Da Boot Sports
7/19/2022
By: Terrill J. Weil


   ATLANTA, GA - LSU Head Coach Brian Kelly was the first coach up to the podium on day one of the 2022 SEC Media Day in Atlanta. After finishing at the podium Coach Kelly sat down at the SEC Network set for a brief talk with their staff.
   
   "I feel really good about where we are." Kelly said while speaking to the SEC Network crew. "At the end of the day you've got to win football games at LSU. You have to play well, you have to be well coached and physical and play for four quarters and I think we can do that."
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   Below is the video footage for your viewing.... 

Brian Kelly took OLB - BJ Ojulari, ILB - Mike Jones Jr., and WR - Jack Bech to SEC Media Day to represent the LSU Football Program..  Below is the video footage for your viewing..  GEAUX TIGERS!!

   47 days until the Tigers kickoff the 2022 season against the Florida State Seminoles in the Caesars Superdome...  When fall practice begins, Da Boot Sports will be there to cover all the action. 

Da Boot Sports
7/18/2022
By: Terrill J. Weil


   BATON ROUGE, LA - It was not only one of the best games of the 2018 season, but perhaps one of the best games in LSU football history.

   The 14th ranked LSU Tigers (2-0) headed to the Plains to take on the undefeated #7 Auburn Tigers (2-0) in a nationally televised contest. It would be the SEC season opener for both schools and Jordan-Hare Stadium was filled to capacity for the 2:30pm kickoff on CBS.

   Auburn received the opening kickoff and begin the drive from their own 25 yard line, but would become quick victims of DBU on the second play of the game. Facing 2nd and eight, Jarrett Stidham dropped back to throw and fired a pass under heavy pressure that Grant Delpit intercepted at the Auburn 34 yard line. 

   The LSU offense took full advantage of the first turnover of the game, driving 34 yards in nine plays for the first score of the day as Clyde Edwards-Helaire would power into the end zone from one yard out to give the Tigers an early 7-0 lead.

   After both teams traded punts, Auburn would drive into LSU territory and face a 4th and one at the LSU 15 yard line. Gus Malzahn decided to roll the dice and go for it instead of settling for a field goal attempt. The LSU defense shut the door in Auburn's face as Devon White tackled JaTarvious Whitlow for a two yard loss giving the Tigers the ball back with 6:04 left in the first quarter. 

   LSU moved the ball 48 yards in eleven plays before the drive stalled at the Auburn 35 yard line with 29 seconds left in the first quarter. Cole Tracy entered the game attempting to increase the LSU lead, but missed the 53 yard field goal try. It was Tracy's first miss of the season.

   LSU started their next possession from their own 11 yard line early in the second quarter, driving 75 yards in ten plays to extend their lead to 10-0 with 8:37 left in the half on a Cole Tracy 33 yard field goal. The big play of the drive came on a 1st and ten from the LSU 22 yard line when Joe Burrow found Justin Jefferson for a 33 yard gain down to the Auburn 45.  

   Auburn dominated the final eight minutes of the first half, holding LSU to two three-and-out possessions, while they put together two nice long scoring drives. 

   The first scoring drive for the home Tigers came on a 74 yard, ten play drive that took 3:31 off the clock as JaTarvious Whitlow would score from seven yards out to cut LSU's lead to 10-7 with 5:06 remaining in the half. 

   Auburn would get the ball right back after their defense held LSU to minus three yards on three plays, Auburn would then take their first lead of the contest. Shaun Shivers scored on a seven yard run with 1:31 left on the clock, ending an eight play, 66 yard drive. 

   Auburn took a 14-10 lead and the momentum into the locker room at the half as Jordan-Hare Stadium loudly celebrated their approval. 

   LSU took the second half kickoff and drove into Auburn territory but stalled at the 45 yard line where the Tigers faced a 4th and three. Ed Orgeron tried to surprise the Auburn defense with a fake punt, but Zach Von Rosenberg's pass attempt fell incomplete as LSU turned the ball over on downs. 

   Auburn made LSU pay for the missed opportunity, driving 55 yards in seven plays, scoring on a four yard touchdown pass from Jarrett Stidham to Darius Slayton, giving Auburn a 21-10 lead with 10:38 left in the third quarter. 

   After both teams traded punts, LSU began their next scoring drive from their own 32. On 1st down Joe Burrow would connect with Dee Anderson on a 20 yard completion to the Auburn 48 yard line. A 15 yard personal foul face mask penalty against the defense, move the ball to the Auburn 33. The Tigers reached the Auburn eight yard line but couldn't punch it in, settling for a 27 yard Cole Tracy field goal, cutting the lead to 21-13 with 3:58 left in the third quarter. 

   Auburn would begin the fourth quarter driving to the LSU 35 where the Tigers' defense stiffened, forcing a field goal attempt. Auburn kicker Anders Carlson missed from 52 yards out with 12:57 left in the game, keeping the score at 21-13.

   Once again both teams traded punts setting up a LSU drive that began at their own 29 yard line with 8:30 left on the clock. It took the Tigers one play and twelve seconds to score as Joe Burrow hit a wide open Derrick Dillon who raced down the far sidelines for a 71 yard touchdown. LSU went for the two conversion hoping to tie the game at 21, but failed as Auburn held a 21-19 lead with 8:18 remaining. 

   The LSU defense stood tall on the next possession forcing an Auburn three-and-out. Jonathan Giles would fair catch Arryn Siposs' 46 yard punt, setting up the LSU offense with a 1st and ten at their own 24 yard line with only 5:38 left in the contest. 

   Two huge pass interference calls helped the Tigers on their final drive. The first came on a 3rd and 11 from the LSU 23, giving the Tigers a 1st down at their 38 yard line. Next the LSU offense faced a 4th and seven at the Auburn 48. Joe Burrow made a fantastic throw to Stephen Sullivan for nine yards to keep the drive alive. The second pass interference call came two plays later, moving the ball to the Auburn 24 with only 1:14 left. The Tigers then ran the ball three straight times with Nick Brossette to keep the ball in the middle of the field. With it 4th and ten at the Auburn 24 yard line, LSU called a timeout with two seconds left on the clock. Cole Tracy kicked the game winning 42 yard field goal on the game's final play for a 22-21 LSU victory. 

   LSU celebrated on the field in Jordan-Hare as they carried Cole Tracy off the field. It was simply another great game in the LSU vs. Auburn series and another Epic LSU Football Moment..... 

Photos Below By: Terrill Weil

Photos Below By: Robert Stewart

Da Boot Sports
7/14/2022
Article courtesy of LSUsports.net
By: LSU Staff


   BATON ROUGE – LSU wide receiver Kayshon Boutte, considered one of the best wide receivers in the country, will wear No. 7 for the Tigers in 2022.
      
   A relatively new tradition at LSU, the No. 7 jersey has become associated with a player who is a dynamic playmaker while also displaying all of the qualities necessary to build championship teams around. Some past wearers of the No. 7 jersey for LSU include cornerback Patrick Peterson, defensive back Tyrann Mathieu, running back Leonard Fournette, wide receiver DJ Chark and cornerback Derek Stingley Jr.
   
   “I am excited to get back on the field with my brothers and work all season,” Boutte said. “To do it in the No. 7, and follow in the footsteps of some of the greatest players in LSU history, is an honor.”
   
   Boutte is one of the most dynamic receivers in the country and a mismatch for any defense. In 16 career games, he has scored 14 touchdowns and totaled 1,244 yards on 83 receptions. The junior owns 5 100-yard receiving games, including an SEC record 308 yards and 3 TDs on 14 receptions in the 2020 season finale against Ole Miss.
   
   In his freshman season, Boutte led the Tigers in receiving yards and finished second in receptions with 735 and 45. Over the final three games, the product of Westgate High School in New Iberia, Louisiana combined to catch 27 passes for 527 yards and 4 touchdowns.
   
​   Boutte is coming off a season where he was on pace to finish amongst the SEC and national leaders in receiving TDs. Up to the point of his ankle injury six games into the season, Boutte already caught at least one TD pass in every game, including three in the opener against UCLA. He finished the season as the Tigers’ leader in receiving yards (509) and touchdowns (9) despite missing the final seven gams of the season.

Da Boot Sports
7/2/2022
By: Terrill J. Weil


BATON ROUGE, LA - As the final seconds ticked off the clock the capacity crowd of 80,677 began to storm the field. Both goal post fell like the #1 ranked Gators did that night in Death Valley.

Tiger fans celebrated on the field as it was the first time ever LSU had defeated a No. 1-ranked team. It took LSU officials
almost an hour after the game ended to clear the field.

Top ranked Florida (5-0, 3-0) came into Tiger Stadium that Saturday night looking to extend their nine game winning streak over a LSU (4-1, 2-1) team who played very poorly the week before, struggling to squeak out a 7-6 win over Vanderbilt.

The Tigers used a powerful running attack lead by Kevin Faulk and the LSU defense played inspired football putting tremendous pressure on Florida quarterback Doug Johnson all night long, sacking him five times while forcing five Gator turnovers.

“We were sick and tired of hearing that we had no chance to win this game,” LSU running back Kevin Faulk said.

LSU took the opening kickoff and began a nice drive starting from their own 20, moving the ball 58 yards in seven plays before a Rondell Mealey fumble at the Gators 22 yard line blew an early scoring opportunity.

LSU's defense flexed their muscles early on Florida's first offensive possession. Chuck Wiley would sack Doug Johnson for a 14 yard loss on 2nd and five before Troy Twillie tackled Erron Kinney for a four yard loss setting up a 4th and 23 from the Gators' 12 yard line.

Florida punter Robby Stevenson blasted a 58 yard punt, but Kevin Faulk made him pay for out kicking the coverage returning the punt 30 yards to Gators' 40 yard line.

The Tiger offense wasted little time going 40 yards in one play as LSU quarterback Herb Tyler ran to the right side on an option, keeping the ball and following blockers up the sideline for the touchdown. The score sent the Tiger Stadium crowd into a frenzy as Wade Richey kicked the extra point to put the Tigers up 7-0 with 8:42 left in the first quarter.

Three plays later Cedric Donaldson would intercept a Doug Johnson pass at the LSU 25 yard line and return the ball to the Florida seven yard line setting up a 1st and goal for the Tiger offense.

Once again, LSU wasted little time as fullback Tommy Banks blasted up the middle, diving into the end zone from seven yards out to extend the Tigers' lead to 14-0 with 7:44 still left in the 1st quarter. The drive went seven yards on one play. LSU had now scored two touchdowns in the last 98 seconds.

The Gators showed no signs of panic trailing by two scores early answering the LSU score by driving 80 yards in 13 plays. Fred Taylor would punch the ball in from two yards out cutting the LSU lead to 14-7 with 2:14 left in the first quarter.

​ Both teams would blow scoring opportunities in a scoreless 2nd quarter as Wade Richey missed a 39 yard field goal attempt, followed by Chis Cummings blocking a 44 yard field goal attempt by the Gators as the first half ended with LSU leading #1 ranked Florida, 14-7.

The Gators took the second half kickoff and easily drove 80 yards in only seven plays to tie the game at 14-14 as Fred Taylor would score from one yard for his second touchdown of the contest.

With the game still even at 14-14 early in the 4th quarter, Cedric Donaldson stepped in front of a Doug Johnson pass and returned the interception 31 yards for a touchdown. Danny Boyd added the PAT giving the Tigers a 21-14 lead with 13:13 left in the game.

On the ensuing kickoff, Florida's Bo Carroll fumbled on the return and Troy Twillie recovered for the Tigers at the Gator 30 yard line as the Tiger Stadium crowd remained deafening.

Once again, LSU scored quickly making the Gators pay. After a 15 yard pass completion to Abram Booty and a four yard run by Kevin Faulk, the Tigers faced a 2nd and six at the Florida 11 yard line. Herb Tyler again ran the option to the right and kept the ball for a 11 yard touchdown run. With 11:40 left on the clock, LSU now lead 28-14 and Death Valley was rocking.

Steve Spurrier and his Gators again showed no panic trailing by 14 points as they began their next drive from their own 22. Florida would eat 4:54 off the clock, driving 78 yards in 13 plays with Fred Taylor scoring from three yards out to cut the Bayou Bengals' lead to 28-21 with 6:44 remaining in the contest.

The Gators got the ball right back after a LSU three and out, starting from their 21 yard line. But Florida would shoot themselves in the foot on back to back plays, as an illegal procedure penalty wiped out a 19 yard gain, followed by a personal foul penalty that backed the Gators up to the shadow of their own goal line. Facing a 3rd and 22 from their nine, Doug Johnson fired the ball deep down field. Raion Hill would pull the ball in at the LSU 46 yard line for the 4th interception of the game for the Tiger defense.

With 2:47 left in the contest the LSU offense was able to keep the ball, running the game clock down to zero for a huge 28-21 upset victory.

The loss snapped the Gators’ two long SEC winning streaks,.... 25 games overall and 19 straight on the road. Florida also failed to get a touchdown pass in the contest, snapping its NCAA record streak of 62 straight regular-season games with at least one score through the air.

“Our defense won tonight,” Cedric Donaldson said. “If their defense was good, ours was better. If their offense was good, ours was better. We had a total team effort and that’s what it takes.”

Offensively, Kevin Faulk, Herb Tyler, and Tommy Banks each had a great game. But in my opinion the MVP of this contest on offense was true freshman wide receiver Abram Booty. Booty finished the game with 101 yards on four catches. All four of his grabs were huge ones that helped keep LSU drives alive. The biggest one came on the final drive of the game when Booty caught a 15 yard pass across the middle in the teeth of the Gators defense on a 2nd and six to keep the drive going allowing LSU to run the clock down for the epic win.

This LSU team went on to finish the 1997 season 13th in the final AP poll with a 9-3 record, including a win against Notre Dame in the Independence Bowl to avenge one of their regular season losses. (Notre Dame 24, LSU 6 in Tiger Stadium).

This game would go on to be not only the biggest win in the Gerry DiNardo era, but also one of the best ever in school history.