Sarita’s Grill & Cantina in Denham Springs was one of the first establishments to announce they would no longer air NFL games after about 200 players refused to stand for the national anthem. General Manager Tony Melara says he is an immigrant and his family takes great pride in the American flag…:
Cut 10 (10) “that we speak for”
Defensive end Cam Jordan was one of the ten Saints players who sat during last Sunday’s playing of the national anthem. Jordan says he respects the flag and our troops, but he felt they needed to do something after President Donald Trump said players should be fired for protesting during the anthem
Cut 16 (15) “single mind”

Former LSU Tiger Tre’ Davious White has been named NFL Defensive Rookie of the Month. The Shreveport native is off to a strong start with the Buffalo Bills. Last week versus Denver, White recorded his first career interception and also had a pair of tackles for a loss.

LSU running back Derrius Guice and defensive end Rashard Lawrence were not at practice yesterday. Earlier in the day, head coach Ed Orgeron said they were questionable for Saturday night’s game against Troy because of injuries. The Troy contest marks the final nonconference game of the year for the Tigers.

The big game in the SEC this week is 24th ranked Mississippi State at 13th ranked Auburn. Auburn ranks first in the league in total defense, while the Bulldogs are averaging 37 points a game.

In the Southland Conference…Northwestern State hosts Southeastern Louisiana. The Demons are seeking their first 2-0 start in Southland Play since 2005. The Lions have a 1-1 record in league play.

Also in league play, McNeese is at Stephen F Austin and Nicholls looks for its third win of the season at Lamar.

Week 4 of the NFL season begins tonight with the Packers hosting the Bears, but you will not be able to watch the games this weekend at Wow Cafe in Chalmette and Sarita’s Grill and Cantina in Denham Springs. They’ve decided not to show NFL games at their restaurants, because of the national anthem protests. Tony Melara of Sarita’s Grill and Cantina is passionate about the issue….
cut 12 (08) “…personal level”
Saints Drew Brees says if your an American, you should stand with your hand over your heart during the playing of the Star-Spangled Banner. Brees says before this Sunday’s Dolphins game in London, the team plans on being unifed during the national anthem…
cut 18 (15) “…respectful manner”

LsSU running back Derrius Guice and defensive end Rashard Lawrence were not at practice yesterday. Earlier in the day, head coach Ed Orgeron said they were questionable for Saturday night’s game against Troy because of injuries. The Troy contest marks the final nonconference game of the year for the Tigers.

The big game in the SEC this week is 24th ranked Mississippi State at 13th ranked Auburn. Auburn ranks first in the league in total defense, while the Bulldogs are averaging 37 points a game.

ULM is a 9.5 point favorite to beat Coastal Carolina this Saturday as the Warhawks look to go 2-0 in the Sun Belt Conference. The Warhawks will honor the 1987 national champion Northeast Louisiana University team during the game.

In high school football tonight…Byrd and Captain Shreve continue their rivalry tonight. In south Louisiana, Notre Dame hosts Kaplan, while Lafayette Christian is at Central Catholic. Also tonight, Marksville is at Abbeville.

LSU’s new punter is not the average student-athlete. Zach Von Rosenberg is 27-years-old. He joined the football team as a walk-on in 2016 after spending six years in the Pittsburgh Pirates minor league system. Von Rosenberg was a standout pitcher at Zachary High, but never made it to the majors. Now he’s trying to help LSU football win and be a good teammate…:
Cut 16 (12) “doing my job”
The Tigers take on Troy this weekend in Tiger Stadium.

Louisiana Lieutenant Governor Billy Nungesser says he is skipping New Orleans Saints games and all other NFL events for the foreseeable future, according to multiple media outlets. Nungesser is in Europe on tourism business and had planned to attend the Saints game at Wembley Arena in London against the Miami Dolphins, but said not standing for the anthem is un-American and offensive to the military.

Another lawmaker has voiced her disapproval of multiple Saints players refusing to stand for the national anthem. Denham Springs Representative Valarie Hodges says it’s un-American to see players kneel, some with their fists in the air..:
Cut 14 (10) “these players”
She says she wants to examine the team’s agreement with Louisiana that contains state subsidies.

After a tough loss at South Carolina last Saturday, Louisiana Tech returns home to host South Alabama. The Jaguars are 1-3 and just fired their offensive coordinator, as they rank 109th in total offense. But don’t tell Bulldogs Head Coach Skip Holtz that the Jags are not a good football team..:
Cut 19 (14) year ago“
Louisiana Tech enters the game with a 2-2 record.

LSU’s young wide receivers showed another sign of maturing last week in the win over Syracuse. Drake Davis and Stephen Sullivan each caught touchdown passes. Quarterback Danny Etling says these two will continue to get better as the season goes along…
cut 19 (20) “…and learn”
And head coach Ed Orgeron says expect to see Etling continue to share snaps with freshman Myles Brennan. Brennan took 16 snaps last Saturday and should see more playing time this Saturday against Troy.

Louisiana Tech is back home this Saturday to host South Alabama. The Jaguars have announced the firing of their offfensive coordinator as they rank 109 in total offense. U-S-A is 1-3 on the year.

The fallout continues over the decision by ten Saints players not to stand for the national anthem prior to Sunday’s game against Carolina. Lt. Governor Billy Nungesser has told two media outlets that he’s boycotting the team. Nungesser says not standing for the anthem is un-American and offensive to the military.

Meanwhile, the Saints are in London getting ready for Sunday’s game against the Dolphins. 2008 was the last time the Black and Gold played overseas and they beat San Diego. They’ll take on a Miami team that is coming off a bad performance and a loss to the New York Jets. Dolphins Head Coach Adam Gase called his team’s performance on offense garbage.

Training camp started today for the New Orleans Pelicans. The Pels are trying to get back to the playoffs for the first time since the 2014-15 season. The team is hoping a full year with Anthony Davis and DeMarcus Cousins will lead to them having one of the eight best records in the West.

LSU Football Coach Ed Orgeron says expect to see true freshman Myles Brennan continue to get snaps while the game is still on the line. Brennan played three series in the Syracuse game and guided the team on a touchdown and threw an interception in another. Starter Danny Etling says it’s important he stays in a rhythem and have the proper mindset…
cut 18 (09) “…supposed to do”
The Tigers had trouble protecting their quarterbacks last Saturday as Syracuse did a good job of pressuring Etling and Brennan. Orgeron says the offensive line can’t get beat in one-on-one battles…
cut 17 (12) “…one on ones”
LSU will host Troy on Saturday.

Louisiana Tech is gearing up to host South Alabama this Saturday. The Jaguars have fired offensive coordinator Bryant Vincent. South Alabama is 1-3 and they rank 109th in total offense, 105th in pass offense and 91st in scoring.

Grambling State will play in Chicago on Saturday as they take on Clark Atlanta. Senior quarterback DeVante Kincade is listed as day-to-day with a lower leg injury. Grambling has moved up one spot to 21 in the STATS FCS Top 25 poll.

McNeese State is ranked 25th in the FCS Coaches poll. The Cowboys visit Stephen F Austin on Saturday. The Lumberjacks are off to a 2-0 start in league play.

Also in the Southland this weekend….Southeastern Louisiana visits Northwestern State. Both teams are looking for their first win in league play and Nicholls is at Lamar. The Colonels looking to rebound after a blowout loss to Sam Houston State.

In the Class Five A football poll….Acadiana comes in at number five, Rummel fourth, Evangel third, John Curtis is second and West Monroe is number one.

Congressman Clay Higgins is another lawmaker voicing his disapproval of NFL players refusing to stand during the national anthem. He says these athletes have the right to protest, and he has the right to turn off the TV…:
Cut 9 (11) “to me”

Baton Rouge Representative Ted James says fellow House member Kenny Havard is wrong to suggest that the state should stop providing tax dollars to the Saints because some players refused to stand during the national anthem. He hopes this is just grandstanding, but suspects Havard is not alone with this sentiment:
Cut 12 (11) “the table”

Meanwhile the Saints have arrived in London to begin preparations for the game at Wembley Sunday morning against the Dolphins.

During Monday’s media day for the New Orleans Pelicans, DeMarcus Cousins blasted the president for his comments that players who stand during the anthem should be fired. Cousins said that what’s going on in the NFL should be the least of Mr. Trump’s concerns. The Pels open preseason action October 3rd.

25th ranked LSU continues preparations today for its final non-conference game of the year as the Tigers will host Troy on Saturday night. Last week, LSU focused on not committing penalties and they only had three called in the Syracuse game. Head Coach Ed Orgeron says they look to get more consistent on offense this week…:
Cut 16 (24) “this week”

A Louisiana lawmaker would like to cut state tax dollars for the New Orleans Saints after multiple players didn’t stand during the national anthem during yesterday’s game. St. Francisville Rep. Kenny Havard says they have looked at cutting funding to the Saints in the past. He says the state also rents office space in Benson Tower for an extremely expensive price…:
Cut 8 (08) “the state”

President Donald Trump said Friday that owners should fire players who don’t stand for the anthem. Saints Quarterback Drew Brees says he disagrees with what the president said…:
Cut 4 (09) “disappointed a lot of people”
But Brees said he would never sit for the anthem. Some fans are posting pictures on social media of black and gold memorabilia on fire.

LSU Head Coach Ed Orgeron does not expect star running back Derius Guice will play in Saturday’s home game against Troy. But then again, he said last week that Guice wouldn’t play against Syracuse and Guice still got eight carries and scored a touchdown.

Coach “O” said senior safety Ed Paris will miss the rest of the season with a knee injury and he’s hopeful Paris will get a medical redshirt, so he can return to the Tigers next year. Also, defensive end Rashard Lawrence re-aggravated his injury and will likely miss Saturday’s Troy game.

ULM Head Football Coach Matt Viator says Caleb Evans will be his starting quarterback when the Warhawks hosts Coastal Carolina this Saturday. Evans won Sun Belt Conference Player of the Week honors for his performance in the double overtime victory over the Cajuns. Evans accounted for 472 total yards and six touchdowns.

In the FCS Coaches poll….Grambling State has moved up three spots to number 19. McNeese State is ranked 25th after defeating Houston Baptist.

A handful of Saints players chose to sit during the national anthem on Sunday before the game against the Panthers, and some fans are so upset they say they are boycotting the team and burning memorabilia. President Trump said the NFL should fire players who protest during the national anthem. Quarterback Drew Brees disagrees with Mr. Trump saying he believes it’s unbecoming of the office of President to say such things.

Meanwhile the The Saints put together one of their better performances in a long time as they defeated NFC South rival Carolina 34-13. Coach Sean Payton says the Black and Gold had a good week of practice and it showed in their performance on Sunday…:
Cut 18 (13) “get a win”
Brees threw three touchdown passes and the defense forced three turnovers and held a struggling Panthers offense to 288 total yards.

So does LSU have a quarterback controversy? Starter Danny Etling was 10-of-17 for 188 yards and two touchdowns, but freshman Myles Brennan entered the game in the third and led the Tigers on a touchdown drive, but he also threw an interception. Head Coach Ed Orgeron on why he put Brennan in the game…:
Cut 16 (16) “on the line”
The two quarterbacks did enough good things to help the Tigers beat Syracuse 35-26, as LSU improved to 3-1.

In the Sun Belt, ULM Quarterback Caleb Evans accounted for 472 total yards and six touchdowns to lead the Warhawks to a 56-50 double overtime win over UL-Lafayette.

They put together an impressive effort, but a late field goal lifted South Carolina to a win over Louisiana Tech Saturday, 17-16.

Playing as a ranked team for the first time in 10 years, Nicholls struggled against top-5 Sam Houston State as the Colonels feel 66-17.

LSU is a three touchdown favorite to beat Syracuse on Saturday night. The Orange has victories over Central Connecticut State and Central Michigan and a touchdown loss to Middle Tennessee. Dino Babers is in his second season as Syracuse’s head coach and Orgeron says they have a talented quarterback by the name of Eric Dungey….
cut 17 (20) “…a battle”
After first saying he will not play, Coach “O” says Derrius Guice will suit up tomorrow, but safety Ed Paris suffered a knee injury in practice and is expected to miss a significant amount of time.

And the Saints say cornerbacks Marshon Lattimore and Sterling Moore will not play Sunday against Cam Newton and the Carolina Panthers.

Skip Holtz and the Louisiana Tech Bulldogs visit South Carolina on Saturday in a match-up of two and one teams. Holtz’s father coached at South Carolina and in the early 2000s Skip served as offensive coordinator for the Gamecocks.

In other action on Saturday…ULM and UL Lafayette meet in the Sun Belt Opener for both teams at Cajun Field. The Ragin Cajuns have won eight of the last ten meetings.

Tulane hosts Army. Nicholls State is at Sam Houston for a six o’ clock game in Huntsville, Texas. McNeese State hosts Houston Baptist in the first ever meeting between the two teams, Lamar takes on Southeastern Louisiana. And in the SWAC…Southern is at Alcorn State, while Grambling visits Mississippi Valley State.

And in college baseball news…Southeastern Louisiana head baseball coach Matt Riser has signed a new three-year contract. Riser will begin his fifth season as the Lions head coach next year and he’s already directed S-L-U to three NCAA regional appearances.

The Saints look for their first win of the year on Sunday when they visit Carolina. The Panthers are 2-and-0 and they rank number one in the NFL in total defense, allowing less than 200 yards a game. Quarterback Drew Brees says Carolina’s defense looks very good on film
Cut 19 (22) sound defense“
It’s unclear who will start at cornerback for the Saints. Rookie starter Marshon Lattimore is in the NFL’s concussion protocol and veteran Sterling Moore has been limited this week by a chest injury. Panthers QB Cam Newton has also been limited, but expected to start Sunday.

LSU looks to get back on track on Saturday when the Tigers host Syracuse. The Bayou Bengals allowed over 400 yards of total offense in last week’s blowout loss to Mississippi State. Syracuse is averaging 491-yards per game. Tigers cornerback Donte Jackson says the defense is ready for the challenge…
cut 18 (15) “….big plays”
LSU will be without veteran defensive back Ed Paris. Head Coach Ed Orgeron says Paris suffered what looks to be a serious knee injury in practice this week. But running back Derrius Guice is expected to play tomorrow, after he was ruled out earlier this week because of an unknown injury.

Here are your big games in high school football tonight…Evangel at Parkway, LaSalle hosts Montgomery and Catholic High of New Iberia is at Notre Dame.