Les Miles confirms all of LSU’s full-time staff will coach from the sideline this season

First time Miles has had both coordinators not in the coach’s booth

By JAMES MORAN
Tiger Rag Associate Editor

LSU’s sideline will be more crowded than it’s been in recent years once Saturday’s season-opener against Wisconsin at Lambeau Field rolls around.

The coach’s box? Well, not so much.

Les Miles confirmed during his weekly press luncheon that all nine of his full time assistant coaches — not just coordinators Cam Cameron and Dave Aranda — will coach from the sidelines this fall. It’ll be the first time Miles has both coordinators, much less his entire full-time staff, on the sideline.

“Most of our full-time assistants will be on the sideline this season,” Miles said, before vaguely explaining that “a young group of coaches,” likely graduate assistants, will handle things up in the press box.

It’s a departure from the norm for Miles, who had never had an offensive coordinator coach from the sideline until Cam Cameron did so, at Brandon Harris’ request, for the Texas Bowl victory against Texas Tech. Miles hasn’t had a defensive coordinator coach from the sideline since Bo Pelini.

“Where does Dave and Cam stand to serve us best?” Miles posed to the room. “Our guys want them to stay down. I’m going to take it under advisement.”

What that means is a lot of younger assistants and GAs will be responsible for relaying the proverbial eye-in-the-sky from their higher vantage point. Miles explained how that will work and some of the logic behind the move.

“What will do is will have a young group of coaches, those guys that can coach and talk and be upstairs,” Miles said. “If I find we’re not getting the view of things that need to be relayed from the press box, that will change.”

Here’s other news and notes from Miles’ presser:

– Leonard Fournette is “fine,” Miles said, after practicing last week coming back from an ankle sprain that had him in a walking boot two weeks ago. “There is no issue with his healthy … We expect him to not miss a beat.” Miles even mentioned Fournette could return kickoffs at some point, which is new to this season.

– Miles said Maea Teuhema, who is listed as the second stringer at both left and right tackle, is “extremely healthy and he’s ready to roll.” Miles said the tackle had practiced for 10 straight days since coming back from an ankle sprain of his own.

– Tight end DeSean Smith, who wasn’t listed on the depth chart LSU released Monday, is “fine to play,” Miles said.