Lsu Has Only A Few Changes Ready For Irish

LSU has changed defensive coordinators since the regular-season meeting, but that will not mean a major overhaul when the Tigers play Notre Dame again.

Lou Tepper didn’t join LSU’s staff until Dec. 15, not enough time for a total reworking of the two-linebacker system to using three or more like the new coach prefers.

“We’ve got a new resource and within the limits of our time, we are going to do the best we can with it,” LSU coach Gerry DiNardo said. “We have had enough time to make changes, and are moving in the right direction with what we are going to do.”

But even DiNardo admitted that what will be shown in Sunday’s rematch against Notre Dame in the Independence Bowl at Shreveport, La., will only be a small part of the changed defense LSU will have by next fall.

Since he replaced Carl Reese, who left to join Mack Brown’s staff at Texas, Tepper said LSU players have reacted fairly and positively to “what could have been a very uncomfortable transition.”

Still, with less than two weeks between Tepper’s hiring and the bowl game, there’s been more tinkering with what was already in place than adding a lot of new things. And with the assistants in and out recruiting after he arrived, it only made things more difficult.

“It’s not easy. It’s maybe the biggest challenge I’ve had in 30 years,” said Tepper, the former Illinois coach.

LSU is hoping the few changes that have been made, though unspecified, can make a difference. Seven weeks ago in Baton Rouge, Notre Dame jumped to a 21-0 lead in the first quarter, and outrushed LSU 260-121 in a 24-6 victory.

Southern returns to Heritage

Coach Pete Richardson says his Southern University Jaguars are appearing in the Heritage Bowl so often some of their fans think it’s a part of the regular schedule.

The Jags (10-1), champions of the Southwestern Athletic Conference, and South Carolina State (9-2), runner-up in a tough Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference that sent two teams to the Division I-AA playoffs, play in the Georgia Dome in Atlanta today.

It will be the fourth Heritage for the Jags, who beat South Carolina State following the 1993 season, Florida A&M in 1995 and lost to Howard last year. The MEAC Bulldogs beat Grambling in the Heritage after the 1994 season.

Missouri seeing how other half used to live

It has been 14 years between bowl games for Missouri, and players are going into their Holiday Bowl matchup against Colorado State a bit wide-eyed.

“It’s been wonderful,” tailback Brock Olivo said. “Everybody has been treating us like royalty.

“This whole experience is awesome and I urge everybody to try to get this experience in your lifetime.”

The following fields overflowed: SUPCAT = COLUMN - College football notebook