MAILBAG: Play calling, starting pitching, Mike the Tiger

By Hunt Palmer

I opened things up to you the listener/reader to fire off mailbag questions you may have regarding LSU sports. We won’t do this weekly, but it may show up from time to time when the situation permits. This week your questions involved play calling, live Tigers, starting pitching and more. Let’s get into it.

Why does Joe Sloan continue to run RPO/QB read plays if Nuss never pulls the ball down and runs? I know he’s not Jayden Daniels, but defensive ends will just continue to crash the mesh until he pulls and runs.

I agree with you on a few points here. Nussmeier is not Jayden Daniels, and defensive ends have not respected him to this point. Southern Cal (it’s irritating that LSU has played two USC’s so early, but I digress) didn’t even consider him when crashing down. We’ll see if more runs come after last week when Nussmeier did keep on a quarterback draw against South Alabama. No one was home, and he walked into the end zone. I predict we’ll see a little bit more running from Nussmeier in spots moving forward. He just needs to be sure he slides when the time comes.

Should LSU consider bringing Mike back into the stadium on game days? Politics aside, I love the tradition and would love to have the new generation experience it. Thoughts?

As a child, I loved it, too. That was always something I looked forward to. As an adult, I think it’s best we leave that in the past. Caging a live tiger in a trailer and having 15,00 students screaming at it probably isn’t the most sensible thing. I’m perfectly fine with LSU having the live tiger mascot. It’s a campus attraction, and the LSU Vet School does a wonderful job caring for the Mikes. I actually did an eighth grade project on it many, many moons ago. But I think we can leave the caged truck ride in the past.

Which MLB team is most likely to sign Alex Bregman?

That’s a really tough one. It’s going to be odd seeing Bregman in anything other than Astros blue and orange. He was a key cog in the greatest run that franchise has ever seen. Six straight league championship series is just astounding. He was a part of two World Series wins. Say what you will about the first one, and that’s totally fair.

He’s been a 40 WAR player and four-time all-star. He just wrapped up his age 30 season.

The assumption is that he won’t be back in Houston. He tweeted a thank you after the Astros were swept by the Tigers.

Thank you Houston

— Alex Bregman (@ABREG_1) October 3, 2024

I don’t see him reuniting with AJ Hinch in Detroit or Alex Cora in Boston. Both franchises have third basemen. Arizona is close to his Albuquerque home. Eugenio Suarez is under contract for another year there. Mabe the Blue Jays are an option? I know Kevin Gausman has loved his time there, and the Jays might have some real money to spend if Vlad Guerrero Jr. is traded.

Can LSU’s defense do what Kentucky’s did to Ole Miss?

I don’t think so. That isn’t to say LSU can’t beat Ole Miss, but Kentucky and LSU are polar opposites. Kentucky is very, very talented at defensive tackle. Deone Walker is a 6-foot-6, 345lbs., monster in the middle. He wrecked Ole Miss’s day. LSU doesn’t have that. What LSU can do is get some pressure on Jaxson Dart off the edges to create some issues. The Tigers also don’t have to try to win scoring 20 points like Kentucky did.

What’s LSU weekend rotation going to be this year?

I get this more than any question between the months of July and January. It never fails, and I love it! Truth be told, I have very little idea. Jay Johnson amassed a lot of talented arms, and it’s up to he and Nate Yeskie to fit the pieces together.

As far as talent goes, Chase Shores, William Schmidt, Jacob Mayers and Deven Sheerin are the top of the list. They all throw really hard with plus breaking stuff. Shores is off injury. Schmidt is a freshman. Mayers has control problems. Sheerin hasn’t pitched at this level. But they all have stuff.

Anthony Eyanson and Zac Cowan are polished pitchers. Both guys have taken the ball every weekend and eaten up outs in smaller conferences. They don’t do it with 96 mph, but they can pitch.

Then you’ve got a group of guys in Kade Anderson, Connor Ware (JUCO LHP), Jaden Noot and Cooper Williams, who LSU stole from Texas A&M at the last minute, that are longshots but capable ones.

If I had to guess LSU’s starters on opening weekend, I’d go with Shores, Eyanson and Cowan. If it’s three others, I won’t be totally stunned.

Will Harold Perkins come back or enter the NFL Draft?

Injuries suck. I know that Perkins had not lit up the stat sheet, but he’s a guy offenses have to identify, and I still considered him a closer in a tight game when LSU has a lead. My gut tells me he has played his last game in college. He’s never going to be 6’2” 235. The team that likes him as a tweener in the 2026 draft will like him in the 2025 draft. I have my doubts that he’s a first round pick, but I have stronger doubts about him returning to LSU.

Is Chris Hilton a real person?

I’ll admit it. I chuckled at the six word e-mail. But I also hate the fact that Hilton has dealt with this crap for nearly four years. I know y’all are tired of hearing it, but he looked awesome in camp. I believe LSU’s passing offense can be even better when Hilton gets back and CJ Daniels get more involved. Yes, Chris Hilton is real, and he’s going to score a touchdown on Ole Miss.