Back to Work

LSU begins preparation for Georgia Tech.

by Matt Reynolds
Tiger Rag Assistant Editor

The LSU Tigers hit the practice field for the first time since taking time off for final exams on Monday and Les Miles said it was typical of a first practice back after a break.

The Tigers (7-5, 2-4 SEC) take on No. 14 Georgia Tech in the Chick-fil-A Bowl in Atlanta on New Years Eve.

“It was good to get back to the field and play football and just work out,” Miles said. “It looked like a first practice. There’s a lot to be re-accomplished. It was a first practice.”

The contest will be the first time the teams have met since the 2000 Chick-fil-A Bowl when Rohan Davey rallied LSU from a 14-3 halftime deficit to beat the Yellow Jackets, 28-14.

The Yellow Jackets are considered to be one of the hottest teams in the country, after closing out their regular season with a come-from-behind victory against in-state rival Georgia in Athens.

The Tigers are faced with the difficult task of attempting to slow down the Rambling Wreck’s high-powered option attack that is the third-ranked rushing offense in the nation – pilling up 282 yards per game on the ground.

Miles said the last time he has seen an offense similar to the one the Tigers will face against Georgia Tech personally, was when he coached offensive line at Colorado, who was running a form of the option at the time.

Although Miles seems confident his defense will be able to make the proper adjustments to slow down the Tech ground game, the teams mental state and attitude is what the LSU coach points to being a key to getting the Tigers back on track.

An ugly four game conference losing streak to close out the regular season has many questioning what sort of Tiger team will show up in the Georgia Dome later this month.

“I think there is some attitude that needs to be adjusted coming off that last game that we played,” Miles said. “I think we understand we need to defend the conference. We need to play for the conference. We need to show up and show well. That was introduced in practiced today.”

Two key personal fouls played a part in LSU’s meltdown in Little Rock the day after Thanksgiving and Miles is hoping team discipline will show up against the Yellow Jackets.

“Discipline an issue we address every time we play,” Miles said.

With the Fall semester now over, Miles said that he doesn’t think that LSU will be hampered at all by any academic issues.

“I am told that academics are going to be in good shape,” Miles said. “There is not an issue with academics at this point.”