LSU Tigers

BATON ROUGE, La. -- Five things we learned in LSU's spring game Saturday, a 37-0 win for White (first-team players) over Purple (various reserves):

1. Mettenberger adjusts: Quarterback Zach Mettenberger completed 12 of 19 passes for 236 yards and two touchdowns, all in the first half, after he evidently adjusted his own game plan.

Offensive coordinator Cam Cameron came up with the idea of allowing the quarterbacks to call their own plays in the spring game, so Mettenberger had some adjustments to make to his own calls.

"It was tough out there," the quarterback said. "Coach Cameron allowed us to call our own plays and it was the first time I've ever done that. It was kind of a slow start to get going, but we turned it around and had a pretty good day."

LSU coach Les Miles said the idea was to allow coaches to get a better feel for each quarterback's preference in certain situations and to allow the quarterbacks to gain a respect, and some insight, in the play-calling process.

"It allows you to see how the quarterback thinks," Miles said. "It allows you to see how he views the game plan, what he would call. I think it was a tremendous exercise."

It didn't get off to a rip-roaring start. Playing against a depleted second-team defense, the White offense managed a single field goal in its first three possessions before threw touchdown passes of 15 and 79 yards from Mettenberger to tight end Dillon Gordon and receiver Odell Beckham on consecutive possessions.

"We turned it around and had a pretty good day," Mettenberger said.

That goes especially for Beckham, who had two touchdown and 202 receiving yards on six catches, and Jarvis Landry, who added 132 yards on six catches.

2. Left out: LSU was without six injured first team players, as the secondary was depleted by injuries that kept out Jalen Collins, Jalen Mills and Ronald Martin. Offensive linemen Elliott Porter and Vadal Alexander also missed the game, as did defensive end Jermauria Rasco.

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BATON ROUGE, La. -- Here are things to know as LSU starts spring practice:

Practice dates: March 14, 15, 16, 19, 21, 23 (scrimmage), 25, 26 and 28. After spring break, resumes April 9, 11, 13 (scrimmage), 16, 18 and 20 (spring game).

What's new: Offensive coordinator Cam Cameron will install his new offense, and four new starters will man the defensive line.

What's old: The Tigers have eight returning starters on offense, led by quarterback Zach Mettenberger.

Offensive outlook:
Starters returning (8): QB Mettenberger, RB Jeremy Hill, FB J.C. Copeland, WR Jarvis Landry, WR Odell Beckham, LT La'el Collins (moved from left guard), LG Josh Williford (moved from right guard), RG Trai Turner, RT Vadal Alexander.

New starters: TE Dillon Gordon or Logan Stokes, C Elliott Porter. Key reserves -- QB Stephen Rivers, RBs Alfred Blue, Kenny Hilliard and Terrance Magee, FB Connor Neighbors, LT Jerald Hawkins, RG Fehoko Fanaika, RT Ethan Pocic, WR James Wright, Kadron Boone, John Diarse and Travin Dural, TE Travis Dickson.

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BATON ROUGE, La. -- Leading up to the Chick-fil-A Bowl, we'll take a daily look at a key LSU player. We'll examine how he has done and what his challenges are for the Clemson game.

P.J. Lonergan, C, Senior

Accomplishments: A three-year starter at center, Lonergan is the heart of an offensive line that overachieved after being down three starters for the second half of the season. He learned the position after arriving at LSU (he was a high school tackle at Archbishop Rummel High in suburban New Orleans) and he has turned himself into a technician who calls the blocking assignments and helps get the young line pointed in the right directions.

Shortcomings: Lonergan has had a solid, if unspectacular career. If there is any one factor that has held him back, it's been a sometimes troublesome back. He missed one start this season, giving way to his heir apparent, Elliott Porter, for a game while he rested his back (he did play some that game). He's not quite Barrett Jones, the celebrated Outland Trophy winner at Alabama, but there's little for LSU to complain about from its steady senior.

Against Clemson: Playing against an ACC opponent, LSU will undoubtedly try to impose its "SEC dominance" in terms of physical play. Look for the Bayou Bengals to test the middle of the Clemson defensive front with its physical, SEC running game against a Clemson defense that allows 4.2 yards per carry. Lonergan will be right in the middle of that scrum, getting his hands dirty in what will be his last college game.

BATON ROUGE, La. -- LSU is 11th in the SEC in penalty yards, 10th in the league in red-zone offense and has had more turnovers than games played.

That's the bad news coming from No. 3 LSU on Monday, two days after the 4-0 Tigers struggled to a 12-10 win at 1-3 Auburn. The good news? Most of the problems that have haunted the Tigers can be corrected.

"Auburn, with their backs against the wall, really had a very strong game plan and played extremely well," LSU coach Les Miles said. But in the next breath, he added this, "The key is us. We handle our opponent more efficiently if we don't make mistakes, if we're not sloppy.

"I have to give it to some youth, some guys who don't understand the position we are in and the recognition of what makes a very well-played ball game as opposed to that game, which was sloppy and gave your opponent every opportunity to stay in that game."

LSU had nine penalties for 80 yards and two inopportune turnovers that killed momentum, one at the Auburn 3 and the other setting up an Auburn touchdown after LSU had jumped to a 9-0 lead and was dominating the game late in the first quarter. The Tigers repeatedly gave up field position with penalties on special teams.

"In order to become the team we are capable of being, we have to become more disciplined," said wide receiver Russell Shepard -- who also plays on special teams, where LSU had penalty issues. "Learning how to take the foot off the gas when the whistle is blown. Learning discipline in the heat of the moment. Those are things this team is capable of."

Miles said some of the penalties called against the Tigers on Saturday were for things like pulling opposing players off teammates after the whistle blew -- "Not cheap shots," Miles said -- and added that the teammates would "enjoy it" if the offending player simply stopped at the whistle.

As for the turnovers, quarterback Zach Mettenberger was charged with both lost fumbles. On one, at the Auburn three, Miles blamed redshirt freshman center Elliott Porter, who he said did not snap the ball at the right time. Porter was in the game for starter P.J. Lonergan who was shaken up, but returned. Mettenberger said he also shares part of the blame. On the other fumble, Mettenberger had the ball stripped from him by Auburn defensive end Corey Lemonier.

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BATON ROUGE, La. -- Ever since left offensive tackle Chris Faulk was lost for the season to an ACL injury two weeks ago, LSU coach Les Miles has said he was interested in seeing a lineup that includes true freshman Vadal Alexander at right tackle and Alex Hurst, normally the starting right tackle, sliding over to the left side.

That plan was put on the backburner as Josh Dworaczyk emerged as a solid option at left tackle -- that is, until Dworaczyk suffered a knee bruise that knocked him out of last Saturday's 63-14 rout of Idaho. It allowed LSU to try the Hurst-Alexander experiment for extended snaps.

And how did it go?

"Vadal gave us a pressure [on the quarterback], but he also played pretty well after he got comfortable," Miles said. "I kind of liked what happened. I don't want injury to dictate, but I kind of like the fact that we moved guys around that will play significant snaps for us and that they performed pretty well.

Alexander has been working as the backup and likely heir apparent at right tackle behind Hurst, a senior. But Miles said he wasn't surprised that Hurst seemed to have little issue moving to the left side.

"I liked Hurst on the left side, but I like Hurst on the ride side, too," Miles said. "It didn't seem to bother him, his change of footwork and stance, in any way."

Dworaczyk said Tuesday night that he felt like he was 100 percent for Saturday's game at Auburn, where he'll be called upon to block Auburn pass-rushing end Corey Lemonier, who already has three sacks.

In the Idaho game, LSU also started sophomore Elliott Porter at center instead of usual starter P.J. Lonergan, who was slowed by a nagging injury. Miles said he expects Lonergan to be fine for Saturday's game with Auburn, although he was pleased with Porter's play.

No experiment for Ford: When a reporter asked Miles about the "experiment" of using running back Michael Ford to return kickoffs against Idaho Saturday, Miles responded by saying "It was no experiment. We like him back there."

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BATON ROUGE, La. -- Barkevious Mingo, LSU's star defensive end, did not start Saturday against Idaho after suffering a sprained ankle last week against Washington.

He wasn't alone.

Center P.J. Lonergan didn't start either, as Elliott Porter got his first college start. Defensive tackle Josh Downs did not start, giving Anthony Johnson a chance. Wide receiver James Wright sat out, giving Russell Shepard a start. Also sitting out were running back Spencer Ware and safety Craig Loston.

Just two games into the season, LSU looked beaten up. But were the Tigers really ailing that much?

Downs, Lonergan and Mingo all played in the Tigers' 63-14 win, just off the bench. It looked more like a case of LSU getting players ready for Saturday's SEC opener at Auburn than injuries to actually worry about.

Of Lonergan, LSU coach Les Miles said, "We didn't necessarily want to tax him the whole game. Miles added Lonergan would be ready for Saturday's game at Auburn. One could assume it's true of Mingo and Downs, considering that they also played, but sparingly, through their minor injuries.

As for Ware, Wright and Loston, the three injured players that did not play, Miles said all three should be ready for Auburn.

BATON ROUGE, La. -- The loss of five players to injuries and, presumably, academics won't have a major impact on LSU's football season.

Not yet, at least.

LSU coach Les Miles said Wednesday in the SEC teleconference that four players -- linebackers Tahj Jones and D.J. Welter, tight end Tyler Edwards and offensive lineman Evan Washington -- won't play this season. Miles would not say why, but has earlier noted that Jones was going through an academic appeal.

He also announced that defensive end Jordan Allen was lost for the season because of ACL surgery.

While that may seem like a lot of attrition to be announced at once, the reality is, it's either been dealt with already or is only an issue for players deep on the depth chart.

Jones is the one player among the five who was a starter. But like Welter, Edwards and Washington, Jones has not dressed for a game this season and most have started working under the assumption that Luke Munice had taken his place as the starting strong-side linebacker for the season. Wednesday's announcement just confirmed that. The loss of Jones, a junior, and Welter, a sophomore, means all of LSU's backup linebackers now are true freshmen.

That would be more of the problem had the 2012 linebacker recruiting class, six players strong, not been considered by Miles to be the strongest linebacker class recruited by LSU in his tenure. So far, true freshmen Kwon Alexander and Deion Jones have played well in reserve roles. Where it could be a problem is if injuries hit the veteran starting trio of Kevin Minter, Lamin Barrow and Muncie, forcing the true freshmen to play bigger roles than they might be ready for.

It's a similar situation at tight end and defensive end. Edwards' role as a primarily blocking tight end behind starter Chase Clement has been replaced by sophomores Nic Jacobs and Travis Dickson and freshman Dillon Gordon. But Edwards is a senior, so his experience will be missed, especially if Clement, also a senior, goes down. Allen was far down the depth chart at defensive end, but his loss would be felt at the position only if the Tigers suffer attrition ahead of him at what is a deep position.

Allen was injured covering a kickoff, an area where the Tigers will have to find a replacement.

Washington, a reserve sophomore who has yet to play in a game, is the second offensive lineman lost for the season after Chris Faulk's knee injury sidelined him last week. With Josh Dworaczyk starting at left tackle, LSU is perhaps eight deep with game-ready offensive linemen. True freshman tackle Vadal Alexander was mentioned as a possible starter after Faulk's loss and coaches have been pleased with the progress of second-team center Elliott Porter.

In last week's win over Washington, Trai Turner got snaps at guard when starter La'el Collins went down with a minor injury.

The losses announced Wednesday pushed the total number of veterans from LSU's spring roster that have been lost for the season to 11. Previous to Wednesday's five, Faulk suffered his injury, Heisman Trophy finalist Tyrann Mathieu was dismissed from the team, offensive lineman Corey White did not return to the team for August camp and defensive backs Ronnie Vinson, Sam Gibson and David Jenkins all transferred to other schools after the spring.