Tag: Tiger Stadium

Five key takeaways from LSU’s spring game

Here are the takeaway’s from Brian Kelly’s first spring game in Baton Rouge

For the first time ever, Brian Kelly led LSU down victory hill.

It wasn’t a real game, but one could argue it was the first real moment of Kelly’s tenure.

It can be hard to piece together information from spring games, you still have to keep a holistic view of previous knowledge.

All of the eyes in Baton Rouge today were on the quarterbacks. LSU fans got to see Jayden Daniels and Walker Howard in Tiger Stadium for the first time.

In the case of Daniels, it seems like he has really progressed over the course of the spring as he has continued to get comfortable in Baton Rouge. He made some big-time throws, including big plays to Brian Thomas Jr and Jack Bech.

All four quarterbacks were responsible for at least one touchdown drive.

The wide receivers and defensive linemen flashed their talent today, and those two groups are expected to be the strength heading into the fall.

LSU was without star receiver Kayshon Boutte as he still works to get back after his 2021 was cut short due to injury. Garrett Dellinger and Marlon Martinez were also absent, and they are two guys that could compete for time this fall.

With all that said, here are five key takeaways from LSU’s spring game.

Arkansas and LSU back in a primetime slot

The Battle for the Golden Boot will take place at night again, with kickoff announced by the SEC on Monday for 6:30 on November 13.

The long drag of daytime kickoffs for Arkansas football is over.

Only problem is that the game is in ‘Death Valley’ as the Razorbacks were given a 6:30 p.m. time slot with LSU next Saturday.

Arkansas faced the Tigers at night two years ago the week after it fired Chad Morris, as KJ Jefferson got his first start and Jack Lindsey even threw a touchdown pass against the eventual national champions.

The Razorbacks’ last win in Tiger Stadium also came at night, a 31-14 victory over the No. 9 Bayou Bengals on ESPN.

LSU lifts COVID-19 protocols at Tiger Stadium

LSU has made the decision to lift their COVID-19 protocols

Due to the declining number of COVID-19 cases in the state of Louisiana, LSU announced today it’s lifting its COVID-19 protocols at Tiger Stadium, starting with the Oct. 16 against Florida.

Fans and attendees will still be required to wear masks in the indoor portions of the stadium, but proof of a vaccine or a negative test within 72 hours will no longer be required.

“The COVID-19 rates in Louisiana have dropped dramatically across the state over the last couple of weeks, and today, the state has a positivity rate below five percent,” said Dr. Catherine O’Neal, Chief Medical Officer at Our Lady of the Lake Hospital in Baton Rouge and a member of the SEC’s Return to Activity and Medical Guidance Task Force. “Because of this success, we are able to lift the vaccine and testing requirements for entry into Tiger Stadium. By balancing mitigation efforts and risk in the ongoing fight to end the pandemic, we can protect our community and safely celebrate the traditions that bring us together.”

Gameday testing, fast pass pre-verification, and all other entrance-related procedures will no longer be in place. Masks will no longer be required in outdoor locations of the stadium for guests under 12 years of age.

LSU Athletic Director Scott Woodward thanked the fans for stepping up and helping stop the spread of the virus.

“Their commitment to protecting our community and supporting our student-athletes has never wavered.,” Woodward said in a statement. “We remain fully committed to providing a gameday experience that is as safe and as enjoyable as possible for all guests, and we will continue to work with University leadership and rely on medical expertise to ensure we are taking reasonable and necessary precautions to protect the health of our community.”

Five takeaways from the LSU Tigers 2022 football schedule

A look at five takeaways from the LSU Tigers 2022 schedule that was released on Tuesday.

We are only three weeks into the 2021 campaign and we already know the schedule for 2022. The LSU Tigers kick it off on a Sunday next season. They will play Florida State in New Orleans on Sept. 4. In 2023 they will travel to Orlando in the opening game of that season to play the Seminoles once again.

SEC play will begin a week earlier than it did in 2021 on Sept. 17 against Mississippi State. Next season will be an interesting dynamic if the coaching staff returns intact in 2022. Year two under Jake Peetz on offense and Daronte Jones on defense, both units should really be humming by the time the season gets underway.

LSU football tweeted out the entire schedule following the announcement on SEC Network.

We breakdown five key takeaways from the 2022 LSU football schedule.

Cade York sets record at Tiger Stadium, breaks it in the second half

Cade York sets a record for the longest field goal in Tiger Stadium only to break it in the fourth quarter.

If there is one constant with this LSU Tigers football team, it has to do with one man. He wears No. 36.

Tigers kicker Cade York was one of the bright spots of the game between LSU and McNeese. While head coach Ed Orgeron still has plenty to address with the team, their kicking game isn’t one of them. The team’s punt Avery Atkins has shown the ability to boot the ball and be a solid tackler on special teams.

Then you have preseason All-American kicker Cade York, as he showed last season against the Florida Gators, he is a weapon from deep. He nailed a 57-yard field goal in the Swamp to give LSU the upset win. York showed off his kicking prowess against McNeese on Saturday night in Death Valley once again.

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Late in the second quarter, McNeese punted the ball to LSU after going three and out. The Tigers starting from their own 44-yard line. The offense only mustered up 19 yards and set up a 55-yard attempt for York. He stepped up and nailed the kick to give LSU the 17-0 lead heading into the half. That kick set a Tiger Stadium record for the longest field goal made. That record stood for all of one quarter of play.

The offense got the ball following another three and out from McNeese at midfield. This time the offense could only get 12 yards on six plays before York trotted onto the field once again. He nailed a 56-yard field goal with 14:55 left in the game, breaking his own record.

Cade York is now 12/14 from 50+ yards out in his Tigers career. If it comes down to a big-time kick for LSU, they can rest easy knowing the Texas native has plenty of leg to convert from anywhere.

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Ranking all 14 SEC football teams by home-field advantage

From Vanderbilt to LSU, the difference in home-field advantages at SEC stadium varies but some places are nothing but intimidating.

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Is there anything better as a fan than walking out of an opponent’s stadium with a win?

Yes, that is an exhilarating feeling for everyone but that is easier said than done, especially for your favorite football team, depending on which SEC stadium you are visiting.

Leaving Vanderbilt Stadium with a win? Expected. Jordan-Hare Stadium or Tiger Stadium in Baton Rouge? Not as much.

So how do the 14 stadiums rank when it comes to giving their teams a pure home-field advantage? Here are my rankings. I’m sure everyone will agree.

Analyst names Tiger Stadium as best atmosphere in college football

There’s truly no place like Death Valley.

Tiger Stadium has a reputation in the best way — unless, of course, you’re a visiting opponent.

Nicknamed “Death Valley” the stadium is one of the most talked-about venues in all of college football.

Several other places like Penn State, Ohio State, Oregon and Alabama have also received attention for their atmospheres. But when 247Sports made its selections, Tiger Stadium was No. 1.

Here’s a look at what the network’s Billy Embody had to say about it.

“I’m an outsider, so to speak. Didn’t grow up in Louisiana, but was an SEC diehard growing up and Saturday Night in Death Valley was always at the top to go to. I moved down to start covering LSU in 2016, Les Miles’ final few games, Ed Orgeron’s interim year. My first game I got to see live was LSU vs. Mississippi State. I opted to shoot pictures for some of that game. Nick Fitzgerald and the Bulldogs were backed up to their own 1-yard line in the endzone I shot from. I’ve never heard anything that deafening before that snap. There’s been moments since then that topped it, of course, which says a lot. Whether it’s Callin’ Baton Rouge pregame, when LSU takes the field, or “Neck” on occasion, it’s all a part of what makes LSU as good as it gets as far as an atmosphere.”

Tiger Stadium seemed a bit quieter this year with restrictions in place due to COVID-19, but will be packed to its capacity of over 102,000 this fall.

Report: Saints won’t visit Tiger Stadium until at least Week 11

Logistical conflicts will postpone the New Orleans Saints from hosting home games at LSU’s Tiger Stadium during the COVID-19 pandemic.

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If the New Orleans Saints are going to begin playing home games up the road at LSU’s Tiger Stadium, they won’t start until Week 11. The Athletic’s Jeff Duncan reports that the Saints will remain at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome for Week 7’s game against the Carolina Panthers on Oct. 25 after discussions between the Saints and LSU identified too many logistical issues in moving now.

The Saints are scheduled to play Carolina the day after a night game at Tiger Stadium between LSU and South Carolina, which is also the case for the next Saints home game (Week 10’s matchup with the San Francisco 49ers follows an LSU night game against Alabama). That’s too quick of a turnaround to clean and sanitize the stadium — and repair any wear and tear to the field — before another game could be played there, making Nov. 22’s Saints home game versus the Atlanta Falcons the soonest possible relocation.

This all follows a gambit by the Saints to try and force New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell’s hand in giving them the green light to fill the Superdome stands at up to 25% capacity. While 15 of the NFL’s 32 teams have received that permission from state and local authorities amid the COVID-19 pandemic that is steadily marching towards claiming 250,000 American lives, none of the league’s venues with a fixed roof have been given clearance. Cantrell refused to become the first local government to break that trend, so the Saints opened a dialogue with LSU leadership to possibly play home games out of town so fans could gather and watch.

Games have been played in front of spectators at the Dallas Cowboys’ AT&T Stadium and the Houston Texans’ NRG Stadium, as well as Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis and Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, but each of those venues features a retractable roof that’s been opened for their games. The Saints have publicly argued that they should be allowed to host fans because those indoor venues did so, but it’s a bunk argument because the Superdome does not have an open-air option.

So for now the Saints will have to work in New Orleans just like every other business, working within the constraints put on them by the mayor’s office in the interest of public health. Maybe the situation will be different in a few months, but without a viable, widely-available vaccine or a stark shift in stance from Cantrell it doesn’t appear Saints fans will be cheering their team’s offense and booing its defense in large numbers any time soon.

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Alvin Kamara goes to Tyrann Mathieu for tips on playing at Tiger Stadium

New Orleans Saints RB Alvin Kamara knows he could be playing home games at Tiger Stadium, so he went to LSU product Tyrann Mathieu for tips.

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It’s still a developing situation, but the New Orleans Saints could take their show on the road. They haven’t received clearance from New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell to fill the Mercedes-Benz Superdome to partial capacity during the COVID-19 public health crisis, so the Saints are looking into hosting their five remaining home games at LSU’s Tiger Stadium.

That’s a thought that excites Saints coach Sean Payton. And it’s made superstar Saints running back Alvin Kamara curious. He never played against LSU or visited Tiger Stadium in his two years with the Tennessee Volunteers, so he asked a friend who would know about what to expect from playing on that venue’s grass: Kansas City Chiefs safety and former Tigers standout Tyrann Mathieu.

There’s a big difference between running on the artificial turf at the Superdome versus natural grass, and it’s something Kamara wisely wants to prepare for. He’ll have to wear different cleats and put different punishment on his feet, as will everyone else. So it’s good to know he has a trusted source.

Tiger Stadium is paved with “Celebration Bermuda Grass,” a unique strain among its peers. While Kamara has played on similar Bermuda variants in road games with the Carolina Panthers, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Jacksonville Jaguars, Tennessee Titans, and Chicago Bears, no NFL stadium uses this specific grass. In fact, the only other college programs to carpet their football fields with it are North Texas and South Florida.

Payton has been mindful of different playing surfaces in the past; back in 2017, he offered to foot the bill for free pedicures after getting his players to wear longer studs in a game with the Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field. Wherever the Saints play their next game (they’ll exit the Week 6 bye with a home matchup against the Carolina Panthers lined up), they’ll take steps to prepare accordingly.

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Sean Payton says Saints home games at LSU’s Tiger Stadium ‘would be exciting’

New Orleans Saints coach Sean Payton is in favor of moving home games from the Superdome to LSU’s Tiger Stadium amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

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Count New Orleans Saints coach Sean Payton as being in favor of moving home games to LSU’s Tiger Stadium during this odd, COVID-19-impacted NFL season.

The Saints are in the process of negotiating with LSU about a temporary move out of the Mercedes-Benz Superdome; New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell has not approved them to host the Superdome at partial capacity on game days due to the public health crisis.

That’s not unusual. Less than half of the NFL has been granted that opportunity, and none of those teams play in a dome. The Saints have found enough evidence and made enough plans to think they can host a crowd of thousands safely, and they’re willing to take their show on the road if the mayor’s office won’t give them a green light to proceed in New Orleans.

And Payton is on board with that contingency plan. He spoke about the possibility in a Wednesday conference call, saying: “If it was playing (home games) in the Dome with no fans or up there with 25,000 of our fans, then every one of us would make the second choice.”

“We would embrace it,” he added, noting that it “would be exciting” to play at Tiger Stadium’s open-air arena. Other challenges on his mind are the logistics of driving an hour-plus up to Baton Rouge, La., and playing on a grass field rather than the Superdome turf.

We’ll see what happens. Talks with LSU could fall apart, or the NFL could nix them (the league has been notified of meetings thus far). The mayor’s office could relent. Whatever the case, the Saints are clearly eager to play in front of a live audience again, despite the risks surrounding COVID-19.

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