LSU football: A closer look
CONDITIONS
SUNDAY’S WEATHER: It was 87 degrees and cloudy when LSU began practice at 2:15 p.m. Thunderstorms in the area didn’t affect the Tigers while they were on the field, focusing primarily on special teams.
MONDAY’S FORECAST: 85 degrees and partly cloudy when the Tigers are scheduled to begin practice at 4 p.m. It’s expected to feel like 95 degrees.
COMING UP
Monday’s practice comes on the first day of classes and begins the final week of non-game-week preparations. LSU moves into its first game-week routine Aug. 27 in preparation for the season opener against North Texas on Sept. 1 in Tiger Stadium.
IN FOCUS
Alfred Blue
NO.: 4
POSITION: RB
HEIGHT: 6-2
WEIGHT: 220
CLASS: Jr.
WHAT HE’S DONE: Though he’s only started two games in two seasons, Blue has played in 24 and been an effective runner. He contributed 539 yards and seven touchdowns to the Tigers’ four-man running-back committee last season.
AT HIS BEST: Blue excelled late in games last season, often entering games in the second half after Spencer Ware, Michael Ford and Kenny Hilliard had worn down defenses and breaking long runs that helped secure victories.
CAUSE FOR CONCERN: There’s little cause for concern because Blue has been a consistently effective runner, and the Tigers are experimenting with lining him up as a wideout as well.
NUMBERS TO KNOW
640 Number of yards Blue has rushed for in his two seasons.
88 2 Number of yards Ware has rushed for in his two seasons.
1,000 Number of yards Ford has rushed for in his two seasons.
8,603 Number of yards Hilliard rushed for during his career at Patterson High School, a Louisiana prep record, before gaining 336 as a true freshman at LSU last season
WORTH REPEATING
“The good news is he has had some background. He understands what we’re going to ask of him. The more snaps he gets the better he’ll be.”
— Coach Les Miles on backup QB Rob Bolden, who played two seasons for Penn State before transferring to LSU.
DIGITAL FOOTBALL
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