|
|
 |
 |
|
| |
GAME DAY PREVIEW Game time: 2:30pm ET Arkansas at LSU | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
BATON ROUGE, La. (AP)-- Things have been buzzing around LSU this week. It's not the Tigers' season finale against Arkansas that sparked the enthusiasm, however. That's directed at the search for a new football coach, not the end of a dismal season.
LSU (2-8, 0-7 Southeastern Conference) is seeking a replacement for Gerry DiNardo, who was fired two weeks ago, and any excitement surrounding the football program is centered on that search. It could make for a sorrowful day for the 12 seniors who will make their last appearance in Tiger Stadium. Especially if Arkansas (7-3, 4-3) runs up an early lead and the LSU fans, who have booed and taunted the team during other home games recently, continue to express their displeasure over the second straight losing season. "I know fans say they've been booing the coaches, not the players," said interim coach Hal Hunter. "If they want, I'll bring the staff out 10 minutes early and they can get all their boos out. But seriously, it's a shame the team is feeling a little bit anxious about playing at home instead of looking forward to it." The game wraps up LSU football's 100th anniversary year. A loss to the Razorbacks would be only the second shutout in SEC play in that period. After the losses on the field and the rumors surrounding DiNardo during his last days, there has been a sense of relief following his firing, said LSU defensive end Jarvis Green. "Things have been more relaxed," Green said. "I think some of the pressure has been taken off now." With a week off since their loss to Houston, the players have had a chance to rest and recuperate, Hunter said, which has also improved morale. "It's been real positive lately," Hunter said. "I know we gave them the weekend off. We've been beat up physically and mentally this year and I think they needed so time off from us. I said, `All I ask is that you be back here for the meeting on Monday.' When I walked into that meeting room on Monday, we had 100 percent attendance, and that's the first time in a long time we had that good attendance. That was a real positive sign." Hunter, who is not being considered as a replacement for DiNardo, does not plan many changes in LSU's basic game. He does plan to use more players, however, including both Rohan Davey and Josh Booty at quarterback. Booty, who will start the game, has completed 158 of 327 passes for 1,787 yards in his eight starts. He has thrown seven touchdown passes and a school-record 19 interceptions for a quarterback rating of 89.67, second lowest among starters in the SEC. He needs 20 attempts to set the LSU record for a season. Davey has played sparingly since throwing two interceptions in the first half of a 41-7 loss to Auburn in Week 3. The sophomore from Miami has completed 21 of 40 passes for 267 yards. He has thrown four interceptions and just one touchdown in a little more than six quarters. "I'd like to see more players playing," Hunter said. "I think
that a player maintains focus much better when he practices and
participates in the game."
| ALSO SEE College Football Scoreboard Arkansas Clubhouse LSU Clubhouse | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||