Tiger Rag previews Will Wade’s second stint at LSU as his Tigers tip off the season with a 100-57 win over LSU New Orleans, discuss how Lane Kiffin’s LSU football team has improved through his inaugural season and gear up for a potential College Football Playoff run and reacts to the initial CFP rankings as WAFB sports director Jacques Doucet joins the show to talk another pivotal matchup between LSU and Alabama.
Here is the complete transcript of the show from YouTube. Tiger Rag apologizes for any AI generated mistakes:
0:00
0 seconds
Y’all ready? Y’all ready? Let’s go. Come on. Tiger Rag Radio [music] is on the air. Let’s crank this thing up.
0:06
6 seconds
We’re statewide breaking down the latest happenings with LSU athletics. This is up. Hear from the coaches. Our time is now with LSU basketball.
0:14
14 seconds
The players having fun and we working, baby. That’s it, man. The recruits.
0:17
17 seconds
One way or another, we’re going to make history.
0:19
19 seconds
And those who cover the Fighting Tigers of LSU and the SEC. LSU is the best job in the world.
0:25
25 seconds
It is 2 hours of non-stop [music] LSU talk.
0:28
28 seconds
I came here to win. We’re going to win immediately.
0:30
30 seconds
Tiger Rag Radio is brought to you by
0:32
32 seconds
[music]
0:32
32 seconds
Cumins. Cumins creates power solutions that the world depends on. Louisiana Beef Industry Council, Budro’s Electrical [music] Services, and Louisiana Farm Bureau Federation.
0:45
45 seconds
Get ready to talk Tigers [music] with producer Case Kishnik and our hosts Todd Horn, Jeff Polalmo, and Glenn Gilbo.
0:53
53 seconds
[music]
0:54
54 seconds
Players are more people than they are players. This is Tiger Rag Radio and good evening everyone. Welcome to
1:02
1 minute, 2 seconds
another edition of Tiger Rag Radio. This is Jeff Boler, news and sports director of Louisiana Radio Network along with the executive editor for Tiger Rag
1:10
1 minute, 10 seconds
magazine, Todd Horn. Case Kishnik, our producer. Glenn Gilbo is on his way to covering the LSU men’s basketball game
1:19
1 minute, 19 seconds
tonight, the season opener against LSU New Orleans. He will join us here in a few minutes. So, if you are really
1:26
1 minute, 26 seconds
wanting to hear Glenn and give his and hear his thoughts, uh, we will get to him here in a few minutes. Also, coming
1:33
1 minute, 33 seconds
up later on in the show, Jacques Duce, WFB sports director. He will join us to help us preview LSU and Alabama. We’ll
1:41
1 minute, 41 seconds
also talk with Mark Heim of WNSP radio in Mobile, Alabama. He’ll give us a scouting report on the Alabama Crimson
1:49
1 minute, 49 seconds
Tide. And it’s been a few weeks. We’re going to talk with our good friend Charles Hannigri from ESPN 1045 and 1049
1:57
1 minute, 57 seconds
and also host of a very successful and longunning pre and postgame show on the flagship station for LSU athletics.
2:05
2 minutes, 5 seconds
Eagle 98.1 will get his take on where LSU is at at this point as it begins a
2:12
2 minutes, 12 seconds
huge portion or a huge juncture of its season with these three big games coming up with Alabama, Texas, and Tennessee.
2:22
2 minutes, 22 seconds
As we are doing the show tonight, uh they are unveiling the first college football rankings of the 2026 season.
2:29
2 minutes, 29 seconds
We’ll give you an idea of uh or we’ll tell you where LSU is ranked. be very interesting to see and see if um just
2:37
2 minutes, 37 seconds
just kind of want to see where they have some of these SEC teams um compared to maybe a one loss team out of another conference. I’m talking about a two loss
2:46
2 minutes, 46 seconds
SEC team as opposed to some of the one loss teams in other conferences. Will SEC teams be ranked ahead of them? Uh
2:54
2 minutes, 54 seconds
we’ll see. We’ll find out here in a few minutes. But uh we’ll talk some hoops here to begin off to begin the show since uh we’ll have Glenn on in a few
3:02
3 minutes, 2 seconds
minutes. Uh Lady Tigers opened the schedule last night and that was uh Case Kishnik was there covering it for Tiger
3:11
3 minutes, 11 seconds
Rag and Case that was a beatdown. I mean at what point wasn’t the score like 45 to nine or something like that?
3:19
3 minutes, 19 seconds
Yeah, I want to say after the end of the first quarter it was like 34 to four or something along those lines.
3:25
3 minutes, 25 seconds
Southeastern had one made field goal in the first quarter and three in the first half. Wow. I think the halftime score was 69 to9.
3:34
3 minutes, 34 seconds
It was just Yeah. From the opening tip, there was not much they could do. Zakayia Johnson set the tone right away.
3:40
3 minutes, 40 seconds
She uh she got an offensive rebound on the first possession, got the layup right after, did the same thing on the second possession, and she was just all over the court.
3:49
3 minutes, 49 seconds
So, what what do you learn from a game like that?
3:52
3 minutes, 52 seconds
Yeah, that’s a good question. you learned that Zakayiah Johnson’s pretty good at basketball is [laughter] uh which we already knew. But um you’re
3:58
3 minutes, 58 seconds
right, you know, it’s something that how much stock can you put into a game against South Eastern when it’s that lopsided, but you know that the team’s
4:07
4 minutes, 7 seconds
going to play hard. I was really impressed with, you know, they’re they’re running the small ball lineup and I thought their their fullcourt press was very effective. They they
4:16
4 minutes, 16 seconds
forced multiple shot clock violations, forcing them into late shot clocks. And that’s something that can translate no matter who the opponent is. You might
4:23
4 minutes, 23 seconds
not always get those, you know, 40 turnovers or whatever it was, 38 turnovers that they forced, but you’re
4:31
4 minutes, 31 seconds
going to be able to to sit down and play defense against just about anyone and you can hinder teams like that. And so I think that’s something that I took away from it. Was there any truth to the
4:39
4 minutes, 39 seconds
rumor that the Southeastern players and coaching staff thought they were here for the tailgating weekend and they started drinking early [laughter] so
4:48
4 minutes, 48 seconds
they could be loud and obnoxious during the game and break the noise barrier that uh Tennessee broke earlier this year against Alabama the way Lane Keifin is compelling all the fans to do here.
5:00
5 minutes
Did they get caught up in that frenzy and thought that’s what they were here for?
5:04
5 minutes, 4 seconds
No, I just don’t think they’re a very good team.
5:06
5 minutes, 6 seconds
Oh. [laughter] And it’s the second year in a row that L I think LSU last year when they beat
5:13
5 minutes, 13 seconds
him. That was the if it I I can’t remember what the record was last year that they they set some
5:21
5 minutes, 21 seconds
sort of record when they played South Eastern last year and they they pummeled them and they got Texas Southern on
5:27
5 minutes, 27 seconds
Thursday. So that’s another easy win. Uh but uh as much as especially myself have
5:35
5 minutes, 35 seconds
been critical of Kim Moi schedules in the non-conference, there are at least some gems coming up when they play North
5:44
5 minutes, 44 seconds
Carolina, when they play Yukon. I don’t think Houston’s very good when they go play Houston, but there’s at least an
5:50
5 minutes, 50 seconds
attempt this year to play some more um marquee non-conference games. And uh but
5:58
5 minutes, 58 seconds
these are just um it’s I I don’t know. I don’t know really what you gain out of it when you when you’re
6:05
6 minutes, 5 seconds
up. What was the score? 69 to six. What was it? 69 to nine, I believe.
6:11
6 minutes, 11 seconds
I don’t know what you’re getting out of that. [laughter] A lot of inflated stats. Yeah. Yeah.
6:17
6 minutes, 17 seconds
I mean, I think it’s good though this season especially. You’ve got a lot of new new faces, young talents. Anna Maniva had a double double in her first
6:24
6 minutes, 24 seconds
outing at 17 years old and you need to get these these players minutes before you get into that late November December schedule.
6:32
6 minutes, 32 seconds
The other thing is is because they only have nine players right now. So e they they really never were able to say call
6:40
6 minutes, 40 seconds
off the dogs because you always would have a starter out there since you only got nine players, right? Right. And it kind of just reinforces that that relentless effort
6:47
6 minutes, 47 seconds
that that coach Mochi Moi preaches and that you know the we’re not going to let the opponent dictate how we play.
6:54
6 minutes, 54 seconds
Yeah. Well, anyways, um it was a nice start I suppose and um we’ll see how it
7:02
7 minutes, 2 seconds
moves along. Uh a lot more, you know, a lot of intrigue here with LSU men’s basketball and we’re going to hear from Glen Gilbo in a few minutes, but they
7:10
7 minutes, 10 seconds
got another player that became eligible today, Todd. Yeah, a 29 year old. No, he’s 24. [laughter] He’s actually 24.
7:20
7 minutes, 20 seconds
And under normal rules, if the normal rules applied to him, he would have been ineligible by December 31st, if I’m not mistaken.
7:30
7 minutes, 30 seconds
Mhm.
7:30
7 minutes, 30 seconds
But because he was three years in the military, he got an exemption for one year. I think it’s for one year.
7:38
7 minutes, 38 seconds
Yeah.
7:39
7 minutes, 39 seconds
And LSU lists him as a freshman on their roster. So, he can only play one more season.
7:44
7 minutes, 44 seconds
I we think we’re not sure. He did get an exemption because of his military history and he was in the military for
7:52
7 minutes, 52 seconds
three years, but he’s also 24, which means he would age out, so I don’t know what the deal is. We’re going to have to look into it with more detail. This just broke like within the last hour and a half or so.
8:02
8 minutes, 2 seconds
Right. Right. Okay. So, uh Case is trying to get a hold of Glenn while he’s doing that. Don’t mean to switch too much, but in the college football playoff rankings, LSU is at 14.
8:13
8 minutes, 13 seconds
I thought they would be 11.
8:15
8 minutes, 15 seconds
11? You thought they were going to be at 11? I did. Okay. Why’ you Why do you think that?
8:20
8 minutes, 20 seconds
I just did. I thought they would be inside the the college football playoff at 11 for this first round go round.
8:28
8 minutes, 28 seconds
They will be in it if they beat Alabama on Saturday as expected.
8:32
8 minutes, 32 seconds
So, Tennessee is ranked higher than them. Yeah.
8:34
8 minutes, 34 seconds
At 12. Ohio or excuse me at 13. Ohio State is at 12. Where’s Notre Dame? Notre Dame’s at 11. That shocks me.
8:43
8 minutes, 43 seconds
Uh LSU is at least ranked ahead of Texas Tech, Wake Forest, those teams. They’re ranked ahead of Missouri. Um ranked ahead of Iowa and them. What’s lacking?
8:53
8 minutes, 53 seconds
Where’s Miss?
8:54
8 minutes, 54 seconds
Uh Miss has not come up yet. They’re still um going through the entire top 25 and they’re at 11 right now with Notre Dame. Okay.
9:02
9 minutes, 2 seconds
So, of course, Notre Dame’s got Miami this Saturday. Uh, if Notre Dame doesn’t win that game, I don’t know how they get
9:09
9 minutes, 9 seconds
in the college football playoffs because they’ll be 10 and two without without a a win over a top ranked team or top 25 team, but they
9:18
9 minutes, 18 seconds
will still be 10 and two. And if they’re in ranked in the top 12, uh, they will get in,
9:26
9 minutes, 26 seconds
which is dumb. I Well, [laughter] that’s the best way I could put it, which is absolutely dumb because I think
9:33
9 minutes, 33 seconds
you have to beat somebody. And thank goodness for LSU’s sake, they will have somebody that they get to play here uh
9:41
9 minutes, 41 seconds
over the next couple of weeks because that’s really what LSU is lacking at this point football-wise.
9:46
9 minutes, 46 seconds
Yeah. And and you know, we talked about this a little bit before, but Alabama really needs this game much more than LSU does because they don’t have any
9:54
9 minutes, 54 seconds
room to make up on their schedule. If they lose to LSU, which they probably will, that’s their third loss
10:02
10 minutes, 2 seconds
and they don’t have any anybody left to play for in the regular season the rest of the year. So there’s no makeup to it.
10:09
10 minutes, 9 seconds
At least LSU, if they were to lose to Alabama, which I don’t think they will, could turn around and beat Texas, beat
10:17
10 minutes, 17 seconds
Tennessee, and regain some traction to possibly be the first three loss team to make the college football playoffs.
10:24
10 minutes, 24 seconds
really need Texas to beat Missouri this Saturday? Uh, you think?
10:30
10 minutes, 30 seconds
Well, I I think it would help, you know, just in case you Oh, in case you Yeah.
10:36
10 minutes, 36 seconds
stub your toe against Tennessee and you’re a three loss team. At least you can say that you have two solid wins over Alabama and Texas.
10:45
10 minutes, 45 seconds
It makes perfect sense. And I was I was just imagining all kinds of further chaos, you know, where Georgia beats the
10:52
10 minutes, 52 seconds
heck out of Miss. Miss is now at three losses. Mhm. But, you know, maybe, maybe not.
10:58
10 minutes, 58 seconds
Miss is at 10, by the way. BYU is at nine.
11:03
11 minutes, 3 seconds
Okay. So, you know, Georgia is going to be in the top three. Mhm. You Alabama hadn’t shown up yet.
11:09
11 minutes, 9 seconds
Unless I missed him. I might have missed him because I can’t see the screen on the other side. [laughter] Case, are you seeing Alabama?
11:20
11 minutes, 20 seconds
No, they must be um in the top eight at least. Well, they got the win against Kentucky.
11:24
11 minutes, 24 seconds
That’s what’s really boosting them at this point. And a tough loss against Georgia, who’s a top five team. Um that
11:34
11 minutes, 34 seconds
really helps them as well. Plus, let’s see. Well, Florida State, Clemson, that kind of cancels each other out. That
11:41
11 minutes, 41 seconds
doesn’t that’s not a big win. So yeah, but obviously they’re going to be in the top eight if they’re not here to
11:48
11 minutes, 48 seconds
four announced. So that’ll be a big win for LSU.
11:52
11 minutes, 52 seconds
Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. So that’s uh that’s where we’re at with the uh the college football rankings. But uh
12:00
12 minutes
Alabama today case uh good news. Injury on the injury front.
12:06
12 minutes, 6 seconds
Oh, wait. He’s still trying to get a hold of Glenn. though. No, Glenn said he’d be ready at 610. Todd, I told you about Glenn and time.
12:13
12 minutes, 13 seconds
[laughter]
12:15
12 minutes, 15 seconds
It’s like It’s like Einstein’s theory of relativity. Yeah.
12:20
12 minutes, 20 seconds
Spacetime continuum doesn’t apply to All right. Well, okay. We got Glenn now. Glenn. Hi, Glenn. How are you? How you doing?
12:27
12 minutes, 27 seconds
Hey, what’s up, man?
12:29
12 minutes, 29 seconds
Nothing. Nothing. Uh you’re in how what do you make out of this excitement level uh for LSU men’s hoops tipping off here tonight?
12:40
12 minutes, 40 seconds
Um, well, I’m not there yet because uh we got I understand, but just uh No, I think uh I think it’s uh the
12:47
12 minutes, 47 seconds
the most uh reported on and discussed exhibition games I can remember since
12:54
12 minutes, 54 seconds
like uh probably uh you know, maybe uh Brady’s team after the Final Four uh going back that far
13:03
13 minutes, 3 seconds
back. Um, and maybe even like the preeason they brought in uh Shaq and and
13:09
13 minutes, 9 seconds
Stanley and those guys back in ‘ 89 90 you know I remember that was dominating [clears throat] over football at that
13:17
13 minutes, 17 seconds
time. Of course football was terrible at that time but um no it’s it’s really u one of [clears throat] the most anticipated seasons in decades I would
13:26
13 minutes, 26 seconds
say. What’s the record in college basketball for a player getting his eligibility and then uh being in the
13:35
13 minutes, 35 seconds
center circle for the tip off of the opening game?
13:39
13 minutes, 39 seconds
Yeah, I don’t know. Uh I’m I’m sure it’s probably happened uh before, but uh it’s it’s amazing. Uh even the the players uh
13:48
13 minutes, 48 seconds
were talking about how, you know, they just had four guys on on the roster just about a month ago. You
13:56
13 minutes, 56 seconds
know, I mean, they were practicing with 14 or 15 since September, but just the official guys on the roster, just four.
14:04
14 minutes, 4 seconds
Now all of a sudden, he’s got 14. Uh he’s really got everybody he wanted
14:11
14 minutes, 11 seconds
except for RJ Louie. And there was um there was the 25year-old uh former pro
14:18
14 minutes, 18 seconds
uh he was a point guard. I forget his name now, but um really he got just about everybody he wanted and and really
14:26
14 minutes, 26 seconds
I think the most significant additions are the two UCLA guards and Donovan Dent
14:33
14 minutes, 33 seconds
was telling us last week that you know he didn’t get start getting recruited till late because that law I mean I mean
14:40
14 minutes, 40 seconds
the rule just passed in June about five seasons and five years and then the court cases after that. So th I think
14:49
14 minutes, 49 seconds
those two guys kind of fell in Wade’s lap.
14:52
14 minutes, 52 seconds
Well, do you think this team is going to be competitive in the SEC?
14:57
14 minutes, 57 seconds
Oh, yeah. Yeah. I I think they’ll uh be uh I mean, I don’t think they’ll be top five in the SEC, but I think they’ll be
15:04
15 minutes, 4 seconds
um [clears throat] you know, 500 or maybe a little better in the SEC with a chance for an NCA tournament. Um I really like Sky Clark and Donovan Dent.
15:16
15 minutes, 16 seconds
I I think they’re going to make the difference.
15:18
15 minutes, 18 seconds
Glenn, let’s take a break and when we come back, we’ll continue the conversation. LSU men’s basketball, tipping off the season tonight against LSU New Orleans at the PMAC. We’ll be back after this here on Tiger Rag Radio.
15:28
15 minutes, 28 seconds
I’m Richard Fontno, president of the Louisiana Farm Bureau [music] Federation. My brother and I grow rice, soybeans, and raised crawfish on our farm in Evangeline Parish. For a fourth
15:37
15 minutes, 37 seconds
generation farmer like myself, [music] Louisiana Farm Bureau is as much a part of my life as checking traps or harvesting rice. Our organization is
15:44
15 minutes, 44 seconds
more than 145,000 members strong and [music] we’ve been around for more than 100 years. The Louisiana Farm Bureau spans generations and we want you to join our family.
15:53
15 minutes, 53 seconds
Visit l Farmbbureau.org. The Louisiana Farm Bureau Federation, the voice of Louisiana agriculture. How you doing? This is Snow Dog.
16:01
16 minutes, 1 second
Tiger Rag. Tiger Rag Radio.
16:03
16 minutes, 3 seconds
Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, you are tuned in.
16:06
16 minutes, 6 seconds
Talk LSU sports interviews, opinions, [music] and new calls around the Tiger Nation. Ben Rose was a life for me, home of LSU Tigers.
16:13
16 minutes, 13 seconds
Now, more Tiger Rag Radio.
16:15
16 minutes, 15 seconds
We love to score and get highlights in the championship and play to win. Tiger Rag Radio.
16:19
16 minutes, 19 seconds
Back here on Tiger Rag Radio, Jeff Palmo, along with the executive editor for Tiger Rag magazine, Todd Horn, and Case Kishnik. Joining us on the line,
16:27
16 minutes, 27 seconds
it’s Tiger Rag editor Gwen Gilbo, who is covering the LSU men’s basketball game tonight. Part two of Will Wade’s tenure
16:34
16 minutes, 34 seconds
at LSU. A lot of mystery around this team, but it should be a really good team. It should be a fun team. It’s uh a
16:41
16 minutes, 41 seconds
lot of um excitement, a lot of eagerness to see what this team will exactly look like and how Will Wade will be able to
16:48
16 minutes, 48 seconds
uh mold it together. Uh Glenn was talking about how much he likes the the two guys from uh UCLA. I’m curious to
16:57
16 minutes, 57 seconds
see how well this uh the big Croatian plays, h how well he performs this season.
17:04
17 minutes, 4 seconds
Well, guys, I’m driving up to the center now and there’s students lined up. Looks like they’ve been sleeping over like
17:12
17 minutes, 12 seconds
you’re lying [laughter] you’re lying out here live from the fem.
17:20
17 minutes, 20 seconds
No. Um uh I think you know what’s amazing is of all the talk of the overseas players they they only have
17:27
17 minutes, 27 seconds
four overseas players. um you know the the the two guys from UCLA that’s six and then the four they had in the normal
17:36
17 minutes, 36 seconds
portal from America that’s 10 and then they got like a couple of high school guys and walk-ons
17:43
17 minutes, 43 seconds
uh from the United States. So only four overseas players which is not more than than most teams have. Most teams have
17:52
17 minutes, 52 seconds
about two or three just from looking at some some rosters. But but yeah, um I I really like Rusk, Michael Rusek, the
18:00
18 minutes
sevenfooter, he can play inside and outside. Um Sally Nyang and and Bryce Desair are supposed to be pretty good.
18:10
18 minutes, 10 seconds
And then um uh the guy they just got, the 7 foot3 center, um you know, he they
18:18
18 minutes, 18 seconds
got some amazing Yeah, right. Levy, they got some amazing height. I mean, they could they can uh if they wanted to go big, uh I mean, they could have four guys right around seven feet.
18:30
18 minutes, 30 seconds
You know what amazes me is that you have improved your pronunciation [laughter] of all those guys’ names so dramatically
18:39
18 minutes, 39 seconds
over the last couple of weeks. It’s just I’m proud of you. I’m really proud of you.
18:44
18 minutes, 44 seconds
That’s great. [laughter] So, let me ask you this. you talked, you said that you thought this team uh could actually compete in the SEC.
18:53
18 minutes, 53 seconds
Maybe not in the top five, but they could compete. Top eight would probably get them into the top 10 in the SEC
19:01
19 minutes, 1 second
would probably get them into the NCAA tournament. What do you think the identity of this team is going to be?
19:07
19 minutes, 7 seconds
Uh well, I think identity can be kind of overrated at times. Um uh especially if
19:15
19 minutes, 15 seconds
your identity is a bad team, which they they’ve had here for years. Um I I think um I think they’re going to be
19:24
19 minutes, 24 seconds
versatile. I I really do. I mean, because uh they they have some outside shooters and they obviously have some
19:31
19 minutes, 31 seconds
inside presence. Now, how well those big guys move around is going to be interesting to see. I I would doubt if
19:38
19 minutes, 38 seconds
they’re going to be able to move except for Rusk with uh with some of the big men in the SEC. They they might be more
19:46
19 minutes, 46 seconds
uh physical, you know, like Jaime Loretta was back in Brady’s day. Uh but I I think they’re going to be pretty
19:54
19 minutes, 54 seconds
versatile. They uh after Sky, that’s why Sky Clark is such a great addition because after him, I don’t know if they have any great three-point shooters.
20:04
20 minutes, 4 seconds
They got some guys that are kind of streaky like Bashure, but um I I would say definitely versatile and and they have some some decent depth.
20:14
20 minutes, 14 seconds
What about defensively?
20:17
20 minutes, 17 seconds
Well, um you know, Wade was never known for defense at at LSU.
20:24
20 minutes, 24 seconds
He he says that’s something he needs to improve upon. Now, I think they won’t be bad on defense because of the of the
20:33
20 minutes, 33 seconds
physical nature of some of their big men. So, they so they should be okay there. Um, you know, but, uh, I’m not I’m not really sure.
20:44
20 minutes, 44 seconds
What do you think uh what do you think the most important SEC games of the year will be for them?
20:52
20 minutes, 52 seconds
Well, I would say Alabama is uh you know, they tend to be good every year.
20:58
20 minutes, 58 seconds
Um but I I just think the the most important thing for them would be to I
21:05
21 minutes, 5 seconds
mean, if they’re over 500 after three or four games, that would be something completely new around here. Uh, and
21:15
21 minutes, 15 seconds
really if if they can just beat the bad teams in the SEC, beat the lower level teams in the SEC that they’ll probably
21:22
21 minutes, 22 seconds
win enough games, you know, to get into the tournament.
21:26
21 minutes, 26 seconds
Well, and they’re going to be We got to go. Yeah. Sorry, Glenn.
21:30
21 minutes, 30 seconds
Yeah, we got to head out. Uh LSU opens up SEC play against South Carolina on January 2nd and then uh after that they
21:38
21 minutes, 38 seconds
will end up playing uh after the game against South Carolina. They got Alabama, Tennessee, and Kentucky. So uh a good little test there and then uh a
21:46
21 minutes, 46 seconds
game against Texas A&M. We’ll get to some football talk when we come back. Jacqu Duce from WFB when we come back.
21:53
21 minutes, 53 seconds
The East Baton [music] Rouge Parish Library believes that a thriving business community is good for us all.
21:59
21 minutes, 59 seconds
That’s why we help entrepreneurs start a business with tools like Gail Business Builder. Keep commerce rolling by providing free [music] access to
22:07
22 minutes, 7 seconds
computers and free Wi-Fi at 15 branch locations.
22:12
22 minutes, 12 seconds
Get a library card. Grow your business at ebrpl.com/depart/sallus. [music]
22:24
22 minutes, 24 seconds
And we’re back with Tiger Rag Radio.
22:28
22 minutes, 28 seconds
Back here on Tiger Rag Radio, Jeff Polmo, along with the executive editor for Tiger Rag magazine, Todd Horn and Case Kishnik. Let’s bring in our first
22:36
22 minutes, 36 seconds
guest of the night at Jacques Duce from WFB. Jacques, how you doing? Happy Alabama week. We won’t be able to say that next year unless LSU and Alabama meet in the college football playoffs.
22:47
22 minutes, 47 seconds
So, we got to relish the opportunity right now.
22:51
22 minutes, 51 seconds
Well, I don’t know how much you relish it when you’ve beaten them five out of the last 20, but hopefully [laughter] that changes this week for uh purple and gold.
23:00
23 minutes
So, Jock, do you think it will change this week? I I’ve got high expectations actually that LSU matches up pretty well with them. What do you think?
23:09
23 minutes, 9 seconds
Well, the point spread says something. I I can’t remember LSU being favored. Uh what is it? Five and a half, six and a
23:16
23 minutes, 16 seconds
half. LSU is favored. Um, I I just curious about how you look coming off a buy. You know,
23:24
23 minutes, 24 seconds
does LSU maintain the momentum and look like the team they looked at Auburn where they, you know, arguably played
23:31
23 minutes, 31 seconds
their best game of the season? And what about Alabama? Are they really kind of shaky like they showed um at Tennessee
23:40
23 minutes, 40 seconds
or are they more like the team that really beat the pants off Kentucky and South Carolina and Mississippi State in
23:47
23 minutes, 47 seconds
dominant fashion? So, I’m sure you guys have an eye on it, but um Alabama’s number five in the college football playoff rankings that just came out. So,
23:56
23 minutes, 56 seconds
they’re they’re way up there and Texas is number seven. So, talk about two huge weekends coming up in Tiger Stadium for LSU.
24:04
24 minutes, 4 seconds
Do you remember, Jock, a a a November quite like this that could be this monumental potentially for LSU football?
24:14
24 minutes, 14 seconds
No, I don’t. Um, obviously the Alabama game was always the game in November.
24:20
24 minutes, 20 seconds
And if LSU won it, they were typically in the SEC championship game and the national championship game perhaps. Uh,
24:28
24 minutes, 28 seconds
and if they lost it, then it was some ho home games against Arkansas and I think Mississippi State came to Tiger Stadium
24:35
24 minutes, 35 seconds
late one year and Old Miss when they were bad. Yeah.
24:39
24 minutes, 39 seconds
Yeah. Yeah. Exactly. Uh but no, I think we’ve been kind of talking about this November all off season leading into it.
24:46
24 minutes, 46 seconds
Um two two games like that in Tiger Stadium in November and then have to go to Tennessee in front of 100,000 or
24:54
24 minutes, 54 seconds
whatever at Rocky Top. And you know, even Arkansas, which I think uh you know, the college football predictor has LSU like a 94% chance to win. Uh I’ve
25:04
25 minutes, 4 seconds
been up there many times where it’s been a root canal. No matter how bad Arkansas is, it’s it’s typically cold and miserable and the fans up there and
25:12
25 minutes, 12 seconds
Arkansas care about that game a lot more than LSU do is they care about that boot too. They think it’s a beautiful trophy where down here it’s kind of a joke and
25:19
25 minutes, 19 seconds
people call it gaudy and all that. So yeah, I I I don’t I don’t remember a November uh with this many tough games
25:27
25 minutes, 27 seconds
and you know just high-profile matchups uh coming up. You know, Jeff and I were talking uh when we were off the air a
25:35
25 minutes, 35 seconds
little while ago, we were like, wouldn’t it be something for LSU to beat Alabama, beat Texas, go to Na Knoxville, beat
25:43
25 minutes, 43 seconds
Tennessee, and then lose to Arkansas at Arkansas? Wouldn’t that just be horrible? [laughter]
25:50
25 minutes, 50 seconds
That would be horrible. Um, and then I don’t know if you could still put LSU in the playoff if they defeated uh two top
25:57
25 minutes, 57 seconds
10 teams back to back and then another team in the top 15. And so I don’t know, but uh yeah, that would be uh that’d be pretty bad. I’ve been looking at that
26:06
26 minutes, 6 seconds
game all year, November 28th, and just saying, man, I mean, I could be wrong.
26:10
26 minutes, 10 seconds
Maybe it’ll be 60° and sunny that day, but I doubt it.
26:14
26 minutes, 14 seconds
Yeah. [laughter] Well, they are pretty bad this year. So, but going back to the LSU Alabama game, LSU’s passing game,
26:22
26 minutes, 22 seconds
especially the last couple of weeks, has really appeared to hit hit it. You know, it’s really clicking right now and and I
26:30
26 minutes, 30 seconds
think that gives us all reasons to like its chances against Alabama on Saturday.
26:35
26 minutes, 35 seconds
But what have you seen, Jock, that convinces you that LSU’s protection, which has been a concern all year, can
26:42
26 minutes, 42 seconds
hold up long enough to for LSU to take advantage of that passing game?
26:48
26 minutes, 48 seconds
Yeah, I think that they’ve, you know, they’ve established Jackson Harris as a pretty reliable guy in recent games. Um,
26:55
26 minutes, 55 seconds
I think that they have thrown the ball a lot to Dylan Jones as a safety valve.
27:01
27 minutes, 1 second
Um, and I think that they’re pretty good and Kein talked about it on Monday. It’s kind of using the short passing game as an extension of the of the running game.
27:09
27 minutes, 9 seconds
You know, sometimes I’m sitting down there on the field and I just see Lev get the snap, he throws it sideways, the guy makes a couple of moves and he’s
27:17
27 minutes, 17 seconds
tackled and it doesn’t seem like a whole lot down there and then it’s second and two, you know, it’s like an eight yard gain. So, um I think that Yeah, I think
27:25
27 minutes, 25 seconds
that definitely um this will be a big challenge for the LSU offensive line because Bama, I think, has only given up
27:31
27 minutes, 31 seconds
108 yards per game uh on the ground. Um, and although their secondary’s been um,
27:39
27 minutes, 39 seconds
uh, you know, bad at times, I think they’ve run back five interceptions for touchdowns and had 12 picks overall. So, if you’re LSU, it’s just the old cliche,
27:47
27 minutes, 47 seconds
we don’t want to go out there, run the ball first and second down, don’t get anything, run third and nine, and then Lev goes back to making some of the mistakes he made earlier in the year.
27:55
27 minutes, 55 seconds
So, yeah, I mean, Jordan Seatin and, you know, Jordan Seat, you paid that guy four or5 million dollars to come down here. He needs to do his job and the rest of them need to uh you know I think
28:04
28 minutes, 4 seconds
he’s uh Kevin’s been a little down on the guard play at times but um you know you’re at home you got the crowd in your corner you need to protect your quarterback and and get a victory.
28:14
28 minutes, 14 seconds
How important do you think having Tes back at basically full strength for this game will be? And do you think Whites will come back? Whit weeks will be back.
28:27
28 minutes, 27 seconds
Yeah, I don’t know what it means. I saw uh Whit on Monday after Kein’s press conference. He was just walking around football lops and tennis shoes. He
28:35
28 minutes, 35 seconds
didn’t have a boot on or anything. And from my understanding, he was doing what they call uh like grass drills or something last week where he was, you
28:43
28 minutes, 43 seconds
know, trying to run and um but without pads. I have no idea what he’s been doing this week. I I do know ever since
28:50
28 minutes, 50 seconds
he got hurt, the word was, well, maybe Alabama. Maybe Alabama. So, um I don’t know if he’s going to be back or not. Um
28:58
28 minutes, 58 seconds
and if he can’t play, how many snaps does he get? Uh TDZ, obviously he’s a physical freak. I mean, you can’t, you
29:06
29 minutes, 6 seconds
know, there’s nothing you can coach uh when it comes to being 67 and having that that ability to jump and high point passes and do all things he does. And
29:16
29 minutes, 16 seconds
certainly they got him in the end zone at Auburn. And I think another week will will help him out. He was part of the player interviews today and I think he’s
29:24
29 minutes, 24 seconds
watched these LSU Alabama games growing up and um you know this is I guess his third one. He’s in his third season at LSU. So yeah, I think that helps out a
29:33
29 minutes, 33 seconds
big a big part in the in the uh in the passing game and certainly doesn’t seem like even though last year uh the
29:40
29 minutes, 40 seconds
offense was bad, they they were able to throw him the ball in the red zone. I don’t think they’ve done a ton of that this year. So, uh, this might be a good game to, you know, throw him up one of
29:49
29 minutes, 49 seconds
those lollipops in the end zone, see if he can high point one for a touchdown.
29:53
29 minutes, 53 seconds
So, Alabama’s quarterback, Russell, is, uh, he’s a really good runner and a good
29:59
29 minutes, 59 seconds
passer, but he’s been sacked 22 times already this year. Uh, but is he the type of quarterback that you would say
30:08
30 minutes, 8 seconds
traditionally gives a Blake Baker defense fits?
30:12
30 minutes, 12 seconds
I don’t think he’s um you know certainly I don’t think he’s the runner that maybe some of the other guys were. I mean, I I
30:21
30 minutes, 21 seconds
he he is dangerous and I and certainly I think that uh you know, the times I’ve watched him, he he’s very good at launching the ball down the field. To
30:29
30 minutes, 29 seconds
your point that the offensive line, I think he’s been sacked 23 times or something like that. And LSU
30:36
30 minutes, 36 seconds
defensively, I think leads the SEC in quarterback sacks, is in the top five.
30:41
30 minutes, 41 seconds
And you know, this coaching staff has really coached up Jordan Ross had the year he’s had and Prince Willami Ellen and picked up where he left off at Old
30:49
30 minutes, 49 seconds
Miss. And then you got, you know, Duce Gerald is a true freshman getting some push from the from the middle there. Um,
30:56
30 minutes, 56 seconds
and so I I I think that’s a big part of the game in terms of, you know, keeping I think Kein on Monday said we got to keep everyone needs to stay in their
31:05
31 minutes, 5 seconds
lanes and, you know, I think the crowd will help as well even at 2:30. So, uh, but yeah, he’s, uh, he did not have a
31:12
31 minutes, 12 seconds
good game at Tennessee. Uh, threw a couple of picks, didn’t throw a touchdown. His percentages were off. Um, and then last week, I think, or the last
31:21
31 minutes, 21 seconds
game he played against&m, made a bad decision, threw a pick in that game, too. But, um, yeah, um, I think Blake Baker, I think, has done a much better job in terms of that dual threat thing.
31:31
31 minutes, 31 seconds
Uh, certainly Byron Brown had a huge game against, um, Georgia and against LSU for Auburn. He could do nothing. I mean, that thing was congested all day.
31:41
31 minutes, 41 seconds
They really shut him down.
31:42
31 minutes, 42 seconds
Last question for you, Jacques. Um, what has impressed you the most about Sam Levit’s development this season?
31:52
31 minutes, 52 seconds
Um, well, I’m just impressed with anybody, Jeff, who can sleep nine or 10 hours a night. I wish [laughter] I could. And that’s pretty good. That’s good.
32:01
32 minutes, 1 second
Yeah. [laughter] I turned 50 in a few weeks, and boy, I I don’t know if I get that in two nights, but No. Uh, you’re right. No, serious.
32:10
32 minutes, 10 seconds
Seriously. Um, you know, I I I think that, uh, you know, some things have gone his way. He made one bad throw at
32:18
32 minutes, 18 seconds
Auburn and it bounced. Uh, the guy the guy didn’t quite catch it and LSU scored on that drive. I I think that he’s he’s
32:25
32 minutes, 25 seconds
played within himself. I think he’s he’s taken the check downs and taken the things that are that are open. I think he’s developed the chemistry with some
32:34
32 minutes, 34 seconds
uh with some guys like Jackson Jackson Harris. I think this this week I mean I think he’s already learned to a bit to an extent, but I think this year this
32:43
32 minutes, 43 seconds
week he really learns what it’s like to be the LSU quarterback. You know, you’re at home in Tiger Stadium. You got Alabama coming in. This is uh this means
32:52
32 minutes, 52 seconds
pretty much everything. Um you know, in terms of keeping your season going, staying in the playoff race.
32:58
32 minutes, 58 seconds
uh this is this is what LSU football is all about and this is where he’ll he’ll really earn his fame, you know, is LSU a a playoff team or they or do they go
33:07
33 minutes, 7 seconds
eight and four and just kind of have a less than spectacular season and I think a lot of that rides on him this weekend.
33:13
33 minutes, 13 seconds
So So what what are your thoughts on that?
33:16
33 minutes, 16 seconds
What do you think the the actual results going to be?
33:21
33 minutes, 21 seconds
You know, I hate picking. Um, I I uh I did a little thing the other day where I picked LSU to lose this game and then win the rest. I have no idea if that’s
33:30
33 minutes, 30 seconds
going to play out or not. I think a nine and three LSU could get into the playoffs or should. Uh, it’s just really
33:36
33 minutes, 36 seconds
hard for me. My head tells me that maybe no team in the SEC can win these next three games and then my heart says,
33:45
33 minutes, 45 seconds
well, maybe LSU truly is hitting their stride at the right time and they can do it and they’ve been really great at home. So, um I I I don’t know. I I just
33:54
33 minutes, 54 seconds
got this thing in my head about Bama and that I’m seeing ghosts with these guys.
33:58
33 minutes, 58 seconds
I mean, say saving left and they still beat LSU twice pretty easily the last two years. So, we’ll see.
34:05
34 minutes, 5 seconds
We shall see. It should be a November to remember. Thanks a lot, Jack. We appreciate it, man. Okay. Thanks, guys. Later.
34:12
34 minutes, 12 seconds
That is Jacques Duce from WFB. We’ll take a break. When we come back, we’ll uh hear some sound with both Alabama
34:20
34 minutes, 20 seconds
coordinators spoke. Uh Sam Levit spoke today with Lane Keifin earlier this week. Uh all kinds of uh sound with the
34:28
34 minutes, 28 seconds
principles in Saturday’s matchup between LSU and Alabama. We’ll get to that when we come back here on Tiger Rag Radio.
34:35
34 minutes, 35 seconds
Now, more Tiger Rag Radio.
34:39
34 minutes, 39 seconds
Back here on Tiger Rag Radio, college football playoff rankings are out. We hit on them a little bit early on uh in
34:46
34 minutes, 46 seconds
the show. LSU is at number 14. Alabama’s number five. A lot of people wondering why is Alabama ranked that high. They
34:54
34 minutes, 54 seconds
are the highest ranked two loss team at 6-2.
35:00
35 minutes
They are eight spots ahead of Tennessee, a team they lost to by 16 points.
35:05
35 minutes, 5 seconds
Tennessee is at 13. Indiana does have a win over Kentucky. They’re ranked ahead of Kentucky. They got a win against
35:12
35 minutes, 12 seconds
South Carolina. That’s a another team that’s ranked in the top 25. So, they got two wins over top 25 teams. They’ve
35:20
35 minutes, 20 seconds
also beaten the likes of Florida State, East Carolina, and so forth. Uh the other one that I think is probably ranked two high would be Indiana.
35:29
35 minutes, 29 seconds
They’re 8- one at number four. Um the team they lost to Ohio State. I get it.
35:35
35 minutes, 35 seconds
Ohio State’s got two losses and did not look good at all this past Saturday in
35:40
35 minutes, 40 seconds
[snorts]
35:41
35 minutes, 41 seconds
probably was maybe the worst game of Ryan Day’s career there at Ohio State.
35:46
35 minutes, 46 seconds
That was a brutal performance against USC. Ohio State is ranked 12th uh Indiana’s four. But uh Lane Kitman talked about the college football
35:55
35 minutes, 55 seconds
playoff rankings on Monday night and told his players, “Don’t even don’t even look at them. This is just one game that we’ve got to be ready to play to get to
36:03
36 minutes, 3 seconds
1 and0 and not worry about who we’re playing next or where we are in playoff rankings or anything. And I told guys, don’t watch that and don’t watch it when
36:10
36 minutes, 10 seconds
it comes out because it’s going to move so much between now and the end of the year and you control a lot of it. So play really well and win and you won’t have anything to worry about.
36:19
36 minutes, 19 seconds
Here’s a little bit of what Sam Levit had to say about the college football playoff rankings. Again, this this audio coming out before the rankings were published.
36:28
36 minutes, 28 seconds
I really don’t care. I mean, at the end of the day, we got to we got to go win games. So, hearing the rankings right now, it doesn’t matter. We could be one
36:34
36 minutes, 34 seconds
or 50 and if we go lose or win the next f four, it that ranking doesn’t even apply. So, you got to focus on the moment at hand.
36:43
36 minutes, 43 seconds
And it’s a big moment coming up. I liked what Jacques said there at the end of the interview with him, Todd, about this is where Sam Lev either becomes a a
36:54
36 minutes, 54 seconds
famous a fan favorite if you would quarterback if he’s able to knock off the likes of Alabama and Texas in back-to-back weeks. He writes his place
37:03
37 minutes, 3 seconds
in LSU history. If LSU performs or does not win these games and Levit throws a couple of interceptions in one of them,
37:11
37 minutes, 11 seconds
then it’s uh well, he’s just uh another one of those guys. I like Levit in this game. I really do.
37:17
37 minutes, 17 seconds
I think you’re right. I think it is going to make or break his reputation, his career, his legacy at LSU, provided
37:24
37 minutes, 24 seconds
he doesn’t come back next year. uh which he very well may because I don’t think he’s right now tracking to be in a top
37:33
37 minutes, 33 seconds
first round draft pick and he could probably make more money at LSU coming back next year. But we shall see. The
37:40
37 minutes, 40 seconds
point is is I think he’s 100% healthy for the first time since early in the season against Louisiana Tech when he
37:47
37 minutes, 47 seconds
got injured or I think that’s when he initially injured his hamstring. He
37:53
37 minutes, 53 seconds
hasn’t been 100% since and he says he is now. I think that that’s good timing, too. All right, let’s take one more break.
38:01
38 minutes, 1 second
When we come back, we’ll hear a little bit more from the players. We also have a scouting report on the Crimson Tide.
38:08
38 minutes, 8 seconds
Mark him from WNSP radio in Mobile.
38:11
38 minutes, 11 seconds
He’ll join us when we come back. You’re listening to Tiger Rag Radio.
38:15
38 minutes, 15 seconds
Tiger Rag Radio is back on the air. Back here on Tiger Egg Radio, Jeff Polmo along with Todd Horn and Case Ke. By the
38:24
38 minutes, 24 seconds
way, if you’re just joining us and you missed the interview with Jacqu Duce or our breakdown of LSU basketball and the drubbing that the Lady Tigers gave South
38:33
38 minutes, 33 seconds
Eastern Louisiana and the look ahead to the Will We part two era. Uh you can catch us anywhere you get your podcast.
38:42
38 minutes, 42 seconds
Look for the Tiger Rag Radio podcast. Go ahead and download it, like it, and then also you can find us on YouTube as well.
38:49
38 minutes, 49 seconds
The show gets posted up there as well.
38:51
38 minutes, 51 seconds
You can look back at some previous shows. Go back to August and look at our preseason projections.
38:57
38 minutes, 57 seconds
You You know, when Jock said or when Lane’s quote a minute ago talking about one and0, that gave me horrors. It reminded me of Brian Kelly last year.
39:05
39 minutes, 5 seconds
Remember every game was going one and0, one [laughter] and0, one and five. Well, when you were saying
39:13
39 minutes, 13 seconds
you asked the question, has there ever been a a November monumental? I I don’t know how you put it like never has there
39:20
39 minutes, 20 seconds
ever been a more monumental November schedule or something like that. I was thinking in my head, well, last November was pretty monumental.
39:27
39 minutes, 27 seconds
Yeah, [laughter] but for the the opposite the truth is and and we had that Glenn had an article on Tiger Rag earlier this
39:35
39 minutes, 35 seconds
week. LSU has never played backtoback top 10. That’s an amazing statistic. Amazing statistic. That was good uh a point there that Glenn made.
39:46
39 minutes, 46 seconds
It It really was. And it is hard. It is hard to believe. It’s never happened before, but it it never has.
39:52
39 minutes, 52 seconds
That’s why I think you got to root for Texas to beat Missouri.
39:55
39 minutes, 55 seconds
I agree. I agree. I was just thinking about all kinds of chaos earlier and I was a little slow on that.
40:00
40 minutes
Yeah. Know, I get it. You got to get your mind wrapped around that. Uh let’s hear a little bit more from Sam Lev.
40:05
40 minutes, 5 seconds
Here’s Levit talking about Alabama’s defense.
40:11
40 minutes, 11 seconds
I hear all the time, you know, if I’m going to the store to grab something and getting food or whatever, they’re saying, “Hey, you know, go beat Bama.” So, you know, obviously [snorts] it
40:18
40 minutes, 18 seconds
means a lot. And for me to be in this position, being a little kid, you know, looking back and if someone told me, you know, Bama was playing LSU on Saturday, I was going to be watching that game.
40:26
40 minutes, 26 seconds
So, being from the West Coast and fantasizing about watching a game down here, not being a part of it, it’s a surreal and special experience. I wonder what kind of food he shops for.
40:35
40 minutes, 35 seconds
[laughter]
40:36
40 minutes, 36 seconds
I don’t know. I don’t know. Not sure.
40:38
40 minutes, 38 seconds
He’s from the Pacific Northwest, so it might be a little different from what we eat around here. Uh here is Levit talking about limiting turnovers.
40:47
40 minutes, 47 seconds
I think at the end of the day, it comes down to situational awareness, like when can I take these chances, you know, what’s the matchup like? Is the DB’s
40:54
40 minutes, 54 seconds
back turned? Things like that. So, it’s definitely an emphasis, you know, after week six and uh just kind of started focusing on that a lot. And it’s kind of
41:02
41 minutes, 2 seconds
a weird thing just to say take care of the ball and don’t have turnovers, but the more you, you know, install it in your brain and into your hardware and
41:09
41 minutes, 9 seconds
the system and all that, then it kind of just becomes a thing that you get better at.
41:14
41 minutes, 14 seconds
He really has been good. I don’t know what he was doing on that throw that should have been intercepted against Auburn. But it has been a different guy.
41:22
41 minutes, 22 seconds
He’s he’s just a he’s just more comfortable in his surroundings. He’s more comfortable in the offense. He’s in a rhythm of play now after being sidelined because of the foot surgery.
41:33
41 minutes, 33 seconds
He just seems like um a much different quarterback in the Clemson game. He he was fun to watch in the Clemson game
41:42
41 minutes, 42 seconds
because of his ability to run, right? I mean, he he had these crazy runs and his legs are going all over the place and
41:50
41 minutes, 50 seconds
that was exciting. But now you’re starting to see more of the the quarterback Sam Lev. And I I I raised my
41:58
41 minutes, 58 seconds
hand and saying I wonder about this guy’s accuracy issues looking at the numbers that he put up at Arizona State and seeing what he did through the first
42:06
42 minutes, 6 seconds
three games or so of this year. I I was starting to question I mean can this guy be an accurate quarterback? And he is he has shown he has he has become check down Sam Levit. He he’s fine doing that.
42:18
42 minutes, 18 seconds
And that’s okay as long as you’re you’re moving the team down the field and getting eight yards is is just as good as sometimes getting 38 yards. You don’t need the big play all the time.
42:28
42 minutes, 28 seconds
Yeah, I do believe since since the Old Miss game probably um beginning with the
42:35
42 minutes, 35 seconds
Texas A&M game, I think he has probably played as well as if not better than most quarterbacks in the country. He leads the SEC in a number of categories.
42:44
42 minutes, 44 seconds
Yeah. uh to your accuracy passing percentage even though he has become the master of the you know the the drop down
42:54
42 minutes, 54 seconds
pass um he’s he hasn’t been under 71% yeah the rest of the season.
43:00
43 minutes
All right that does it for our number one. Mark Heim from WNSP Radio and Mobile will join us when we come back on Tiger Rag Radio
Be the first to comment