 1/27/2021
LSU Sports Information By: Michael Bonnette LSU ANNOUNCES 2021 FOOTBALL SCHEDULE BATON ROUGE – LSU’s 2021 football schedule – featuring home games against SEC Western Division rivals Auburn, Texas A&M and Arkansas along with its cross-division common opponent Florida – has been announced by the league office. LSU’s 2021 slate includes seven home games and five road contests, including a first-ever meeting with UCLA at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California, in the season-opener on Sept. 4. After opening the season at UCLA, the Tigers will face McNeese State in the home-opener on Sept. 11. The Cowboys are coached by former LSU assistant Frank Wilson and their starting quarterback is Cody Orgeron, the son of LSU head coach Ed Orgeron. The McNeese State game is the second of three consecutive non-conference contests for the Tigers before LSU opens SEC play on Sept. 25 at Mississippi State. Central Michigan, also a first-timer on the LSU schedule, comes to Tiger Stadium on Sept. 18. The Chippewas are coached by former Florida coach Jim McElwain. LSU’s October schedule includes four SEC games beginning with the home conference opener against Auburn in Tiger Stadium on Oct. 2. The Tigers travel to Lexington the following week to face Kentucky in their first game against the Wildcats since a 41-3 win in Tiger Stadium in 2014. The Tigers last played in Lexington in 2007, falling 43-37 in triple-overtime. Florida, winners of the SEC Eastern Division in 2020, comes to Tiger Stadium on Oct. 16 followed by a game at Ole Miss on Oct. 23 to round out LSU’s schedule for the month. Cade York kicked a school-record 57-yard field goal with 23 seconds remaining to beat the Gators in Gainesville in 2020, while freshman All-America receiver Kayshon Boutte set the SEC record for receiving yards with 308 in LSU’s 53-48 win over Ole Miss in Tiger Stadium last year. After an open date on the last Saturday of October, LSU travels to face Alabama on Nov. 6 in Tuscaloosa in what will serve as the final road game for the Tigers in 2021. LSU rounds out the month of November with home games against Arkansas on Nov. 13, Louisiana-Monroe on Nov. 20 and Texas A&M on Nov. 27. 2021 Season Tickets: Season tickets for LSU’s 2021 home schedule are currently on sale to the general public. Fans who don’t currently have LSU football season tickets are asked to call the LSU Athletics Tickets Sales and Service Team at 225.578.0100 with any questions regarding new season tickets for 2021. Information regarding season tickets can be found at LSUtix.net. 2021 LSU Schedule Date Opponent Sept. 4 at UCLA Sept. 11 McNEESE STATE Sept. 18 CENTRAL MICHIGAN Sept. 25 at Mississippi State Oct. 2 AUBURN Oct. 9 at Kentucky Oct. 16 FLORIDA Oct. 23 at Ole Miss Oct. 30 Open Date Nov. 6 at Alabama Nov. 13 ARKANSAS Nov. 20 UL-MONROE Nov. 27 TEXAS A&M  Photo By: LSUsports.net 1/26/2021
LSU Sports Information By: Michael Bonnette LSU NAMES DARONTE JONES DEFENISVE COORDINATOR BATON ROUGE – LSU reached back into the NFL for its latest coaching staff addition as the Tigers have tabbed Daronte Jones as defensive coordinator, head coach Ed Orgeron announced on Tuesday. Jones, who coached with former LSU defensive coordinator Dave Aranda for one season at Wisconsin in 2015, has spent the past five years in the NFL, most recently as the defensive backs coach for the Minnesota Vikings. His other NFL stops have come with the Cincinnati Bengals and the Miami Dolphins. “Daronte is a great addition to our staff,” Orgeron said. “We did a lot of research and talked to a lot of coaches including Dave (Aranda) and every person we spoke with raved about his knowledge and passion for the game. He’s going to bring tremendous energy to our defense and he will put our players in position to make plays, no matter the situation or scheme. Daronte spent a year working with Dave (Aranda) at Wisconsin and he’s learned from some of the best in the game during his five years in the NFL and I know that he’s going to do a great job with our defense. I’m excited he’s going to be an LSU Tiger.” Jones joined the Vikings after two years coaching the secondary for the Cincinnati Bengals (2018-19) and two years as assistant defensive backs coach with the Miami Dolphins (2016-17). “I want thank Coach Orgeron, athletic director Scott Woodard and the administration for this opportunity,” Jones said. “I am blessed and thankful to be part of the LSU family, community, and the strong traditions of this program. Geaux Tigers.” In his one season with the Vikings, Minnesota ranked among the top 10 in the NFL in interceptions with 15. Safety Harrison Smith led the Vikings and ranked No. 5 in the NFL in interceptions with a career-best five. In his two years with the Bengals, he was instrumental in the development of cornerback Darius Phillips, who led Cincinnati with four interceptions in 2019 in only eight games. As assistant defensive backs coach with the Dolphins from 2016-17, Jones worked with safety Reshad Jones, who led the Dolphins in tackles with 122 and earned a spot in the Pro Bowl in 2017. In his first year with the Dolphins in 2016, the Miami defense ranked No. 3 in the NFL in interceptions with 16 and the franchise finished fourth in the league in third-down defense, allowing opponents to convert only 36.1 percent of its attempts. Prior to the NFL, Jones served as defensive backs coach for Aranda’s defense at the University of Wisconsin in 2015, as the Badgers led the nation with just seven passing touchdowns allowed. Wisconsin's passing defense ranked second in the Big Ten and seventh nationally, allowing 173.2 pass yards per game. From 2012-14, Jones served as the secondary coach at the University of Hawaii, adding the title of assistant head coach in 2014. Jones helped improve Hawaii's passing defense by 62.1 yards per game, as the Rainbow Warriors went from 85th nationally in 2011 to the nation’s 11th-best pass defense in 2012. A native of Capital Heights, Maryland, Jones has earlier coaching stops with the Montreal Alouettes of the Canadian Football League in 2011 as the defensive backs coach and with UCLA in 2010 as the cornerbacks coach. Jones was named assistant head coach/defensive coordinator at Bowie State from 2005-09 where his defenses finished among the top five in the nation three times. Prior to his time at Bowie State, Jones served as defensive coordinator at two Louisiana high schools — Jeanerette (2004) and Franklin (2003). He also spent the 2002 season coaching safeties at Nicholls State after beginning his coaching career in 2001 as a graduate assistant at Lenoir-Rhyne University in North Carolina. Jones played four seasons as a defensive back at Morgan State before earning his bachelor's degree in 2001. Daronte Jones Coaching History 2001 Lenoir-Rhyne (graduate assistant) 2002 Nicholls State (safeties) 2003 Franklin (La.) High School (defensive coordinator) 2004 Jeanerette (La.) High School (defensive coordinator) 2005-09 Bowie State (assistant head coach/defensive coordinator) 2010 UCLA (cornerbacks) 2011 Montreal Alouettes (defensive backs) 2012-14 Hawaii (secondary, 2012-13; assistant head coach/secondary, 2014) 2015 Wisconsin (defensive backs) 2016-17 Miami Dolphins (assistant defensive backs) 2018-19 Cincinnati Bengals (secondary/cornerbacks) 2020 Minnesota Vikings (defensive backs) 2021 LSU (defensive coordinator)  Photo By: LSU/SEC 1/13/2021 By: Terrill J. Weil Da Boot Sports! LSU Head Coach Ed Orgeron met with the media today to introduce both Jake Peetz and DJ Mangas to the coaching staff. Below are videos of the press conference for your viewing... Head Coach Ed Orgeron New Offensive Coordinator Jake Peetz New Passing Game Coordinator DJ Mangas  1/9/2021 LSU Sports Information By: Michael Bonnette FIVE FORMER LSU TIGERS NAMED ALL-PRO BATON ROUGE – Five former LSU football players have been named to the Associated Press NFL All-Pro Team, the organization announced. The AP All-Pro Team is selected by a national panel of 50 media members. Super Bowl champion safety Tyrann Mathieu of the Kansas City Chiefs was selected first team All-Pro. Mathieu, who led LSU to an appearance in the BCS National Championship Game in 2011, recorded 61 tackles, nine passes defended and six interceptions in helping the Chiefs to an NFL-best 14-2 regular season mark. The Chiefs have a first round bye in the playoffs. LSU’s second team selections were highlighted by rookie sensation Justin Jefferson, who set the NFL Rookie record for receiving yards with 1,400 yards. Jefferson, who was selected No. 22 overall in the 2020 NFL Draft, broke the previous mark of 1,377 yards set by Arizona’s Anquan Boldin in 2003. Jefferson finished his rookie season 88 receptions for 1,400 yards and seven touchdowns. He had seven 100-yard games during his debut season. Other second team All-Pro selections for the Tigers include linebacker Devin White (Tampa Bay), cornerback Tre’Davious White (Buffalo) and safety Jamal Adams (Seattle). White ranked No. 6 in the NFL in total tackles with 140 in 2020. Adams, in his first year with the Seahawks, had 81 tackles and 9.5 sacks despite missing four games with an injury. White had 54 tackles, 11 passes defended and three interceptions for the 13-3 Bills. Four of LSU’s five All-Pro selections were also first team All-Americas during their time with the Tigers. Mathieu earned first team All-America honors in 2011, White and Adams were All-Americas in 2016, while White was an All-America pick in 2018. LSU’s 2020 All-Pro Selections First Team S Tyrann Mathieu (Kansas City) Second Team WR Justin Jefferson (Minnesota) LB Devin White (Tampa Bay) CB Tre’Davious White (Buffalo) S Jamal Adams (Seattle) 1/9/2021 LSU Sports Information By: Michael Bonnette 31 FORMER LSU TIGERS ON NFL PLAYOFF ROSTERS BATON ROUGE – The LSU football program will be well represented when the NFL Playoffs start this weekend as 31 former Tigers are on rosters of playoff teams. Of the 31 LSU players taking part in the NFL Playoffs, 19 are on active rosters, seven are on injured reserve and five are on practice squads. Among LSU’s 19 active players in action for the playoffs, 12 are listed as starters for their respective teams. LSU has three players each on the active rosters of the Kansas City Chiefs, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the Seattle Seahawks. All three Tigers on the Seahawks roster are starters – safety Jamal Adams, center Ethan Pocic and offensive guard Damien Lewis. LSU features two starters on the Chiefs (running back Clyde Edwards-Helaire and defensive back Tyrann Mathieu) and a pair of starters for Tampa Bay (linebacker Devin White and running back Leonard Fournette). The NFL Playoffs get underway with three games on Saturday followed by three more contests on Sunday. The following is a complete list of former LSU players on NFL playoff rosters: Seattle Seahawks – Sunday vs. Los Angeles Rams at 3:40 p.m. (FOX) S Jamal Adams OG Damien Lewis C Ethan Pocic TE Stephen Sullivan (Injured Reserve) QB Danny Etling (Practice squad) Cleveland Browns – Sunday at Pittsburgh at 7:15 p.m. (NBC) WR Odell Beckham Jr. (Injured Reserve) S Grant Delpit (Injured Reserve) WR Jarvis Landry LB Jacob Phillips CB Greedy Williams (Injured Reserve) Chicago Bears – Sunday at New Orleans at 3:40 p.m. (CBS) LB Barkevious Mingo RB Spencer Ware (Practice squad) OL Badara Traore (Practice squad) Kansas City Chiefs – Opening Round Bye RB Clyde Edwards-Helaire DB Tyrann Mathieu RB Darrel Williams Tampa Bay Buccaneers – Saturday at Washington Football Team at 7:15 p.m. (NBC) RB Leonard Fournette LB Kevin Minter LB Devin White Buffalo Bills – Saturday vs. Indianapolis at Noon (CBS) LS Reid Ferguson CB Tre’Davious White Los Angeles Rams – Saturday at Seattle at 3:40 p.m. (FOX) DL Michael Brockers OT Andrew Whitworth (Injured Reserve) New Orleans Saints – Saturday vs. Chicago at 3:40 p.m. (CBS) OL Will Clapp LB Kwon Alexander (Injured Reserve) Pittsburgh Steelers – Sunday vs. Cleveland at 7:15 p.m. (NBC) OL Jerald Hawkins DB John Battle (Practice squad) Washington Football Team – Saturday vs. Tampa Bay at 7:15 p.m. (NBC) OL Saahdiq Charles (Injured Reserve) TE Thaddeus Moss (Injured Reserve) Baltimore Ravens – Sunday vs. Tennessee at Noon (ESPN) LB Patrick Queen Tennessee Titans – Sunday at Baltimore at Noon (ESPN) CB Kristian Fulton  Photo By: LSUsports.net 1/6/2021
By: Terrill J. Weil Da Boot Sports! BATON ROUGE: LSU Head Coach Ed Orgeron has decided on his replacements for Steve Ensminger and Scott Linehan. LSU has announced that Jake Peetz will be the Tigers new offensive coordinator and DJ Mangas will step in as the team's new passing game coordinator. Peetz comes to Baton Rouge from the Carolina Panthers where last season he worked under former LSU passing coordinator, Joe Brady as the Panthers quarterback coach. Before joining the Carolina staff in 2019 as the running back's coach, he was an offensive analyst at Alabama in 2018. He was the Raiders quarterback's coach in 2017 and has had stops the Washington Redskins, Jacksonville Jaguars, and UCLA... DJ Mangas returns to LSU taking over the passing game coordinator position. Mangas came to LSU in 2019 as an support staff offensive analyst under Joe Brady and Steve Ensminger. He would then follow Joe Brady to the Carolina Panthers organization before last season the as one of Brady's assistants. Mangas has experience in assistant roles at William & Mary (quarterbacks & running backs), Hampden-Sydney College (quarterbacks), and Georgetown (running backs). The new hires should bring excitement to Baton Rouge heading into the 2021 season. Both of these young coaches, Peetz (37 years old), and Mangas (32 years old), will add energy and explosiveness to the Tigers offensive attack. |