LSU Week: Aggies welcome the Tigers

Kevin Sumlin

On what makes LSU's defense so good...

Sumlin: "They're big and they're fast. Talented and well-coached. John Chavis does a great job with them. They have great talent on the edge, Montgomery and Wingo. Eric Reid is a safety coming off the perimeter who can tackle in space. Craig Loston. They've just got a lot of great players. Well-coached, great scheme. That's what makes them good.

"You have to be able to disguise. And they do that well. They play man, they play zone. They get five or six guys involved (in the pass rush) if they have to. They're well-coached, they have good size and as Coach (Les) Miles said the other day, they feel like they're probably one of the faster defenses in the league. They've got good team speed. It'll be a challenge for us."

On comparing LSU's D to Florida's...

Sumlin: "You're in the SEC now. There are a lot of big, fast guys in this league. You talk about really good defense, just watching them on video, they're very talented. Just like a lot of the teams we're getting ready to play this year, and Florida."

On how many steps Johnny Manziel's taken since the Florida game...

Sumlin: "...You mean exactly? I don't know. (Laughter.) His progression has been steady. The things that we really could not get done in the first game, we've made some strides. He's been in the pocket and gone through progressions over the last couple weeks. He's demonstrated the ability to get the ball down the field vertically now. And that's not just the quarterback. You've got a redshirt freshman throwing to a redshirt freshman (Mike Evans). They both have to understand coverages to be on the same page. There's been progresson.

"At the same time, we haven't been facing the defenses that we've been watching during the week. The quarterback's scrambling ability and the sets we're using, getting running backs and tight ends and everybody involved, that can be confusing to an offensive line. From a communication standpoint, to look at and identify different fronts, completely different from what we've practiced all week ... the running back and quarterback have to know what's going on from a protection point of view."

On the Heisman hype...

Sumlin: "That's just something you let play out. It's been my experience that as things go on, those things take care of themselves. You guys are the ones that get all that done. I'm a big believer that your performance speaks for you. As that goes on, that's how it works. He's got enough on his plate right now getting ready to play one of the better defenses in the country on Saturday.

"I'll say this too, it's interesting talking with our players. This game, our fans are excited. We haven't played LSU in a while and certainly not at Kyle Field. That's been the summer talk for our fans, and that's great. But our team has put ourselves in the position where it's a meaningful game in the West Division. It'll be at a fever pitch at 11 o'clock."

On approaching road games...

Sumlin: "You guys asked me that a couple weeks ago, 'Are you going to change your approach?' Why would we do that? We get in a routine and we don't make a big deal of it. It's part of it and ... I don't know, we have a routine we go through and we've utilized over the last two or three years and, because of that, our guys are comfortable with it. It isn't much different from what we do at home. Every football field is 100 yards.

"We don't go to the opposing stadium on Friday. We just do all our stuff here, go to the hotel, get up in the morning and play. Of course, we didn't get out early enough this time. I thought my watch was broken during the press conference after the game (against La Tech), I didn't realize how late it was."

On the O-line...

Sumlin: "The line is the most experienced part of our team, by far, with five guys that have played and been in big games and been against great competition. They've continued to improve. We continue to practice during the season, getting in a lot of ones-vs.-ones work, our #1 offensive line against our #1 defensive line at particular points in practice. They're making our defensive ends better and our defensive ends are making them better.

"Julien (Obioha) is getting better and Damontre (Moore) is there. They're making each other better. That's been my experience, that as the talent grows, guys compete against each other and make each other better. They get to compete against Damontre, he'll go on both sides and it's helped both tackles."

On the recruiting importance of the game...

Sumlin: "It's important for both teams. LSU's over here a lot too. Moving to the SEC helps extend our footprint east. Because of the proximity to Louisiana, there's going to be guys that both teams are extremely interested in. Because we're in the same league, we might have the opportunity for more visits and to get guys on campus for a chance to look at our game day atmosphere and our university. A game like this becomes great exposure for our university nationally, but in recruiting it's important just because of the proximity of the two schools."

On whether the team's getting into a winning habit...

Sumlin: "I hope so. I don't want to be in a losing habit. Every week's different. How you feel about a game and how you approach what you're doing is important. Our guys are starting to understand that approach to the game. It doesn't start late in the week, it starts early in the week. The preparation, physical, mental and emotional, you've got to have all three. In games that are close, you're going to get tested in all three of those areas.

"On Saturday we played 17 guys on defense and Ivan Robinson played one snap. So we had 16 guys that played. It was partially due to injuries and suspensions. To get back suspended guys, Deshazor (Everett) coming back ... that tested us physically, because we had six or seven guys play over 100 snaps apiece. When that happens, you get out of position. Those guys never came out. We get our guys back this week and we'll have more firepower. We'll be alright.

"For us to come through that game playing 21 guys on offense and 17 on defense, in a four-hour game, to get out of there with a win, get back here, try to get some guys healthy and be back at home ... that's why I said after the game, we couldn't get back here early enough."

On LSU's power run game...

Sumlin: "We're going to have to be pretty good on defense. They're going to line up and, just like they did South Carolina, they got in 21 or 22 personnel and pounded at them. They have those running backs and then there's a freshman, 235 pounds. Where's he been? That's a strength of theirs and they play to it.

"You've got to stop the run, and when you get down in there, (WR) Odell Beckham is pretty good. He's fast and talented enough to get over the top on you. They're a fast and talented team with good skill positions and that'll be our challenge, like Florida, to match their physicality for 60 minutes. Not for 30 minutes or 45, but for 60. That's the type of football they play."

On Steven Jenkins and Howard Matthews...

Sumlin: "I think they responded well. Steven did a great job talking with Donnie Baggs during the week and Howard went over and played scout team receiver and quarterback and running back and did a bunch of different things to try to help the preparation and give us more speed over there to try and simulate (Louisiana Tech)'s no-huddle offense. Those guys understood their role. Just talking to them yesterday, they're ready to go again."

On Steven Campbell's headaches...

Sumlin: "I met with Steven last week and, after talking with the doctors and his feelings, Steven is ... he's not going to play anymore. After the concussions, he said, 'I just don't feel like myself anymore.' He's going to go to school."

On seeing players like LeKendrick Williams and Derel Walker impact the game...

Sumlin: "It's a big deal. Everybody's concerned with the growth of Johnny, and that's important, but there's 10 other guys on the field. (Ryan) Swope was out and Mike Evans was running around and having some issues, LeKendrick's got to help us. Derel has really come on and done some special teams things for us. Those guys are going to have to come on.

"On every team, during two-a-days, you look up and there's people you've never thought about that are going to be critical parts of your football team going down the stretch. You might not even know their name during camp. It's been that way forever. Everybody thinks they know what's going to happen, but sure enough, around Game 6, 7, 8 ... that's why those guys have to stay involved in practice. You never know when your name's going to get called. I'm really happy for Derel.

"That's the advantage of guys being on special teams during the year and traveling, because they prepare differently than a guy on scout team who you all of a sudden need. He hasn't felt the game speed, sense of urgency or pressure to perform. Those guys have been out there. LeKendrick was getting some things done a couple weeks ago and we got him in there. They're not coming in cold, is what I'm getting at. To perform for us offensively in a situation like that, that tells you we're developing some depth.

On Swope...

Sumlin: "(Shrug.) We'll see today. It's always a concern. We're going to err on the side of safety. That was the deal. We took our time with Steven and sat down with doctors and that stuff. We take that very seriously. We'll see, it's a day-to-day deal."

On Deshazor's position without Campbell...

Sumlin: "It'll be the same as it was until last week. We're going to mix and match and guys will play a lot of positions."

On the penalties...

Sumlin: "It was awful. And that's something we've addressed from the beginning and put an emphasis on. It's something we've got to get better (at) and eliminate. Personal fouls are inexcusable. Things that are going on are inexcusable in some ways, very selfish. Some of the other things are going to happen during the course of a football game. But that is something we are addressing in practice, have addressed in practice with officials being there and dealing with things.

"Ultimately, you have to be responsible for your actions as a player, to your teammates. Penalties extend drives for the opposing team and reduce opportunities for us offensively. We could've put the game away a couple times without going backwards offensively or giving them 15 yards. It's something we've stressed and it was very disappointing the other night."

On the importance of the game...

Sumlin: "I don't consider any game a benchmark game. They're all important. The more you win, the more important it is. Is it important? Yes. But it's important because ... the next game is an SEC game, an SEC West game. From our standpoint, a preparation standpoint, to a certain extent we went into the Florida game blind as a staff. Having played three SEC games and understanding more about the speed and what's going on, our guys know what's going to happen.

"All that being said, this is a different football team. They're going to make you play physical for 60 minutes. We'll have a lot better feel for where we are as a football team around 2:30 Saturday."

Kliff Kingsbury

On Johnny Manziel's progress since the Florida game...

Kingsbury: "Just getting through his reads, getting through his progressions, having a plan when the ball's snapped and not just snapping it and figuring out what to do. He's made strides, still got a long way to go, but he's made strides and that's good if we can keep the progress going."

On handling the pressure...

Kingsbury: "I think he'll be fine. It remains to be seen. It's a learning process for us all in these days with social media, it's an added dimension. He's a confident kid, but not cocky. He just loves to play football. I'm sure he'll remain the same."

On his initial impressions of Manziel...

Kingsbury: "Just confident. In the offense on day one and he's like, 'I got you, Coach.' He believes in his ability, teammates love him, and every time he's out there he's going to do whatever it takes to win the game."

On defensive looks against the Aggies...

Kingsbury: "It's all been different looks. This last week was the most extreme, La Tech had been base defense all season and then came out and pressured on 80 percent of the plays. Credit to Johnny and the coaches making adjustments and really coming up with a plan in the second half.

"(LSU) just has such great athletes and great players that they can pretty much do whatever they want and it's going to be a challenge. They'll change it up, but they can definitely get a rush with four guys if they want to. Everything (is a strength). They're top-10 in every category. One thing that jumps out is effort. It's one thing to have that talent and ability, but to see 11 guys fly to the ball ... I have the utmost respect for this team and this program. When you turn on the film you see a hard-playing, hard-nosed program and that goes a long way."

On the offensive line...

Kingsbury: "It's been fantastic, and (Johnny's) a tricky guy to protect because of the way he moves around. They're moving their feet and getting blocks and continuing to block with him running around back there. The adjustment they've made has been really positive."

On the young receivers...

Kingsbury: "They're getting better each week. Mike's a guy who we knew in spring had a lot of ability and just needed to keep working at it, and he has. (Thomas Johnson), true freshman, still learning our system, but he's out there making plays."

Mark Snyder

On De'Vante Harris being tested against Louisiana Tech...

Snyder: "He was on-and-off. He and Dustin Harris did better than Otis (Jacobs) did. He's going to get that every week. He's a freshman. He's got to be prepared for that. I thought that wide receiver was a really good receiver. We showed him five or six examples of him covering that guy and said, 'De'Vante, you're a freshman, you're playing one of the better receivers in the country right now, and you're proving to me that we can do it. Now it's about becoming more consistent.'"

Snyder: "Well, we've needed them. And I'm glad they're here."

On Deshazor Everett playing more safety without Steven Campbell...

Snyder: "That's what we've been doing, we've been rolling with this thing for a few weeks now. Deshazor's been getting some cross-training. The good thing about him is he's versatile and he can do both."

On winning without several players...

Snyder: "That was the goal, get out of there with a win. And we did. It wasn't pretty, especially on our side of the ball, but we got out with a win and the kids are done with their suspensions. I'm really excited about this game and I think our kids are too."

On going from Louisiana Tech's offense to LSU's...

Snyder: "We've talked about this, you have to be versatile enough. If you want to be good, you've got to face all different kinds of offenses. They're very Florida-like and they have the ability to take your heart and soul running the ball. You saw that against South Carolina. We're going to have to do our best, build a wall and stop the running game. They have four backs and they come at you all the time. They will put their hat on you. There will be no room for finesse corners this week."

On missed tackles...

Snyder: "Too many. We've got to keep practicing it. We've got to get our head up. Quit lunging. Those kind of things."

On penalties...

Snyder: "It's the stupid penalties. Some of the aggressive penalties, PIs, they're going to happen. The late hits and that kind of stuff, we'll let Coach Sumlin handle that stuff. It's got to stop. Period."

On Damontre Moore...

Snyder: "He played his heart out. Him, Spencer (Nealy), Sean Porter ... they were hurt. They were hurt, guys. Banged up. Kept playing for 100-something plays. That's the will, the want-to and the fight in these kids right now. I felt bad standing there on the sideline, because there was nothing else we could do for them. We had to play. So it was good to get through that."

Snyder: "We're getting experience. We got a looooot of reps out of that ballgame."

On stacking the box against LSU...

Snyder: "Mike Richardson is going to be a big part of it this week. Young Mike Richardson's going to get his chance. Big, powerful guy, another rookie that we're going to play in there. We're going to start developing him, because we're going to need him against these teams."

On Donnie Baggs...

Snyder: "I think Donnie's a little better coming off the bench. His eyes were a little big at times. He's another one that got banged up. He was hurting, but there's nothing else we could do. He had to play."

On whether the SEC has receivers as good as Quinton Patton...

Snyder: "Each team has one, but he's really good guys. We made him look a little better than he might be in real life, but I think he's a first-round draft pick. I really do."

On whether playing at 11 a.m. matters...

Snyder: "Doesn't matter to me. Let's go play. Let's go play. I think our kids are excited to play."

On whether the corners improved with giving cushions...

Snyder: "I thought we pressed a little bit more and it hurt us. That's what I saw. The three touches that went in the end zone were pressed. We weren't off. We didn't do it very well, to be honest with you. Our press technique needs to get better. It's a matter of confidence, more than anything."

Patrick Lewis

On playing LSU...

Lewis: "Everybody back home is excited for me to get this chance to play LSU. I'm real excited for this game. A few straight years, some guys from my high school, East St. John, went there. I'm guessing since I'm on the opposite side, (his Louisiana friends) will be rooting for me, wanting us to win. But other than that, they'd probably be going for LSU"

On the difference between Big 12 and LSU/Bama D-lines...

Lewis: "I really don't think there's much difference. All defensive linemen that get recruited are big, strong, fast. There's really not much difference. Sometimes they're a little faster, and the physicality (SEC lines) have is unbelievable. You just have to stick to what your guns and what the coaches teach you."

On growing up an LSU fan...

Lewis: "I was a real big LSU fan. I used to go to the camp every year. My dad, my mom, were somewhat LSU fans, they didn't really care much, but I was a big fan because growing up I really didn't know any other team but LSU. My first experience I really had (with them) was going to their camp in high school. I was real excited. They didn't recruit me. It does give me a lot of motivation.

"I didn't have a bunch of BCS offers coming out of high school and A&M gave me a chance. Things are rolling now and I'm happy to be here. Since I've been here, my motive has been to prove I could play BCS football. Texas A&M took a chance with me and I'm glad to be here. I think I proved (people) wrong."

On Les Miles' offseason comments...

Lewis: "We're playing to prove people wrong. Our offseason was about working hard to prove people wrong. We didn't come to the SEC to be a doormat, we came to compete and compete for championships. We've been competing our whole lives and that's what it's about."

On sticking to fundamentals with a QB who doesn't follow a script...

Lewis: "Sometimes it gets a little hard, but you have to remember to do what the coaches tell you. With Johnny at quarterback it's imperative that you play until the whistle, because even when things go wrong he seems to make something happen. We just have to play to the whistle and do what the coaches tell us to do."

On Manziel's personality...

Lewis: "He's cool. If you walked into a room you might not even know he's there. He's kind of quiet, stays to himself. He's cool and collected.

"As the weeks go, he's getting better as a football player and he's helping this offense get better every week."

On the penalties and turnovers...

Lewis: "We realize that you can't do that week in and week out and expect to win. There's a lot of consequences being put out there in practice. We have to come out this week and be a smarter football team to come out with a win."

On the personal fouls...

Lewis: "Over the course of the game, there was some frustration. Coach Sumlin singled it out as being selfish. As a team, we owned up to those and apologized. We can't be selfish football players and expect to win. Those 15 yards can really hurt us. We're just planning on fixing that, playing hard, not being selfish and doing what's best for the team."

On seeing the freshmen contribute as a senior...

Lewis: "It's been amazing to see how they've handled that situation. It's hard to play as a freshman, especially us being in the SEC. They've done a real good job and shown a level of maturity that not a lot of freshmen get a chance to show."

On the 11 a.m. kick...

Lewis: "I don't think it's going to matter. Kyle Field will be rocking and as crazy as it always is and we'll be ready to go."

Jonathan Stewart

On his approach to this game...

Stewart: "We're going to approach it the same as any game. It won't be 100-something snaps like it was last week. As a linebacker, we love this type of game."

On why teams miss tackles...

Stewart: "Guys' legs might get tired. Other guys we play against are also on scholarship. Missed tackles are a part of football, (but) good defenses miss less tackles than other teams. You've got to be able to make one-on-one tackles (in space)."

On both sides of the ball picking each other up...

Stewart: "We're trying to have all three phases of the football game go together, offense, defense and special teams. When we do that, we're pretty tough to beat. That's our goal against LSU, they're a very good team. We're going to have to come out and play well on all three phases to win this game.

"It's good knowing that we don't necessarily have to play a perfect game. We always go out anticipating playing a perfect game, but there's a little more leeway when your offense is explosive."

On growing up an LSU fan...

Stewart: "Most of my friends were big LSU fans, went to all the games. Me personally, I was never just a huge LSU fan. I knew I wanted to go out of state and experience new things in life. I'm sure (Patrick Lewis) will be real excited. A lot of his friends play on LSU's team, more than me. I'm sure he's real excited and I'm sure it'll be a heck of a game this weekend."

On whether there's more energy on campus this week...

Stewart: "There's a lot of excitement. You can even hear it in here. There's excitement. You know Kyle Field's going to be crazy, it's going to be a great atmosphere, it'll be Maroon Out ... but as a team, we have to make sure we can win this game by doing what we need to do so we can be successful on the field."

On whether he circled this game...

Stewart: "You see it and you see the excitement, but as a senior you don't want to pinpoint one game and miss all the opportunities you have. It doesn't matter if you're playing LSU or South Carolina or Alabama."

On a revenge factor after the 2011 Cotton Bowl...

Stewart: "Maybe for the upperclassmen who were on the team at that point, but no because we're such a different team. New offense, defense, special teams, everything. We can't look back on that, because they're a different team too. New quarterback, they lost a lot of guys. There's not a huge revenge factor."

Steven Terrell

On playing a downhill rushing attack...

Terrell: "Yeah, this week will be a bit different. Any time you play a team that likes to run the ball, it's important for safeties and DBs to play in the run game. We'll have to get in the box a little more and help these linebackers."

On playing less snaps with LSU's offense...

Terrell: "LSU can pick up their tempo at some times too, so we just have to be ready for anything. I wouldn't be surprised if they tried to pick up their tempo too. But I don't think we'll (see) 115 snaps again. I played all of them last game and special teams, so overall around 120. A couple times we've had some games with over 100 snaps, but it's one of those things you don't see often."

On getting Howard Matthews back...

Terrell: "It'll be huge. We were thin last week without Howard and Deshazor (Everett), so to get them back will be a big boost. It'll be a big help."

On going back on the road after this home game...

Terrell: "The season is a marathon. We're taking it one game at a time. It'll be great to be back home and we're not really worried about the game after. Focusing on the game in front of us is what's been getting us through the season so far without that bye week."

On his thoughts on Les Miles' offseason comments...

Terrell: "I don't pay attention to what he says or things like that. We're focused on what we've got to do. We know it's going to be a physical game and we'll be ready."

On the coaches' message after the 19 penalties...

Terrell: "That's unacceptable. When it's addressed every week, it's unacceptable. We address it every week, it just has to show up on the field. The same thing with tackling. The stuff we practice all week has to show up on the field on Saturday."

On how LSU's offense changes the way DBs have to play...

Terrell: "It'll be totally different. There won't be four-WR splits and trips and things. They'll have two-backs sets and tight ends. We'll be in closer. We'll almost have to be in the box. And the corners on the edge will be by themselves a lot, so we expect a lot of quick passes out there. It'll be a different game, pretty much."

On what causes tackling problems...

Terrell: "It's just a lack of focus. It's just technique. A lot of guys haven't been wrapping up, if you watch college football everywhere. It's a technique thing and you've got to go back to the basics, put your face in him, wrap up. We do tackling drills. We don't go live against the offense, but we do drills and practice."

On playing LSU at home...

Terrell: "Any time you play an SEC game at home, you'll have it circled in your mind. Any opportunity on Kyle Field is one I've circled. You've got to bring it all. The atmosphere will be crazy. It's a very important game ... every game from here on will be important. It will be exciting."

On the 11 a.m. start...

Terrell: "If they say 2 a.m., it doesn't matter. We played to what, 1 a.m. last week? It just doesn't matter.

"We're going to start early. Wake up about 7 a.m. Saturday. It's really not that bad, because we wake up around that time during the week to lift. It won't be a big change for us."

On improving toughness this week...

Terrell: "We've got a lot to pick up on defense. Games like these, physical games, will test your toughness and your ability to be physical. That's all our focus is on this week. We don't think about what other people think, we just focus on us and what we have to do. We know what we have to do."

On the similarities between LSU and Florida...

Terrell: "It will be a similar type of game. They just try to overpower you. Even in the Florida game, it was a thing of tackling. We missed a lot of tackles in the Florida game. If we focus on tackling like we're going to and our linebackers are running and safeties are getting into the box ... if we play our assignments and everybody does their job, we'll be alright."