Texas A&M head coach Mike Elko didn’t have much history to lean on when he met with reporters this week ahead of Saturday’s SEC trip to Baton Rouge. What he did have was respect - for LSU’s quarterback, for the Tigers’ offense, and for Lane Kiffin.
Elko was asked about LSU quarterback Sam Leavitt, and he painted a picture of a player who brings more than just speed to the table.
"I think what I see in Sam is, like, an ultra-competitive kid. He's got an ability to hurt you with his legs, but maybe in a different type of way.
"He's a fast kid. He's escapable, but he's also, like, not-he will throw his body around. He doesn't back down from contact at all.
"I just think he's, yeah, he's a supremely competitive kid. That's what I see when I watch him."
Elko also said he hasn’t had a lot of exposure to Kiffin’s system, and that what he has seen doesn’t necessarily match the version he’s familiar with.
"I've only done it once, so I haven't had a ton of experience going against it, and I think it's changed dramatically from where it was back then.
"And so I don't have a ton of experience against Lane."
When the conversation turned to Kiffin himself, Elko kept it straightforward and complimentary.
"I mean, I don't really know him that well. Obviously, we interact at head coaches' meetings, and, you know, those are all positive.
"I got a lot of respect for Lane. I think he's a really good football coach. I think he does a really good job.
"I think he did a phenomenal job at Ole Miss, and I'm sure he'll do a really good job at LSU."
In Other News...
LSU's Offense Just Raised A Bigger Sam Leavitt Concern
LSUs offense took a needed step forward on the ground against Ole Miss, piling up 172 rushing yards and getting a strong day from Dilin Jones, who ran for 106 of them. Even with that improvement, the passing game still left plenty to sort through, and the overall balance of the offense did not fully erase the concerns that have hovered around Sam Leavitt since the start of the stretch.
Leavitt finished 16 of 27 for 158 yards with a touchdown and an interception, while adding 63 rushing yards and another score on the ground. Lane Kiffin pointed to missed chances through the air, said some of the issues were tied to Leavitt missing practice, and stressed that the offense has to protect better and execute cleaner moving forward, which makes the next step for the passing game an important one for LSU. [Read more 🡒]
Lane Kiffin Turns LSU Loss Into Bigger SEC Scheduling Frustration
Lane Kiffin spent part of his first SEC teleconference back in the LSU spotlight talking less about the loss itself and more about the setting around it. After Ole Miss beat LSU in Oxford in Week 3, Kiffin pointed to the fact that the game was played there for the second straight year, framing it as more than just an inconvenience for the Tigers and more like a scheduling issue with real competitive weight.
For LSU, the complaint lands in a familiar place because Oxford has long been one of the leagues tougher road environments, and Kiffin noted the home-field edge and crowd noise as factors that hurt his team. The bigger frustration now is not just what happened in the game, but how the setup kept LSU in the same uncomfortable spot twice in a row, leaving the scheduling conversation hanging over an otherwise straightforward result. [Read more 🡒]
Ole Miss Faces An Immediate Test After Its LSU Statement Win
Ole Miss left a clear impression with its win over LSU, and the ripple effects were immediate. ESPN analyst Kirk Herbstreit said the Rebels belong in the national title conversation after that statement victory, with quarterback Trinidad Chambliss drawing attention from NFL personnel for the way he handled the Tigers.
The next step is a different kind of test, though, and one that says plenty about whether that buzz holds up. Ole Miss heads to No. 21 Florida as a three-point underdog, meeting a team that is 3-0 under Jon Sumrall and is favored to protect home field, so the Rebels do not get much time to enjoy the LSU breakthrough before another spotlight game arrives. [Read more 🡒]