Wedged between a season-opening matchup against then-No. 3 Oregon and a Thursday night game against the No. 16 team in the coun-try is a showdown with an in-state rival that’s 0-10 all-time against LSU.

LSU has outscored Northwest-ern State, 417-0, in those 10 games.

But that won’t stop LSU from treating its Saturday night matchup in Tiger Stadium differently from any other game.

The Demons (1-0) are coming off a 24-23 win over Delta State, a game LSU coach Les Miles said he watched.

“They came from behind to beat Delta State,” Miles said. “It’s a very competent scheme, very solid football.”

The game is a homecoming of

sorts, as the Tigers will grace the ÀHOG� DW� 'HDWK� 9DOOH\� IRU� WKH� ÀUVW�time this season, while former LSU co-defensive coordinator Bradley Dale Peveto will grace the opposing sideline.

“I have great respect for Brad-ley Dale Peveto,” Miles said. “He KDV� WKHP� Á\LQJ� DURXQG�� +H� KDV�them well-organized.”

Peveto reciprocoted the respect from Miles and said he’s embracing the return to Baton Rouge.

“I can try to describe it, but XQWLO�RXU�JX\V�KLW�WKDW�ÀHOG�DQG�H[-perience the thrill of Tiger Stadium, what I say won’t do it justice,” Pe-veto said. “LSU’s fans make it that way and hopefully we can earn their respect with the way we compete.”

The No. 2 Tigers, ahead two spots in the polls after a dominating 40-27 performance against Oregon ODVW� ZHHNHQG�� FRQWDLQHG� WKHLU� H[-citement after the win in Cowboys

Stadium, according to Miles.“Did I take some personal time

[to celebrate]?” Miles asked rhe-torically. “You betcha. A good 15 minutes in the stadium, a warm, comfortable thought at home on Sunday morning and then on to the QH[W�RSSRQHQW�DQG�RQ�WR�LPSURYLQJ�the team.”

Sophomore defensive end Barkevious Mingo said regardless of the opponent, the Tigers will try WR�H[HFXWH�WKHLU�JDPH�SODQ�

“We know what kind of season we want to have,” he said. “We just have to prepare for their best shot.”

Many players also said while the Oregon win was satisfying, the Tigers need to tweak a few things before facing the Demons.

“[Miles] showed us some ef-fort plays that weren’t really 100 percent,” Mingo said. “It’s just the

LSU junior wide receiver Russell Shepard will serve a three-game suspension for his violation of an NCAA rule.

Shepard is scheduled to re-turn for LSU’s Sept. 24 game DJDLQVW�:HVW�9LUJLQLD�� DFFRUGLQJ�to a news release. He has been practicing with the team.

Shepard was ruled ineligible Aug. 25 by the NCAA for dis-cussing an ongoing NCAA in-vestigation with a teammate. The investigation focused on Willie

Lyles, a Houston native who was paid for recruit-ing information.

Fo l lowing the suspension, LSU immedi-ately applied for Shepard’s rein-statement.

Shepard played in all 13 games in 2010, started nine, and recorded 33 receptions for 254 yards and one touchdown. Shepa-rd added 226 rushing yards on 32 attempts with two touchdowns.

Shepard missed the Tigers’ season opener against Oregon and will miss games against Northwestern State on Saturday and Mississippi State on Sept. 15.

Flash back to 10 years ago, sit-ting in a middle school classroom, watching tears pour down the teacher’s cheeks as she attempts WR�H[SODLQ�WKH�LPSDFW�RI�WKH�HYHQWV�

unfolding in New York City to a room full of 11-year-olds.

All eyes were glued to the WHOHYLVLRQ� VHW� DV� WKH� FODVV� RI� ÀIWK�graders watched the second high-jacked plane crash into the World Trade Center and tried to wrap their minds around the foreign term, “terrorists.”

Everything seemed to have come to a halt that September day. Distress, fear and confusion draped the country.

“We didn’t really know what was going on because we were young,” said junior wide receiver Rueben Randle. “The teacher told us and then stopped class and she started crying. Once you get home, you see it on every channel and you kind of understood.”

Nearly everyone remem-bers where they were when they heard about the 9/11 attacks. The shocking aftermath of the national tragedy spanned coast to coast,

affecting nearly every aspect of daily life.

$V�$PHULFD�SUHSDUHV�WR�UHÁHFW�on the 10-year anniversary of the travesty Sunday, LSU coach Les Miles recounted the impact 9/11 had on his job.

The former Oklahoma State FRDFK�VDLG�KLV�ÀUVW�JDPH�DIWHU� WKH�event, scheduled for Sept. 15, was cancelled due to the attacks, leav-LQJ�D�OLQJHULQJ�DLU�RI�DQ[LHW\�

“We practiced right up until

Thursday until the decision was made unilaterally not to play that game,” Miles said. “The mood was very tense because you didn’t know how football or how our way of life would continue with these issues and the terrorism.”

7KH� QH[W� JDPH� IRU� WKH� 268�&RZER\V�ZDV�RQ�WKH�URDG�DW�7H[DV�A&M.

Miles recalled the patriotic

In an attempt to help LSU as-sociate cheerleading coach Chico Garcia with the overwhelming costs of his medical treatment, the LSU Athletic Department has teamed up with Our Lady of the Lake Hospital to host a blood drive in Garcia’s honor today.

Garcia was involved in a se-rious boating accident on Aug. 27 that left the for-mer LSU cheer-leader in critical condition with a spinal-cord in-jury. The drive will take place in the Tiger Stadium parking lot today from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. For every pint of blood donated, Our Lady of the Lake will take off $15 from *DUFLD·V�PHGLFDO�H[SHQVHV��

Due to Garcia’s good physical shape prior to his accident, he has been able to use accessory muscles to breath. But as those muscles begin to atrophy, breathing has be-come more labored. Doctors have now determined that a tracheotomy procedure is necessary for Garcia to continue breathing.

“The team has been affected by this tragedy in a major way,” said Pauline Zernott, head spirit coordinator. “But they have taken Chico’s spirit and positive attitude and have realized that this is just a temporary situation and that he will be back as soon as possible.”

Those who can’t attend to-day’s drive but still wish to donate in honor of Garcia can do so at QH[W�ZHHN·V�ZHHN�ORQJ�EORRG�GULYH�on Tower Drive behind the Student Union from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

SportsFriday, September 9, 2011 page 7

Shepard to serve three-game suspension

LSU holds blood drive for Chico Garcia

Contact Hunter Paniagua at hpaniagua@lsureveille.com

Contact Michael Gegenheimer at mgegenheimer@lsureveille.com

Mark ClementsSports Writer

Albert BurfordSports Contributor

Michael GegenheimerSports Contributor

Hunter PaniaguaSports Writer

GARCIA

LOOKING BACK

FOOTBALL CHEERLEADING

LSU team recalls effects of Sept. 11 on football

Receiver scheduled to return Sept. 24

NORTHWESTERN, see page 15

SEPT. 11, see page 15

Miles asked to wear bulletproof vest

SHEPARD

NO MERCYZACH BREAUX / The Daily Reveille

Sophomore safety Craig Loston (6) and junior tight end Chase Clement (88) get hyped for LSU’s Sept. 3 opener against Oregon.

LSU vs. Northwestern StateSaturday at 7:00 p.m.

on TigerVision

photo courtesy of NORTHWESTERN STATE

Two Northwestern State players run onto the field. The Demons haven’t beaten or scored on the Tigers in 10 matchups.

Tigers won’t be taking it easy against Northwestern State

little things that add up and make a big difference. Correcting them could mean the difference between shutting somebody out or giving up a big play.”

The Demons have been shut out in every game against the Ti-gers, but Miles insists that’s not what’s on the team’s mind.

“It’s more important that we seal victory and worry less about whether they score a point,” Miles said. “We need to play 60 minutes of strong football and go from there.”

Miles said he would’ve liked to use junior wide receiver Rueben Randle more than he was able to in the Oregon game.

Randle only caught one pass for 10 yards against Oregon, which went for a touchdown. He said he may get his chance to make more of an impact this weekend.

“[Miles] expected us to make more plays,” Randle said.

“Northwestern will give us that opportunity since they’re a man-based team, so I’m looking forward to making more plays than I did last weekend.”

With a little more freedom like-ly in substitutions, Miles said soph-omore backup quarterback Zach Mettenberger is progressing behind senior quarterback Jarrett Lee, who played every snap at quarterback against Oregon.

“Whether or not he’ll get some VQDSV� LQ� WKLV� JDPH� RU� KRZ� VLJQLÀ-cant those snaps will be, I’m not ready to say yet,” Miles said. “But his preparation will be increased without question.”

Miles named senior fullback James Stampley captain for the game after an impressive showing in the Oregon game.

The Daily Reveille page 15Friday, September 9, 2011

The Golden Band from Tiger-land will perform a special half-time show at the football home opener Saturday to honor those who lost their lives in the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.

Roy King, director of athletic bands, said the “Americana” show will include “Amazing Grace” per-formed in the same arrangement the band used in the commemora-tive show immediately following the attacks 10 years ago. He said

band members will remove their hats in a special gesture that has only been employed once before, GXULQJ� WKH� ÀUVW� VKRZ� LQ� KRQRU� RI�victims’ lives.

King said a local family who lost loved ones during the attacks ZLOO�MRLQ�WKH�EDQG�RQ�WKH�ÀHOG�GXU-ing the show. U.S. Navy jets will DOVR�Á\�RYHU�WKH�VWDGLXP�6DWXUGD\�during the national anthem.

“We believe it will be a poi-gnant moment in Tiger Stadium as it was 10 years ago,” King said.

Chase Howard, second-year drum major in Tiger Band, said

he had chills during rehearsals because the show brought back memories of 9/11. He said the op-portunity to honor those who lost their lives and their families is in-describable.

Howard said the show will be emotional for many fans and will “unify us as Tigers and as a coun-try.”

red, white and blue atmosphere at the stadium, the thunderous mili-WDU\� Á\RYHU� EHIRUH� WKH� JDPH�� DV�well as some interesting — and rather frightening — instructions from the local police.

´,W�ZDV�WKH�ÀUVW�WLPH�,·YH�HYHU�been spoken to by a policeman and instructed to wear a bulletproof vest,” Miles said. “Nor did I have instructions ever again on how to remove my team from the area and get on the bus and where we would go.”

Miles said “heck no” when asked if he wore the vest, but did remember other safety precautions were discussed.

“There was a conversation with [former Texas A&M coach] 5��&��6ORFXP�DFURVV� WKH�ÀHOG� WKDW�I’ll never forget,” Miles said. “We talked about some things that had

to do with security. It was a much different time.”

Nearly 10 years have passed since the United States waged war on al-Qaida.

While people mark all sorts of different milestones in their lives as individual moments of maturation, Sept. 11 was one event that affect-ed everyone across the nation.

“At that point nobody really thought an attack like that was pos-sible, and I had never dealt with anything like that,” said senior of-fensive lineman T-Bob Hebert. “It was a little bit of a growing up experience. It’s pretty insane to think it’s been 10 years since it happened. It’s a national tragedy and I’m glad that our coun-try seems to have come together.”

Looking back on the 10-year stretch since the events of 9/11, Miles said he was proud of the country’s rebound.

“This game and this wonderful country are pretty spe-cial,” Miles said reminiscing over the past 10 years. “They overcome every hurdle and every obstacle.”

Contact Catherine Parsiola at cparsiola@lsureveille.com

Contact Mark Clements at mclements@lsureveille.com

SEPT. 11, from page 7

NORTHWESTERN, from page 7COMMEMORATION

Tiger Band honors 9/11 families Catherine ParsiolaContributing Writer

Contact Albert Burford at aburford@lsureveille.com