After a historically bad season for LSU’s defense, Bo Pelini is out as LSU’s defensive coordinator. Pelini still had two years left on his contract and based on his contract, he’ll get five-point-two million dollars to not coach at LSU. Other members of LSU’s coaching staff are also reportedly out, Bill Busch, Bill Johnson and Scott Linehan.

Cajuns Coach Billy Napier has reportedly received interest from Auburn, but the school says Napier is committed to being the coach at U-L Lafayette.

Tulane will face a 6-and-2 Nevada Wolfpack team today in the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl at 2:30 PM in Boise. The Wolfpack finished third in the Mountain West Conference after starting the season 5-0. They rank second in the Mountain West in passing and Green Wave Coach Willie Fritz says Nevada will challenge their defense…
cut 18 (16) “…down field”

Tuesday is usually an off day for the Saints, but with New Orleans hosting Minnesota on Friday, the team will spend today getting ready for the Vikings. Sunday’s loss to the Chiefs was the second in a row for the Black and Gold. Quarterback Drew Brees says winning the final two games of the regular season is important as they look to build up momentum heading into the postseason…
cut 17 (26) “…playoffs”

The NBA season tips off tonight. The Pelicans season opener is tomorrow versus the Raptors. Northwestern State lost to top-ranked Gonzaga 95-57 last night. LSU’s basketball game tonight versus V-C-U has been canceled, but the Tigers will host Texas Southern on Saturday, who is led by former LSU head coach and player Johnny Jones.

Saints Quarterback Drew Brees and the offense got off to a slow start in yesterday’s 32-29 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs. Brees did not complete a pass until the second quarter. He was just 15 of 34 on the day and the future Hall of Famer has confidence they’ll play better this Friday against Minnesota…
cut 20 (21) “….to that”
Brees and the Saints will host Minnesota on Christmas. The Vikings lost to the Bears yesterday and must win to keep their slim playoff hopes alive.

For the second time this month Ragin Cajuns Coach Billy Napier released a statement saying he’s staying at U-L Lafayette. Napier’s name has come up in the search for a new Auburn coach.

Clemson and Notre Dame will face off in the Sugar Bowl in New Orleans on New Year’s Day night. The other semifinal college football playoff matchup is Alabama against Notre Dame. That will be the Rose Bowl but it will be played in Arlington, Texas.

The Independence Bowl will not be held this Saturday as the Shreveport-based bowl could not find an opponent for Army who accepted a bid in October. The Black Knights were supposed to play a team from the Pac-12, but several of their schools opted out of the postseason and Indy Bowl spokesperson Erik Evenson they couldn’t find a school from another conference…
cut 5 (11) “…slots”

In college basketball…tonight Northwestern State takes its shot at number one ranked Gonzaga. LSU basketball will not host V-C-U because of COVID tomorrow, but they have scheduled a game for Saturday against Texas Southern, who is led by former LSU coach and player Johnny Jones.

The Saints battled the Kansas City Chiefs in the Superdome yesterday, but the Super Bowl champs came away with a 32-29 victory. New Orleans Quarterback Drew Brees was rusty in his first game in four weeks completing 15 of 34 passes, but Coach Sean Payton points to the one for 11 on third down…
cut 18 (27) “…third downs.”
The Saints were without star wide receiver Michael Thomas. He’s been placed on I-R for the rest of the regular season in the hopes that his ailing right ankle is healthy for the playoffs.

The LSU Tigers avoided a losing season by outscoring Ole Miss 53-48 on a wet afternoon in Tiger Stadium on Saturday. Coach Ed Orgeron is glad they finished a difficult season with two victories
Cut 16 (16) “…keep working”

For the first time in 44 years the Independence Bowl will not be played in Shreveport this year. The I-Bowl could not find an opponent for Army who accepted a bid to play in the bowl game back in October. I-Bowl spokesperson Erik Evenson says it’s crushing that this annual holiday tradition can not happen this year…
cut 3 (10) “…didn’t happen”
Fans who purchased tickets, can request a re-fund or roll over the purchase to next year’s game.

The Saints converted just one third down opportunity against the Super Bowl champs yesterday and lost to the Kansas City Chiefs 32-29. Since New Orleans could not sustain any drives, K-C had the ball for 41 minutes as Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes threw for 254 yards and three touchdowns. Coach Sean Payton was proud of how his defense competed…
cut 19 (18) “….Kansas City team”
Saints quarterback Drew Brees started off slow in his first game in a month as he failed to complete a pass in the first quarter and finished 15 of 34 for 234 yards and three touchdowns and one interception. New Orleans hosts Minnesota on Christmas Day.

For the first time in 44 years, there will not be an Independence Bowl. The annual bowl game played in Shreveport planned to have Army play a team from the PAC-12. But with several teams from the PAC-12 opting out of the bowl season, the I-Bowl could not find an opponent for the Black Knights.

The 19th ranked Cajuns will face U-T-S-A in the SERVPRO First Responder Bowl on Saturday. Kick-off is at 2:30. It will be the first meeting between the two teams and the Cajuns are 5-and-2 in bowl games.

No bowl game for LSU and now the focus is 2021. Coach Ed Orgeron says he’ll work to convince players who are draft eligible to come back to LSU…
cut 17 (16) “…we’ll see”
LSU opens next season versus UCLA in the Rose Bowl on September 4th.

Saints Coach Sean Payton has confirmed previous reports today that Drew Brees will start at quarterback in Sunday’s game against Kansas City after missing the last four contests with multiple rib fractures and a punctured lung….
cut 30 (11) “…good job”
NFL analyst Mike Detillier says the Saints have been testing Brees’ durability in practice, but you won’t know for sure until he takes a hit and you know Kansas City will try to put a few licks on the 41-year-old
Cut 7 (10) “…quarterback”
Kansas City is 21st in the NFL in sacks per game.

Tonight is the semis of the high school football playoffs on the non-select side, General Trass is the highest seed left. The Panthers are at top-seeded Many in a Class Two-A semi-final matchup.

LSU finishes the regular season tomorrow by hosting Ole Miss with a chance to end the year with a .500 record. The Rebels have a high powered offense that leads the SEC in yards per game and is averaging almost 40 points a game. Tigers Safety Jacoby Stevens says their tempo is what makes them so difficult to defend
Cut 16 (16) “…entire week”
All-American cornerback Derek Stingley is questionable for tomorrow and so is running back John Emery. Fellow ball carrier Ty Davis Price and starting right guard Chasen Hines have been ruled out because of injuries. Cam Wire could replace Hines at right guard.

The Ragin Cajuns are co-Sun Belt Champs, but if you’d ask the players and coaches they would rather play Coastal Carolina for a chance at an outright title. But Saturday’s Sun Belt championship game was canceled because of a positive COVID test on the Coastal football team. Because of contact tracing, an entire position group is not available.

Drew Brees will reprotedly be the starting quarterback Sunday when the Saints host the Super Bowl Champion Kansas City Chiefs. It was about a month ago when Brees suffered multiple rib fractures and a punctured lung. In his absence, the Saints went 3-and-1 with Taysom Hill as the starting quarterback. But NFL analyst Mike Detillier says…
cut 8 (07) “….playing him”
The Chiefs are 12-and-1 and listed as a three point favorite for Sunday’s 3:25 kick-off.

A win for New Orleans and they clinch the NFC South title. But the Black and Gold are also gunning for the number one seed in the NFC and a first round bye in the playoffs. Green Bay currently occupies the number one seed and they’ll host the Panthers tomorrow night.

The Pelicans play their second and final preseason game tonight. New Orleans will take on the Milwaukee Bucks. The regular season tips off on December 23rd versus the Raptors.

The Ragin Cajuns have been declared co-Sun Belt Conference Champions after the league title game was canceled because of COVID issues with the Coastal Carolina football team. U-L Lafayette Coach Billy Napier Tweeted out last night..”Surely we are going to reschedule this game, right?? Maybe these two teams can meet in a bowl game, but Commissioner Keith Gill says he does not anticipate that. .

No bowl game for LSU, so tomorrow’s home game against Ole Miss is the last oen for 2020. Tigers Center Liam Shanahan says it would be great to end the season on a high note…
cut 18 (09) “…this offseason”

The offseason will begin for ten high school football teams tonight as it’s the semi-finals of the non-select playoffs. In Class Five-A, 10th seeded West Monroe visits sixth-seeded Alexandria. The Rebels beat the Trojans 18-10 earlier this year. Top-seeded Acadiana hosts Destrehan in a game that can be seen on C-S-T. The Wrecking Rams defeated the Wildcats in last year’s Five-A title game. In Four-A, top-seeded Carencro hosts Neville.

The Sun Belt Championship Game between the Ragin Cajuns and Coastal Carolina has been canceled because of a positive coronavirus case within the Chanticleers football team. That positive case along with contact tracing prevented an entire position group from playing in tomorrow’s game. Both teams have been declared co-Sun Belt Champions. U-L Lafayette now waits to see what bowl game they’ll play in.

LSU wraps up the season tomorrow versus Ole Miss at 2:30 in Tiger Stadium. The Rebels can score with anyone in college football, but they have the worst defense in the SEC, allowing 529 yards a game and 39 points per contest. LSU center Liam Shanahan says the Tigers’ offense can take control of the game…
cut 17 (10) “…good things”
Starting right guard Chasen Hines and running back Ty Davis Price have been ruled out because of injuries.

The Saints released a video of practice that showed Quarterback Drew Brees going through warmups yesterday. Coach Sean Payton says he wants to see Brees play without limitations as he continues to recover from rib fractures and a punctured lung. Wide receiver Michael Thomas missed his second straight practice with an ankle injury. New Orleans hosts Kansas City on Sunday.

The LSU men’s basketball team had to cancel its scheduled game with North Texas tomorrow morning because of coronavirus protocols. The Tigers also had to cancel Wednesday’s game against UNO and Coach Will Wade, who tested positive for the virus, did not coach in Monday’s win over Sam Houston State. LSU says a decision on Tuesday’s game against VCU will be made early next week.

The Pelicans host Milwaukee tonight for their second and final preseason game. New Orleans will have a chance to say hello to Jrue Holiday. The Pels former team leader was traded to Milwaukee in the offseason.

After losing to a rookie quarterback making his first NFL start last week, the Saints face one of the best quarterbacks in the league this Sunday when they take on Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs. Coach Sean Payton says what makes Mahomes so tough to defend is his great pocket presence.
cut 17 (22) “…those receivers.”
The Saints have designated quarterback Drew Brees for return to practice, but Payton says Brees has a ways to go and they will not rush him back. Brees has missed the last four games as he recovers from eleven broken ribs and a punctured lung.

The LSU men’s basketball team has had to postpone Saturday’s game against North Texas, after not playing U-N-O last night because in accordance with SEC and NCAA COVID-19 protocols.

On the first day of the early signing period, LSU lost a couple of recruits to Alabama, but Tiger Rag Editor Ron Higgins says LSU responded well…
cut 15 (09) “…people wanted”
That linebacker is Bugg Strong from Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College. He’s rated as the number one JUCO linebacker prospect in the country.

The Ragin Cajuns also signed a JUCO linebacker. Kendre Gant is rated as the third-best outside linebacker by 24-7 sports coming out of the JUCO ranks. He spent this past season at Independence Community College. Before that he was at F-I-U.

The Monroe News-star reports that former ULM offensive coordinator Matt Kubik, Louisiana Tech offensive coordinator Joe Sloan and Memphis receivers coach and passing game coordinator John Simon are interviewing for the ULM head coaching job.

LSU signed 19 players on the opening day of the early signing period and can fill out the class by signing six more. Tiger Rag Editor Ron Higgins expects Coach Ed Orgeron to go after more offensive linemen…
cut 16 (10) “….the portal”
Orgeron said on his radio show last night that he may sign three or four more offensive linemen.

Louisiana Tech signed ten players yesterday, four of them are offensive linemen, including two from Shreveport, Erron Bean from Huntington High School and Carson Bruno from Byrd High School. Coach Skip Holtz is high on both of them…
cut 30 (15) “…bright, bright stars”
Tech also signed an o-lineman from Karr High School, Kenneth Bannister.

The Saints have designated Drew Brees to return from injured reserve, which means the team has 21 days to add him to the active roster. But Coach Sean Payton says they are not going to hurry Brees back just so he can play in a game. The 41-year-old Brees has not played since November 15th when he suffered fractured ribs and punctured lung when he was sacked in the 49ers game.

Meanwhile, the Black and Gold continue preparations for Sunday’s game against the 12-and-1 Chiefs. Kansas City Coach Andy Reid won his first Super Bowl last season and Payton says he’s always had a lot of respect for Reid…
cut 18 (21) “…is special”
Kick-off is at 3:25 and the Chiefs are a three-point favorite.

Today is national signing day and the LSU Tigers have signed 17 recruits so far in the early signing period, none bigger than 5 star defensive lineman Maason Smith from Terrebonne Parish, who is the top-ranked recruit in Louisiana.  In addition to Smith, LSU’s class contains a number of the nation’s top player’s, including quarterback Garrett Nussmeier and Zachary wide receiver Chris Hilton.  While LSU lost out on 4 star Keanu Koht today, they received a signing day surprise as they got a signature from Navonteque Strong, who is the nation’s number 1 ranked JUCO linebacker.

ULM is busy with its signing day as well.  Their 2021 class is led by a pair of Louisiana recruits in Ouachita QB Zach Shaw and West Monroe Tight End Rylan Green.

The Louisiana Tech Bulldogs welcome 10 signees to their 2021 recruiting class, including former St. Thomas More quarterback Caleb Holstein.  The team also grabbed a pair of Shreveport offensive lineman in Erron Bean and Carson Bruno.

The Ragin Cajuns 2021 class is headlined by Ouachita Christian QB Hunter Herring, who is the 48^th ranked player in the state of Louisiana.

After a tough loss to the Eagles, the Saints now have to get ready to host the Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs.  Saints defensive tackle Sheldon Rankins says they know the Chiefs are one of the best teams in the NFL, but if they can focus on themselves…

Cut 19

The LSU men’s basketball game against UNO that was scheduled for tonight has been postponed due to Covid-19 concerns.  The Tigers’ next game will be Saturday against North Texas at 11 am.

The Ragin Cajuns men’s basketball team got a 73-63 win over the UNO Privateers.  The Cajuns were led in scoring by guard Cedric Russell, who had a game-high 20 points.  Theo Akwuba had a good game as well, scoring 11 points to go along with 14 rebounds and 7 blocks.  They will wrap up non-conference play on Saturday when the host Mcneese State.