Coach O thinks starting QB Myles Brennan is done for the year

(Photo by: Chris Parent / LSU Athletics)

Barring something “miraculous,” LSU head football coach Ed Orgeron believes the season for starting quarterback Myles Brennan’s season is over.

Brennan, a fourth-year junior who patiently bided his time in the program, established a school record with 1,112 yards passing through three games and 11 touchdowns until suffering an injury in the first quarter of the Oct. 10 game at Missouri.

Although he never missed a down in the game it was learned Brennan sustained an injury that was first believed to be an abdominal tear. Orgeron said during Wednesday’s SEC Coaches Teleconference that Brennan also suffered an injury to his hip.

“It doesn’t look like he’s going to be back unless something miraculous thing happens,” Orgeron said. “We’re looking at the injury. We’re looking to see if he can come back through rehab or if the best thing is to go ahead and go through an operation that would help him out. We haven’t made a final decision.”

LSU (2-3 overall) began what it thought were preparations for a SEC game with top-ranked Alabama (6-0) at 5 p.m. Saturday in Tiger Stadium when the league postponed the game Tuesday because of positive tests for the coronavirus and contact tracing. He confirmed the majority of players in quarantine is due to contact tracing.

The Tigers are scheduled to travel to Arkansas for an 11 a.m. kickoff on Nov. 21

“You cannot be confident,” Orgeron said in response to having enough players out of quarantine and ready to play Nov. 21. “This is a fluid situation, but from what I’m told our quarantine guys will be back sometime next week. We’ll have a lot more players at practice next week then we do this week. I think Tuesday or Wednesday we should have an answer to that and right now it looks positive.”

Here’s what Orgeron had to say:

Opening remarks

“I think our team’s handled this week very well. At the beginning of the week we’d moved on to Arkansas. We didn’t think the Alabama game would happen, we thought it could happen, so we went back to Alabama and then yesterday we found out for sure we weren’t playing. I want to commend the SEC for doing the right thing for the safety of our players. We always knew this season would be unlike any other. The SEC is prepared, and we look forward to the rescheduling of the game with Alabama. We want to play Alabama. It’s a great rivalry for us; a great football team. We want to accept that challenge.

“We’re going to start to work on Arkansas today. We’ll have a first-down day on Arkansas, a third-down day on Arkansas tomorrow and our guys will have an open day weekend and hopefully the schedule stays the same where we’re playing Arkansas next week and we’re ready to play.”

On reports of LSU’s outbreak being tied to players attending a Halloween party

“I know nothing of that. To be honest most of our guys that are out, are out through contact tracing. I’ve heard it but not from any of our players, but I can ask them. I told them yesterday if that is going on, I don’t want them at any parties. We have a rule about no barrooms during the season. I think guys are going to go to parties, but they’ve got to be careful.”

On your level of confidence that you’re playing Arkansas next weekend and the schedule doesn’t get moved around

“We want to play Alabama, so whatever happens we’re going to be ready to play. I understand Greg Sankey’s position. This is a fluid deal. Those guys have done a tremendous job of getting us to play. I’m happy we’re playing. We knew this stuff would happen this season. We’ve just got to be ready to go. Wherever they tell us to play we’ll be ready to play.”

On what have you seen from Arkansas whose statistical numbers don’t blow you away

“Very well coached team. I think coach (Sam) Pittman has done a tremendous job. (Offensive coordinator) Kendall Briles had done a tremendous job with the offense and their defense is playing great football. I really like the way their defense is playing. They’re playing good, solid football. They’re doing a tremendous job of scheming people. I think their coaching staff has shown they’ve gotten this team better through great coaching.”

On your approach to practice with a limited number of players

“We have some walk-ons that have stepped up. (Punter) Zach Von Rosenberg played second team quarterback for us yesterday and stepped up. We have defensive linemen that never that got snaps yesterday. We kind of stay with the same plan, less plays, less time on the field. We had to get our work done. We had guys move around, guys did some different positions that hadn’t played and cross-trained. It’s part of what we have to do this year.”

On whether that gives the team additional energy, a lift in morale

“(Von Rosenberg) He threw a touchdown pass yesterday. The whole team was cheering. It was good. We had one of our best practices yesterday. When we found out we weren’t playing Alabama, while the kids were in the meeting and right before stretching, I told them we weren’t playing this week, get ready for Arkansas and we will reschedule Alabama. They had a lot of energy. I cut some time off and we had a great practice.”

On what are players being quarantined able to do

“They’re all in Zoom meetings and they’re able to work out by themselves in special groups. They can run and lift but they can’t be at practice.”

On any indication when the Alabama game could be played

“Your guess is as good as mine. I’ve heard a lot of things which I don’t know. When they tell us to play, we’ll be ready to play.”

On the difficulty of being able to develop guys that contract the virus or have contact tracing

“You’ve got to roll with the flow. Listen to Charlie Rich and you’ve just got to, ‘Keep Rollin’ With The Flow’. We’ve just got to keep on going. We have a next man up theory. We don’t blink. Guys don’t blink. Zach Von Rosenberg’s played second team quarterback, defensive linemen snapping, young guys getting more reps. It’s an opportunity for guys to grow.”

On your thoughts on the recruiting of Alabama’s Christian Harris of Baton Rouge

“Christian was here a bunch, came to camp a bunch. Had a great relationship with his mamma and daddy. He’s an excellent football player. He’s doing very well and we’re happy for him.”

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