MrSEC.com » LSU

Toliver Apologizes; Has Broken Hand

John — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 15:57:52 +0000

On Sunday morning, LSU receiver Terrance Toliver was tasered twice and arrested/cited for having a “fistic encounter.” Yesterday he apologized.

Toliver said the incident was “out of character” and that it “won’t happen again.” He said all of this with a bandage on this left hand. Les Miles said the hand was broken.

Miles said that Toliver will practice this spring, condition this summer and won’t be suspended this fall. However, he did add that his senior wideout will pay “a tremendous price.”

Huh?

If you ask me, no suspension + “tremendous price” = running stadium steps.

LSU’s Toliver Cited After Bar Fight

John — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 15:06:37 +0000

Bet Les Miles was happy to get this phone call. Smack dab in the middle of spring practice, LSU receiver Terrance Toliver was arrested yesterday morning by Baton Rouge police.

Toliver was picked up for disturbing the peace and public intoxication following a fight outside a campus bar. But wait, there’s more.

Rather than going along quietly, Toliver had to be tased (bro) and then subdued by the cops.

But wait, there’s more.

Also arrested on a charge of interfering with a police officer was LSU freshman basketball player Dennis Harris.

UPDATE — It’s been pointed out by more than a few LSU fans that according to other reports Toliver and Harris were CITED, not arrested. Despite the tasering of Toliver, the citations for both players were misdemeanor in nature. The Shreveport Times — as of 10:45am — still reports the players as having been arrested.

Les Miles said via statement, “We are in the process of gathering information on this incident. We are going to investigate it thoroughly to find out the facts and then act accordingly.”

Basketball coach Trent Johnson “planned to meet with Dennis as soon as possible.”

This is the first player arrest for the LSU football program in more than a year. Looks like by getting tased and getting a basketballer in trouble to boot, Toliver was making up for lost time.

By the way, does it make me a bad person to still find this guy’s comment so amusing?

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Farrer to play, start for first time

admin — Sat, 06 Mar 2010 13:56:28 +0000

Alex Farrer was supposed to be a starter this year for LSU before a knee injury curtailed his season before it started.

Farrer will finally get a chance to start today.

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As Spring Practice Opens, Miles Expects A Better O-Line

John — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 14:23:43 +0000

Last year, LSU’s offensive line was expected to be a strength. As it turned out, the guys up front might have been the biggest reason for the Tigers’ struggles in 2009.

While John Chavis fixed LSU’s defense, it was the offense that went in reverse. Mainly due to its inability to run the football. And if you can’t consistently run in the SEC, you can’t consistently win in the SEC.

(I don’t, however, blame last year’s O-line for all of the 37 sacks they allowed. Anyone who watched the Tigers last year knows that quarterback Jordan Jefferson often held onto the ball way, way too long… and ran himself into several sacks.)

This fall, Les Miles is expecting more from his linemen. There will be two new starters in Baton Rouge and there could be more.

“We’ll have the opportunity to move guys around to find the best fit,” Miles said. “I think our line will be youthfully progressed. In other words, because of young guys, there’ll be a little bit more competition.”

Glad he added the “in other words,” ’cause I’d never heard of being “youthfully progressed.”

The Tigers open spring practice today after delaying things from Friday’s scheduled start.

Could LSU Be The Worst SEC Team Ever?

John — Mon, 22 Feb 2010 18:01:31 +0000

I’ve gotten a couple of emails wondering if 0-12 LSU is on pace for the worst SEC record ever.

Technically, the answer is yes, even though three other SEC schools (two of them former league schools) have gone winless in league play. But none of those previous losers played a total of 16 conference games.

1932-1933 — Sewanee 0-7
1933-1934 — Sewanee 0-10
1935-1936 — Sewanee 0-10
1936-1937 — Sewanee 0-10
1938-1939 — Sewanee 0-13
1939-1940 — Sewanee 0-9
1942-1943 — Florida 0-6
1953-1954 — Georgia Tech 0-14

During World War II, several SEC teams went winless because they did not play a league foe during those shortened seasons, but I’m not going to count 0-0 seasons as being winless.

Since the SEC expanded to 12 teams for the 1991-92 basketball season, not a single team has gone winless. In fact, no team has ever won fewer than two games in conference play.

Here are the worst teams in the league by year:

1991-1992 — South Carolina 3-13
1992-1993 — Ole Miss and Tennessee 4-12
1993-1994 — Tennessee 2-14
1994-1995 — Ole Miss 3-13
1995-1996 — LSU 4-12
1996-1997 — LSU 3-13
1997-1998 — LSU 2-14
1998-1999 — South Carolina 3-13
1999-2000 — Georgia 3-13
2000-2001 — LSU 2-14
2001-2002 — Auburn 3-12 (one fewer game played by SEC squads)
2002-2003 — Vanderbilt 3-13
2003-2004 — Arkansas 4-12
2004-2005 — Georgia 2-14
2005-2006 — Auburn and Ole Miss 4-12
2006-2007 — South Carolina 4-12
2007-2008 — Auburn and Georgia 4-12
2008-2009 — Arkansas 2-14
2009-2010 — LSU 0-12

So unless LSU can knock off two of their final four opponents (Arkansas, at Auburn, at Ole Miss and Georgia), the Tigers will become the worst SEC team by record since the league expanded.

And if they fail to win a game, they’ll be the worst team in SEC history — by record.

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LSU basketball: Tigers just miss getting first SEC victory

admin — Sun, 21 Feb 2010 13:45:04 +0000

Mississippi State’s 3-pointer sinks LSU
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LSU basketball: Freshman Eddie Ludwig sees weight room in his future

admin — Sat, 20 Feb 2010 13:55:56 +0000

Former Country Day standout needs bulk to complement skills
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Vanderbilt pulls away late in victory over LSU basketball team

admin — Sun, 14 Feb 2010 02:56:05 +0000

Tigers have lost 13 consecutive regular-season SEC games
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LSU basketball ‘pretty beat up’ heading into Vanderbilt tilt

admin — Sat, 13 Feb 2010 14:09:44 +0000

Tigers have lost 10 consecutive games
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Patterson gets the message

admin — Sun, 07 Feb 2010 13:21:41 +0000

Whether it was strategic or pure coaching psychology or a combination of both, Kentucky coach John Calipari wanted to make sure he had Patrick Patterson’s attention Saturday.
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Kentucky men’s basketball smashes LSU, 81-55

admin — Sun, 07 Feb 2010 01:25:05 +0000

No. 3 Kentucky went on a 22-0 run in the first half to take control of the game and send LSU to its ninth consecutive loss, 81-55 at the Maravich Assembly Center. Bo Spencer had 23 points for LSU but…
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Struggling Tigers still pose a threat

admin — Sat, 06 Feb 2010 13:36:28 +0000

LEXINGTON, Ky. — John Calipari figured to spend relatively little time with his University of Kentucky basketball team discussing and dissecting Saturday’s opponent.

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LSU basketball team faces tall order vs. Kentucky

admin — Sat, 06 Feb 2010 13:08:44 +0000

BATON ROUGE – LSU will get to cash a nice-size check because of the SEC’s new television deal with ESPN.
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Brady Takes A Dig At LSU

John — Tue, 02 Feb 2010 14:44:48 +0000

Former LSU coach John Brady probably won’t get a Christmas card from current Tiger coach Trent Johnson.

The Arkansas State coach took a shot at his old team while speaking to a booster club in Little Rock yesterday. After bragging on his own “nice young team that’s playing some pretty good basketball,” Brady added that he wasn’t going to say anything about “how bad the LSU basketball team is since I left.”

You can hear the laughter ’round the Pelican State, can’t you?

Last year, at the same club, Brady said that he looked at LSU’s first-year success under Johnson as vindication for his own time in Baton Rouge.

The part that makes Brady look bad in all of this is the fact that Johnson went out of his way to show some love to his predecessor last year. Johnson openly credited Brady for leaving the cupboard well-stocked.

Who knows what — if anything — has transpired between the two coaches since last year? Whether their relationship has chilled or not, publicly Johnson looks like the bigger man for showing class last year. While Brady looks small for firing a shot at his old program… and the man who replaced him.

MSU ends losing streak, beats LSU 67-51

admin — Sun, 31 Jan 2010 00:33:34 +0000

STARKVILLE — Ravern Johnson scored 15 points and Jarvis Varnado had 11 points and 10 rebounds, helping Mississippi State beat LSU 67-51 today at Humphrey Coliseum and break a two-game losing streak.

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LSU men’s basketball team looks to slow pace vs. Mississippi State

admin — Sat, 30 Jan 2010 13:49:42 +0000

By Amos Morale BATON ROUGE – LSU Coach Trent Johnson said a lack of focus caused turnovers about three minutes into the second half that led to Alabama’s 57-38 victory Wednesday night.
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Ole Miss hands LSU fifth straight loss, 73-63

admin — Sat, 23 Jan 2010 23:10:00 +0000

Chris Warren came alive with all 14 of his points in the second half as No. 22 Ole Miss beat LSU 73-63 at the Maravich Assembly Center Saturday. It was the fifth straight loss for the Tigers (9-10, 0-5 in…
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LSU looks to end losing streak

admin — Sat, 23 Jan 2010 13:04:26 +0000

The losses are mounting for the LSU basketball team, but coach Trent Johnson has not made any major changes — other than awarding his team a rare day off on Thursday — and he does not plan on altering anything significantly.

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Sheppard among three who decide to stay at LSU

admin — Sun, 17 Jan 2010 12:18:41 +0000

After losing one key member earlier this week from the heart-and-soul of an LSU defense that delivered a lot of promise in 2009, the Tigers got a huge dose of good news Friday.

In fact, LSU received three pieces of good news at once.

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Donovan, Johnson have different concerns going into game

admin — Sat, 16 Jan 2010 13:50:37 +0000

Trent Johnson recited words he had read almost verbatim Thursday.

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Long road ahead?

admin — Sun, 10 Jan 2010 13:53:18 +0000

If the first league game is any indication, it’s going to be a long year in the Southeastern Conference for the LSU men’s basketball team.

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LSU’s Bo Spencer, Aaron Dotson making strides

admin — Sat, 09 Jan 2010 13:23:22 +0000

BATON ROUGE - LSU has gotten solid efforts from front-court players Tasmin Mitchell, a senior, and sophomore Storm Warren this season, and the Tigers’ backcourt seems to be working out some kinks just in time for Southeastern Conference play. Kevin P. Casey/The…
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Capital One Bowl ending fitting for LSU’s football season

admin — Sat, 02 Jan 2010 14:12:08 +0000

ORLANDO, FLA. — It made perfect sense. The Capital One Bowl was a…
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Chavis Sidesteps Georgia Question At Presser

John — Wed, 30 Dec 2009 21:30:51 +0000

It looks like there might be some fire to all that John-Chavis-to-Georgia smoke.

Asked today during a Capital One Bowl press conference about his interest in the Georgia defensive coordinator job, Chavis said: “Well, we’re excited about what we’re doing at LSU, and my focus has been on LSU and will continue to be at LSU. We have an opportunity to win 10 games, and certainly that is what we want to do.”

“I’ll talk as long as you want to about LSU and our players. I’ll be happy to do that.”

That’s hardly the definitive “I’m not going to Georgia” statement that I’m sure LSU fans would have preferred to hear.

Dawg fans, it appears there’s a lead candidate. Come Saturday, this story might just grow some legs.

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LSU, Penn State Need To Worry About Field

John — Wed, 30 Dec 2009 14:02:14 +0000

In case you missed last night’s Champs Sports Bowl — and I’m guessing many of you did — there could be trouble for LSU and Penn State when they meet in Orlando on Friday: The turf.

The Champs Sports Bowl is played at the Florida Citrus Bowl which will also host the Tigers and Nittany Lions for the Capital One Bowl in just two days. Last night, the field looked like a World War I battlefield.

After playing a number of high school championship games at the facility in recent weeks, the playing surface was loose. And I use that term loosely. With each player’s step, sand would kick up into the air… showing that officials had tried to work on the troubled sod before the game. But by night’s end huge chunks of turf were ripped up and strewn across the field. (See the photo at left.)

On a kick return, Miami lost top tailback Graig Cooper when he appeared to damage his knee simply by planting his foot in the horrible stuff.

And we aren’t talking divots here. To keep it in golfing terms, the damage looked more like the gaping gopher holes from “Caddyshack.”

In addition to the potential for injury, LSU has another worry. Last night’s bowl was supposed to be a matchup of Miami’s speed against Wisconsin’s size and strength. Miami’s speed — possibly due to the loose sod — never became a factor in their 20-14 loss.

LSU-Penn State is expected to be your typical SEC (speed) versus Big Ten (size and strength) game. But the field could hinder the speed of the Tigers… as it did for Miami.

You can bet that the athletic directors from both schools will be chatting with Capital One Bowl officials this morning.

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Former Gators assistant Billy Gonzales gets to work with LSU

admin — Sun, 27 Dec 2009 13:31:14 +0000

Former UF assistant gets right to work with Tigers

LSU assistant coach Billy Gonzales has wasted no time getting acquainted with his new team. Though Gonzales has been on staff for about two weeks in his new role as passing game coordinator, he already has made tweaks to the way the Tigers do things and will coach in the Capital One Bowl against Penn State on Jan. 1.

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LSU arrives in Orlando, then hits the practice field for Capital One Bowl

admin — Sun, 27 Dec 2009 13:29:39 +0000

The LSU Tigers had a whirlwind day in Orlando on Saturday, hitting the practice field a few hours after landing in Orlando to prepare for the Capital One Bowl against Penn State on Jan. 1.

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New assistants already making impact at LSU

admin — Sat, 26 Dec 2009 13:21:04 +0000

Frank Wilson and Billy Gonzales, the newest members of the LSU football coaching staff, have been at practice with the Tigers learning names and numbers and getting acclimated to offensive schemes.

Both will be on the sideline New Year’s Day, when LSU faces Penn State in the Capital One Bowl.

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Role players lift Tigers past Rice

admin — Sun, 20 Dec 2009 12:42:08 +0000

LSU’s men’s basketball team needed production from more than its big three Saturday and freshmen Aaron Dotson and Eddie Ludwig were there to give it.

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LSU men’s basketball team set to take on Rice

admin — Sat, 19 Dec 2009 13:46:30 +0000

BATON ROUGE - The LSU team will be at home for the final time this year when the Tigers take on Rice at 1 p.m. at the Pete Maravich Assembly Center. Tasmin MitchellLSU will play Washington State in Seattle on Tuesday, break…
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LSU Investigation: The Latest – 12/16/09

John — Wed, 16 Dec 2009 13:38:43 +0000

Not much to report on the LSU investigation this morning, so I’ll keep it short and sweet.

It continues to look like former assistant DJ McCarthy was the only coach involved in potential NCAA violations. Les Miles said yesterday that he has no plans for any more staff changes this offseason.

McCarthy “resigned” last week after it became public that he was at the center of an internal LSU investigation into possible violations involving an LSU Tiger who did not play this year (Akiem Hicks).

We usually don’t dig into the blogs, but in trying to find why The Daily Reveille pulled their December 4th story outlining a source’s assertion that McCarthy had paid Hicks, I did stumble across AndTheValleyShook.com.

According to a source at that pro-LSU website, the paper pulled the story not because it questioned the information offered by its own source, but because the paper had broken its own rule by not asking the athletic department for a comment before printing a story about violations.

So, if the pay-for-play accusations aren’t the problem, why have no other Louisiana papers jumped on that angle?

Meanwhile, the pro-Texas blog BurntOrangeNation.com is reporting that former LSU commitment Mike Davis (receiver) has now given a commitment to Texas. Among the possible reasons for his switch: the loss of DJ McCarthy (the Tigers’ receivers coach) and the NCAA investigation.

As we’ll re-iterate in our Tennessee investigation update in a moment, you can be sure that other schools will use possible NCAA troubles against a school in recruiting. Did that play a role in Davis’ switch? Could more de-commitments be coming? That’s the downside of facing a possible NCAA investigation.

What I think today:

LSU uncovered this issue. They are conducting an internal investigation. They have self-reported the situation to the SEC. They have already removed the coach in question and they have bound him contractually to cooperate with any impending NCAA investigation. And they did not activate the player in question all year.

While paying a player is a the Queen Mother of NCAA violations, I believe such an isolated incident handled correctly will result in small penalties. IF what we’ve heard is actually what’s going on.

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Penn St. players glad to be playing Tigers

admin — Sun, 13 Dec 2009 11:54:01 +0000

While a quiet week for LSU players wound down Saturday, it marked the beginning of a quiet week for Penn State.

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LSU Investigation: The Latest – 12/11/09

John — Fri, 11 Dec 2009 13:59:03 +0000

Here’s what’s new on the LSU probe into potential NCAA violations:

1. According to Glenn Guilbeau of The Shreveport Times, “LSU is apparently preparing itself for an NCAA investigation concerning possible rules violations by former assistant coach DJ McCarthy, who recruited recent junior college signee Akiem Hicks out of Sacramento City Community College in California.”

Check out this interesting development: McCarthy’s resignation yesterday was not a simple “I quit,” nor was he fired. Instead, LSU general counsel Ray Lamonica reviewed a uniquely detailed, NCAA-specific “resignation agreement” that guarantees McCarthy will cooperate with any investigation regarding NCAA rules violations or he will not continue to get paid through February of 2010.

The five-page document states “that McCarthy, who recruited and/or helped recruit several members of LSU’s #1 ranked 2009 signing class, had previously been relieved of all responsibilities related to recruiting athletes.”

Interestingly, Hicks was academically eligible to play this past season, but LSU did not use him in any games. That means there will likely be no forfeitures from this season if/when the NCAA gets involved.

It also means that LSU likely has known something was fishy about Hicks’ recruitment since at least August.

According to Mr. Guilbeau, “McCarthy’s resignation itself — regardless of how it is worded — may also help LSU’s cause should it be investigated. NCAA investigation and penalties history illustrate that schools under investigation fare better when the most guilty coach is removed.”

McCarthy politely laughed when asked over the phone yesterday if he felt that he had been “scapegoated.”

“I have no comment. Once the investigation is all over, then we’ll have a chance to talk about it. It’s still being investigated, so I have no comment.”

Finally, coaching consultant Chris Landry says he doesn’t think things look too bleak for LSU at the moment.

“I don’t see this possible violation at LSU as real significant. It looks like a few little things, some loose ends. I don’t see anything at LSU that looks like a pattern.”

The word “pattern” is key in any NCAA dealings. But — just as we’ve written about Tennessee’s current situation — anytime the NCAA begins snooping around, it’s a bad thing. They can turn over every rock and wind up in a completely different area from where they initially started.

LSU had best hope their internal investigation pleases both the SEC and the NCAA.

2. Meanwhile, LSU officials are staying quiet on the subject of the investigation. Heck, keep reading and you’ll find that they’re in fact stonewalling the press (and therefore you, too).

According to associate AD Herb Vincent, “There are no new developments in the investigation at this time.”

The Baton Rouge Advocate formally asked to see correspondence, reports and other documents pertaining to LSU’s internal investigation back on November 30th. The school said the request was “unreasonably burdensome.”

On December 4th — the day The Daily Reveille reported that cash might have changed hands between McCarthy and Hicks — The Advocate revised its request to documents pertaining to the allegations surrounding McCarthy.

LSU responded by offering to charge the paper $287 to print about 1,150 potentially relevant emails and documents, then have its lawyers decided what should be made publicly available. The Advocate declined as a “matter of principle, not money.”

Congrats to both The Shreveport Times and The Baton Rouge Advocate for finally digging a little deeper into this story. It’s pretty clear that LSU officials don’t want them to.

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Betcha Mike Slive Isn’t Happy

John — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 14:39:59 +0000

When he took the job as SEC commissioner, Mike Slive said that one of his main goals was to lead the league toward the day when no member institutions would be on NCAA probation.

Most of us laughed at that idea. But prior to last summer, the only probation in the SEC involved Arkansas’ track program. Then came Alabama’s textbook scandal and yet another probationary period for the Tide.

But overall, Slive has accomplished much of his goal: The SEC has a better reputation now than it did when he took over.

Until the last two weeks anyway.

Since then there have been rumors of an LSU coach (now gone) possibly paying a player. And there has been an NCAA investigation opened at Tennessee involving hostesses… which is sure to keep the big media outlets focused on the issue. (Sex!)

Slive won’t like any of that. Especially regarding Tennessee’s situation.

LSU has at least been pro-active. They investigated. They turned it in. They’re getting to the bottom of it. And they’ve already smoked a coach over it.

Tennessee — and Slive’s favorite coach, Lane Kiffin — didn’t take the lead on the hostess investigation. The NCAA did. That won’t please the commish.

And if this turns out to be a secondary violation — and I believe it probably will — then Slive won’t like that, either.

Last summer, when Kiffin quickly racked up six secondary violations and breached the league’s code of conduct by publicly pointing a finger at Urban Meyer, Slive responded with a warning to everyone.

Slive said that when it came to lesser violations, the league could hand out their own penalties.

“The risk may be lost recruiting opportunities, lost ability to interact with prospects, and additional scrutiny for themselves and their program.”

In other words, LSU and Tennessee might have more to worry about than just the NCAA.

If LSU’s case involves the payment of a player and not just some illegal contact with a recruit, Slive will be livid. LSU will get some consideration for their self-reporting, but the commissioner doesn’t want to hear the words “pay for play” on ESPN regarding any member institutions.

As for Tennessee, Kiffin is already in the commissioner’s doghouse. If UT is hit with more secondary violations, don’t be surprised if Slive hands out an extra punishment to his least-favorite repeat offender.

So fans at both schools should be crossing their fingers that these investigations turn up very little. They should hope that the NCAA will hand out slaps on the wrist for any wrong doing that they do uncover.

And after all that, they’ll still need to worry about a commissioner who wanted to clean up the league.

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LSU Investigation: The Latest

John — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 13:47:31 +0000

From a news perspective, here’s the latest on the investigation into LSU’s football program:

Two weeks ago it was reported that LSU was investigating possible NCAA violations concerning its football program.

Last week, LSU associate AD Herb Vincent said: “There is no time table. When the investigation is completed it will be submitted to the Southeastern Conference office, and then the findings will be released to the public. Ideally, we would not have released anything until the investigation was complete.

LSU AD Joe Alleva released a statement saying that the investigation centered around one assistant coach and one player who did not suit up for the Tigers in 2009.

It was then confirmed that current receivers coach DJ McCarthy was the coach in question. It was also reported that the violation possibly concerned the amount of recruiting contact he had with said player.

Then last Friday, the student newspaper in Baton Rouge reported that “LSU junior defensive lineman Akiem Hicks allegedly received money from wide receivers coach DJ McCarthy to transfer to LSU from Sacramento Community College in California.”

According to a former Tiger football player who served as a source for The Daily Reveille, “It was one of those things they try to avoid bringing up, but everybody knows who’s involved. That right there is a big deal. Minor violations don’t even break the news.”

No one else jumped on the story. In fact, that story no longer appears on the website of The Daily Reveille.

Fast forward to last night.

1. LSU has announced that McCarthy has resigned from the LSU staff. He will not coach the Tigers in the Capital One Bowl, either.

“Today I tendered my resignation from LSU,” McCarthy said in a release. “I would like to thank Coach (Les) Miles for the opportunity to work with him, the players I coached, and to have been a part of the great history and tradition at LSU.”

McCarthy’s resignation will take effect in February, but the official resignation agreement is quite harsh in its language. The document states that McCarthy is “immediately relieved of any and all responsibilities relating to coaching and interaction with student-athletes.” (Perhaps this is standard lingo for an agreement like this, but it certainly reads with quite a bit of gusto. And I just used “lingo” and “gusto” in the same sentence.)

2. McCarthy had previously been relieved of his recruiting duties.

3. And Miles had already been in the market for a new assistant, even through McCarthy had remained on his staff until yesterday.

The Good:

* LSU is certainly being pro-active in this situation. They are conducting a self-investigation. They reported the matter to the SEC office. They have — in effect — fired an assistant who quite clearly did SOMETHING wrong.

* Self-reporting beats the alternative every time. When the facts come out, it’s likely that whatever penalties might be handed down will be lighter than they would have been otherwise.

* LSU announced early on that this would have no impact on Miles’ contract status. (Actually that could be good or bad news depending on your point of view.)

The Bad:

* Though the paying players story has disappeared and no one else picked up on it, the adios-ing of McCarthy seems to suggest that something more than just illegal contact was going on here. Coaches get a slap on the wrist for speaking too often to recruits. They get taken off the road for a couple of weeks for talking to recruits during dead periods. They don’t get whacked. (And don’t bother emailing me that he resigned, it’s quite clear what happened here.)

* The paying players bit is serious stuff. And again, no one has run with that since it was written last Friday. So maybe it was dead wrong. But something caused LSU to act quickly with McCarthy. And if there is any truth to the cash story, that constitutes serious stuff. If, for example, McCarthy paid Hicks to come to LSU, then that’s major, major stuff. If he helped him with travel costs (from Sacramento to Baton Rouge) or helped him with cash when he arrived on campus, that’s bad, but not as bad. Tiger fans had better hope that the money side of this story has absolutely no legs.

The Coincidental:

* Interestingly enough, LSU’s main in-conference competition for Hicks came from… Tennessee. And as you know, the Volunteers are involved in a little NCAA investigation of their own right now.

The Verdict:

* Who knows? The Louisiana media really isn’t digging too deeply into this story. Either there is nowhere for them to dig or they’re happy to wait for LSU’s official version of what transpired.

Until more info comes out — and until I start hearing more than just rumors from my sources in Baton Rouge — your guess is as good as mine.

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LSU Headines – 12/9/09

John — Wed, 09 Dec 2009 17:24:56 +0000

1. Four Tigers made the coaches’ All-SEC team, but only Ciron Black made the first-team.

2. Believe in him or not, Les Miles becomes one heckuva coach during bowl season.

3. Joe Paterno remembers the last time he coached against LSU back in 1974. He also remembers the signing of the Magna Carta.

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LSU Headlines – 12/8/09

John — Tue, 08 Dec 2009 15:47:31 +0000

1. Ciron Black was the only LSU Tiger to make first-team All-SEC.

2. LSU has officially announced the hiring of former Tennessee assistant Frank Wilson.

3. Wilson texted a reporter “Glad to be home. It was six years too long” regarding his return to his home state.

4. As we told you yesterday, current Buffalo Bills receivers coach Tyke Tolbert is being targeted to replace DJ McCarthy… who is reportedly being investigated for possible NCAA violations.

5. Miles says there isn’t any secret behind his bowl game success with the Tigers.

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LSU Investigating Possible Football Violations

John — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 15:05:07 +0000

LSU athletic director Joe Alleva announced yesterday that the school is investigating possible NCAA violations in the Tiger football program.

The violations involve one assistant coach and one student-athlete. According to Alleva, the athlete has not played for LSU this season.

The coach involved is receivers coach DJ McCarthy, according to The New Orleans Times-Picayune.

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LSU Tigers prevail over Arkansas Razorbacks 33-30 in overtime

admin — Sun, 29 Nov 2009 13:36:08 +0000

BATON ROUGE — Saved by the north goal posts. Michael DeMocker / The Times-Picayune. LSU safety Chad Jones makes the call as Arkansas’ field-goal attempt to tie the game in overtime goes wide right, giving the Tigers a 33-30 victory Saturday…
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Much on line for Les Miles in LSU’s game against Arkansas

admin — Sat, 28 Nov 2009 13:04:38 +0000

BATON ROUGE - When LSU plays Arkansas today, no divisional or conference championship is at stake, no invitation to a major bowl is in the offing, and neither team has a shot at a high national ranking. Brett Duke/The Times-Picayune. If LSU was…
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Dessert From LSU, MSU And Ole Miss

John — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 15:51:32 +0000

1. According to this notes column, this hasn’t been Les Miles’ best week.

2. Tailback Michael Ford will be used (and have his redshirt burned) “only in emergency.

3. Earlier reports were wrong — Memphis has NOT hired a new coach yet and LSU assistant Larry Porter remains a candidate.

4. The Tiger basketball team was pulverized 81-55 by #12 UConn yesterday.

5. Chris Relf and Tyson Lee will both play quarterback for MSU in the Egg Bowl.

6. Dan Mullen and Houston Nutt continue to praise each other’s predecessors.

7. Jevan Snead is having another strong November.

8. Dexter McCluster has gone through a personal transformation “that’s turned him into the unquestioned leader of the team and an icon in the community.”

9. This writer uses a 100-year-old story to show how the Egg Bowl divides families and friends.

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Les Miles Teleconference 11/25/09

John — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 16:08:55 +0000

Notes from Les Miles’ teleconference:

* “The team has come to work this week. They are beyond the game last Saturday with Ole Miss. Practices have been fast-paced.”

* Ryan Mallett “is a tremendous player. They throw the ball down the field.” Arkansas’ defense is “playing better.”

* Asked about recruiting, Miles said recruits have fewer questions these days. Miles communicates and visits with players even after they have committed. Miles says you’ll continue to see “last-minute change-of-hearts” until there’s an early signing date.

* Miles said he’s “motivated daily” by his team and his coaches.

* With 24 seniors and the possibility of a 10-win season still on the table, Miles said his team is “gonna come to Tiger Stadium and lay it on the line.”

* Stevan Ridley will get the majority of snaps at tailback. They are considering taking the redshirt off of freshman tailback Michael Ford.

* Miles said that Arkansas has a very talented receiving corps. In particular, Miles said that the Tigers will keep an eye on Greg Childs who has a penchant for catching Mallett’s deep balls.

* LSU might use more of the wildcat package with Russell Shepard this week.

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LSU Headlines – 11/25/09

John — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 15:12:46 +0000

1. A caller asked Les Miles if had had a “brain fart” during Saturday’s game. You stay classy, LSU fan.

2. Miles had to endure “a brutal radio hour filled with more hard-edged questions than support.” Read this and you’ll see why I believe the clock is ticking on The Hat.

3. This writer says Miles has “coached himself onto a short leash, whose honeymoon days in a multimillion-dollar, coach-eating conference are behind him.”

4. LSU fans believe the sky is falling. Or has already fallen.

5. Is Les Miles worth $3.75 million per year?

6. The Tigers will be counting on Stevan Ridley to lead an injury-depleted backfield.

7. Running backs coach Larry Porter lost out on the Memphis job to Washington Redskins assistant Jerry Gray.

8. In basketball news, LSU faces UConn this evening in the first semifinal of the NIT Season Tip-Off.

9. Freshmen Eddie Ludwig and Dennis Harris could be key for the Tigers tonight.

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Saturday Not The First Time Miles Lost Track Of Time

John — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 15:54:28 +0000

Yesterday, during his mea culpa, Les Miles admitted that he’d “mismanaged the back end of the Ole Miss game.”

“I let the clock get away from me; it was my fault, my mistake.”

But Saturday wasn’t the first time The Hat did something questionable at the close of a game.

Back in October of 2007 — on his way to a national title with two losses (to Arkansas and Kentucky) — Miles’ Tigers were trailing Auburn 24-23 in the closing seconds of their annual rivalry game.

LSU had the ball at the Auburn 23. The clock was ticking down. The safe bet would have been to kick a 38-yard (or closer) field goal and play for overtime at home.

Instead, Miles had Matt Flynn drop back to throw for the end zone. Flynn snapped the ball with 8 seconds on the clock. Tick, tick, tick.

The ball — amazingly — was caught for a touchdown with just three seconds to play. The clock ticked down to :01 before stopping.

Miles was hailed as a riverboat gambler. “That is the call of the year!” Mike Patrick screamed.

LSU won the game and went on to win the national title when voters made them the first two-loss team in history to get a shot at the title belt.

But if Flynn had been sacked on that play, or if the ball had been juggled and dropped in the end zone, most likely the Tigers would not have had time for a game-tying short field goal.

And Flynn didn’t exactly race to the line to snap the ball in the first place. What if he’d taken another second to snap it? (Not to mention the possibility of the ball being intercepted.)

I thought it was bat guano crazy at the time, but it worked, so no one cared.

In light of last week’s clock mismanagement, we now have to look at that call from two years ago and wonder if Miles knew the clock situation in that game, either.

From the way his team came to the line and the length of the play that was called, I don’t think he did.

See for yourself.

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LSU Headlines – 11/24/09

John — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 15:36:17 +0000

1. Les Miles is still the talk of the sporting world after accepting the blame for Saturday’s horrible clock mismanagement.

2. “I had lost that opportunity for my team by squandering seconds. I let the clock get away from me; it was my fault, my mistake.”

3. Miles shouldered the blame for the loss, but he also claimed that his gestures — which were caught on camera — in the game’s final seconds were not an attempt to get Jordan Jefferson to spike the ball.

4. LSU’s players say they haven’t lost faith Miles. (What are they supposed to say?)

5. National writers and pundits are hammering away at The Hat.

6. Paul Finebaum of The Mobile Press-Register writes that Miles has locked up this year’s Turkey of the Year award.

7. Here’s a transcript of Miles’ entire Monday press conference.

8. Running backs coach Larry Porter is one of two finalists for the head coaching job at Memphis.

9. LSU will be sporting “old” gold on their uniforms this weekend, not the yellow gold that Tiger fans have grown accustomed to. (They’ll look like Washington, by the way.)

10. Here’s another shot of the new, more lightweight Nike design. (Also in this notes column, LSU will be down to their fourth-string tailback against Arkansas.)

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LSU Headlines – 11/23/09

John — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 14:25:00 +0000

1. Just a handful of plays could have changed the outcome of Saturday’s loss to Ole Miss.

2. Against the Rebels, LSU was duped by a halfback pass for the second time this year.

3. A lack of timeouts eventually doomed LSU.

4. The Tigers’ offensive sideline “is a chaotic, mismanaged mess.”

5. Les Miles struggled for answers after the Tiger’s loss. (Check our “Monday Morning News” post to see video of his press conference AND of him signaling for Jordan Jefferson to spike the ball.)

6. All that means it’s going to be a tough, tough week for The Hat. And the writer believes it’s deserved.

7. Keiland Williams’ star-crossed career will end with a “significant break” of an ankle bone.

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LSU Headlines – 11/20/09

John — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 16:45:52 +0000

1. The LSU defense will have its hands full with Ole Miss’ Dexter McCluster.

2. McCluster said his performance last week reminded him of a scene in a movie in which time slows down.

3. Tailback Brandon Bolden is also playing well for the Rebels right now.

4. With all the talk of “The Blind Side,” this writer reminds folks that Michael Oher almost when to LSU, not Ole Miss.

5. The Outback Bowl is still hoping to land LSU.

6. In basketball news, a knee injury to Alex Farrer was more serious than initially thought and the fifth-year senior will be out for the season.

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LSU Headlines – 11/19/09

John — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 14:26:45 +0000

1. Les Miles says Jordan Jefferson will likely start at quarterback this weekend.

2. Les Miles has kept Jefferson away from the media this week.

3. Jefferson’s teammates like what they’ve seen from him in practice this week… and they say the coaches seem “a little more comfortable” knowing that their starter will be ready.

4. Ole Miss has held four SEC opponents to under 300 yards of total offense.

5. The LSU defense is bracing for Dexter McCluster.

6. In basketball news, LSU will face #12 UConn next Wednesday in the semifinals of the preseason NIT.

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Les Miles Teleconference 11/18/09

John — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 16:06:11 +0000

* LSU is “enjoying a good week of practice.” Ole Miss will be a “great challenge.”

* Asked what makes Larry Porter a good coach, Miles said that there are a number of members of his staff who could be head coaches. He said of Porter: “Great natural instinct, knowledgeable and has all the people skills you’d want.” (Porter is a candidate for the Memphis job.)

* “Center, quarterback and tight end” are all practicing this week and should be ready to go on Saturday.

* Jarrett Lee “played well enough for us to win.” “He made some improvement.” “I don’t know that restoring confidence is necessarily what needs to happen.”

* Dexter McCluser has “great speed, great anticipation for cuts.” “It’s more corral than penatrate” when it comes to defending him. “Our athleticism helps that.”

* Miles doesn’t think there’s much argument that the SEC is THE — if not one of the — most competitive conferences in the nation. “It’s a great league. It’s a lot of fun to compete in. You know one thing — victories are earned.”

* Miles thinks Ole Miss has improved. “I think they have a better feeling for what their identity is.”

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LSU Headlines – 11/18/09

John — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 15:05:32 +0000

1. Chad Jones will keeping close tabs on Dexter McCluster this weekend.

2. This writer believes McCluster is everything LSU wants their own Russell Shepard to be.

3. Defensive tackle Lavar Edwards looked good in his first start last Saturday.

4. Tailback Keiland Williams is trying to end his career on a high note.

5. Mississippi’s Jevan Snead seems to be finding his groove as the season winds down. (That’s because McCluster has been carrying more of the load… as we pointed out earlier this week.)

6. Snead is nursing a bum ankle that he injured on a fourth-down sneak last week.

7. LSU will be heading to Madison Square Garden for the NIT preseason semifinals after dispatching Western Kentucky 71-60 last night.

8. Bo Spencer poured in a career-high 28 points for the Tigers.

9. For those folks — like me — who thought Trent Johnson’s team would take a step back after losing so many veterans, it might be time to start paying attention to what’s happening on the Bayou. Yes, it’s early, but Western Kentucky is a darn good basketball team and LSU licked ‘em.

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