Coach O Media Press Conference

Photo By: LSU

9/1/2020
By: Terrill J. Weil
Da Boot Sports!

    Coach Orgeron met with the media Tuesday morning to discuss the team and answer a few questions...   Below is his opening statement....


    COACH O -  "We had an outstanding practice yesterday. We were in full pads. We were working on short yardage. We got a lot of one-on-ones, combo drills. The team brought a lot of competition. Some guys stepped up. We talked about "Next man Up."  I thought that Kayshon Boutte had a great day yesterday. Jacobian Guillory and those guys are making plays. Over the weekend we had a lot of times to think about things that are going on. I talked to the team yesterday. I talked to Pete Carroll, my mentor about how he's handling things outside of the football facility. Social injustice and racisim. We talked about this as a team. We are getting more educated about it and letting our guys voice their opinions. Talking about the things that they are going through and how we can be part of the solution. I think it was a great, great day yesterday, Tremendous leadership on our football team lead by Jacoby Stevens, Andre Anthony and Myles Brennan. Those guys are doing a great job of leading our team. They had a players only meeting for about 15 minutes to discuss Ja'Marr and Tyler leaving. Obviously stepping up and not blinking and doing the things that we need to do. One Team, One Heartbeat.  I thought it was a tremendous day for our football team. Obviously over the weekend Ja'Marr and Tyler decided to leave. We wish them the best. They did everything that they could do for LSU while they were here. They helped us win a championship. They were very integral part of our football team. We wish them the very best in the NFL. They have training coming up in that we are going to support them in 100%. .... Any Questions????"



    When being asked what does he talk to the players about that are making the decision to opt out and what are his thoughts now that we are seeing more players using this opportunity to opt out? ..

    COACH O - "I say that everybody's situation is different. Ja'Marr had a different situation then Tyler. I talked to them both, they told me the reason why they wanted to leave. Obviously that's up to them if they want you to talk to them about that. They both had legitimate reasons why they left the team. It was hard. It was hard for both of them to leave the team. Those guys obviously talked to their family and made a decision. Guys opt out for different reasons but that's just the times that we live in. We have some guys that are going to step up. There are some opportunities for new guys to come in. We have a good roster that can handle that. Obviously I don't want anyone else to opt out. I wish and hope that those will be the last ones, but it may not be. We'll just deal with it." 



    When asked about the coronavirus situation with the offensive line. Exactly what happened there and are they still in quarantine and/or still positive? ......

    COACH O - "Our whole offensive line was back as far as I know yesterday. It was good to see. I'm not going to give numbers, but here's what happens. There are a couple of guys that are going to be positive, maybe more. There are some guys who will be around them, so we have to quarantine them. But you know what? It's good that it happened now and not in the middle of the season. Our team has done a great job of adjusting. Our coaching staff did a great job of adjusting. We got our whole offensive line back. We had a very physical yesterday. We didn't have any physical practices last week because of that. It's just a situation and it may come up with another unit. We'll just have to deal with it."



    When asked about the new depth chart of the defensive line now that Tyler Shelvin is gone......

    COACH O - "Jacobian Guillory had an outstanding practice yesterday. The guy made plays.
Jaquelin Roy and those guys are going to have to play for us. Glen Logan and now Ika will start at nose. I'll tell you what we did and this was a hard decision. Joe Evans was doing really really good on the offensive line. He was really blocking well. I talked to him today. He has asked if he could play on defense. So we are moving him to the defense today to give us some help inside. Outside we have some very good young defensive ends that are going to play a lot. Andre Anthony and Travez Moore is playing better. Thank God we got Ali from junior college and then we have Phillip Webb and BJ Ojulari is coming and Desmond is coming. We have some young guys that are going to have to play and get better as the season goes on." 



    When asked if the team will be looking to seek a transfer from the portal this close to school
starting? .....

    COACH O - "Yes, we are always looking for players. We are looking at a player right now
obviously. We have some needs. We have a need at corner back. But that was the only initial that we have. That is the last initial scholarship that we have and we are looking for a corner back and we are using it on a corner back and it should be happening soon." 



    When asked if there may be any other player on the team that he has spoken to, who may also be considering to opt out this season and how hard is that to figure out? ......

    COACH O - There are a couple of other guys who are thinking about it to be honest with you.
Again, everyone has a different reason. Maybe family reasons or maybe health reasons or have their own reasons for wanting to opt out for. Maybe there is one or two that I know are thinking about it. Hopefully they don't, but if they do we have depth and will still have a great football team."




    When asked about the linebacker situation if the team plans on using a lot of nickel this season?

    COACH O - "Most of the defenses that we play are going to have to be nickel because of
the spread offense. Now, we practice in base especially in short yardage when they get in 22 personnel. We are putting in goal line today. We have to play bigger players there. But most of all it will be Nickel. If we need a nickel safety, Jacby Stevens can be there. If we need a nickel corner it would be Cordale Flott. I'll tell you the guy who is coming along is Jay Ward. So those three guys are really showing up there. The linebackers, Micah Baskerville is having a great camp. If you look at the three linebacker right now, i think it would be Damone Cark, Jabril Cox, and Micah Baskerville. Those guys are the top guys right now."




    When asked what is the difference between Scott Linehan taking over for Brady?

    COACH O - "He was brought in some different techniques for our receivers. He has brought
in some things that he has done in the NFL, especially for Arik Gilbert. I think that if you ask Ja'Marr Chase, he was very happy with him. We are still in the spread. There are some different concepts that we are running in the red zone in the tight red that he has brought in to us. He is going to help me in game management in two minute. The guy has been phenomenal. The one thing I want to say about Scott. He has been a head coach, he has been a coordinator, and he is about as level headed and professional as anybody I've been around. He's a great staff guy. Our guys love him. He and Mickey work well together. He and Steve work well together. I think he was a tremendous hire."




    When asked about the wide receiver position being deep enough to be still be productive after the loss of Ja'Marr Chase......

   COACH O - "If there is any position that can handle something like that, it would be the wide receivers and the defensive line, because we have a lot of depth there. A guy that a lot of people don't talk about who is a great player is Terrace Marshall. There was 200 balls between Jefferson and Ja'Marr that has got to be caught. These guys are eager to catch them man. Kayshon Boutte, Koy Moore, those guys have stuck out.  Jontre Kirklin, Racey McMath, and Terrance Marshall, this is their time.  I think what you're going to see is, guys are going to step up and there will be one new super star that we don't know about because it's his time."



    
     When asked about the potential low amount of fans or maybe even no fans in the stands on game day. How are they preparing for that type of situation?.....

    COACH O - "We don't know about that situation yet.  As soon as I find out the team is going to know it. When it comes time to do that, I'm going to talk to them about it and what to expect. Now this week we start preseason game number one. So we are going into Tiger Stadium for the first time. We have not been in Tiger Stadium yet. The only time we are going into Tiger Stadium during fall camp is to scrimmage. So when we have a big scrimmage it will be a good time to talk to them about us needing to create our own energy. We have to create our own excitement. It may not be what we expect, but the other team is there and they are here to win. Everyone may be playing on an even playing field. So it's going to be something new. We pipe in noise for away games. But that is expecting a huge crowd obviously. But when you pop in noise, your players don't have to make the energy and I think that's a mistake. I think we have to learn how to make our own energy, how to create our own noise, that we need to do that on the sideline." 



    When asked about how Myles Brennan and the other quarterbacks are doing in camp? .....

   COACH O - "I think Myles is having an excellent camp. He's doing everything that we are asking him to do. We grade him everyday. He has a winning grade everyday. He has taken the step forward where clearly he is the leader but we haven't had a scrimmage yet. I think when we have live scrimmages and we get to grade the guys, I can tell you more. I can tell you this, the three of them look phenomenal to me. I think the guy who has made the most improvement is TJ. His balls have been phenomenal. Our guys have been catching his balls. I've been impressed with Max's athletic ability. His ability to see the field and make the right decisions. Right now Myles is doing the complete job and we're happy with him."



   

​        Below are photos and a video of practice from Monday, Aug. 31st.       Courtesy of LSU

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              25 Days Until Kickoff

Photo By: tampabay.com / #25 RB - Justin Vincent