by www.LSUsports.net, LSU Sports Interactive
BATON ROUGE -- LSU continued its preparations for Saturday’s nationally televised prime time contest against 11th-ranked Florida with another productive workout here Wednesday at the Charles McClendon Practice Facility.
The schedule calls for LSU to have a scaled back practice on Thursday followed by a walk-thru on Friday morning. The team is scheduled to depart for Gainesville at 12:20 p.m. on Friday.
Kickoff for the LSU-Florida contest is slated for Saturday at 7 p.m. CT from a sold out Ben Hill Griffin Stadium. CBS will televise the game.
“I have liked our preparation this week,” LSU coach Les Miles said following Wednesday’s workout. “We’ve looked sharp in practice and we’ve been able to get a lot accomplished. We’re playing a great team. We look forward to that matchup and we want to play our best this week.”
Florida goes into the game against LSU with an average led by 2007 Heisman Trophy winner in quarterback Tim Tebow, but it’s the Gator defense that is ranked among the national leaders allowing just 11 points per game.
“They play awfully well,” Miles said. “They have really good schemes. If you look at where they rank defensively, they’re ranked pretty well nationally. I think their linebackers are really strength of theirs and they play very well within the scheme of the defense.”
The Tigers will counter Florida’s defense with an offense that is led by running back Charles Scott, who ranks first in the SEC in rushing with 133 yards per game. The Tigers will also be starting redshirt freshman quarterback Jarrett, who will be making his first-ever road start. Three weeks ago, Lee led the Tigers back from a 14-3 halftime deficit to beat Auburn, 26-21.
Miles said that the best thing that they have done to prepare Lee for the environment at the Swamp on Saturday was playing him against Auburn three weeks ago.
“The best thing we did was take him to a really hostile environment at Auburn,” Miles said. “We’ll see how he responds to a similar situation. We put the crowd noise on him (today at practice). We called the plays he’s going to run and put the guys in there with him. We said ‘let’s go play and let’s have fun.”
Lee goes into the game having completed 45 of 77 passes for 643 yards and six touchdowns. His 146.51 pass efficiency rating ranks second in the SEC to Florida’s Tebow.
Defensively, the Tigers are expected to get a boost with the return of middle linebacker Darry Beckwith. Beckwith, a senior, has missed LSU’s last two games with an injury. In addition, Miles said that defensive tackle Charles Alexander has been back at practice this week.
“Charles Alexander and Darry Beckwith both practiced extremely well,” Miles said. “There seems to be little show of any injury. I think it’s very reasonable to think they will play on Saturday.”
LSU HEAD COACH LES MILES
Opening Statement...
“I thought it was a good practiced. We looked sharp and we’re really starting to finish. Tomorrow will be a light go. We got a lot accomplished today. We’re playing a great team. We look forward to that matchup and we want to play our best this week.”
On if he thinks Florida’s defense has matured enough since last year...
“They play awfully well. They have really good schemes. If you look at where they rank defensively, they’re ranked pretty well nationally. I think their linebackers are really strength of theirs and they play very well within the scheme of the defense. They have a lighter, but more mobile front. I like our guys. I think our guys will compete well against them, but I think they’re a good defense.”
On how the attention to detail has been at practice this week...
“I think we’re really good. I look forward to seeing how we play. Those practices have gone well.”
On how DT Charles Alexander and LB Darry Beckwith have looked in practice...
“Charles Alexander and Darry Beckwith both practiced extremely well. There seems to be little show of any injury. I think it’s very reasonable to think they will pay on Saturday.”
On if he’s concerned about the lack of turnovers forced by the defense and if the coaching staff has made it a focus in practice...
“Maybe they’ll start coming in loads. We’d certainly like that to happen. I think our defense is going to be opportunistic and there will be some balls in the air, so this may be a great opportunity to get some turnovers. We have coached that in practice and will continue to do so.”
On what he remembers about last year’s game against Florida...
“The memory of the Florida game was that it was a really competitive, hard-fought game. They took the lead and we fought back. It was certainly a game that I have great memories of. I think that was one of the more enjoyable games I coached in.”
On his thoughts about the last LSU game at Florida (a 23-10 loss) and if that affects the mindset now...
“It’s the want to go over there and play well. It’s the want to play our best football against one of our finest opponents. That’s the challenge – to go over there and show what we have.”
On if he learned anything by watching the Florida-Arkansas game on television last weekend...
“To me, it was the very same Florida offense and a very similar Florida defense. There was little learned by that game, specifically. You could see that they bounced back well from a loss, you could see that they’re a very good football team.”
On his reaction to the dismissal of Auburn offensive coordinator Tony Franklin today...
“I heard about that. Certainly, I’m far enough away to not know exactly why. Certainly, it’s unusual. It’s not something that I anticipated, but I’m not in that situation. I’m not the head coach at Auburn.”
On what the coaches did to prepare QB Jarrett Lee for a game in a hostile environment...
“The best thing we did was take him to a really hostile environment at Auburn. We’ll see how he responds to a similar situation. We put the crowd noise on him. We called the plays he’s going to run and put the guys in there with him. We said let’s go play and let’s have fun.”
On if he thinks starting the game makes a difference...
“I don’t think it does. He’s going to get his snaps. I think he’s comfortable with the fact that he’s going to be on the field. I think both quarterbacks will play and both will contribute very significantly.”
On if he has shown the team film of last year’s game against Florida as a message of what LSU football is all about...
“Each game is different and those opportunities present themselves in every game. How we play and how we played in that game is an example to us of exactly the style of football that we are. But we repeated that after that game. Many times after that game. In my opinion, it is characteristic of this team. I can tell you that that film was watched as part of our cutups and was viewed vigorously by all. The point of going to Florida to win has been made numerous ways and, in practice, prepared for.”
On the comments of DT Ricky Jean-Francois earlier this week...
“To be very honest with you, I didn’t enjoy the fact that there was a quote that reflected this game in any way. I can tell you that I understand Ricky and that I understand the question as it was posed to him, and how he answered it with great enthusiasm with great respect to their quarterback. It would be hard to get a shot at him because he has great heart and is a great competitor. To me, his view of our opponent’s quarterback is one of respect and admiration of his ability. The idea that he would hit him and hit him hard is something that every quarterback in this league, including ours, is going to have to deal with when it comes to Saturday. Injury is the worst part of football. We want everybody to play, play well and play their best. We want to get to the quarterback, but we want to get to the quarterback every week. It doesn’t make a difference if it’s Florida’s quarterback or Auburn’s quarterback or whoever we play. We look at it that way. Our team understands that this is a very quality opponent and the biggest compliment we can give them is great preparation and fine play. We respect our opponents, every one of them, including Florida. The idea that there would be any other view of this game is not true.”
