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The last time LSU head coach Les Miles prepared for Kentucky, he did so with a big No. 1 accompanying his team on the box score.
Thanks to LSU’s three wins by double digits against ranked teams away from home, the Tigers have re-ascended to the No. 1 spot in the AP poll for this year’s matchup against the Wildcats.
But those who don’t study the past are doomed to repeat it, and it didn’t take a reminder for Miles to remember the letdown his Tigers suffered the last time they played the Blue and White following an emotional win over Florida in 2007.
“I can remember a game in Tiger Stadium, everybody was saying had we finished in front of Florida (Miles lingo for winning the game) we’d be No. 1, and we were,” the coach said. “Then there was a Kentucky game that came right behind that game on the road, and it certainly humbled a very, very talented team. So we’ll recognize that a talented team being named No. 1 didn’t necessarily fare very well the next week.”
The Tigers fell to Kentuicky 43-37 in triple-overtime on that day, and even though LSU still found a way to sneak into the national title game in 2007, the coach knows a similar result would derail LSU’s hopes of reaching “a game out there that we’d like to qualify for” in 2011.
“I know we haven’t arrived,” Miles said. “Our team understands that we’re imperfect in a number of ways, but we’re going to enjoy preparing with the idea that maybe we can get [to the BCS Championship Game], and the best way to do that is to prepare this week for Kentucky.”
The coach added that his team takes the No 1 ranking as a compliment to the program and the current team, and his squad is flying high following a 26-point victory over West Virginia in Morgantown.
Even though the road has been kind to the Tigers, LSU can look forward to an October stretch where it won’t rack up as many frequent flier miles with three of the month’s four games taking pace at home in Death Valley.
“Our football team is looking very much forward to getting home,” Miles said.
Kentucky may have noticed that West Virginia quarterback Geno Smith discovered the only chink in LSU’s armor to date by throwing for a whopping 463 yards and two touchdowns. The Tigers missed several assignments and tackles, which allowed the Mountaineers to accumulate plenty of yards after the catch.
“I think any time a guy makes a mistake, a bust, it’s a red flag,” Miles said. “It’s something that needs to be addressed and corrected and certainly that’s something that we need to do… I think that they’re correctable.”
West Virginia was also the first game this season that the Tigers failed to record a sack, and Miles attributed LSU’s lack of pass rush to the speed in which Smith got rid of the football.
“We played coverage, and when we did that, we didn’t rush as many guys,” Miles said. “He was getting it out of his hand quickly, but now some of those throws ended up being tipped passes and picked.”
The Tigers intercepted Smith twice, and LSU added a pair of fumble recoveries as well to win the turnover battle 4-0 in Morgantown.
On the injury front, four Tigers left the West Virginia game with injuries. Among that group, Miles characterized Alex Hurst, Craig Loston and Michael Brockers as likely to return to practice by the end of the week and suit up against Kentucky. Miles said T-Bob Hebert is day-to-day after spraining his MCL, and it seems less likely the guard will be able to give it a go Saturday.
It was interesting that true freshman defensive end Jermauria Rasco saw some playing time toward the end of the West Virginia game, meaning the Evangel product is no longer a redshirt candidate.
“We think he’s one of those guys that is physically advanced and very capable, and we want to watch him grow and play this year,” Miles said. “We think that there is a lot of football ahead of this team, and certainly Jermauria Rasco, and we’re looking forward to seeing him develop this year.”
On the other line, true freshman La’el Collins won’t redshirt either. The lineman hasn’t played since the second half of the Northwestern State game even though injuries have plagued the tackle and guard positions, but Collins may see more opportunities in the future, according to Miles.
“We’re still looking at La’el as a guy who might well play a lot of football in this season,” Miles said.
Kickoff against Kentucky is set for 11:21 a.m. Saturday, and the came will be televised by SEC Network.
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