Kelly said the team isn’t expecting less from the Boilermakers even though they will be turning to several backups.
Going into a bowl game, you would think that you have all kinds of films on the team you are playing against. That team would have played a regular season full of games and possibly a conference championship game.
That can change when there are a lot of opt-outs, though, and that could be the case against Purdue in the Citrus Bowl on Jan. 2.
Sure, you are playing the same team and the same schemes, but you will be going against guys that probably haven’t had a lot of playing time. For instance, the Boilermakers will be missing their starting quarterback in Aidan O’Connell.
LSU was in the same boat last season when the Tigers played against Kansas State in the Texas Bowl. [autotag]Brian Kelly[/autotag] was asked how he is preparing his team for the challenge.
“We’ve watched their backup quarterback. He played six to eight snaps against Florida Atlantic, so we know who he is,” stated Kelly. “They’re playing LSU. They’re going to play hard. They’re going to play for four quarters. They’re a Big Ten team. They’ve got scholarship players. We’re not really that concerned about Purdue not showing up and playing really well. I think what we’re concerned about is what we do, and how we do it. You don’t tackle a lot during these bowl games. We have some guys that are not going to be playing.
“I think our focus has been much more on what we do and how we do it, and our preparation, more so than really concerning ourselves with what Purdue’s situation is.”
LSU will look to ring in the new year on a high note as Kelly looks for a 10-win season in his first year on the Bayou.
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