Alabama coach Nick Saban took the stage today at SEC Media Days, and was asked about returning to college football after his pro stint and when he left LSU. The Crimson Tide coach said he loved LSU and loved Louisiana, but he always had it in his mind he would go pro one day. Obviously that didn’t work out.

Yesterday was highlighted by Mississippi State and Florida. The Tigers take on The Bulldogs in its SEC opener on September 16th. Nick Fitzgerald returns as the Mississippi State’s starting Q-B. The last time he played, Fitzgerald had 258 rushing yards, two rushing TDS and three passing touchdowns in a blowout win over Ole Miss. State Head Coach Dan Mullens is excited to see what Fitzgerald can do this year…:
Cut 17 (18) “last year”’

LSU will resume its rivalry with Florida on October 7th. The Gators have yet to decide on a starting quarterback, but have several options including former LSU commitment Felipe Franks and Notre Dame transfer Malik Zaire. Florida Coach Jim McElwain had this to say about the QB at SEC Media Days…:
Cut 16 (18) “fall camp”
McElwain added he’s tired of answering questions about Florida choosing LSU for it’s homecoming game. He directed this comment to a Baton Rouge reporter…:
CUT 25 (10) “does that help you I guess?”
Alabama coach Nick Saban highlights day 3 of SEC Media Days.

The ESPY’s take place tonight and will be hosted by five-time NFL MVP and two-time Super Bowl champion Peyton Manning of New Orleans. Saints superfan Jarrius Robertson of Reserve, who has undergone two liver transplants, has been selected to receive the Jimmy V Perseverance Award. Robertson says he’s never met Manning, but plans to thank him for the interception the then Colts Q-B threw in the Superbowl game when the Saints won their first NFL title the 2009 season.

Louisiana Tech announces plans to retire jersey number 70 which was worn by College and Pro Football Hall of Famer Fred Dean. The ceremony will take place at halftime of the September 2nd season-opener against Northwestern State.

Evangel defensive back Jarrick Bernard has given a verbal commitment to Oklahoma State.

The Pelicans have officially welcomed their only draft pick, guard Frank Jackson of Duke. It’s reportedly a deal that includes two-fully guaranteed seasons and a partial one.

In last night’s MLB All-Star game, the American League got a 2-1 victory over the National League in extra innings.

LSU Football Coach Ed Orgeron says quarterback Danny Etling is almost completely recovered after undergoing back surgery but isn’t ready to name him the starter for the season opener against BYU. Orgeron also says the team lost a lot of talent last year but says the younger players have to step up, like Devin White, who could start at middle linebacker.
Cut 15 (09) “to do”
And Junior center Will Clapp has been named to the Rimington Award Watch List. Clapp is expected to take over at center for the Tigers after starting eleven games at left guard last season.

Louisiana Tech announces plans to retire jersey number 70 which was worn by College and Pro Football Hall of Famer Fred Dean. The ceremony will take place at halftime of the September 2nd season-opener against Northwestern State. Terry Bradshaw and Willie Roaf are the only other Bulldog football players to have their number retired by the University.

LSU Football Coach Ed Orgeron says Quarterback Danny Etling is nearly 100-percent after undergoing back surgery, but he’s not ready to name him the starter for the season opener against BYU. Orgeron said at SEC Media Days he wants the other Q-Bs on the roster to compete for the job and get an evaluation from new offensive coordinator Matt Canada…:
Cut 13 (08) “you like em”
He did say if the season started today, Etling would be the starter.
Coach O was also asked about Florida naming the LSU game on October 7th as its homecoming game…:
Cut 14 (09) “be a battle”
Reporters also heard from Heisman Trophy Candidate running back Derrius Guice who said the most important thing he’s done this summer was grow up as a leader for The Tigers.

In other LSU football news, Coach O said that linebacker Arden Key won’t be ready to start preseason camp. He’s recovering from shoulder surgery. The Tigers report for camp on July 30th. Key was named to the Bednarik Award watch list Monday along with cornerback Kevin Toliver – that honor goes to the best defensive player. Key and Guice were named to the Maxwell Award Watch list which goes to the nation’s overall best player.

In the NBA summer league, The Pelicans are now 0-3 following Monday night’s 95-66 lost to the Brooklyn Nets in Las Vegas. But one player got to shine in the game. Point guard Quinn Cook scored a total of 20 points, 18 of those in his first 20 minutes.

The Memphis Grizzlies have announced the signing of former Pelican Tyreke Evans, though terms of the deal weren’t disclosed.

New York Yankees rookie Aaron Judge dominated last night’s All-Star Home Run Derby, hitting a total of 47 homers in the competition, including four over 500 feet. The 88th All-Star game takes place tonight at 6:30.

SEC Football Media Days begin today in Hoover, and LSU Coach Ed Orgeron will be there along with running back Derrius Guice, wide receiver D.J. Chark and defensive end Christian LaCourture. Tiger Rag Editor Cody Worsham says he’s interested to hear from Coach O on how LSU’s defense will be just as dominate as they were last year, despite losing so many impact players to the NFL…:
Cut 15 (08) “Kendall Beckwith”

LSU has two players that are on the Chuck Bednarik Award watch list, which goes to the best defensive player in college football. And that is defensive end-slash-outside linebaker Adren Key and cornerback Kevin Toliver. Louisiana Tech’s Jaylon Ferguson is also on that Watch List after setting the school record with 14.5 sacks last season. The St. Francisville native has 20.5 sacks for his career.

The Pelicans will face the Nets in NBA Summer League action in Las Vegas today. Cheick Diallo has been New Orleans best player. In two games, he’s recorded a pair of double-doubles. Quinn Cook has also looked good as he had 25 points and five assists in an 84-82 loss to Atlanta yesterday.

There was some hope today that pitcher Alex Lange would return to LSU for his senior season, because he had yet to sign a professional baseball contract with the Chicago Cubs, who drafted him in the first round. But Lange and the World Champs got the deal done before a 5 PM deadline.

The Pelicans biggest offseason move is the re-signing of point guard Jrue Holiday, who has signed a five-year, 126-million dollar contract. The 27-year-old is set to begin his fifth season in New Orleans and he’s looking forward to playing a full season with DeMarcus Cousins…
cut 30 (22) “…his teammate”
Meanwhile, former Pelican Tyreke Evans has signed a one-year deal with Memphis.

Pelicans point guard Jrue Holiday has officially signed his five-year, 126-million dollar contract. General Manager Dell Demps believes this kind of investment is worth it…
cut 30 (30) “…to establish”
The Pelicans begin NBA Summer League Action tonight in Las Vegas as they’ll face Toronto.

Former Pelican Langston Galloway has signed a free-agent deal with Detroit. The graduate of Christian Life Academy in Baton Rouge is 25 years old and averaged nearly eight points a game last season.

One of the nation’s best linebackers decommits from LSU. Adam Anderson from Rome, Georgia, announced last night that he is re-opening his recruitment process. He’s the third player to de-commit from LSU in the last three weeks. Anderson is considered by 24-7 sports as the best outside linebacker in the Class of 2018.

Sun Belt Football Media Day is Monday July 24th in New Orleans and the league announced who will be attending from each school. Ragin Cajuns senior offensive lineman Grant Horst and sophomore defensive back Tracy Walker will represent UL Lafayette. ULM will bring senior offensive lineman Frank Sutton and senior defensive end Caleb Tucker.

Nick Floyd is the new athletic director at ULM. He’s been the executive associate director of athletics for East Carolina since 2004.

Louisiana Tech Head Baseball Coach Lane Burroughs promotes assistant coach Travis Creel to hitting coach and recruiting coordinator. He was a volunteer assistant for the Diamond Dogs last season as he coached first base and worked with the hitters and infielders.

LSU freshman pitcher Eric Walker has been diagnosed with a tear in his right elbow, and will undergo reconstructive surgery. This means he’ll miss the 2018 season, coach Paul Mainieri announced Thursday. Tiger Rag Associate Editor James Moran says this is bad news for the Tigers as they expected him to be the starting Friday night pitcher…:
Cut 26 (10) “isn’t good”

The rivalry has taken a new step between LSU and Florida as the Gator football program announced Thursday that its 2017 homecoming opponent will be LSU. This comes on the heels of last year’s situation with Florida not wanting to give up its home game against the Tigers even though a hurricane was approaching. After much controversy the teams agreed to let Florida play in Baton Rouge last season, if LSU went to Gainesville the next two seasons. Florida will host LSU on October 7th.

New Orleans Pelicans GM Dell Demps officially announced on Thursday the signing of free agent guard Jrue Holiday to a new contract. It’s worth $126 million dollars over five years. Holiday said staying in the Big Easy is like choosing to stay with family…:
CUT 25 (23) “next five years”
He’s referring to the brain tumor suffered by his wife, who was pregnant at the time, and caused Holiday to miss training camp and the first 12 games of last season.

ULM announces its tabbed Nick Floyd to be its Athletic Director. Also in Warhawk news, Michael Federico was introduced as ULM’s new head baseball coach Thursday.

And more rough news for LSU football. Adam Anderson, one of the highest rated pledges in the Tigers 2018 recruiting class, pulled his commitment on Thursday night.

LSU has received bad news on right-handed pitcher Eric Walker. The promising hurler will miss the 2018 season as he’ll need Tommy John Surgery to repair a torn ligament in his throwing elbow.

Walker first complained of discomfort in his forearm before the College World Series. He tried to pitch in a game in Omaha, but left in the third inning, because he felt the pain reach his elbow. Tiger Rag Associate Editor James Moran says this surgery was inevitable, regardless if Walker pitched during the College World Series….
cut 10 (11) “…the fall”
Because of Walker’s injury and Jared Poche and Alex Lange moving on to professional baseball, the Tigers will have three new weekend starters. Moran says Zack Hess, Caleb Gilbert, Todd Peterson and incoming freshman Nick Storz are the most likely candidates.

Michael Federico was introduced as ULM’s new head baseball coach today. The former assistant at Southern Miss will have the difficult task of building a program that won just 12 games last season. Former Warhawk Matt Collins is joining his staff. He was the hitting coach at Stephen F Austin for the last three years and they were a very good hitting team last year. Collins played at ULM from 2008 to 2009 and hit .344 during his career.

And there are reports that Christian Ostrander is leaving Louisiana Tech to replace Federico as Southern Miss’ pitching coach.

You can add another layer to the fuming rivalry between LSU and Florida on the gridiron. The Gators have announced their homecoming game will be the LSU game on October 6th.

Many running back AJ Carter can’t make his mind on where he wants to play football in college. He originally committed to UCLA, then switched his commitment to LSU and now he’s switched back to UCLA.

LSU pitcher Eric Walker will not pitch in the 2018 as he needs Tommy John Surgery to repair a damaged ligament in his throwing elbow. Recovery time is usually one year. Tiger Rag Associate Editor James Moran says Walker’s injury means there will be three new weekend starters for the 2018 season….
cut 9 (09) “….around that”
Walker first complained of discomfort in his forearm before the College World Series. He tried to pitch in a game in Omaha, but left in the third inning, because he felt the pain reach his elbow. He was 8-2 with a 3.48 ERA during his freshman campaign.

ULM introduced Mike Federico as its new baseball coach today. He takes over a program that went 12-43 in 2017.

Joining Tigers Coach Ed Orgeron at next week’s SEC media days will be junior tailback Derrius Guice, receiver DJ Clark and senior defensive tackle Christian LaCouture. The conferences 14 teams are each represented by three players and the coach over the four day media blitz in Birmingham. SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey kicks off media days Monday morning by speaking to hundreds of reporters. LSU’s delegation meets the press that afternoon.

Florida has announced that its homecoming game this season will be the LSU game. That will take place on October 7th. It will be the first of back-to-back trips to Gainesville in consecutive years, because of last year’s scheduling switcheroo because of Hurricane Matthew.