Miles disputes Alabama DE Davis' remarks

• By JOSEPH SCHIEFELBEIN
• Advocate sportswriter
• Published: Nov 6, 2008 - UPDATED: 9:20 a.m.

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Former LSU commitment turned Alabama signee Luther Davis added another layer of intrigue to No. 1 Alabama’s visit to LSU by saying current LSU coach Les Miles once called Nick Saban “the devil.”

Miles twice on Wednesday disputed calling Saban, the former LSU coach and current Alabama coach, a “devil.”

“Oh, my gosh, no,” Miles said during the Southeastern Conference coaches teleconference. “Are you kidding me? No, in any way.”

Later, at Miles’ post-practice news conference, he said, “Unbelievable. I promise it’s not my language. It’s certainly not what I think. I really don’t worry about opponent’s coaches. I have way too much going on in my life to concern myself with those things.”

Davis, a sophomore who is a second-string defensive end, on Tuesday said Miles called Saban “the devil” after Davis had visited Alabama.

According to Davis, Miles “was pretty upset. It went from him trying to talk to me to calling me a traitor and saying that I’m only doing this because ‘the devil has come back to college football and is trying to create a buzz.’ It wasn’t about all that.”

Davis, a former member of The Advocate’s Super Dozen, originally chose LSU in early January 2007 but then later visited Alabama first — after Saban was hired — and then Louisiana Tech. After the Alabama visit, LSU withdrew its offer.

At the time, West Monroe coach Don Shows said, “I know coach Miles called me … and told me they had withdrawn their offer. That does not surprise me. He’s just a kid that didn’t handle recruiting very good.”

On Wednesday, Miles said, “As I recall, there was a visit he said he wasn’t taking. When we found out he was taking that visit, in fact, that was really the end of our commitment to him.

“Other than that, I know he’s tried to communicate with this program several times since he’s been at Alabama (through e-mails and text messages). We’ve not communicated with him. We just wish him the very best.”

Hostility at Tiger Stadium?

Saban’s return to Tiger Stadium, where the ex-LSU coach will be viewed by some fans as a villain, should spike the intensity of the game day environment this weekend.

Alabama has handled the road well, going 4-0 away from home this year, including headline-grabbing, wins over Clemson in the Georgia Dome and Georgia in Sanford Stadium.

“You’re gonna know when it gets quiet,” senior tight end Tony Walker said. “At the start of the game it’s blazing. But after a while you start taking the upper hand, the crowd gets quiet and that’s when you take advantage of it.”

Miles urged LSU fans to be on their best behavior.
“There’s always a responsibility of our fan base to conduct themselves well in our stadium and root for LSU,” Miles said. “I encourage them to … root for LSU and not be really responsive to who’s coaching the other team.”

Monday, Miles said, he expected the atmosphere to “be fun. … I wouldn’t expect there would be much negativity surrounding it in any way. … I encourage them to root for us hard, not necessarily be too pointed at our opponent. Leave our opponent alone, just root hard for LSU.”

Hatch out, Taylor ‘lagging’
Miles said sophomore quarterback Andrew Hatch, who began the season as the starter, likely will miss his second straight game with a lower leg injury.

“I’d hoped he was further ahead at this point. It does not appear it’s going to be quick,” Miles said. “… I think Hatch is legitimately out of this one.”

Meanwhile, of senior free safety Curtis Taylor’s shoulder injury, Miles said, “there are some lagging effects there.”

GameDay selects location

ESPN’s College GameDay will originate from the LSU golf course “old front nine” grass area near the intersection of Nicholson Drive and Burbank Drive this weekend.

The site is just north of the LSU Day Care Center and east of Nicholson Drive. 

The lot is normally open for free parking on game day, but a portion of the lot will not be available for automobile parking until 11 a.m. after the conclusion of the Saturday morning show.

The show will air live from 9 a.m.-11 a.m. Saturday. Fans are encouraged to arrive as early as 7:30 a.m. for the live show.

A segment will also be taped at 4 p.m. Friday and fans are invited to attend that taping.

Notes
LSU RS/RB Trindon Holliday said he rolled an ankle the previous Tuesday, limiting him to just three punt returns against Tulane, but said “I’m 100 percent. I’m ready to go.” … Former LSU WR Michael Clayton, now with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, will greet fans and talk football from 2:30-4:30 p.m. Friday at the AT&T Store at 6770 Siegen Lane. The appearance promotes AT&T, the conference’s telecommunications sponsor.

Advocate sportswriter Scott Hotard contributed to this report.

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ESPN College GameDay Sites, Results at LSU
 
Year Matchup Location Result
1996 #11 LSU vs. #10 Alabama Baton Rouge — PMAC ramps L, 26-0
1997 #14 LSU vs. #1 Florida Baton Rouge — PMAC ramps W, 28-21
2003 #11 LSU vs. #7 Georgia Baton Rouge — PMAC ramps W, 17-10
2004 #4 LSU vs. Oregon State Baton Rouge — Parade Grounds W, 22-21 OT
2007 #2 LSU vs. #9 Virginia Tech Baton Rouge — Parade Grounds W, 48-7
2007 #1 LSU vs. #9 Florida Baton Rouge — Parade Grounds W, 28-24