Tigers begin preparations for Crimson Tide
LSU hit the practice field Thursday for the first time since winning the Southeastern Conference Championship on Dec. 3.
After spending last week studying and taking final exams it was time to start preparing the biggest final exam the Tigers have as a unit — the BCS National Championship Game against Alabama on Jan. 9 in New Orleans.
“We don’t have to focus on (finals) any more,” safety Brandon Taylor said after practice. “It’s time to come out here and have fun and play for what we’ve been wanting to play for this whole year.”
No. 1 LSU has had its sights set on playing for the national championship since preseason practice began in early August. It remained a distant goal as the Tigers went from victory to victory, ultimately going 13-for-13. Now they have 3½ weeks to get ready for the title game.
“It’s time to improve,” center P.J. Lonergan said. “I want to improve. I need to get better. We all need to get better. I’m going to be tougher on myself leading up to this game than I ever have been in my career.
“I’m looking to be the best player I can be on Jan. 9. in the Superdome. I’m focused on making myself better, making this team better.”
The team hadn’t practiced in two weeks since it wrapped up preparations for the 42-10 victory against Georgia in the SEC title game in the Georgia Dome.
“A lot of guys were looking forward to practice,” cornerback Morris Claiborne said. “We came out today and had fun. We were flying around. It was fun to get out here and get back in the groove and get our legs back under us.”
The Tigers won’t practice Friday because of graduation, but will return to practice Saturday. They’ll be off Sunday and practice Monday through Wednesday before taking a four-day break for Christmas. They’ll return Dec. 26 and practice eight of the next 10 days on campus before bussing to New Orleans on Jan. 4 to begin the final stage of preparations.
“I think we were eager because the tempo of the practice was fast,” running back Alfred Blue said. “There were a couple of mistakes out there but everybody was giving 100 percent effort coming back off the long break.”
LSU is following a similar routine to the one it used last year when it got ready for a 41-24 victory over Texas A&M in the Cotton Bowl on Jan. 7. The Tigers have won five of six bowl games under coach Les Miles.
“It feels good knowing that the work you put in before has worked,” Lonergan said. “Now I think we have a tougher team than we’ve ever played in a bowl game previously, but looking back at the system we’ve been using it’s been very effective, and we definitely have confidence in that.”
LSU has also made good use of its extra preparation time for season openers under Miles, going 7-0, including a 40-27 victory against preseason No. 3 Oregon in this season’s opener.
“We have more time to put in,” Claiborne said, “more time to watch film, more time to practice on getting things right for the things that we think our opponent is going to throw at us.”
The Crimson Tide took LSU to overtime Nov. 5 in Tuscaloosa before the Tigers prevailed, 9-6, in the only game they failed to win by at least 13 points this season.
“I know those guys are over there working hard just as we are working hard,” Claiborne said. “It’s going to be another physical game. We just have to get ready for it.”
Even though it was a relatively short break, Taylor said the mood was similar to coming back for spring practice.
“There was a lot of competition between the wide receivers and the (defensive backs), a lot of trash talking,” Taylor said, “but it’s all in fun. It happens every day. We’re just happy be around each other again.”
Though the players were happy to be around one another again, Blue said Thursday’s practice was businesslike because the players understand the challenge that awaits them and the stakes of the game.
“It motivates everybody to get extra film work, and when we’re on the practice field it’s like a game,” Blue said. “Nobody’s laughing, nobody’s joking, everybody’s keyed in. When we’re on the sideline everybody’s keyed in, and we’re calling plays and paying attention to how we’re rotating and substituting.
“Everybody is focused because we know the games that we’ve played don’t matter. It comes down to this one right here.”