"I have never had an open date this early in the season; which typically an open date is a point of the season where you have an opportunity to evaluate where you are and what you need to do moving forward for the second half of the season. What has been unfortunate about this break happening so early is that you really don't have enough body of work to break down what you need to improve on. We still have so much of the season left. Ninety percent of the season is in front of us. That has just made it really hard. I feel like the open date has been more of an extension of camp than a break in the season just because it happened as early as it did. As a staff, we had an opportunity to get a lot of recruiting done and break down some things. We started classes last week, so we have been getting a jump on our academics. We are really excited to get back into game week this week."
 
"This weekend at LSU is a great opportunity for us as a program. In the past 120 years, we have played this game 19 times, and only three times since 1941. Now, with our record at 1-18 against LSU, we understand the uphill challenge that faces us. We really feel honored to have an opportunity to play in this game. With LSU being the Power 5 school and the flagship of Louisiana, it is a great opportunity for us to have a chance to play in this game. I know the team is really excited about it. We are really excited about it as coaches. We have great respect for their program, for Coach Orgeron and the job that he's done. I have great respect for him. I have followed his career with the different places that he has been, and I think he's doing an incredible job right now at LSU. I spoke a lot this summer about the way that he has pulled all the state schools together with camps and recruiting, while trying to keep everything at home. I give him an awful lot of credit for the job that he did, and the way that he spearheaded that whole task of keeping in-state recruiting at home. That's going to benefit not only LSU, but it's going to benefit all of us. It's going to benefit every school in the state. There are great players in this state and if we could put walls up around the state and keep it all home, every program in this state is only going to get better. That is something that I really applaud Coach Orgeron for what he has done in that regard."
 
"They (LSU) are ranked sixth in the nation with a 3-0 record. I think they have done some great things in the offseason. They have added some transfers. They have got some guys stepping up and I think right now they are really playing well together as a team. Their quarterback, who is a new addition, is taking care of the ball really well. They don't beat themselves. They have not had a turnover in three games. They are plus-seven in turnover margin in the first three games, and they have played two pretty good football teams - two top 20 programs in Miami and Auburn. I think they have got a really solid offensive football team and they don't beat themselves. They have got a great defense behind them that can run. They are giving up under 100 rushing yards a game and allowing around 12 points per game. They have great players at all three levels. I just don't see a lot of kinks in their armor right now, which is one of the reasons they have gone from 25 to number six in the country. They are a very solid football team that is going to be an incredible challenge for us. But, this is an opportunity as a program that we are really looking forward to going down there and playing. I made the joke all summer that everybody told me this season that all you've got to do is beat that team from Baton Rouge. If you just win one game, make sure it's that one. I figured when we beat Southern, we were in a good spot, and I was feeling really good about things, but evidently they were talking about the team we are playing this week in LSU."
 
"It is going to be a great challenge for us. I know our players are excited about it and I know we are excited about it as well."