Football Notebook: Preparing for No. 1 LSU, Recruits asking questions

Nutt, Rebels prepare for LSU
Only two games remain in Ole Miss head coach Houston Nutt’s tenure at Ole Miss, and he faces the task of preparing his team to play LSU, the top-ranked team in the latest BCS Standings, as well as the unanimously No. 1 team in both the Associated Press and the ESPN/USA Today Coaches Polls.
“They are a very good team on both sides,” Nutt said of LSU in Monday’s press conference. “They have excellent special teams and great speed. We got started yesterday with our guys trying to introduce them to their fronts and formations. We are looking forward to getting back out there with them tomorrow and (getting) going on one of the best teams in the country, if not the best.”
This past week, coming off a huge win at Alabama, LSU started slow before pulling away in a dominant 42-9 win over Western Kentucky. What has Nutt worried most is the Tigers’ defense, which ranks second in the nation in total defense, second in scoring defense, third against the run and sixth against the pass. The Tigers also rank third in the nation in turnover margin (+15) with 14 interceptions and seven fumble recoveries.
“To me, they are playing at a very high level right now, especially on defense,” Nutt said. “That’s a team that has given up very few yards. If you watch the film against Alabama, you really see it because you know how explosive Alabama is and they gave up very few yards. Even Trent Richardson didn’t have that many big, long, explosive runs like he normally has, so they’re very good.”
When talking about the LSU defense, the conversation usually starts with Tyrann Mathieu, the game-changing defensive back nicknamed the “Honey Badger.” On Monday, Nutt said the Rebels have to be aware of Mathieu and his big-play ability.
“Their defensive line, linebackers and secondary are all good,” Nutt said. “They have length and are taller guys, except for the “Honey Badger,” Tyrann Mathieu. He is something else. What a ball player. He is fun to watch. This guy will take the ball from you, knock the ball down, intercept the ball, disrupt the punt return guy and make him fumble and run it in.
“He is just a ball player. I hope he doesn’t have too many of those against us.”
Recruits asking questions
Ole Miss currently has 12 verbal commitments for the 2012 recruiting cycle, but recruiting for the Rebels is in an odd place with Nutt no longer the head coach after two more games. Nutt said he has received a couple of questions from a good number of recruits.
“The main thing I’m getting is ‘Who do you think should be the coach?’ and ‘Should I come to the LSU game?’ Things like that,” he said. “What we’re telling them is to come on to the LSU game, especially the ones committed. It’s just hard to answer them because we don’t have the answers right now, but come to the game because this could be your future home. Come on and enjoy the game and the campus.”