with great intensity and playing to play is a yard or a step. It’s just being off a little, and being off a little means a play that should get zero gets 10 or seven, and to me, I think the intensity will be different when we take the field this weekend.”
On not converting third and one or fourth and one opportunities...
“I think we’re probably less than we’d like to be in those short-yardage positions and tries. I can tell you that it seems to be a variety of reasons. It’s not necessarily the line, the fullback or the ball carrier. It’s an opportunity to mishit occasionally. Generally we are pretty efficient in short yards. We probably spend as much time on that part of our game as anything that we do. I don’t know that we’ll coach it much differently, and I don’t know that the plan will be much different, but hopefully, the execution will eventually catch up. I think Thomas Parsons getting some reps at fullback and (James) Stampley growing up at that position will certainly help us. We miss our short-yardage back with Charles Scott certainly, but I think that Keiland Williams and Stevan Ridley run plenty hard, so I think we’ll be fine there, again, once we put it together.”
On coming out flat against Louisiana Tech...
“I think there is a reality to how you play football. There is no way to go onto the field less in any way. You have to go onto the field to play with an intensity, a want and a fire, and if you don’t have that, you can play any team that wants it, and it can be a very, very dicey situation. I think there is a reality where you play an emotional game that you can’t play emotionally peaked week after week. If you will, what goes up sometimes goes down. Currently, that’s what it appeared to me to be. I can tell you that with the game on the line, the intensity picked up, and the second half looked like us. That being said, we recognize that we’re playing a very talented Ole Miss team, and we’re going to have to play better. I think that’s good. To me, I like the fact that our team can certainly recognize as an example of play from last week’s opponent to playing this week against Ole Miss.”
On allowing Chad Jones to freelance in this upcoming game...
“I don’t know if freelance is exactly the word. I think it’s a very strong directive, but there is a need for our defense to play well. Anytime you put your free safety in the middle of that field, and you count on him to make plays, he has to come up big, and it appeared to me that the number of plays he made certainly was not extreme, but the plays that he did make were the kind of plays that he needs to make. I think he’s playing better as we go forward. I think we’ll look to see those kinds of plays being made this Saturday.”
On if Jordan Jefferson gained anything from missing last game...
“I think that being on the sideline for him is an uncomfortable position. I think that he hates missing a game, and he is looking forward to getting back. He took some snaps in the pre-game and threw the ball pretty well. I kind of look forward to him getting back too.”
On if this is a junction between having a season like last year or a very good year...
“Junction is certainly your word. I think for me it’s the opportunity to play well. The finish that we’d all like is to be a team ranked five and above and to be an elite team in this conference. That’s how we see ourselves. That’s how we’ll play. That’s how we want to play in big games. With two games remaining and two quality opponents in conference, that’s the goal that lies before us. That’s a pretty strong goal. If you look at the opportunity to finish four of the last five years in the top five, it would be a great goal for any program.”
On the offensive line...
“I think our offensive line is getting better, and it’s getting better week after week. Again, I think Josh Dworaczyk is a young guy that’s growing. I think P.J. Lonergan and T-Bob Hebert are guys who will eventually man this offensive line and be very key to its development. I like the guys that go into the offensive line. Alex Hurst went in for Lyle Hitt at right guard, and I just think he’s going to be a tremendous player as we go forward. I think it’s a very healthy position at this point.”
On the reasoning behind making changes on the offensive line...
“Really, it was to give guys snaps, guys who were worthy and give them some time in the game and have a look at them.”
On the disparity in offensive snaps...
“Time of possession certainly is an important piece to me. I don’t think we are running the ball as efficiently as we’d like to overall. I think we ran the ball better this weekend. We got behind the chains in throwing the football this last weekend, so efficiency is the issue on offense.”
On Keiland Williams having more opportunity in these final games...
“The key is how bright you shine. He has plenty of time here to distinguish himself and distinguish his career. We look forward to his efforts. His efforts were very good Saturday night. He made some extra effort runs and pounded the line of scrimmage very well. I look forward to how he finishes his career.”
On if Williams will be more of the featured back for the rest of the season...
“I think he gets the first go. The good news is we have some guys there to keep him fresh. In other words, we don’t want to just call Keiland Williams’ number and not have the ability to spell him with Stevan Ridley. I think both will work hand-in-hand, but I’d like to see No. 5 get on track and going and see how well he can play the back end of his career.”
On local product Brandon Bolden having so much success early for Ole Miss...
“To me, he’s a very physical back and plays very well. I’d expect that he would play just like that.”
On how difficult it is to change the game plan with a quarterback struggling...
“It’s something that you have to have the flexibility to do, and fortunately, Saturday night we had the ability to control the ball on the ground as well, but we’d certainly like to have some of the plays in the air back, and certainly Jarrett would too. It would have distanced ourselves from our opponent, and certainly those 10 snaps that you talked about earlier in terms of time of possession, we’d like to have back. The ability to do that is something that you have to be able to do, and fortunately, we did that. Hopefully, we won’t have to do that anymore. We like to be balanced. We want to have the same efficiency throwing the football as we do running the football and with opportunity at some big plays.”
On throwing the ball six times in a row when the offense was struggling in the third quarter...
“We certainly like to get him (Lee) on track and going as well. With LaFell, Toliver, Randle and R.J. Jackson, there are some really talented guys out there, and the want to get them the ball certainly is there. If you look at what Jo Jo LaFell did with those two catches that he got, he put one in the end zone. Those kind of matchups are things you have to be able to take advantage of.”
On Ole Miss QB Jevan Snead...
“When you average 200 yards a game or more throwing the football, and you’re a quarterback that can make all the throws and in my opinion, making the reads better as it gets later in the year as the starter the entire year, I just see his play being better and more efficient, and he’s more capable in the back end. We have to be prepared that when he takes snaps, it’s not only the run that we’re worried about, but the opportunity for him to throw it certainly is there.”
On if Louisiana Tech in the first half gave LSU’s defense any blueprints on how not to defend Ole Miss and the Wild Rebel...
“I don’t know that the blue print necessarily is the issue. I think the great adjustments that were made at halftime were in attitude and not necessarily in scheme. I think our team understands that you don’t take the field against a quality opponent with less than your best effort.”
On assistant head coach Larry Porter being considered for the Memphis head-coaching job...
“I have not had conversations of length with Larry Porter about any other job. We’re really focused on this season and what we’re doing here. I’m fortunate to have quality assistants, and yes, I would support my assistants for head coaching jobs if they’re so inclined.”
On Ole Miss’ dangerous kick returner Marshay Green...
“He has great ball skills and the ability to make you miss. He’s a very talented return guy. We are going to do the things we do. We are going to kick it high, and hopefully there will be some hang time. We’ll get down there next to him very quickly.”
On if it’s possible we’ll see Jarrett Lee play this weekend...
“I think the good news is Jarrett had the experience that he had last Saturday. Now, I think he’s more prepared to step onto the field if need be.”
On Ole Miss running back Dexter McCluster...
“I’ve watched a lot of his film just in the last 24 to 48 hours, and I can just tell you that he has great speed. He anticipates the cut. He’s tough to touch, and he’s a physical runner as well. He’ll pound it up in there, so he’s a very talented runner.”
On if this is the type of year he envisioned Russell Shepard having before the year started...
“I would always be a little bit more ambitious for a quality player like Russell Shepard. What happens is experience is a very key component, and sometimes as coaches we go by that for talent. I think it’s fortunate that he’s had the year that he’s had, and then, I think there is always the opportunity that he could certainly have done better, and we could certainly have done better with him. That being said, hopefully we’ll finish the remainder of these games where he gets a number of touches and continues to add to his experience.”
On the next two games having trophies on the line...
“I can tell you this. The feel and the want to win a game and to put a history and a trophy beside that, certainly we understand that the feel of victory is a very singular motivator. To put a tradition and a rivalry as Ole Miss besides a trophy, certainly that trophy is important. Certainly we covet both the trophies that are on the line in the next two games, but victory is the first want.”
On the LSU fans’ booing having to do more with play calling than Jarrett Lee...
“I’m glad that it’s not boos on one of our players. Certainly our fan base would all want to support our guys. I don’t know that the forum or the voting of booing in any way affects anything positively. I’ve never been to a contest where that affected anything positively. Point to any example where that is a significant factor in anything, then I’m for you, but having never done that in my entire life, I just can’t imagine what would possess people to do that – to root negatively. Look it up. I guess there is a spot in there where there is a negative piece to rooting or cheering. I don’t know why there would be personally.”
On New England’s head coach Bill Belichick’s decision to go for it on fourth and two last night in Sunday Night Football...
“I did not see the play. We work through the day on Sunday. I can tell you that the only guy who knows is the guy who is making the call. Sometimes it’s game-day. Sometimes it is pre-conceived. Sometimes it is based on an injury. Who is to say if they would have felt differently about their defense if they were healthy? I don’t know. Did that corner just come off the field with a tweaked ankle, and his replacement is going to be taken advantage of? There are a number of considerations that a coach goes through before making that call. I can tell you that having been in that spot, it happens to me. You find that there is a game-day issue, an injury or a time where that corner is not healthy or whatever that you say that this is the right call at this moment. It’s not something that you went in to make that call, but you made that call based on the fact that your team’s best chance at victory was to go for it or best chance at victory was to keep the offense on the field and not let the defense play. In any event, I don’t propose to know for him. I can tell you that certainly he’s a guy who’s made a lot of calls in his career, and I’d have to defend his record.”
On if he expects Terrance Toliver to miss any time this week...
“I think he is getting better and better. The year where you don’t have just a record number of catches doesn’t mean you’re not improving. He is on the field a lot. He’s been very productive. I don’t expect Terrance to miss anytime this week.”
