Miles' Wednesday meeting with media

Wednesday, 05 September 2012 19:21

The majority of Les Miles’ Wednesday meeting with the media revolved around another injury to starting left tackle Chris Faulk.

The junior suffered his second injury since football began this fall - both in practice - and Miles expects him to miss some time.

Miles did not comment on how long he expects Faulk to be out of the lineup, but he did confirm that the injury is unrelated to the one he suffered in fall camp.

“We had a little bit of bad news,” Miles said. “It looks like Faulk has a bit of an injury, and we don’t know exactly how bad, but we hope to return him to the game sometime soon. Don’t know the specifics there.”

Miles presented three potential ways to fill in for the missing left tackle.

-Josh Dworaczyk could play left tackle

-La’el Collins could be moved to left tackle, opening up left guard for Dworaczyk

-Alex Hurst could be moved to left tackle, opening up right tackle for Vadal Alexander

“We’re kind of operating with the idea that we’re really moving guys around right now to give them a multiple feel to the position,” he said. “No decision is going to be made right now as how we’ll go Saturday, but we feel pretty comfortable that we’ll be good there.”

Miles mentioned the want to move Hurst out to the left side in order to feel “comfortable long term” with Alexander on the right side, but I doubt they’ll start the game that way. I’d expect Dworaczyk and Collins in some order to man the left side of LSU’s O-Line to start the ballgame, but Alexander should get in there eventually.

The coach did not say if he would rotate players during the game, but I would think he will.

Sticking on the injury front, Miles said Spencer Ware has practiced every day this week, although he said he practiced every day last week as well.

“I feel like his health is much better,” he said.

Might not matter with the way Kenny Hilliard and Alfred Blue are toting the rock.

As expected, Miles said nothing has changed with Tahj Jones’ situation. This is looking more and more like a year-long thing.

Here are a few more things Miles touched on.

“He’s a guy that really seems to understand his assignments. He seems to be a guy who understands and can take coaching. He continues to improve. Those things are kind of my view of Ronald Martin’s progress.”
-On S Ronald Martin’s progress

“Lamin not only played well in special teams but played very well at linebacker at two spots. His coaching is evident. He’s a very physical presence, and he’s making all the right angles to the ball which is really what we need from him.”
-On LB Lamin Barrow’s game Saturday

“They see us throw the ball every down, and they see it in the 7-on-7. We have some real quality quarterbacks there to give them a look in their scout passing. It’s not exactly the same, but they’ve seen some balls in the air.”
-On preparing freshmen CBs Jalen Mills and Jalen Collins for Washington’s passing attack

“He has great size. The guy has real ball skills, and it’s going to be difficult even to man him up with a small linebacker so that would be the issue. We have to play physical and make sure somebody is on him to contest the throw. I don’t know about the packages. I don’t think the packages will be any different. I think the matchups, there certainly will be some concern there that we’re addressing.”
-On guarding Washington TE Austin Seferian-Jenkins