Q. What kind of differences should we expect defensively between what you had with Bo Pelini and what you expect now with Chavis?
Les Miles: I think you'll find that the structure of the defenses are the same. They have the opportunity to operate out of a two shell or a single high. We can put four or three on the field, down linemen. I think that the opportunity to zone dog from the field, boundary, to blitz, I think you'll find that that is the same.
I think what is also similar is a want and a desire to give relentless effort. So I think there will be some similarities, but some differences as well, based on personnel.
Q. Jordan Jefferson had a very impressive Bowl game last year. What is he doing to maintain his ability to get better?
Les Miles: Well, he's bigger and stronger than he's been. In my opinion, the experience that he had in his true freshman year will benefit him tremendously. You know, so many times you want to get on the field, you want to get on the field, then you realize you have cadence, stems in motions, the ability to execute the offense becomes a little bit harder to do other than when you're standing on the sideline where it appears easy.
That adjustment and that experience will certainly benefit him going into the fall. He has had a great summer. He's stronger. He's bigger. He's run our seven on seven. Our players get together in the evening a couple nights a week and throw seven on seven. Both he and Jarrett Lee have done that. We expect those guys, we expect Jordan Jefferson, to have a great fall.
Q. With John Chavis coming on board, at the end of last season, specifically the Arkansas game, y'all had a few, I think you would call them, on field discipline issues that cost you in penalties, maybe cost the ballgame. In bringing Chavis on board, was that a charge you gave to him to shape up the Tiger discipline?
Les Miles: No. That's my responsibility. And I took those observations you made in our last game as observations that I also made. I can tell you that that will not happen again.
Q. The struggles that your quarterbacks had last season, how much do you attribute that to inexperience and how much do you value experience in your quarterbacks?
Les Miles: When you put a young one on the line of scrimmage with the opportunity to execute, and you have schooled him and trained him all through practice snaps, you've gone to live. Live scrimmage, let's say you could get a game in in a two a day schedule. One quarterback could have a solid, full game. The experiences that he might have in that 70 to 90 plays just wouldn't prepare him for the season. It's just not enough.
So what happens is, is you'd like to have one quarterback that took every one of your snaps and you prepared him with every snap he just had for the next snap that he's about to have; that the situation he was just in would compare favorably to a situation he was about to be in, and on the field away from the coaches with a down and distance and a time clock pressuring him. There's nothing but experience that will teach that.
We're fortunate, in my opinion, to have two guys that have experienced that, and at this point in time can look towards their development to happen a little bit more even and with more success.
Q. Wondering if you enjoyed Omaha, and with all the air time you got when you were up there during the college World Series, coming during a key time in recruiting, if you noticed any benefit from that, a couple of your players playing key roles on that team, and how players playing other sports has evolved?
Les Miles: I've been fortunate through my career to have guys that have played multiple sports. Bennie Brazell, a track guy, also played wide receiver here. Trindon Holliday certainly, as well. I think that if LSU is a consideration, and you have a great interest in a spring sport, certainly that's something that we have had the opportunity to work out.
I can't tell you how much I enjoyed watching Jared Mitchell lead off the third game with a home run. I can't tell you how much I enjoyed watching Chad Jones throw left handed and throw dominantly and look like a beast on the mound, come off and chest pump a guy and dang near knock him down.
There was a play at first base where Chad had to cover for the bag, a routine play where the first baseman has to leave the bag, the pitcher has to come over and take the throw. And I said to myself, If that runner had gone a little left of center, contact would not have been adverse for that pitcher.
I enjoyed my experience. I think that those experiences that those guys are having will mark their life very positively.
Q. Talk about your depth on the offensive line and also what do you like about Russell Shepard?
Les Miles: The depth on the offensive line, you know, the five guys that will take the field, Ciron Black, Josh Dworaczyk, either T Bob Hebert or PJ Lonergan at center, on the right side Hitt and Barksdale return, I think that gives us a great chance to be a very dominant offensive line. Behind those guys, I think there are a number of men there that are in position to compete. Will Blackwell certainly has that ability.
You also mentioned Russell Shepard. I think he's a tremendous talent. I think there's a definite challenge to our offense on how to use him, how to bring him along. I believe firmly that he can be a quarterback. I thought he had a good spring. He's a very bright man. He has a great read. He understands secondaries. He seldom throws a ball in the wrong place by design. He knows where the ball is supposed to go.
In the spring of the year, you know, he had the right view. He checked the safety generally, the underneath coverage. Then if both routes were covered, he had a third option, which was a good option, which was run. I think his abilities will continue to improve. I think he's got a very bright future for us.
Q. Could you talk about the influence that John Chavis has had on this team, the defense, and what differences his presence there could make.
Les Miles: Well, I think John certainly has great experience, understands the want for dominant defense. I think our guys understand that, were really looking for that when John arrived on campus. I think he will expect, and our guys will deliver. I think the strategies behind the call, I think the effort and the technique behind the play, will be improved.
Q. Last year there were two defensive coordinators. Were there too many voices? Was there confusion, too many cooks?
Les Miles: I really don't think "co" had anything to do with it. To me, I thought both guys complemented each other. I think there was expertise on both sides. I think both coaches are tremendously qualified guys, and both took, you know, an opportunity to be a head coach, an opportunity to be the sole coordinator, and went on. I expect they'll have great careers and do great things in football.
OT Ciron Black
On preseason expectations:
"I consider it a blessing. It's preseason. I still have a long season ahead of me and a lot of playing to do. There are a lot of great guys in our conference that will be coming after me. I just have to play."
On Ole Miss:
"Ole Miss is a great team. You can't take anything away from them. They had an unbelievable season year last year. They came after us. It does give us an incentive to play harder. If we go out and do what we're supposed to do, we can beat anybody in this league. But that's if we play like we're supposed to."
On deciding to not enter the NFL Draft:
"It's my life. I had to look at it. Me and my parents made a good decision. We did a lot of praying and a lot of thinking about it. I realized I had a lot more to do. I have a lot more to work on becoming a better player, a better all-around player. When I made the decision it felt like a great decision and I haven't regretted it one bit.
On LSU:
"Right now we're really hungry. We ended the season on a great note with the Chick-fil-A Bowl. That wasn't enough. We only had one game to do that and we couldn't salvage the season with that one game. We came into the summer ready to go to work, ready to run. Coach Moffitt was trying to kill us but he wasn't going to break us because we were ready for it. We're going to camp ready to play, ready to get back into the season, ready to get back into the swing of things."
On LSU QB Jordan Jefferson:
"He looked really good. He's making his reads right. He's commanding the huddle, Jarrett Lee also. Both of them are commanding the huddle and doing what they're supposed to do as quarterbacks and leaders of this offense.
On his expectations for his senior season:
"Honestly I just want to go out a winner. I want to win on the field and win off the field. I want to graduate and get my degree. I want to be a good player and an example to the younger guys on the team. Just be a great player. On the field, trying my best to be dominant, to finish blocks. To do everything I didn't do last year."
LB Jacob Cutrera
On LSU:
"I think the hunger is there more than ever. From what happened to us last year, that's not our style of play at LSU. That's not how we want to be remembered. We went through the spring hungrier than ever. The intensity was there. Everybody bought into Coach Chavis' scheme that he brought in. That carried over into summer workouts.
On LSU Defensive Coordinator John Chavis:
"Intensity. He's a fired up guy every practice. Those two and a half hours we're out there he's in your face and you'll know when you mess up. He's brought a lot of intensity and the way he does things has helped out."
On playing Florida:
"They come here. It's going to be an exciting game like always. We're excited to have them at home. They're a great team. Tim Tebow and all the other guys and that big blue wall he has in front of him is a hard thing to stop and we're going to have to prepare for that game."
On Ole Miss:
"They're a great team. Every year, it's always a close game between us. I don't remember a time that we've just blown them out, at least not in my time here. They're a great team and deserve everything that they get."
You can find the full LSU Tigers press conference transcript by following this link.
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