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LSU COACH LES MILES PRESS CONFERENCE
Opening statement…
“How
wonderful it is to have a job that everyone considers so important. I
appreciate that the members of the media are here. I recognize that we
really share our lives through this time of the year. You follow our
teams and these times are experiences that we share. Highs are highs
and lows are lows for the room. I can tell you we are excited about the
season. I like our team. I will give a quick overview like I have in
the past of my team. We have 16 seniors and 24 freshmen and sophomore
in the two deep. I think there a great blend of leadership and veteran
with very young talented players. I think they have had a very strong
summer. We’re really just five days into a practice schedule, and
frankly a ways to go to be the team we want to be. I think these guys
are about that business. The opportunity to switch responsibilities to
have Steve Kragthorpe to continue to coach the quarterbacks and to move
Coach Greg Studrawa to the offensive coordinator, I think is making a
strong transition. The reason that is happening is the strength of the
room. There is a real cooperative commitment to get things right.
I just think there is some great sprit in that room and a lot is
getting done. The idea that Stud has been in that room for years now,
he’s really bringing in all his skills. Kragthorpe is very involved.
He’s doing all of the things he would have normally have done without
the coordinator title. I like it. There are some shortcomings. The
preplanning of the coordinator is not something that is taking place,
but it is coming quickly. There are some things that need to be done so
that these game time things go smoothly between Studrawa and Kragthorpe
in the box. That is under way.”
“Jordan Jefferson five
days in is doing what he is supposed to do. He did very well at the
back end of last season and we expect him to continue that way. I like
the running backs. I think there is tremendous potential here with the
loss of Stevan Ridley. Spencer Ware, Michael Ford, Alfred Blue, and for
that matter Terrence Magee and Kenny Hilliard will be quality
backs that can run the football and catch the ball out of the back
field. The offensive line is the most experienced position n the field.
We will have four of five that will have played a lot of football. Guys
that have had starts and understand starting. Guys that have can make
the adjustments needed from the offensive line. The receivers, I think
Rueben Randle and Russell Shepard will be as good as a receiver tandem
that there is. I like the veteran in James Wright and Kadron Boone. I
have to be honest with you, I’m not ready to say Odell Beckham and
Jarvis Landry won’t get to the field quickly. “
“On
defense, John Chavis is a wonderful advantage for me. I turn to him for
many ways and ask for his opinion. He’s one of the best in the
business. He’s doing a great job. I like the defensive front. I think
that we’ll have great speeds at the ends with Kendrick Adams, Sam
Montgomery and Barkevious Mingo. Inside, you will see Michael Brockers
and he is starting camp really well. He is continuing to improve.
Anthony Johnson a long with Ego Ferguson will be guys who play a lot
inside. We’ll miss Kelvin Sheppard, but Ryan Baker is that guy. It is
his time to be a leader. There is a responsibility for the veteran
leading backer to lead that group. I think that he has taken that upon
his shoulders. The secondary is very deep. We have corners that can all
cover and safeties in the middle who are talented and physical men.
There is a good nucleus of young freshmen added to this class, all of
which can play and eventually work their way into playing time.”
“Special
teams, we said good bye to Josh Jasper, but Drew Alleman in my opinion
is having a nice start to the fall. It would be a little premature to
say that he is going to be as good as Jasper, but I think he is going
to have a very good year. He understands what it takes on kickoffs,
extra points and field goals. Brad Wing and James Hariston are the
punters of note, along with DJ Howard, who in my opinion is a guy who
busted his behind this summer to compete. I think we will have 40 yards
good hang time and a very fast coverage unit under that punt. For the
return game, I like Tyrann Mathieu for our punts and Ron Brooks and Mo
Claiborne to fill the void for the kickoffs. I think we’ll be very fast
in coverage. I think some of the things that Thomas McGaughey brings
from the NFL will really factor in very quickly into this unit. I think
we will be much further ahead doing some of the things he did during
the NFL. It allows us a little better use of the year.”
“The
schedule is going to be a very fun one. I think everyone is very
excited about the Oregon game. They are a certainly talented team who
was the runner up team in the National Championship game. When you
watch the film you recognize they are very talented and very capable.
They run a very good scheme. Our guys are challenged by that, and I
think that challenge will allow us to step up and compete. That will
help us get the season started off we’re ready to play at a high level.
Six home games are about three to few for me. I like nine or 11, but I
don’t know if I get that. Six may well be short, but again the Oregon
game, everyone I see is telling me that they are going to Dallas to see
us play and I need tickets.”
“Again, I like my team. They
understand what a two a day schedule does. And that is making us
better. They are willing to give. I enjoy them. Again, five days in and
we’ve improved but we’re not yet at the speed we need to get. We’re
looking to offset the beginning of camp issues to get to operating much
faster, efficiently and cleaner.”
On Zach Mettenberger…
“I
appreciate the idea that our fans are most interested in him coming in
to play. He is a tremendous talent and a guy that needs to mature. He
is coming to speed. You have to give him time to mature, and once you
do he will be fine.”
On Coach Studrawa…
“I think the
offseason went how we had wanted it have gone had Stud been the
coordinator all along. The responsibilities changed a little in where
he would have a lot of thought going into the preseason that he didn’t
have.”
On Steve Ensminger and Coach Studrawa’s communication during games…
“I
think Stud will operate that area of the field effectively. Steve is an
old hand, and he understands the communication and how important it is.
He is going to have the tight ends there anyway, so I think it will all
work.”
On replacing the former stars…
“That leadership
starts to unfold in a difficult grind of two a days. It is one that has
progressed to this point and the view of it being their team more has
come. The heat of two a day practice and the everyday consistency have
yet to come. I like the leadership of this team. I’m sure they will
step forward. We will have a quick meeting tonight on leadership. I
think it will be a strong start to the season.”
On defensive ends…
“Sam
Montgomery and Lavar Edwards are both getting snaps, but Sam looks very
healthy. I enjoy him. He’s come to play with a real want. Once you miss
a year, there is a hunger there that is real. You see him play that
way. I think you will see Lavar there play a lot of talented football.”
On Josh Dworaczyk…
“He
is playing every day. We’re picking our spots. He could be in every
play and every practice, but we’re trying to go slowly. He will be
fine.”
On Tyrann Mathieu…
“It’s all about a perception
and than a feel for the ability to do whatever your asking him to do.
He’s a very talented guy. He has quick feet. The thing that makes him
special is that his mind operates with the ability to make big plays.
He always thinks there is something else to do in the play that is in
question. Those types of guys come up with turnovers, with picks and
they knock it out and force turnovers. The plays that you just didn’t
think you could make, he’s finding ways mentally to make them. That is
the difference in him. The guys that we have had here that ran the 40
faster, I don’t know if there is a sudden player in college football
than him. A guy who can put his foot in the ground, change direction
and see the play that needs to be made.”
On Studrawa’s niche…
“I
still think that you will see that Kragthorpe will have strong input in
some of the styles of passing and those things Jefferson is comfortable
with. Stud’s niche is his efficiency and making sure the things we are
running are practiced well and that we’ll have advantages. His style is
not necessarily the issue here. It is more substance. Whether it was
Kragthorpe or Studrawa, the key is to make us efficient. I think that
is something that he will do.”
On the running backs…
“It
is very interesting piece. I like Spencer Ware, Michael Ford and Alfred
Blue is very talented. It is a bit premature. What happens at the
beginning of camp is some guy can get a tape cut or a hamstring, and it
slows him. Suddenly in the back end of the camp he catches his speed
and you recognize who he is. It is hard for me to predict at this
point. I think we will start with Ware and see where we go from there.
I think all of the guys that I’ve mentioned will give us a freshness
and a specific talent that we need.”
On Tharold Simon…
“Tharold
Simon is a difficult guy to get beyond because he has great speed and
athleticism. He is a 6’’4 player who plays with a lot of range.
Frankly, when the ball is in the air, there is not a jumpy necessary.
He is already there with his body presence and rangy length. He gives
us a very quality corner physical against the run and as a cover guy.”
On Morris Claiborne…
“Mo
was always one of the more athletic and talented guys. He continues to
improve and improve. I would expect him to play like he would play last
year, but will have more opportunities with touches at kick return. Now
it will be interesting which side of the field they try to attack with
Mo. The year that he will have will be special. I can’t predict how the
opponents will see him.”
On Drew Alleman…
“What we will
always try to do is use the skills of the guys that we have. The one
thing he’s been able to do is kick the ball down the middle of the
field with great hang time. That will help us with our attack kick off
team. Field goals and extra points, he’s already lined up for those.”
On Jordan Jefferson’s confidence…
“I
think that he is relaxing. He’s enjoying the position that he has on
this football team. He realized this is more his team. I saw him laugh
and enjoy a play on the field differently than I have ever seen him
before. That speaks to a guy who is comfortable in his skin and knows
what the team expects of him. He is not enjoying being who he is in
that role. I think he is confident in where he is at and more relaxed.
Nothing will happen on Saturdays that he hasn’t experienced before.”
On Tyrann Mathieu in the nickel and corner…
“The
corner spot is one that he came in and trained for. He understands it.
He was our starter in nickel, and played about two thirds of every game
just in the nickel spot. He gives us a suddenness and a playmaker in
that position. Few offenses are ready for his quickness. I like him at
both spots.”
On studying Auburn’s game against Oregon and the risk of the game…
“I
have studied the game and how they attacked Oregon. I don’t know if
that is the same team we have. Some of the things are consistent with
us, but some are not. I don’t see risk-reward specifically. If you just
took that game off of the schedule, and you won your league, I think
you are playing in the game anyway. Aspiration wise it is a very
important game just like the other 11. It counts as one even though it
is an important one. Frankly, all of our goals are in tact if we had
not taken that game or taken that game. What it does for us is the most
important piece. It gives us the urgency to prepare real early knowing
we are playing a quality opponent. The upside is where we need to
focus.”
On the depth of the linebacker…
“I like Karnell
Hatcher, Lamin Barrow, Kevin Minter and Stefoin Francois. I think what
I’m seeing is our linebackers have depth, speed and there are some guys
without experience, but that happens every year. A linebacker steps
onto the field and it is their time to grow. I think Baker and Hatcher
are an athletic two some at linebacker that there is. On top of that
you bring in big strong guys like Minter and DJ Welter. I think they
are responding to the two a day schedule and they’re learning.”
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