Miles Presser Tidbits

Les Miles met with the media Wednesday evening to give the latest preview of LSU-Alabama.

-----Despite the ramifications of Saturday’s game against Alabama, Les Miles came out in a fun, lighthearted mood for his weekly Wednesday press conference.

Miles showed up 30 minutes late, claiming he had been “sidetracked by a pretty significant game this weekend.” He opened saying he enjoyed Wednesday’s practice, and the “kids are busting their tails.”

“Execution will certainly be a key,” Miles said. “But I like us. We’ll give them a game.”

Miles refused to acknowledge that this game represents an opportunity to exact revenge on Alabama after the BCS nightmare last season.

“I’m not motivated by that,” Miles said. “This is about how we play…This is a different team.”

-----Miles played it close to the vest in terms of discussing injuries.

“Everybody practiced, and the ones that didn’t practice, didn’t practice,” Miles said.

One of the ones that did participate was Josh Williford, who has missed the last two games recovering from a concussion. Miles said he received a significant amount of reps in practice, but wasn’t ready to label him a starter for Saturday’s game.

“He looked pretty good,” Miles said. “He took a lot of snaps. We’re going to go at it in a moderate fashion…but I think he’ll play.”

-----Saturday will serve as the biggest recruiting weekend for LSU with just about every targeted prospect coming to Baton Rouge to take in the atmosphere.

Miles commented on the significance of this game in terms of winning recruiting battles against Alabama:

“To some guys that’s a big deal,” Miles said. “We do well in Louisiana because we represent all the right things. We encourage them to get their degree. We play championship football. And if they’re quality players, they get to play as freshmen. There will always be a loyalty in this state…This game has the potential to have an environment that’s pretty special.”

-----As part of his sentence, a judge recommended that former LSU quarterback Jordan Jefferson speak to the current team about his troubles with the law.

Miles said he hadn’t signed off on that yet, but that it could serve as a positive teaching moment for his players.

“I’m not against that,” Miles said. “We’ve had a number of people speak to the kids about conducting themselves in a positive fashion…A lot of the guys on this team know [Jefferson] and expect him to be a different guy. I suspect that he will have a great message.”