Miles briefs media Monday; Dorsey update

With an open date this weekend, LSU coach Les Miles used Monday to conduct a briefing with the media following the 30-24 win over Auburn on Saturday. The following is a transcript from Miles’ briefing on Monday:

On the block that DT Glenn Dorsey was injured on…

 “I reviewed the film and watched the play. Before I wanted to react, I wanted to see if that had happened a lot in the game, and it had not. I don’t think there is any question that it was a penalty and not an ethical block. It’s important that the officials do a great job in protecting our players, particularly the quarterback and the defensive linemen. I talked to (SEC) Commissioner (Mike) Slive today. He said that it should have been called and that it was wrong. I talked to (Auburn head coach) Tommy Tuberville today and he assured me that the players that were responsible were sick over it. It may have been an intentional block by two players, but it was not thought out together and certainly not coached. He said after their team meeting on Sunday that the players felt terrible about what had happened.”

“It is important that everybody understands that kind of thing is immoral. It is something that should not be tolerated. I remember when I was an offensive lineman in the 70s’, it was coached routinely. It was shortly there after that that was changed. The description for why it was changed was very evident. It has been years since that has had a place in football. I think coach Tuberville sees it that way and it appears the league sees it that way. It appears we are all on the same page.”

“Glenn has some injury, but I don’t know to what extent. Hopefully we can get him back soon. We are optimistic that it is a minimal injury.”

On if he thought one Auburn offensive lineman was ‘posting’ Dorsey on the play…

“I think one guy was uncovered and was looking for some place to help. I can’t tell you what is going on inside the helmets of those players. There isn’t any way I can tell you that. But having been on the offensive line before, you aren’t necessarily at a disposition to see when somebody is being posted.  There was just an offensive guard that comes clean and looks left and sees an imposing figure and maybe he doesn’t want to take this man on high so he goes for the chop or cut. The cut, in itself, is a legal block. It does not focus on the post issue. I can’t tell you that they were innocent and I can’t tell you that they had prearranged it and orchestrated it. I can tell you that their coach (Tommy Tuberville) is coaching against it and understands the rule. He expressed to me how unfortunate it was and how both participants were sorry that it happened, however it happened.”

On the health status of the team…

“It was a very hard hitting. There are a bunch of bumps and bruises right now. With eight straight weeks of playing football games, the bye week hits us pretty well. We need some time rehabilitate and get healthy. It is not inconceivable that we may be out with two or three guys for Alabama.”

On if he will try and get away from football a little bit during the bye week…

“I would get away from football but my wife, daughter and two sons watch it non stop. I come home and they say ‘Dad the replay of the LSU game is on.’ I say ‘I love you but I just finished watching that on film and I know exactly how it is supposed to look.’ So there is no getting away from it and there isn’t a desire to get away from it.”

On if the players feel they have a lot of luck on their side…

“I don’t want to encourage that thought process. I want to take care of business long before the last play of the game or on a fourth down. I don’t want them to focus on that aspect. I think there is a piece with any championship team that says ‘when it is time to make a play and the game is on the line, we will have a number of guys who step up and make those plays.’ We don’t rely on faith or destiny. Those things are made. They are not looked to or hoped for.”

On what WR Early Doucet brings to the team…

 “The confidence Matt (Flynn) has when reading a route or reading the secondary brings him to Early Doucet. That is an enjoyable event for him. It also helps the young receivers, when Early Doucet is in, to play better and play with confidence.”

On if he thought QB Matt Flynn and WR Early Doucet had picked up where they left off…

“We run the same offense. It is not like Matt hasn’t been practicing it. When Early came back, he fell right in the same practice mode and was equipped to do the same things. I didn’t anticipate there to be fall off, unless somebody didn’t execute. Unless somebody is not in a position he is suppose to be.”

On the play of DE Tremaine Johnson…

“He did really well. He played like he stepped in and played like he is suppose to. He played with emotion. Drake Nevis stepped in the game and made some plays at nose tackle. It is nice to see guys stepping up. When Glenn Dorsey leaves the game, it is certainly a point in time where the defense could have said ‘Well, one of our best players is gone.’ Instead, they kept playing well.”

On the condition of Derry Beckwith…

“He was pretty sore today. His shoulder is a little sore, but it depends on how it comes out. If it comes out the wrong way, it can be a real dicey issue.”

On if he is turning away from the running back-by-committee game plan…

“I think we used running-back-by-committee in the last game. We threw the ball out to Keiland Williams for a nice big gain. Richard Murphy had some carries late in the game and had an unbelievable run for a first down. That was a huge run. Charles Scott pounded the ball in there. Hester does the things we ask him to do. We didn’t use No. 8 (Trindon Holliday) as much as we normally do. We would have liked to have gotten him some more touches.”

On using different running backs for the same play…

It is nice to be able to call a curve ball at times. You can put a guy in at times who is a little more shifty and quicker.” 

On if any players have expressed to him directly how they appreciate the confidence he has in his players…

“No, but I don’t get in those conversations often. They would have to corner me to be able to tell me that. It is not something I look to talk about. I have confidence in them and hopefully they have the same in me. This team would go for it every fourth down if they had the chance. I enjoy that style.”

On the last play of the Auburn game…

“I would have made the exact same call if I had the chance again. In the specifics that we have a quarterback who understands that we need to conserve the time on the clock. I felt really comfortable that the call was given enough time to place if it was incomplete. If he brings the ball down and runs, then I have a timeout in my pocket I am ready to use. If we get to the next down, I like Colt David.”

“I had a mentor of mine call me to talk about that call. He said ‘that corner, I coached secondary for years, that corner was ready for a position play. He was ready for us to go for a few more yards.’ He still had it covered pretty well. We felt like there was nothing they could do to stop Byrd on the other end.”

On the Alabama game…

“This game is not about anything other then two storied traditions. Anybody in football knows about their tradition. I can’t explain how impressed we were last time we played at Tuscaloosa. The people there are as proud of their as school as the people here. We look forward to participating. This is two great schools with two great teams. It is going to be one heck of a football game.”