Link Gumbo: 8/4/2017

It’s Friday morning, the last early day of the work week for most of us. That’s a very good thing.

Feeling tired, Tiger fans? We’ve got a solution.

Community Coffee, a regional favorite has recently launched a Limited Edition LSU Blend. Per an email by Crier Communications’ Nicole Lavella, the caffeinated product is “a new dark roast in honor of Louisiana State University and Tiger Nation.”

Now that’s a brew we can all get behind.

As for LSU football season, we’re finally in the home stretch of our countdown. 29 days until the Tigers take the field vs. BYU. And even less than that until the first preseason game is held.

LSU made the Top 25 on this year’s Amway Coaches Poll, ranking No. 12. Bleacher Report writer Steve Silverman doesn’t see the team even touching the CFB playoff.

The ranking does put LSU firmly as the SEC’s No. 2-ranked team. Albeit 11 spots behind Alabama.

Things are getting a little buggy at LSU, in the best way possible. Former gymnast Ashleigh Gnat, nicknamed “a bug’s lyfe” will be joining the program’s staff as a graduate assistant from here on, according to the school.

Speaking of titles — Will Wade isn’t downplaying expectations to bring one to LSU. Whether that path will include Louisiana native and Western Kentucky transfer Mitchell Robinson remains unclear. SB Nation has a more detailed explanation on what’s going on there.

Per The Advocate’s Ross Dellenger, we learned that athlete Jacoby Stevens will not be heading into the 2017 season as a safety, but a wide receiver. The move comes as a bit of a surprise, considering that Stevens was the No. 1 safety of his recruiting class.

Former LSU football legend Billy Cannon celebrated his 80th birthday on Aug. 2. Just a day later, the school’s Athletic Hall of Fame committee unanimously approved a proposal to build a statue for him on campus.

More details about the project will be released in “coming months.”

Other fun stories coming out of training camp:

• Today marks LSU’s summer commencement, in which senior defensive lineman Frank Herron will be come the first member of his family to graduate college.

• Tiger linemen are competing to prove themselves worthy of being the team’s best potential Piesman candidate.
• Ray Thornton making the most of Arden Key’s limits in camp.
• Greedy Williams also making a push at the nickel spot.
• Former Auburn head coach Gene Chizik talks Matt Canada and competing against him.