Scooter Hobbs

LSU expects to have both starting cornerbacks back for its game with Texas A&M Saturday against one the SEC’s top quarterbacks in Kellen Mond.

The Tigers struggled against big plays in the second half of the Arkansas game with Eli Ricks ejected for a targeting call and All-American Derek Stingley taking an inadvertent blow to the head on a punt return that sidelined him early in the second half.

Ricks has done his penance — since his foul happened in the first half, he’s eligible for the entire game this week after sitting out the second half at Arkansas.

Head coach Ed Orgeron said Monday that Stingley would likely practice in a non-contact jersey Monday, but that he should be fine to go by Saturday.

“He’s not cleared totally yet,” Orgeron said, “but it looks like he is going to be fine.”

Cordale Flott, Dwight McGlothern and Jay Ward all struggled in the starters’ absence, giving up four completions of 50 yards or longer.

Ward, however, did come up with a key pass breakup in game’s waning moments. It forced Arkansas to attempt a game-tying 44-yard field goal that Ward then blocked.

But LSU will also be without starting wide receiver Racey McMath, who suffered a non-contact injury when he pulled up while running a deep pattern in the second half.

“Racey’s out,” Ed Orgeron said. “He’s very doubtful for the game.”

Earlier in the game McMath scored his first touchdown of the season on a 30-yard pass from TJ Finley in the second quarter.

“We have a lot of choices,” Orgeron said of wide receiver. “Hopefully we can get Trey Palmer back. We have a lot of receivers that can go out there. Kayshon Boutte is a good young receiver, he can get out there. Koy Moore, another receiver. Jontre Kirklin, another receiver we can put out there.”

Palmer missed the Arkansas game.

TEMPTING FATE? LSU will let the players go home for Thanksgiving after a workout, but Orgeron said they’ve been warned not to do anything that might lead to a COVID outbreak before the Texas A&M game.

“Have it with your family only, know who’s there,” he said of the precautions. “Obviously don’t attend any parties or big gatherings, but I think going home with your family, it’s Thanksgiving. I think it will be fine. We test our guys. They’re going to follow all the precautions.”

NO WORD ON TIDE: The SEC on Monday did not release starting times for next week’s games to be played on Dec. 5.

So LSU’s postponed game with Alabama remains in limbo.

LSU is scheduled to host Ole Miss next week, but that would likely be the only spot to play the Bama game, which would mean moving Ole Miss to the Dec. 19 date of the SEC championship game (which Alabama will almost surely be playing in).

The other makeup date the SEC built into the schedule, Dec, 5, is already spoken for — the Tigers will make up their game at Florida that day.

“That’s out of my wheelhouse,” Orgeron said about what was going on at the SEC office. “I have no clue. But I know that my gut feeling is that it (Alabama) is going to be rescheduled, and I hope it is. And we look forward to playing them.

“That’s a great rivalry, and we look forward to playing them. So if they can fit it in to where we can play Alabama, I’m sure they’re going to do it.”

GET WELL, JOE: Orgeron said it was hard to watch his former quarterback Joe Burrow suffer a gruesome, season-ending injury with the Cincinnati Bengals Sunday.

“It was tough,” Orgeron said. “It was tough to watch. We all watched it, and we felt bad for him. Joe’s a competitor. I texted him today. I know he’s going to be back. I know his attitude. He’s probably working out today, getting ready for next season.”

Burrow suffered both a torn ACL and MCL in his knee and could have other structural damage as well.

“I thought he was having maybe a Rookie of the Year season,” Orgeron said. “We were very proud of him. We follow Joe. We follow everything he does, like we do all the players in the NFL.”

HONORED: Orgeron said defensive end Andre Anthony had the best game of his career at Arkansas, and the SEC agreed.

Anthony was named the SEC defensive lineman of the week after he had two sacks for 12 yards against the Razorbacks.LSU defensive back Eli Ricks (1) reacts after a tackle against Arkansas during a game Saturday in Fayetteville, Ark. Ricks was penalized for targeting and ejected from the game as a result of the play.

Associated Press