October 10, 2019
DENHAM SPRING RADIO/INTERNET BROADCAST
The Jackets travel to Central HS on Friday, October 11 (tomorrow night). You can catch all the action on Family Radio, 91.9 FM, Baton Rouge and on the Internet at JonFineProductions.com. Air time is 6 PM with Sport N Center Jackets Warmup
Josh Ward, Andy Duckworth and Jon Fine are on the call.
DENHAM SPRINGS INTERVIEWS
Mickey Watson, owner of Buddy’s Bar BQ (in Denham Springs and Central) will appear on Sport-N-Center Jackets Warmup. Chris Purvis, who helps DSHS as a trainer during Football Games (and owner of Peak Performance Physical Therapy) will be a guest on the North Oaks Health Systems Half-Time Report. Chris is also the uncle of Jackets QB Luke Lunsford and the son of former LSU football player an assistant coach Scooter Purvis.
GOLDEN TORS FOOTBALL
Sulphur entertains Southside tomorrow night. You can tune in at 6:45 pm on Sports Radio 1310-KEZM-Sulphur/Lake Charles or online at KEZMOnLine.com. Bruce Merchant and Patrick Frey are on the call.
LSU, SAINTS AND MUCH MORE
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HOUSTON ASTROS BASEBALL
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THE WIZARDRY OF OS
Mission accomplished and LSU is ready to make a run at a magical season. That is my conclusion after watching LSU complete its non conference schedule against Utah State.
I am aware this team will still need to grow over the second half of the season to be great, but they are in as good of a position as they can be at this point.
The offense has shown the ability to hit big plays or take what the defense gives them and run the ball. Against Utah State, they added the feature of using wide receivers in the running game. All skill players (rb, te, and wr) have been involved in the passing game, and the depth of receivers has grown with McMath, Dillon, Sullivan, and Moss making plays to move the chains. Being able to attack nickel corners, linebackers, and safeties will be important when LSU faces the great corners left on the schedule.
Both quarterbacks are ready. Burrow is a Hesiman candidate and Brennan can do the job. The freshman running backs are as ready as they can be at this point. All the running backs need to improve their ball security. But, for the most part, they are sticking their foot in the ground and running downhill. Experience will only make them better.
The offensive line has been a great surprise and is deeper than I would have imagined at this point. We still need to do our health dance for Cushenberry, but I am confident in 7 linemen at this point. Cushenberry, Lewis, Deculus, Magee, and Charles have been the starters with Magee making the most improvement. Rosenthal has his moments, but played the whole game against Utah State and that is extremely valuable. Adding Ed Ingram to the mix is the icing on the cake. For a guy that hasn’t played in over a year, he showed the physicality we saw when he was a freshman.
Watching the defense play against Utah State was a relief. I don’t need stats or to consider the opponent to know LSU can win a championship with this defense. The defense tackled and pursued like a championship defense. They also played with anticipation and confidence.
Out of necessity, the defensive line depth has grown into a real two deep. Shelvin and Ika at nose, Lawrence, Fehoko, Logan, and Farrell at ends. Justin Thomas can also contribute on pass rushing downs. Chaisson, Divinity, and Anthony are enough as outside linebacker because LSU can leave the inside linebackers on the field when they play their nickel package against spread teams.
I believe the starting secondary has found their footing and will be as good as advertised. The one question area that didn’t get much action in the first five games were the freshman corners. But they have at least gotten their feet wet should they be called upon.
The special teams will continue to be a strength.
The coaches have a very good feel for how to win each game. They took what Utah State gave them and shortened the game with the run. The Texas game was a shootout, and the in game decisions reflected that. This team is versatile and has multiple ways to win games. That is a strength.
Like I said last week, I still don’t think Florida is not as good as their ranking. But Dan Mullen is a GREAT coach. LSU is better than Florida, but LSU has to play better than Florida. The last two years LSU lost to Florida because of turnovers and the inability to stop Florida's running game. It is time for LSU to play their best against the Gators.
I have three short comments on the Saints.
FIrst, I am excited that Marcus Davenport, Demario Davis, Marcus Lattimore, Michael Thomas, Jared Cook, and others have elevated their game with Brees out.
Second, I should have given more credit to the time it takes for coaches to learn how to use players who are the focus of an offense. Hats off to Payton and the offensive coaches. It turns out Cook is better on the slant routes than the out and seam routes right now. Hill was used as a quarterback and that did just enough to open up the offense. They also found ways to adjust to Bridgewater’s skills set.
Third, I am glad the fans found a way to prove the media’s narrative completely wrong. The fact that the fans were aware that the offense would have to be more productive under Bridgewater did not mean the fans didn’t like or support Teddy. The coaches, team, and Teddy knew he needed to progress in the offense. Most of the people who wanted to see Taysom Hill thought Taysom could make more out of nothing, and since nothing was happening, he should get more snaps. Not an illogical argument. Though, give Payton and Teddy credit for working hard and making tweaks.
I’ll go ahead and be the greedy Saints fan. I don’t care if the quarterback is Brees or Bridgewater, at some point defensive coordinators are going to remember what was effective last year. Double Michael Thomas and cover Kamara. When that happens, Smith, Ginn, Cook, or somebody is going to have to make some plays. Hopefully, that starts to happen at Jacksonville which I think will be a much closer game than people expect.
HEY REF
So many problems but so little time! I’m asked all the time where I stand as far as this split in the LHSAA between select and non-select schools. First thing that has to be considered is if this so called split between private schools and traditionally public ones is hurting the players. That should be the key component in any decisions if it will directly affect the players. Politics aside any hint of something that causes problems in an athlete’s education should be directly dealt with the utmost urgency.
And to those that’ve questioned how or why I make a decision they need to sit back and understand that in “Hey Ref’s” world a player’s education is always number one! When I talk to players I always ask “How’s your grades”? This itty bitty question has to be on everybody’s list. I remember once a stud duck of a player had a story written about them in the morning’s paper for what seemed an entire week. I couldn’t wait for Friday night’s game to get here since he’d be on my sideline. When it came time to walk the field before the game to insure we didn’t have any nails, screws or glass I noticed him talking to the reporters. I’d made it almost the entire side of the field and he was still talking to the reporters.
As I made it to where he was talking, etc. I just stood there for a second or two very still and quiet. Then after about 5 minutes he finally ended his time in front of the camera so I walked over to him and asked about his grades and so on. I guess he was super surprised that anyone would ask such a dinky type of question. He was “stunned” to say the least. Then as we started walking over to where his team was getting ready for the second half he just whispered “what was that all about”?
I simply replied “there’s just one thing in this world that nobody will ever be able to steal from you; AN EDUCATION! I could tell he’d never thought about it since the only thing he’d been hearing for two years was how great he’ll be playing college football. As we parted ways I told him that the first thing he’s got to do is find a place where he could be alone so he could dedicate that time for studying and getting ready for the tests that are sure to follow him the entire time he’s in school.
Nothing else ran across my mind the rest of the game. When we heard the final horn blow about the only thing I had on my mind was getting a cold bottle of Coke. We’d almost gotten to our cars when this guy came from around the bus yelling “HEY REF, HEY REF, and HEY REF”! We didn’t know who it was so we simply moved a little faster.
As I started to open the car door on my side I once again hear “HEY REF, HEY REF” in a tone I’d come accustomed to hearing with a light. I took on another boarder hoping to clear out some of these bills.
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