New A.D. Alleva checks out LSU

• By CARL DUBOIS
• Advocate sportswriter
• Published: Apr 6, 2008 - UPDATED: 12:05 a.m.

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Newly hired LSU Athletic Director Joe Alleva was at the spring football game in Tiger Stadium before leaving Saturday night for San Antonio, where he planned to jump right into the search for a men’s basketball coach.

Alleva said the goal for all sports at LSU, including basketball, should be to win championships.

“And it all starts with the coach,” Alleva said. “We’ve got to get the right guy.”

Asked again why he would leave Duke for LSU, Alleva repeated early remarks about the high caliber of sports teams at LSU. For emphasis, he gestured toward the football field and the reigning national championship program.

“Football is outstanding,” Alleva said. “Baseball’s outstanding. All 20 sports have the chance here to be national champions, and I wanted to compete on that level. I really wanted to go to that level.”

Alleva will succeed Skip Bertman, who will retire June 30.

Notable plays

Not all of the memorable plays scored points. Fullback Quinn Johnson looked good early catching a well-timed pass out of the backfield from Jarrett Lee.

Keiland Williams made some exciting runs in open space before fumbling the ball away to the Purple team and disappearing from the game plan.

Andrew Hatch saw an open middle from the defense and picked up yardage on a draw. He and Stevan Ridley smoothly ran an option pitch.

Ridley had some bruising runs.

Lee threw a good timing pass to Brandon LaFell for a 26-yard gain to the 4. Richard Murphy ran over defensive back Stefoin Francois and into the end zone on the next play.

Murphy’s 70-yard touchdown run came after his planned path up the middle was blocked, forcing him around right end and down the sideline.