LSU practice information
CONDITIONS
TUESDAY’S WEATHER: Hot and humid, but it wasn’t a factor. Team spent the day indoors for Media Day.
WEDNESDAY’S FORECAST: High of 93, 30 percent chance of mainly isolated afternoon thunderstorms.
COMING UP
After their first break of preseason camp the Tigers return to practice Wednesday with two-a-days at 8:45 a.m. and 4:15 p.m., the start of three straight practice days leading to Saturday’s first preseason scrimmage. Practices are closed to the public.
IN FOCUS
Brad Wing
NO.: 38
POSITION: Punter
HEIGHT: 6-3
WEIGHT: 184
CLASS: So.
WHAT HE’S DONE: A more than capable replacement for Derek Helton, Wing averaged 44.4 yards per punt last season, second-best in the Southeastern Conference. His efforts earned him numerous first-team All-American honors, and he was a Ray Guy Award semifinalist.
AT HIS BEST: The Melbourne, Australia, native emerged as a weapon in LSU’s special teams arsenal with his Australian Rules Football kicking talents, able to kick a ball that bounces to either side, forward or backward. And he can kick with either foot.
CAUSE FOR CONCERN: One of the most celebrated “Oh no!” moments of last season was Wing’s fake punt return touchdown against Florida that was erased by a taunting penalty. Wing doesn’t rule out the possibility of taking off again, but he promises to keep the Wing flaps down.
NUMBERS TO KNOW
41.2 LSU’s net punting average in 2011, best in the SEC and No. 3 nationally.
50.3 Chad Kessler’s punting average in 1997, still an NCAA record.
73 Total number of punt return yards by LSU opponents on 20 attempts in 2011. The Tigers had 524 return yards on 39 attempts.
WORTH REPEATING
“I’m going to act like I’ve been there before. The hands will not come up. I’m going to get the six points this time.”
— Wing, on how he would react if he scores another touchdown.
Fantasy over family
Stephen Rivers may wear the same No. 17 as his famous older brother Philip, quarterback of the San Diego Chargers, but he’s just a number to him when it comes to his fantasy football team.
“Philip had a couple of games where he struggled last year and all the guys were giving (Stephen) a hard time,” LSU quarterbacks coach Steve Kragthorpe recalled.
“There were saying, ‘Rivers, we’re getting ready to trade your brother off our fantasy team.’ “He said, ‘Heck, I did it yesterday.’ ”
DIGITAL FOOTBALL
AT THEADVOCATE.COM:
For coverage of LSU’s preseason camp, go to http://theadvocate.com/sports/lsu
CHAT:
LSU football chat Wednesday with Les East from 2-3 p.m. at theadvocate.com
PODCAST:
To hear remarks from LSU coach Les Miles at Media Day go to http://theadvocate.com/sports
Scott Rabalais