TIGERS GO THROUGH FIRST PRACTICE OF FALL CAMP

BATON ROUGE - LSUs ninth-ranked football team held its first day of fall camp practice here on Monday as the Tiger veterans worked out for just over two hours in the morning, followed by an afternoon session for the rookies. The Tigers veterans worked outdoors during the morning on Monday, while a heavy rain shower forced LSU inside with the freshmen during the afternoon session. LSU will keep the same schedule for the next three days - veterans working out in the morning and freshman in the afternoon - before holding its first full squad practice on Friday morning when the Tigers put on full pads for the first time. As for Mondays workouts, Miles said it was about what he expected. "The first practice with the veterans was what you would expect," Miles said. "It was a little sloppy and not as crisp as you would like but you could tell we have what it takes to be a good football team. "With the freshmen and selective veterans practice in the afternoon we had a really good go. We believe we have a lot of talent with that group. Again they dont know right from left quite yet, but they will get it and they will do well. We have reasons to be encouraged when we put the two groups together in a couple of days." Mondays workout featured the return of quarterback JaMarcus Russell, along with running backs Alley Broussard and Justin Vincent. Russell missed most of spring practice with wrist and shoulder injuries, while Broussard and Vincent are both coming back from knee injuries suffered a year ago. "They (Justin and Alley) looked pretty good," Miles said. "I think there is some improvement to be made with them. Justin is a little ahead of Alley but you can see Broussards ability. Miles said that after watching both practices it appears that his team has reported to camp in good shape. However, the Louisiana heat is something that the players will have to get used to in the coming days. "Today was almost a carbon copy of our first practice a year ago in terms of the heat," Miles said. "Its supposed to be hot. No matter how hard these guys worked this summer, it still doesnt prepare you for the heat once you get out here on the practice fields in August. "We are using the first few days of practice to get the players conditioned and accustomed to the heat. Its set up so that during this time they get more reps and less rest between reps. Its a conditioning start. By the time you get to Friday and put the pads on the tempo of the practice is picked up naturally and the conditioning is on pace." LSU Player Quotes - First Day of Practice #3 WR Craig Davis On how the offense looked today ... "It went well and better than I expected. I know we lost a lot of people last year, but we still have some familiar faces. A lot of guys came in and stepped up today. (Redshirt freshman WR) Brandon LaFell really stepped up today." On Alley Broussard... "It was exciting to see Alley back. He has been working hard and is really focused. He is not even thinking about his knee right now. He is still a little rusty, but he looked smooth out there today." #2 QB JaMarcus Russell On todays practice... "It was good. Its been awhile since I have been in the spot like that. For the first day I think I did an okay job and the team did well, but we can only get better." On coming back from injury ... "Its been awhile for me. I need to get back in the rhythm of things, which is going to take a lot of practices but that is why we have fall camp." #25 RB Justin Vincent On finishing rehab ... "The trainers put me through a rigid test to check my endurance and my knee and I passed with flying colors." On how he felt after todays practice ... "I feel fine. The first day you feel kind of fatigued, because its the first time you have been in the heat like that. The time will come with conditioning and having your mind right. I think getting ready is more of a mental thing than anything." On being a senior ... "It seems like I have been here forever. All of them call me ‘old man and some of them are older than me but I let that slide. I defiantly feel like I have been here for awhile and I have had some great moments. Hopefully I can make this last year a great one." #72 DT Glen Dorsey On him having a big year this year... "Its a new year and everybody is looking at me to step up, but we (defensive line) are still a group. We dont have just one leader, everybody finds where they fit in and depends on each other." On the hype he is getting going into the season ... "I hear it a lot, but I just try and stay focused on the task ahead of me. You cant get filled up with all that stuff because when it comes down to it I still have work to do and I have to help my teammates." On losing Melvin Oliver, Kyle Williams and Claude Wroten ... "Its hard to replace those guys, but we have a good group of young guys that can step in. That is the thing about LSU is that they always recruit the best talent, which makes everybody compete at a high level. " #31 SS Jessie Daniels On how the first practice went... "Its the first day back at fall camp and its real hot out there. We are minimized with the guys we have out there so we have to take a lot more reps. Thats a big deal because we are not used to getting all those reps." On Laron Landry... "He has a great nose for the ball. He has a great attitude about the game. He is full out every play. Its just his attitude about the whole game. He loves to hit without pads on, with just helmets on. That is just his mentality. I guess thats what makes him so good." On what makes Dwayne Bowe so hard to cover... "Hes big, real big. Hes real physical. Its hard to get your hands on him without him stroking it away. He is fast and he runs good routes also." On taking on a leadership role this year as a senior... "Ive been ready for that challenge. When I got thrown in the fire my freshman year I was ready to be a leader the next year. Now I am up to it and willing to do it." On starting it all over for the last time... "It feels like yesterday I was a freshman and a game later I am a senior. I am ready for it. Im ready to see what my senior season is going to bring." #31 FS Laron Landry On the first practice in the heat... "When you start thinking about the heat thats when you dont get better. You just have to come out there focused on getting better. The heat is going to be out there regardless so you just have to focus on the little things like technique. Im just happy to be out there again." On getting more reps with the split practice... We are getting a lot of reps because the younger guys come out this afternoon. We split practice so its pretty tough." On the players around him... "We have a great group of guys. A lot of starters are coming back and I am just happy to be out here with them." On being nominated for almost every defensive award possible... "Its not really an issue. I dont try to compete with myself. I just come out here and focus on getting better and let that take care of itself." On how close he was to leaving for the NFL... "I always had in my mind that I wanted to come back. I have a lot of things I want to accomplish with my team, and a lot of personal things I want to accomplish with the team. Also, Ill be a little closer to graduating" #15 QB Matt Flynn On the first day of practice... "Its always that first day you have a little more adrenaline pumping and you get a little more tired. It was good. Everyone seemed to respond well, and we are looking forward to it." On what they are working on right now... "Its a lot of technique, a lot of installation. You start with the basics and work up. Well work up to the hard stuff in a couple of weeks. Right now we are working on timing with guys. Were just getting back in to the rhythm and getting the soreness out these first couple days." On how practice has changed... "It hasnt really changed. Its changed in the tempo because we have everything down. Weve got the schedule down. Weve done it before and weve been through it so the tempo of practice is good and we are really responding well" On working with JaMarcus Russell... "Its a good relationship. Its good to have that guy; we are always pushing each other. When we do something bad we correct each other. When we do something good we are there to congratulate each other, the first person there. We have both been in the system a long time and we both know what to do. Its good to have the knowledge. Every year we get here its another year with Jimbos offense. Its good to have JaMarcus (Russell) there because we can kind of work through everything together." On the first days of practice... "Its long and there is no one here but the football team so we are seeing the same faces everyday. We are looking at each day right now and trying to work on our basics and become the best team we can in these short couple weeks and after that we start the season and it becomes fun."