Spring ball news has slowed to a trickle, but we have learned that S Brandon Taylor has been selected for the honor of wearing the #18 jersey this year, the first defensive player to do so. (H/T commentor Johnny Hutchinson)
We also learned that RS Soph RB Brandon Worle has left the team and will transfer after the spring. The drive to 83 continues apace.
A small update on the Will Lyles matter: Asst AD Herb Vincent was quick to point out that there weren't any "ties" to cut with regard to his services, so to speak, they just stopped using them. He also refuted speculation that Lyles and DL coach Brick Haley being seen together at a Texas high school would be an NCAA violation.
Rabalais at The Advoc lays out some potential candidates to replace the now golfing Van Chancellor, and the article's comment section mentions a few good names as well.
Meanwhile, it's been nothing but misery for Softball since Yvette Girouard announced her retirement at the end of this year. The Lady Tigers are on a six-game losing streak, including the 1st 0-5 conference start in it's history. They face a ranked Kentuck team at home this weekend.
Perfect Game has a great interview with Coach Mainieri about the surprising success of our young pitching staff so far this season.
A surprise upset for Men's Tennis yesterday as an unraked LSU squad took down #16 Michigan at home, their first win over a ranked team since '08
In quite the turn around following last year's bloodless coup of the coaching staff, #18 LSU Women's S&D is sending it's largets group of competitors to the National Championships this weekend in almost 2 decades.
In other college football news, the NCAA has decided to uphold it's 5 game suspension for the tattoo-gate Ohio St. players at the same time that their coach Jim Tressel decided to voluntarily increase his own suspension to match.The important thing to note is that the NCAA has not made a ruling of any kind on his infractions, so he could be facing an even longer suspension.
Meanwhile, probably the best returning QB in the SEC (think about it) SCar's Stephen Garcia has been suspended form the first week of spring ball as discipline for a rumored wild week in ATL before the SEC Champ game.
After the break, the very odd Chancellor press conference from earlier this week and more spring practice video (filmed right next to a jack hammer, apparently)
Van Chancellor Press Conference
Spring Practice Video