From the other side: LSU

November 12, 2008

Drew Champlin

Thanks to Randy Rosetta of The Advocate in Baton Rouge

1. What’s the QB situation looking like this week?
Jarrett Lee remains the starter, almost by default because he the only guy healthy who has taken more than 10 snaps this season (sophomore Andrew Hatch will not play against Troy). True freshman Jordan Jefferson will likely get a handful of series in each half and may also come in on certain plays or in certain packages if LSU needs to show a more run-oriented threat. He’s a dual-threat QB and could cause some headaches for the Trojans in the option game or on quarterback runs.

2. Is this a good time for Troy to come to LSU, given that LSU pretty much has nothing big left to play for?
Glass is half full, half empty there. Good because LSU doesn’t have any major goals left to shoot for. Bad because LSU can still play its way into a New Year’s Day bowl and finish strong with a chance to be a top-10 team to start 2009. Good because LSU might be a little hungover from playing so hard and so well against Alabama. Bad in that LSU might be plenty motivated to erase the bad taste of that game.

3. Could Troy’s spread offense with a pass-first quarterback give LSU’s secondary any problems?
Any offense with any decent quarterback is a threat to LSU’s defense, which has had a propensity for giving up big plays through the air. LSU has shown some pockets of improvement, including last week vs. Alabama and in the second half against South Carolina. But experienced quarterbacks have hurt LSU – Tim Tebow. Matt Stafford and John Parker Wilson.

4. Where can LSU best take advantage of Troy?
Up front, but that doesn’t make Troy any different than most teams LSU has faced. LSU’s offensive line, though banged up after a very physical battle with Alabama, is as big, strong and powerful as any unit in the country. Likewise, LSU’s defensive line is awfully strong across the board and its second unit may be as good as anybody else in the country. If LSU controls the line of scrimmage, it could be a long day for Troy on both sides of the ball.

5. Where’s a good place to eat for Troy fans coming to Baton Rouge?
How much room do I have here?
Cajun/seafood: 1. Walk-On’s Bistreaux (one on Nicholson right off campus, one on Coursey), 2. Parrain’s (on Perkins), 2. Acme Oyster House (on Perkins), 3. Sammy’s (on Highland), 4. Boutin’s (on Bluebonnet)

BBQ: VooDoo BBQ (one half a mile from the stadium, one off of Drusilla), TJ Ribs (on Acadian) and Sonny’s Real Pit BBQ (on Florida)

Mexican: 1. Las Palmas (several locations), 2. Casa Maria (several locations)

Italian: Monjuni’s (on Highland)

Burgers/sandwiches: Times Grill (on Essen and Market Street)

Chat Thursday night

Drew Champlin

We haven’t chatted in a while during the week, so I’ll bring it back this week. We’ll go Thursday night at 8 p.m. CST. I’ll post the chat link right before time and send out a twitter update when it’s live. It will be a similar format to the Troy-ULM game chat.

THANKS to all who showed up.

Wednesday links

Drew Champlin

DOTHAN EAGLE: Davis making most of second chance - feature on WR Andrew Davis and his maturity off the field

Here’s some LSU links (added 11:25 a.m. CST)

THE ADVOCATE: Pick-six whiffs - Tigers having trouble making tackles after interceptions
THE ADVOCATE: Battle of aches and pains - looks like a notebook
THE ADVOCATE: Tigers eager to get back on field

GANNETT LOUISIANA: Alabama loss hard one to forget

TIMES-PICAYUNE: Despite turnovers, LSU offense has a bright side
TIMES-PICAYUNE: Here’s hoping Jordan Jefferson gets chance to see the field

DAILY REVEILLE: Tigers find new motivation - Miles to increase backup QB Jefferson’s playing time

Tuesday links/basketball thoughts

November 11, 2008

Drew Champlin

Here’s my football notebook and my exhibition basketball gamer.

When Troy plays the bigger schools with more media coverage, that means it’s time to find more links. From the Advocate in Baton Rouge, a true freshman QB is likely to see more action (because Jarrett Lee likes to throw it to the other team) and an LSU notebook with some stuff.

From Gannett Louisiana, Glenn Guilbeau writes on Les Miles admitting he’s wrong and that the Tigers don’t need Dr. Phil

One more football note, Brannon Condren was released by the Dolphins - the third team he’s been let go from this year.

Hey, on to basketball…

..I can’t tell you how good Troy is this year based on last night’s blowout win, but it was good to see a team of mostly scrubs from last year light up the scoreboard, plus some newcomers mesh in well. Troy was without Richard Delk, its star player, Mike Vogler, maybe its second-best player, and Antywan Jones, a guy that will play a good bit of minutes. Bernard Toombs, a 6-foot-9 center, will redshirt to get stronger and play more on the back end of his career.

On the new guys, you’ll like watching Travis Lee play ball. He’s only about 5-9, but he’s scrappy, quick, and can really, really shoot the basketball. Regis Huddleston can really, really shoot the basketball as well, but he was yelled at a few times for not being in the right place defensively. Those two guys can shoot better than any Trojan newcomers that I can remember, and the shots they took weren’t bad shots, either. I like Chris Leggett down low - he’s 6-foot-7, and, unlike most Trojan forwards of the past, knows what he’s supposed to do down low.

Brandon Hazzard is playing with more confidence, especially driving the ball to the hole. Kenny Ware’s really stepped his game up - I thought he looked better last night than I can remember him looking at any point last year. Mario Telfair and Trayce Macon are role players who might pop in with a big night every once in a while, but they’re better. Tom Jervis is going to the hole with more authority and while he won’t be counted on for 20 and 10 every night, he does have to play like a 7-footer when he’s in. The Jolly Trojan Giant did what he should have done for most of the night when he was in last night, and that was dominate smaller players. He had a few hiccups, but no one’s perfect.

That’s the key with this bunch - this year’s recruiting class is better than last year’s, but the guys from last year like Ware, Telfair and Macon are better basketball players. I don’t know how good Delk really is, but people say he’s phenomenal, and I’ve heard good things about Jones. With Vogler, you just better hope his sprained ankle heals quick, but he’s walking fine.

That being said, I’m not sure the UAB game will be pretty Saturday, but shooting better than 50 percent from beyond the arc will help.

Troy basketball injury update

November 10, 2008

Drew Champlin

At pregame warmups for the big Troy-West Alabama showdown, and a few players won’t play.

Guard Richard Delk (hand) is dribbling a ball with his right hand, which he broke a few weeks ago, but he won’t play tonight. He’s questionable for Saturday vs. UAB, but I suspect he plays.

Forward Antywan Jones turned an ankle recently and won’t play tonight, and he’s questionable for UAB.

Point guard Mike Vogler sprained his ankle last week, and he won’t play tonight either. His ankle is worse, so his chances of playing vs. UAB aren’t that good as of today, but he said he’s day-to-day and hoping to play Saturday. Jones and Delk have better chances of playing, though.

Walk-on forward Kyle Greenwood (groin) won’t play tonight either and won’t be available until next Monday.

ADD ANOTHER NAME - Center Bernard Toombs isn’t dressed out. He’s decided to redshirt this year to get stronger. That’s a good move on his part, I think.

That means 8 players are dressed for Troy’s game tonight.

Vogler, Delk and Jones are projected to play big minutes.

I think tonight’s lineup will be guards Josh Williams, Brandon Hazzard and Travis Lee with forward Kenny Ware and center Tom Jervis, but we’ll see.