TAILGATE How we
12 local tailgating groups share their game-day secrets
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A13 Where the expression “Geaux Tigers” could have originated
A16 How Tiger Stadium has evolved over 100 years
A18 Where LSU Football alums are playing in the NFL today
A29 How Matt Moscona thinks this season will play out
A39 Which band of brothers is making an impact on the team
A46 Why certain amenities are musts for local tailgaters
A63 Who is fine-turning the Golden Band’s uniforms
225
Jordan Hefler wandered campus during two games last season in search of the coolest tailgating setups. See inside them in our cover story starting on page A46.
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Carefully check this ad for: CORRECT ADDRESS • CORRECT PHONE NUMBER • ANY TYPOS This ad design © Melara Enterprises, LLC. 2024. All rights reserved. Phone 225-928-1700
HARVEST DAYS
Saturday, Oct 5 & Sunday, Oct 6 9 am until 4:30 pm
Living history demonstrations will interpret activities that took place on Louisiana farms during harvest time in the 1800’s. Artisans will demonstrate skills related to the harvesting, hunting, fieldwork, and other 19th century duties. Activities will include open-hearth cooking, soap making, and wagon rides and much more!
HAINTS, HAUNTS & HALLOWEEN
Sunday, Oct 27 2 pm until 4:30 pm
Remember the sights, sounds, and activities of an oldfashioned country fair. Join the staff and volunteers of the Rural Life Museum as they provide a safe and fun Halloween event for families. Storytelling, cake walks, games, and trick-or-treating are some of the events kids will be able to participate in while on the museum grounds.
RED ROOSTER BASH
Thursday, Nov 14
Cocktail hour begins at 6:30pm
An annual Barbeque event for the Friends of the LSU Rural Life Museum. Come join the fun and take your chance at winning fantastic door prizes, while listening to lively music and enjoying delicious barbecue fare. Red roosters will be immersed throughout the decor. Advanced registration is required. Registration and ticket information available in September.
A RURAL LIFE CHRISTMAS
Sunday, Dec 8 | 10 am - dusk
Concludes with 5:30 LA Lights Session
Ring in the Christmas season with a 19th century Louisiana celebration. Musical groups, demonstrating artisans, storytellers, and costumed re-enactors will be present to set the holiday mood. This event will conclude with a bonfire and a very special surprise that will be announce closer to the day! As the day winds down, join us for the 5:30 PM session of Louisiana Lights, which will illuminate the evening with holiday cheer. With a single ticket, you can enjoy both events on Sunday, December 8th.
Publisher: Julio Melara
EDITORIAL
Chief Content Officer: Penny Font
Editor-In-Chief: Jennifer Tormo Alvarez
Managing Editor: Laura Furr Mericas
Features Writer: Maggie Heyn Richardson
Digital Staff Writer: Olivia Deffes
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Contributing Writers: Mark Clements, Cynthea Corfah, Jillian Elliott, Elle Marie, Matt Moscona, Kelsei Scott
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Circulation/Reprints
225.928.1700 • email: circulation@225batonrouge.com 9029 Jefferson Highway, Suite 300, Baton Rouge, LA 70809 225-214-5225 • FAX 225-926-1329 • 225batonrouge.com
CHEER FOR CHEMISTRY! CHEER FOR CHEMISTRY!
Football would not be possible without the chemicals produced by our industry.
Petrochemicals and petroleum are everywhere in football, from the construction of stadiums to the protective gear worn by players. Whenever you are cheering on your favorite football team this football season, remember that petrochemicals and petroleum are the real MVPs!
PROTECTIVE PADDING
Great tackles wouldn’t be possible without our players’ protective padding, and polyethylene, from ExxonMobil , is a crucial ingredient.
GLOVES
Methanol, produced by Koch Methanol St. James , is a key ingredient found in players’ gloves.
BLEACHERS
How could we watch the game without a place to sit? Bleachers are made of aluminum which is derived from alumina, and Atlantic Alumina in Gramercy is the only US alumina producer.
FIELD
ARTIFICIAL TURF
Polyethylene and polypropylene make up the synthetic turf for many fields. ExxonMobil produces these important chemicals.
A beautiful grass field can’t be maintained without fertilizers and water purification (sulfuric acid). Companies Cornerstone Chemical , Phillips 66 , and Nutrien keep the fields green!
FOOTBALL HELMET
So many chemicals go into protecting a player’s head! Polycarbonate plastic and PVC are used on the helmet’s outer shell, produced by Formosa Plastics , Shintech Louisiana , and OxyChem , and polyurethane foams, made by BASF and Huntsman/ Rubicon , are used on the inside.
JERSEY
How do we know which player is which? Our favorite team jerseys are made possible thanks to synthetic fibers, made by BASF , that allow moisture absorption and elasticity.
FOOTBALL
There would be no football games without the actual FOOTBALL! Companies like Lion Copolymer produce the synthetic rubber used to make footballs.
JET FUEL & GAS
Thanks to companies like Phillips 66 , CITGO , and Shell , players can go from city to city to play- and we can enjoy an exciting away game!
FIELD PAINT
There couldn’t be a game without the field lines! The paint for these lines are made with acrylic polymer emulsions, produced by Westlake Chemical .
GRASS
DREAM TEAM
HERE WE GEAUX, Tigers. Football is back.
Well before kickoff, this season is already one that’ll be engraved in the history books. Tiger Stadium celebrates its 100th birthday this fall. The school will unveil signage commemorating the occasion, plus upgrades like a new video board and lighting system.
Back in 1924, when the stadium had seating for about 12,000 fans, no one knew Death Valley would one day become the fifth-largest city in Louisiana on game days, with over 102,000 earthquakeinducing fans.
But we’d guess that yesterday’s LSU devotees wouldn’t have been surprised to learn that news.
“Few places in the nation can send chills down your spine like a game at Tiger Stadium,” Athlon Sports wrote in 2012.
Those chills aren’t just reserved for opponents. In the days ahead of the first kickoff, fans feel a familiar creeping excitement knowing they’ll soon be in the stands.
In 225 Magazine’s annual “Tiger Pride” issue, we pay homage to the passion and pageantry of LSU Football, from the religion of tailgating to the team’s traditions of athletic excellence.
On page A16, we chronicle the century-long history of Death Valley, from its first night game to its first earth tremor.
Playing inside Tiger Stadium is just as transcendent of an experience for the athletes as it is for the crowd. In a story starting on page A39, linebacker Whit Weeks tells 225 what it’s like to play here alongside his brother and fellow linebacker West Weeks.
“There’s not a lot of brothers that get to go out and play together anywhere in the country, let alone Death Valley,” he says. “That’s something special that I’ll cherish for the rest of my life.”
This year, the brothers play under the guidance of Brian Kelly’s overhauled coaching staff. We’re unpacking all the changes in stories on pages A32 and A43.
So, can we get up our playoff hopes this year? Our guest columnist Matt Moscona has pegged the Oct. 12 meetup with Ole Miss as a game to watch.
“Both teams should be undefeated coming into this one,” Moscona writes. “This could be a CFP tiebreaker.” Read his breakdown on page A29.
Whether LSU has assembled a dream team this year remains to be seen. But the truth is, the dream team isn’t just the one on the field—it’s the crowd full of roaring fans doing their part, too. We’ve dedicated our cover story to the tailgaters. Read it on page A46. Here’s to another 100 years of memories in Tiger Stadium.
ORIGINStory
We chant “Geaux Tigers” before kickoff. We don fan gear that says it. But why did we start spelling the word “go” with some Cajun flair?
BY OLIVIA DEFFES
ONE LOUISIANA
93-YEAR-OLD believes he’s the reason we all say “Geaux Tigers.”
Frank Carr’s love for LSU first ramped up when his family got a battery-powered radio. Each week, the boy would fiddle with the dials, tuning into the playby-by commentary.
After high school, Carr worked on his father’s farm but decided to enroll at LSU for a short time from 1951 to 1953. He’d only experienced football games with his ears before, but he was finally able to attend and see the action.
Besides his affection for sports, Carr says he had a fondness for “tinkering with words.” With his newfound social life at college, Carr went on to meet new people— including a few Cajuns, which sparked some of that word tinkering.
“That ‘eaux’ at the end of so many names fascinated me,” he says. “I stuck that in the back of my mind.”
But when he first thought about applying “geaux” to expressions about the Tigers, Carr didn’t tell anyone about it. That is, until, the late ’60s, when he revealed the idea to a friend he was working alongside at the Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development. Hoping to make a little extra cash on the side, Carr’s buddy was plotting an LSU-themed license plate that fans would be able to display on their front bumpers.
The design was a yellow plate with a purple football and a tiger in the middle. Carr thought “Go Tigers” looked unbalanced, with a two-letter word on one side of the illustration and a six-letter one on the other. So, he suggested his special spelling and helped print two sample plates. One said “Go Tigers,” and the other read “Geaux Tigers.”
At first, he says his friend thought it was “too strange” a spelling but ultimately decided to go with “geaux.” A small set of plates was printed and distributed
at local shops. Carr doesn’t quite remember the year the plates came out, though his original plate has 1969 written on the back.
“I lived in north Baton Rouge and (while) in traffic, I’d look for cars with the plates,” he says. “Finally, I saw one and saw a couple more. Then, I didn’t see one for a long time. But, then (my word) showed up later in Tiger Stadium scrolling across the screen. And that was a real thrill.”
“Geaux” had entered the public domain.
Eventually, “Geaux Tigers” would be trademarked by LSU. In the 337, “Geaux Cajuns” is trademarked by the University of Louisiana at Lafayette.
Is it all thanks to Carr? 225 enlisted the help of regional libraries to help vet the word’s origins.
Both the East Baton Rouge Parish Libary and the Lafayette Public Library traced the first printed record of “geaux” back to 1968. A clipping from the Rayne Acadian-Tribune referenced “geaux” in a stage show title that
was unrelated to LSU Athletics. This was only one year before the date printed on the back of Carr’s license plate.
Given the geographic distance between Rayne and Baton Rouge, as well as the slower speed that slang spread in the pre-internet era, it’s difficult to imagine the 1968 and 1969 usages were connected.
“Geaux” was seen a few years later in the State Times Advocate A clipping from 1973 provided by the East Baton Rouge Parish Library used the fan expression
Frank Carr, 93, believes he coined the spelling of “geaux” back in the 1960s.
1968 + 1973
The East Baton Rouge Parish Libary and the Lafayette Public Library found newspaper clippings using the spelling as far back as 1968 and 1973.
Tiger Pride Spirit
THE EARLIEST RECORDS OF “GEAUX”
LSU’s Cajun crowd.
Was it Carr’s license plate expression that sparked the word’s initial popularity among Tiger fans?
It’s hard to say for sure, but Carr has no doubt his contribution was one of the very first.
Carr now resides in Denham Springs with family close by in the Capital Region. He remains a die-hard Tiger fan.
He says though he’s never made money from the word, he
1969
The date written on the back of the front-bumper license plate Carr helped print.
still loved seeing it catch on with the team he grew up rooting for by his radio.
Today, he owns multiple pieces of LSU merchandise with the word “geaux” printed on them.
But, none seem as special as that mustard-colored front bumper plate from 1969.
“The ‘geaux’ spelling, I thought, was something that would not be understood or appreciated by even the craziest of Tiger fans,” he says. “I was wrong.”
Now, that’s worth a “Geaux Tigers.”
COURTESY BEN ADAMS
AND THE CROWD
ROARS ROARS
Tiger Stadium turns 100: Chronicling the history of one of the game’s most iconic landmarks
BY LAURA FURR MERICAS
DIGITS 65-6 LSU’S
PORTION OF
HOME TO FOOTBALL greats, earthquakes, dorm dwellers and so much more, Death Valley is one of the most revered—and feared—sports venues in the nation. Let’s take a look at how one of the greatest (and loudest) places to watch college football came to be.
$500 MILLION
TIGER STADIUM’S ESTIMATED ANNUAL ECONOMIC IMPACT FOR THE STATE
TIMELINE
1924
Tiger Stadium opens to fans for a Thanksgiving Day matchup against Tulane, with seating for about 12,000 in stands east and west of the field. Construction was pushed along to be completed for the matchup, but some sections are still roped off and awaiting inspection.
1931
LSU introduces night games in Tiger Stadium. Capacity is also increased by about 10,000 more seats by extending stands upward.
1934
Tiger Stadium is again expanded thanks to then-Gov. Huey P. Long’s sly use of dormitory funds. Male dorms are added underneath new seating areas. The student dorms remain open until the 1960s, and are used again temporarily by football players in the ‘80s.
1936
WPA workers enclose the north end zone at Tiger Stadium, creating a horse-shoe shape and increasing capacity to about 46,000. More athletic offices and male dormitories are added underneath.
1952
The Golden Band from Tigerland performs the iconic “LSU Tiger Triumph March” for the first time in Tiger Stadium during a Tennessee matchup.
1953
Tiger Stadium’s horse-shoe is closed in to create its lower bowl with the addition of seating in the south end zone. Capacity reaches about 68,000.
1958
LSU Football wins its first national championship, thanks to a perfect 11-0 streak. Many say this season galvanizes LSU fandom and propels on-campus tailgating to new heights.
1959
Billy Cannon makes his historic 89-yard punt return to defeat Ole Miss, securing LSU’s No. 1 ranking—and later, the program’s first Heisman Trophy.
1978
The original upper deck is added, plus two club levels, raising capacity. Several reconfigurations in the ’80s and early ’90s will bring total seating to about 80,000.
1979
LSU comes up short in its matchup against No.1-ranked South Carolina in September, but many at the time claim this to be the loudest Tiger Stadium had been to date.
1988
The first earth tremor in Tiger Stadium is registered by the LSU Geology Department after LSU running back Eddie Fuller scores the game-winning touchdown against Auburn.
1997
Fans take down Tiger Stadium’s goal posts for the first time following LSU’s defeat of the No. 1-ranked Florida Gators.
2000
The east upper deck debuts and the Tiger Den Suites are introduced to provide fans with “luxury accommodations,” bringing capacity to 92,000.
2003
Under Coach Nick Saban, LSU wins its second national championship with a 6-1 record at home.
2005
Death Valley hosts its first NFL events when the New Orleans Saints relocate for four games in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. LSU also unveils its $85 million west upper deck project with 3,200 highend seats and a state-of-the-art press box.
2007
Tiger Stadium serves as the backdrop for another national championship season, this time under Coach Les Miles, with electrifying home wins against Florida and Auburn that each go down to the wire.
2009
Tiger Stadium’s 27-by-80-foot video board is added above the north end zone near the student section.
2010
Taylor Swift headlines opening night of the first-ever Bayou Country Superfest alongside some of the genre’s biggest stars like Keith Urban and Kenny Chesney.
2012
Lighting is added to Tiger Stadium’s archways to illuminate the stadium in purple and gold at night. Letters that spell out Tiger Stadium are also added to the west side facing Nicholson Drive.
2014
LSU unveils its south end zone expansion with added public seats, suites and club seating. The project increases capacity to 102,321, to which Tiger fans respond with pride, selling out home games against Mississippi State, Ole Miss and Alabama.
2019
Future Heisman-winner Joe Burrow dons his famous “Burreaux” jersey on senior night before beating Texas A&M to clinch a perfect 12-0 season. The team wins LSU’s fourth national championship and countless top recognitions under Coach Ed Orgeron.
2020
Tiger Stadium reduces capacity to 25% due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Tigers only play four home games.
2022
Garth Brooks performs to a sold-out audience at Tiger Stadium. Celebrations during his live rendition of “Callin’ Baton Rouge” register yet another seismic event.
2023
Against Florida, Quarterback Jayden Daniels becomes the first in college football history to rush for 200 yards and pass for 350 yards in a single game. Daniels wins the Heisman for his standout season under Coach Brian Kelly.
2024
Death Valley will celebrate its centennial all season. Watch for stadium upgrades, like new, larger video boards, speaker towers and LED lights, plus signage and artwork to mark the milestone.
NFLSU
Mapping Tiger alums in the league
COMPILED BY MARK CLEMENTS
EARLIER THIS SUMMER, social media was abuzz about two LSU alums claiming NFL records. Justin Jefferson, who was a Tigers wide receiver from 2017-2019, signed a $140 million contract with the Minnesota Vikings that made him the highest-paid non-quarterback in the league’s
history. And Joe Burrow, of course, was already the league’s highest-paid quarterback, with his $275 million contract for the Cincinnati Bengals. No matter which game you’re watching on Sundays, the rosters are likely teeming with former Tigers. LSU has had 384 NFL draft picks since
1936—including 52 first-round picks—and the 64 alums who are currently signed to a team ranks LSU second among all colleges
Where are Tigers scoring touchdowns and making plays in the NFL today? We mapped it out, noting which seasons each athlete played at LSU and what position they play today.
SEATTLE SEAHAWKS
ANTHONY BRADFORD (2019 - 2022), offensive guard
MINNESOTA VIKINGS
ED INGRAM (2017 - 2021), offensive guard
JUSTIN JEFFERSON (2017 - 2019), wide receiver
JAQUELIN ROY (2020 - 2022), defensive line
JAY WARD (2019 - 2022), safety
KANSAS CITY CHIEFS
CLYDE EDWARDS-HELAIRE (2017 - 2019), running back NEIL FARRELL JR. (2017 - 2021), defensive tackle
ARIZONA CARDINALS
BJ OJULARI (2020 - 2022), outside linebacker/defensive end
DALLAS COWBOYS
DAMONE CLARK (2018 - 2021), linebacker
RACEY MCMATH (2017 - 2020), wide receiver
LOS ANGELES CHARGERS
DJ CHARK JR. (2014 - 2017), wide receiver
KRISTIAN FULTON (2016 - 2019), cornerback
LOS ANGELES RAMS
OMAR SPEIGHTS (2023), linebacker
TRE’DAVIOUS WHITE (2013 - 2016), defensive back
HOUSTON TEXANS
ALI GAYE (2020 - 2022), defensive end
DANIELLE HUNTER (2012 - 2014), defensive end
JACOB PHILLIPS (2017 - 2019), outside linebacker
DEREK STINGLEY JR. (2019 - 2021), cornerback
CINCINNATI BENGALS
JOE BURROW (2018 - 2019), quarterback
NOAH CAIN (2022 - 2023), running back
JA’MARR CHASE (2018 - 2019), wide receiver
DETROIT LIONS
MEKHI WINGO (2022 - 2023), defensive line
CHICAGO BEARS
MICAH BASKERVILLE (2018 - 2022), linebacker
CLEVELAND BROWNS
BUFFALO BILLS
WILL CLAPP (2014 - 2017), offensive guard/tackle
LA’EL COLLINS (2011 - 2014), offensive tackle
REID FERGUSON (2012 - 2015), long snapper
DEION JONES (2012 - 2015), linebacker
GRANT DELPIT (2017 - 2019), safety
ETHAN POCIC (2013 - 2016), center
CADE YORK (2019 - 2021), kicker
WASHINGTON COMMANDERS
JAYDEN DANIELS (2022 - 2023), quarterback
TENNESSEE TITANS
SAAHDIQ CHARLES (2017 - 2019), offensive guard
LLOYD CUSHENBERRY III (2016 - 2019), center
ARDEN KEY (2015 - 2017), outside linebacker
NEW ORLEANS SAINTS
TYRANN MATHIEU (2010 - 2011), safety
FOSTER MOREAU (2015 - 2018), tight end
TRAI TURNER (2011 - 2013), offensive guard
JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS
JORDAN JEFFERSON (2023), defensive line
MAASON SMITH (2021 - 2023), defensive line
BRIAN THOMAS JR. (2021 - 2023), wide receiver
NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS
KAYSHON BOUTTE (2020 - 2022), wide receiver
DAVON GODCHAUX (2014 - 2016), defensive tackle
CHARLES TURNER III (2019 - 2023), center
NEW YORK GIANTS
COR’DALE FLOTT (2019 - 2021), cornerback
JALEN MILLS (2012 - 2015), defensive back
MALIK NABERS (2021 - 2023), wide receiver
OVIE OGHOUFO (2023), outside linebacker
NEW YORK JETS
JARRICK BERNARD-CONVERSE (2022), defensive back
AUSTIN DECULUS (2017 - 2021), offensive line
PHILADELPHIA EAGLES
TYRION DAVIS-PRICE (2019 - 2021), running back
MEKHI GARNER (2022), cornerback
ANDRE’ SAM (2023), safety
DEVIN WHITE (2016 - 2018), linebacker
PITTSBURGH STEELERS
BREIDEN FEHOKO (2017 - 2019), nose tackle
DONTE JACKSON (2015 - 2017), cornerback
JARAY JENKINS (2018 - 2022), wide receiver
PATRICK QUEEN (2017 - 2019), inside linebacker
CAROLINA PANTHERS
K’LAVON CHAISSON (2017 - 2019), outside linebacker
DAMIEN LEWIS (2018 - 2019), offensive guard
TERRACE MARSHALL JR. (2018 - 2020), wide receiver
STEPHEN SULLIVAN (2016 - 2019), tight end
BADARA TRAORE (2018 - 2019), offensive tackle
MIAMI DOLPHINS
ODELL BECKHAM JR. (2011 - 2013), wide receiver
BLAKE FERGUSON (2015 - 2019), long snapper
CHASEN HINES (2018 - 2021), offensive line
DUKE RILEY (2013 - 2016), linebacker
Growing B Rouge
Since 1978, we have been the cornerstone of St. Francisville, serving our friends and neighbors with a winning combination of community vision and relationship banking. For nearly a decade we’ve been steadily growing in Baton Rouge, always mindful of maintaining the same level of exceptional personalized service. Soon we will break ground on our new Baton Rouge main o ce, and with the help of Cockfield Jackson Architects, Cangelosi-Ward General Contractors and Kenneth Brown Design we will endeavor to duplicate the Bank of St. Francisville aura, elegance and charm that so many have known and loved.
Coming Soon, 9015 Je erson Hwy
A user’s
guide
to the Capital City for returning alums and visiting fans
BY MAGGIE HEYN RICHARDSON
GAME DAY IS all about the game, but there’s plenty of fun to be had before and after the big event. Bookend your fandom with a sampling of the Red Stick’s many flavors, sights and sounds, and be sure to save room for swag to bring home. Here’s how to get the most out of your weekend.
Callin’ BATON ROUGE
STOCK UP ON LOCAL EATS
From smoked sausage and boudin links, to fresh produce and artisan baked goods, Baton Rouge is a veritable culinary treasure chest. Fill the tailgate cooler with Italian stuffed artichokes and sweet sausage lasagna from Cannatella Grocery; boudin links from Ronnie’s Boudin & Cracklin’; and all manner of heritage pork cuts from Iverstine Butcher. If all you did was poke your head into an independent grocery, you’d still come away with finds like Hola Nola tortillas and coconut oil-fried chips, The Cocktail Experiment mixers and syrups, St. Bruno Bread Co. sourdough and lots more.
EXPLORE A NEARBY MUSEUM OR GALLERY
Artsy diversions abound in Baton Rouge, including museums and galleries just minutes from campus. The compact LSU Museum of Art on the fifth floor of the downtown Shaw Center for the Arts holds Newcomb pottery, fiber art and contemporary and classical pieces, while providing an impressive view of the Mississippi River at its ticket desk. Near City Park, the Knock Knock Children’s Museum tempts young’uns with interactive exhibits that burn off that special brand of kid energy. Finally, the Baton Rouge Gallery features exceptional regional contemporary art and opportunities to add affordably priced works to add to your collection.
COLLIN
RICHIE
COLLIN
RICHIE
St. Bruno Bread Co. sourdough
Knock Knock Children’s Museum
COOL OFF WITH FROZEN TREATS AT THE NEW LSU DAIRY STORE
Now in a larger location on South Campus Drive, the LSU Dairy Store welcomes visitors for a taste of the university’s dairy heritage. Available by cup or cone, the ice cream here is one of the city’s best bites. One lick reveals a thick and rich texture, thanks to milk from the Holstein herd at the LSU AgCenter’s Southeast Research Station in Franklinton. Sample flavors like the iconic Tiger Bite with swirled Golden Vanilla and Blueberry, Cherry Chocolate Chip or several fall flavors that riff on LSU opponents.
PICK UP MERCH
You’ve come to town in LSU-themed regalia, but why not leave in a trendy Baton Rouge tee? Sweet Baton Rouge is the place for stylish graphic T-shirts with sassy and edgy Louisiana themes. Shop the brand in its Perkins Rowe storefront or in the lobby of the downtown Origin Hotel.
BRUNCH, BRUNCH, BRUNCH
Raise a post-game bloody mary to the Tigers in a town that loves brunch as much as winning. Elaborate egg-centric dishes, stacks of fluffy pancakes, breakfast sandwiches, biscuits, and shrimp and grits are among the options found the morning after at the many local restaurants serving brunch. Try well-trod spots like Elsie’s Plate & Pie, Mason’s Grill, Mansurs on the Boulevard and The Chimes.
SHOP THE FARMERS MARKET
The leisurely Saturday morning that comes with night games means time to visit the 28-year-old Red Stick Farmers Market, where dozens of vendors sell goodies like fresh produce, farmstead goat cheeses, handmade baked goods, and jams and pickles. It’s a great place to grab a quick breakfast and do a little shopping before settling into football festivities.
Sweet Baton Rouge merch at the downtown Origin Hotel
LSU Dairy Store
COLLIN RICHIE
Red Stick Farmers Market FILE PHOTO BY RAEGAN LABAT
Brunch at Elsie’s Plate & Pie COLLIN RICHIE
SPONSORED BY:
BEHIND THE SCENES WITH EAST BATON ROUGE EMS ON GAMEDAY
On game day, it is not just the LSU Tigers who are ready for action.
East Baton Rouge EMS also plans well before the start of the football season to ensure every spectator is safe and cared for, no matter what emergency may arise.
Preparation includes coordination meetings with LSU Athletics, law enforcement, and other emergency services.
“Our goal is to be proactive rather than reactive,” says Brad Harris, Public Information Officer for East Baton Rouge EMS. “We study previous games, identify potential hotspots and make sure our team is fully prepared for any scenario.”
Multiple EMS teams are deployed throughout the campus on four-wheel drive carts and bicycles to get through the crowds. The command center is a hive of activity, monitoring incoming emergency calls and treating patients as they arrive.
The spectrum of medical emergencies at a football game can be wide-ranging.
Common complaints include dehydration, heat exhaustion and alcohol-related incidents. EMS treats the occasional slip and fall, but paramedics are always prepared for more serious illnesses such as cardiac events that require immediate intervention.
Not every EMS encounter requires medical intervention. Whether it’s a lost child or an elderly fan that needs to sit and rest, sometimes comfort and reassurance to those in distress is all that is needed.
For the medics at East Baton Rouge EMS, responding to emergencies is more than a job, it’s a commitment to the community. Their presence ensures that fans can enjoy the excitement and passion of college football with the peace of mind that expert medical care is readily available.
More information from EBR EMS can be found online at brla.gov/EMS or by scanning the QR code.
TAILGATING SAFETY TIPS
STAY HYDRATED
Baton Rouge can get hot, especially early in the season. Drink plenty of water to stay hydrated, and alternate between sports drinks and water to prevent dehydration.
DESIGNATE A DRIVER
Plan ahead and designate a driver who will refrain from drinking alcohol. Alternatively, use rideshare services or public transportation to get to and from the game safely.
FOOD SAFETY
Keep perishable foods in a cooler with plenty of ice or ice packs. Avoid cross-contamination by using separate utensils for raw and cooked foods. Ensure meats are cooked to the proper temperatures.
SUN PROTECTION
Protect yourself from the sun with sunscreen, hats and sunglasses. Set up tents or canopies for shade and take breaks from the sun to avoid heat exhaustion.
FIRST-AID KIT
Bring a well-stocked first aid kit that includes bandages, antiseptic wipes, pain relievers and any necessary personal medications. Being prepared can help you address minor injuries or illnesses on the spot.
WATCH YOUR SURROUNDINGS
Be aware of your surroundings and watch out for moving vehicles. Always be cautious when walking through parking lots.
KNOW EMERGENCY PROCEDURES
Familiarize yourself with the location of emergency services and first aid stations at the stadium. In case of an emergency, don’t hesitate to call 911 or seek help from security personnel.
SHEET! OH ,
Don’t sleep on this fan’s homemade banners, made with just bedsheets and spray paint
BY OLIVIA DEFFES // PHOTOS BY COLLIN RICHIE
DEAN HOTARD IS not your typical artist. Forget the canvases and the rainbow of acrylic paints. He’d rather use bedsheets and purple and gold spray paint to depict his greatest muse: the LSU Tigers.
After 20 seasons, the local architect and longtime football fan estimates he has created over 140 banners. For holidays and birthdays, his kids know exactly what to gift him: packs of sheets and cans of spray paint to add to his arsenal.
Usually featuring a cartoon and a witty rhyme, Hotard’s cloth signs have been a staple at his friends’ tailgate setup for years. He also makes posters and original characters, which he shows off at other LSU sporting events, too. Hotard’s creations have become highly anticipated by some Tiger fans and star athletes. Even Joe Burrow’s parents were once spotted posing with one of his banners.
“This one time I told my daughter, ‘We’re playing a local school. It should be a blowout, so I probably won’t do one.’ And my daughter says, ‘You have to. There are people counting on you,’” says Hotard, 64.
Hotard says his spark for signmaking ignited with the posters his late father drew for family tailgates. During a game against Alabama, a 12-year-old Hotard swiped his dad’s sign, which was scrawled with a snarky remark using the coach’s nickname. He paraded it around campus.
“All of the drunk, old people were laughing and cutting up about my dad’s sign,” he says. “I waited for the bus (with the players) to pull up, and some 40-year-old drunk guy says, ‘Hey! I’ll give you $20 for that sign.’ Sold! … I was hooked.”
Hotard started his own gameday doodles back in 2004-2005. At first, he made his banners out of architectural paper. He’d roll up and stick the signs in his pant legs to sneak them into stadiums that had rules prohibiting banners over a certain size. At a heated Ole
“This one time I told my daughter, ‘We’re playing a local school. It should be a blowout, so I probably won’t do (a banner).’ And my daughter says, ‘You have to. There are people counting on you.‘”
DEAN HOTARD
Miss and LSU matchup in Oxford, Hotard and his son revealed a sign at halftime right after Ole Miss threw an interception.
“This (Ole Miss fan) says, ‘If you do that, I’m going to tear it up,’” he says. “She didn’t even know what it said, she just didn’t like us making fun. Next thing I know, she didn’t tackle my son, but she went past him, grabbed it and tore it into a million pieces. Luckily, I had a backup sign in my other leg. … That day was when it quit being on architect paper and started becoming a bedsheet.”
During football season, Hotard does his research before games he attends. He researches rivals playing, investigating smack talk
or any controversial statements made about the game. He plays with pop culture references or sprinkles in newsy LSU moments.
The week of the game, Hotard sketches out ideas on scrap paper and napkins. He disperses them into a group text with his three children. They’ll either give him a green light or assure him, “you can do better than that.”
Once approved, he spray paints his sign in his backyard a few days prior to the game.
At the tailgate, the sign is ziptied to a makeshift frame made of PVC pipe so it can be proudly displayed. There, his designs get grilled once more as buddies rate it with a letter grade. If he brings
a banner into the stadium, he ties it around his waist under his clothes to conceal it. Hotard says it just makes him look like he’s been eating too much jambalaya.
Hotard hid a banner to take inside a baseball game in 2009, which ended up going viral. It read: “LSU fans love oysters and championships by the ½ dozen.”
The funny sign caught the attention of the Louisiana Seafood promotion and marketing board and earned him a party at Acme Oyster House. He says it still hangs in the Perkins Road restaurant.
After a game wraps up, Hotard signs the back of his banner and adds the final score before folding it up and stowing it in the attic with the rest of his collection.
Hotard fondly remembers each and even has photo books of all his game-day tarps.
“(My daughter) says they’re going to stuff them in my casket when I perish, even though I don’t want to talk about that,” Hotard laughs.
We make connections, build relationships, and provide you with exceptional resources to keep you informed so you can easily connect, learn, grow and thrive every stage of your alumni journey! Learn more at lsualumni.org or scan the QR code!
LSU's new coaching lineup
YEAR 3
Is Brian Kelly ready to break through in the College Football Playoff’s new 12-team format?
BY MATT MOSCONA
BEFORE THE 2023 season, Brian Kelly was asked by USA Today Network SEC Columnist Blake Toppmeyer about his team’s title chances.
“We need another year of recruiting,” Kelly said. “Year three, the consistency piece ... the messaging, all the things we do on a day-today basis, puts us in a position to compete for a championship.”
Both of Kelly’s predecessors, Les Miles and Ed Orgeron, won national titles in their third years as head coach. Is Kelly next?
SEPT. 1 vs. USC (Las Vegas)
Both teams replace Heismanwinning QBs and have new coordinators trying to fix awful defenses. LSU hasn’t won an opener since Joe Burrow was under center. It’s time to reverse that trend.
SEPT. 7 vs. Nicholls State
One benefit of conference realignment is we’ll see fewer games like this.
SEPT. 14 at South Carolina
It’s an 11 a.m. kickoff in a tough environment. The Tigers better be ready, or championship hopes could be on life support before October.
SEPT. 21 vs. UCLA
With Chip Kelly and the core of UCLA's 2021 team gone, the Tigers should exact sweet revenge from the Rose Bowl loss three years ago.
SEPT. 28 vs. South Alabama
USA has gone to back-to-back bowl games, but head coach Kane Wommack left to join Kalen DeBoer’s Alabama staff. Baton Rouge native Major Applewhite is the new head man. It should be a rude welcome home.
OCT. 12 vs. Ole Miss
Both teams should be undefeated coming into this one. LSU has an open date prior, while the Rebels begin October at South Carolina. This could be a CFP tiebreaker. Ole Miss hasn’t won in Tiger Stadium since 2008.
OCT. 19 at Arkansas
Bobby Petrino is back as offensive coordinator for Arkansas this season—and might be interim head coach before it’s all over. Don’t expect much from the Hogs.
OCT. 26 at Texas A&M
Jimbo Fisher is gone. But Mike Elko is a defensive mastermind. Back-to-back road conference games are never easy. Circle this as the trickiest spot on the slate.
NOV. 9 vs. Alabama
The Crimson Reign of Terror under Nick Saban is done. If ever there were a time to remind the Tide their greatest era is over, it’s now. LSU can’t lose this game. Period.
NOV. 16 at Florida
Visiting The Swamp after Bama is unenviable, but the Gators may have fired Billy Napier by this point. Florida might be better, but its No. 1-ranked strength of schedule is a brutal draw.
NOV. 23 vs. Vanderbilt
The SEC schedule makers did LSU a solid in the new 16-team league.
NOV. 30 vs. Oklahoma
It’s the Tigers’ and the Sooners’ first matchup since the 2019 Peach Bowl. This could be the beginning of a beautiful Thanksgiving rivalry.
About our expert
Matt Moscona is the awardwinning host of After Further Review, heard weekdays on ESPN Radio in Baton Rouge, New Orleans, Alexandria, Lafayette and Lake Charles.
Together
Amidst growing demand for STEM Graduates, Shell partnered with LSU, Our Lady of the Lake Health, LCMC Health and others to help bring a $148M science building to LSU.
With this investment,
the Our Lady of the Lake Health Interdisciplinary Science Building will prepare students to solve the most important challenges facing our world today and for decades to come.
For more information about this new facility or the institute, another outcomes-focused partnership between Shell and LSU, visit lsu.edu.
“ Within this premier facility, we will prepare the next generation of doctors, data scientists, engineers, scientists and technologists to lead the future of critical industries like healthcare and energy.”
Shell personnel at ground breaking from left to right; Jordan Tremblay, Katie Mitchell, Makesha Judson, Rochelle Touchard, Brenna Miguez, Joseph Hollins, David Mustain
CYNTHIA PETERSON LSU COLLEGE OF SCIENCE DEAN
Artist rendering of the Our Lady of the Lake Health Interdisciplinary Science Building, projected to open late fall 2025.
GAME CHANGERS
Who’s who of the new coaching staff
BY MARK CLEMENTS
THERE’S NO QUESTION last year was full of highs and lows for LSU.
On one hand, we watched a record-setting offense score the most points in college football, led by Heisman Trophy winner and the one-man highlight reel, Jayden Daniels.
On the flip side, the Tigers’ defense was a constant source of frustration, ranking 79th in the country in scoring defense and 105th in the nation in total defense.
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So it’s easy to see why Brian Kelly completely overhauled the defensive coaching staff this offseason, bringing in a slew of new names—and a few familiar faces—to lead the makeover.
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staff:
BLAKE BAKER
DEFENSIVE COORDINATOR
Baker isn’t too foreign a name around these parts. LSU’s new defensive coordinator returns to the team where he previously served as the linebackers coach in 2021. Baker spent the past two years at Missouri, where he boasted the nation’s No. 25 scoring defense and No. 33 total defense.
BO DAVIS
DEFENSIVE LINE COACH
Davis’ name might also ring some bells. The LSU alum served as a grad assistant for the Tigers from 1995-1997, returning as a strength and conditioning coach in 2002 under Nick Saban. Davis later coached at Alabama and made multiple stops in the NFL, but he most recently transformed Texas’ defense into one of the top units in the country.
COREY RAYMOND
SECONDARY COACH
KEVIN PEOPLES
EDGE RUSHERS COACH
JAKE OLSEN
SAFETIES COACH
JOE SLOAN, CO-OFFENSIVE COORDINATOR/QUARTERBACKS COACH
He’s known as “The Godfather of DBU” for his nearly decade-long run recruiting and coaching some of LSU’s biggest talents—and now, he’s finally back in purple and gold. Raymond returning to LSU feels right on multiple levels, and his impending impact will be as highly anticipated as any after Tiger fans watched LSU rank as the No. 115 pass defense last year.
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Peoples is following Baker to LSU from Missouri, where he helped assemble the fourth-best defense in the SEC. Peoples, who has accumulated more than 30 years of coaching experience, has also spent time at both Tulane and Northwestern State, so he has some familiarity with Louisiana.
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check
Olsen is another assistant joining Baker in the move from Missouri to Baton Rouge. He returns to LSU, where he served as an analyst on the 2021 staff, and he will work with Raymond to rebuild the Tigers’ secondary. Like Peoples, Olsen has a lot of in-state coaching experience at Nicholls State, Louisiana-Monroe and Northwestern State.
CORTEZ HANKTON, CO-OFFENSIVE COORDINATOR/WIDE RECEIVERS COACH
These two aren’t new faces to the coaching staff, but they have been promoted to co-offensive coordinators for 2024. The duo has big shoes to fill, taking over for Mike Denbrock, who helped orchestrate the dynamic, top-ranked offense that propelled Daniels to the Heisman. The Tigers will rely on Sloan and Hankton to try and recreate some of that magic despite losing the team’s leading passer, rusher and top two receivers.
PETERBILT OF LOUISIANA 16310 Commercial Avenue Baton Rouge, LA 70816 225.273.8300
The Weeks brothers
Playing defense
FREAK NATUREof
What’s it like playing alongside Harold Perkins Jr.? His LSU teammates talk what makes the star linebacker so special
BY MARK CLEMENTS
ALOT OF words come to mind when thinking of Harold Perkins Jr.
As fans, we watch him prowl around the defense, showing off his versatility, athleticism and intellect while wreaking havoc on opposing offenses.
But for those closest to him, one phrase encapsulates LSU’s star linebacker.
“He’s a freak of nature,” fellow linebacker Whit Weeks tells 225. “The way he can move is unlike anything I’ve ever seen. He’s just so athletic, and he can make plays that other guys can’t make.”
In fact, multiple Tiger teammates describe Perkins’ “freakish” playmaking abilities, which he has put on full display since his arrival in Baton Rouge.
The New Orleans native was billed as a five-star prospect out of Cypress Park High School in Cypress, Texas, where he was forced to relocate after Hurricane
Katrina in 2005. He quickly lived up to that ranking, playing in all 14 games with eight starts as a true freshman in 2022. Perkins finished the season with 72 total tackles and led the team in both tackles for loss (13.0) and sacks (7.5).
The 6-foot-1, 220-pound nightmare had standout plays in just about every game that year, but one performance in particular proved to Tiger Linebacker Greg Penn III that Perkins was a different breed.
“That Arkansas game when he was running down the quarterback,” Penn tells 225, referring to the eight tackles, three sacks and two forced fumbles Perkins tallied that day.
“That was crazy. That quarterback (Malik Hornsby) came in, he’s like a 4.4, 4.3 (40-yard dash) guy, and Perk was running him down every play. It was crazy to watch.”
Perkins earned National Player of the Week honors for his showing against the Razorbacks and eventually went on to be named First-Team All-SEC by the Associated Press and second-team by the league’s coaches.
He was named to the Freshman All-America Team as well as being selected to the Freshman All-SEC Team, helping LSU win the SEC Western Division title his first year on campus.
“He’s a freak athlete,” Penn says. “He can really do anything that you ask him to do. He’s a great guy to be out there with, and he brings great energy. Going into my third year playing with him, we have great chemistry. We know each other’s strengths and weaknesses, so it’s fun being out there with him.”
Perkins finished his sophomore season leading the Tigers in tackles for loss (13) and sacks (5.5) for the second straight year.
While he didn’t have quite as many highlight reel plays in 2023, Perkins still managed to finish fourth on the team with 75 tackles. He also saw action on offense for the first time in his career when he scored a 1-yard touchdown run in LSU’s ReliaQuest Bowl win over Wisconsin.
Don’t expect to see too many more offensive reps for Perkins in 2024, but there is reason to believe the star linebacker will be turning heads nationally again this fall under new defensive coordinator Blake Baker. As linebackers coach in 2021, Baker helped former Tiger Damone Clark earn
Second-Team All-America honors after he ranked No. 2 in the nation with 135 tackles to go along with 5.5 sacks and 15.5 tackles for loss. Both Clark and Ty’Ron Hopper, who played for Baker last season at Missouri, finished as Butkus Award finalists under the tutelage of the Tigers’ new coach.
Perkins may very well be the next in line, if Baker can tap back into all that freakish potential.
“He’s one of those guys who can change the game—and in a single play,” linebacker West Weeks tells 225. “It’s always good to have those types of dudes on the field with you. He’s a good player, but he’s an even better person, so it’s awesome to be around him every day.”
—LSU’s Whit Weeks on his fellow linebacker Harold Perkins
OH, BROTHER
How West Weeks’ and Whit Weeks’ competitive childhoods paved the way for their collegiate success
BY MARK CLEMENTS
A5-YEAR-OLD WEST
Weeks storms back to his room and begins churning out as many pushups as an angry kid can manage.
He’s got his 3-year-old brother, Whit, nearby, doing all he can to keep up the pace.
The brothers are reeling from another boxing match they’ve just lost to their dad, David, who didn’t even have to leave his knees to defend the onslaught from his sons.
But to West, the friendly family feud feels more like a 12-round heavyweight fight than a playful tussle, and he is determined to make sure next time is different.
“I would get so mad because I could never hit him with a punch,” West tells 225 today, laughing as he recalls the story. “Then he would toss a little jab out to the side and get me right in the nose. It made me so mad. I would go in my room after that and do pushups and stuff to try
and get stronger so I could hit my dad.”
It’s yet to be determined if West ever got payback on his dad, but given his and Whit’s journey from toddlers to Tigers, it’s safe to assume those hard knocks paid off.
It was impossible not to be ultra competitive growing up in the Weeks household. Even outside of the horseplay, West, Whit and eventually their youngest brother, Zach, would fight each other over just about anything—ironically to the benefit of their mother, Erin.
“We always wanted to beat each other in everything we were doing, whether that was cleaning up for mom, doing dishes, playing video games, playing in the yard,” Whit tells 225. “I think our mom kind of took advantage of it. If there was something that we really didn’t want to do—like doing our chores or cleaning up the house—she’d tell us that whoever does it faster wins. So
then we’d be cleaning up as fast as we could to try to beat each other.”
Combine that competitive nature with the work ethic of a frustrated childhood boxer and the genes of a Division I college athlete, and you’ve got yourself a Weeks boy.
Their dad was a three-year starter on the offensive line at the University of Georgia in the early ’90s, so it’s no surprise that the Weekses are a football family through and through.
West and Whit have now both found a new home at LSU, roughly 600 miles away from their true hometown of Watkinsville, Georgia. West transferred in from Virginia in 2022, while Whit committed to the Tigers out of high school.
Both brothers admit they were drawn to LSU for multiple reasons, like the culture, the pedigree, the people and, of course, the food.
“I grew up not eating crawfish, but then I came down here, and holy cow,” Whit tells 225. “It’s my new favorite food. My first few times eating them I was slow. I thought they tasted good, but gaw-lee, it’s a lot of work. Now I’ve developed my own little way that I like to get them out.”
The siblings seem to be fitting right in—and not just off the field, either.
West has appeared in every game since his arrival in Baton Rouge, suiting up at both linebacker and on special teams.
Whit played in 11 games with three starts as a true freshman last year, leading all Tiger freshmen with 49 tackles.
The duo also had the chance to take the field side-by-side in a handful of games last season— moments that both brothers say they’ll remember forever.
“It’s surreal,” Whit tells 225 “When you’re able to sit down
and think about it, there’s not a lot of brothers that get to go out and play together anywhere in the country, let alone Death Valley. The fact that me and (West) are playing right beside each other, that’s something special that I’ll cherish for the rest of my life.”
West and Whit are hoping to see more action together this fall, but they may not be the last Weeks duo to suit up for the purple and gold.
Zach is currently a three-star linebacker recruit in the Class of 2026—and holds an offer from LSU.
Better get the boxing gloves ready.
NEW DEFENSE, WHO DIS?
After a staffing overhaul, here’s how the Tigers are feeling about their new defensive coaches
BY MARK CLEMENTS
LSU FOOTBALL HAS historically been defined by elite defenses.
The Tigers won their first national championship behind their ferocious defensive unit that former coach Paul Dietzel named the “Chinese Bandits.”
The school’s second national title in 2003 was powered by the No. 1 defense in the country, and two decades later LSU is still known as “DBU” for its propensity to churn out elite defensive back talent season after season.
But last year was different. The Tigers fielded a historically bad defense, ranking 105th out of 130 teams in total defense, 115th in passing defense, 85th in rushing
defense and 78th in scoring defense.
Those struggles led to a complete overhaul of the defensive coaching staff, headlined by new defensive coordinator Blake Baker, who made the move to Baton Rouge from Missouri.
Head coach Brian Kelly also hired a slew of new position coaches as well, including defensive line coach Brad Davis from Texas, edge rushers coach Kevin Peoples from Missouri, secondary coach Corey Raymond from Florida and safeties coach Jake Olsen from Missouri. It’s a tall task to completely revamp the defensive scheme in
<< New defensive coordinator Blake Baker
"Coach (Blake) Baker was my linebacker coach my freshman year, so I kind of had a relationship with him. It’s been great. He brings a lot of energy to the defense and just getting us going. All the guys are excited to just go out there and have a fresh start. New energy, new season. Coach Baker and the new staff here, they’re doing a great job getting us ready to go. I’m excited for this year. … If you give great effort on defense, most of the time other things will work out."
—Linebacker Greg Penn III
"I think we have the best defensive staff in the country. They really just brought a new life and new energy back into us, because obviously we weren’t that good last year. And we’re not going to make that same mistake twice. Playing for Coach Baker is awesome. I love that dude. I would go to war for him, and I think everybody else on the defense has the same mindset I do."
—Linebacker Whit Weeks
"Coach Baker—he is the man. I couldn’t be more thankful for him and how he’s helped me, even just in spring ball. I think I’ve played the best ball that I’ve played. It’s just so much fun to be out there when he’s the coach. And he just brings that energy. … I think bringing back Coach Baker is gonna turn out to be one of the greatest things that LSU has ever done."
—Linebacker and special teams player West Weeks
just one season. But some players on that side of the ball say they’re already seeing an improvement.
“We’re gonna play a lot faster, because we know what we’re doing,” linebacker Whit Weeks tells 225.
“If you don’t know what you’re doing, you’re gonna play more timid. (Baker) is a great teacher. So you learn how to play his defense and what he likes. So then you can play as fast as you possibly can. And you’re not second guessing yourself asking, ‘Is this my gap? Or is this my gap?’ (You know) you’re in this gap. Go play ball.”
Here’s what else the Tigers had to say about their new coaching staff.
Quotes have been edited for clarify and brevity.
COU SUATHLE
- HELEN KELLER
The tailgater’s
Inside the secrets, traditions and amenities of 12 local tailgating groups
BY CYNTHEA CORFAH, JILLIAN ELLIOTT AND KELSEI SCOTT PHOTOS BY JORDAN HEFLER
WHEN RAY SMITH and Matt Neumann roll their plumbingvan-turned-tailgate-utility-vehicle through LSU’s campus, it’s a sight as school-spirited as Mike the Tiger himself.
In 2016, Neumann unearthed the van listed on Craigslist in Chalmette. Now, with its helmet stripe and turfed back doors, it is a beacon of fall nights spent in Death Valley—and the center of The Neumannator tailgate, which sets up beside the Indian Mounds before each game.
It’s one of many tailgates known for its tricked-out throwdowns in Tiger Town.
The 26-year-old Tigerholic Tailgaters group lures turnouts of around 500 people from as far away as London with its surprise DJ sets, themed dishes and branded T-shirts. Revelers at Cajun Tiger Tailgating have taken fandom to new heights, with a blinged-out balcony atop the group’s trailer. The balcony once played host to a game-day wedding ceremony.
For DVA Tailgating organizer Zach Rau, a good game day is defined by its menu, which Rau starts planning during the summer. The DVA Tailgating kitchen is open by 6 a.m. on Saturdays, the scent of gumbo or jambalaya wafting from its communal black pot. No dish is off-limits here, from barbacoa to fried Thanksgiving turkeys.
Zootey’s Corner co-founders Austin Langley and Brett Billiot leave their Thibodeaux homes for Baton Rouge by 5 a.m. on Saturdays to get started on their own award-winning food. And Nakatrash Tailgaters members fill up on the group’s signature dirt cake or Natchitoches meat pies in between rounds of beer pong.
But the true religion of LSU tailgating is the reunions.
Five former Golden Band from Tigerland members swapped their instruments for tents and a boombox after graduating from LSU. More than 20 years later, their Kroux tailgate spans 10 tents and draws hundreds for SEC matchups. Generations of Tigers reconvene here. Old college friends reconnect—and introduce their families that have grown since Saturdays spent playing in the nearby Greek Theater.
It’s often said that college is the best time in one’s life. But LSU fans and alums relive and recreate those memories on fall Saturdays, again and again and again.
Tigerholic Tailgaters sets up in a grass lot close to the stadium, near Nicholson Drive and the Department of Environmental Sciences building.
Make a Van McMuffin for breakfast: an English muffin toasted on the grill with crawfish boudin and a fried egg. Take fireball shots to Pitbull’s song “Fireball.” When the opposing team buses come in, wave LSU flags and taunt them as they pass by.
—Tiger Trailers
Play the Golden Band’s pregame set and “Hey Fighting Tigers” after the band marches by, which is followed by a dance party until game time.
—The Kroux
TheDance to David Allan Coe’s “You Never Even Called Me by My Name” in the parking lot. After the team walks by, form a big circle for the crowd to walk through. Anyone can get dragged in, link arms, kick and sing.
—Nakatrash Tailgaters
Watch football and play “FrisBeer”— Frisbee when the target is a beer bottle stationed on a pole.
—Zootey’s Corner
Bloody marys and mimosas in the morning.
—Cajun Tiger Tailgating
After setup, grab a beer, crush it open and toast to another successful tailgate.
—Tigerholic Tailgaters
DIGIT
The median age of the tailgating groups we interviewed for this story, with Too Much?! Tailgating launching in 2009. Many of the parties we spoke to have been gathering for decades, though. The longest running tailgate we met, Nakatrash Tailgaters, formed in 1976.
Golden Band from Tigerland Tiger Trailers
Tigerholic Tailgaters
Jambalaya. The secret to it: Use pork temple meat, and don’t let anyone touch the lid until the rice is fully cooked.
—Zootey’s Corner
Alligator Sauce Piquante for Florida games and “Dumbo Gumbo” for Alabama games.
—Tigerholic Tailgaters
TheNatchitoches Meat
Pies, jambalaya, tamales and dirt cake.
—Nakatrash Tailgaters
Tasha Mears serves as “tailgate chef,” famous for her Bananas Foster French Toast in the morning and Boudin Eggrolls. Themed dishes targeting the game’s opponent rotate each game, like Alligator Sauce Piquante during Florida tailgates.
—Krewe of B.A.T.T.
Barbecue, from pulled pork to smoked macaroni and cheese. But always have a backup plan in case of mishaps like equipment failures.
—DVA Tailgating
Fried alligators
—Tiger
Jambalaya, barbecue, brisket, fried fish, boudin, rotisserie. Fried and blackened alligator for Florida games.
—Cajun Tiger Tailgating
ON THE PLAYLIST
“From
—The
“Young
—DVA
“All I Want for
—Zootey’s
“God
—Turning
The Neumannator’s Signature Pastalaya, made with five types of pasta: penne, rotini, rigatoni, bowtie and thin spaghetti.
—The Neumannator
for the Florida game. For the Arkansas or Alabama game, roast a whole pig.
Trailers
Louisiana” by Louisiana Ca$h
Neumannator
Turks” by Rod Stewart
Tailgating
Christmas Is You” by Mariah Carey
Corner
Bless the USA” by Lee Greenwood
Point USA at LSU
Jambalaya by Zootey’s Corner
Roasted pig by Turning Point USA
The Neumannator’s Signature Pastalaya
The
Two full bars, giant tents, a catering spread, shotski and fans blowing throughout the space. An outdoor game area with washer toss, cornhole, beer pong and flip cup is open to members and passersby alike.
—Krewe
Ten connected tents surrounding the stately oaks. Sidewalk chalk and football are setup for the kids in the Peabody Hall parking lot, plus drinking games for the adults.
—The Kroux
Four TVs, a margarita machine, community ice chest and a tricked-out trailer with a balcony. The balcony served as a couple’s wedding ceremony venue when they were married during game day.
—Cajun Tiger Tailgating
Drinking games like thunderstruck and trout, a game in which players toss beers to each other with their non-dominant hand while drinking a beer in their dominant hand.
—DVA Tailgating
TVs, an advanced DJ sound system and karaoke with wireless microphones. Crowd favorite games include beer pong, cup pong and Cajun horseshoe, a spinoff of ladder ball.
—Too Much?! Tailgating
A repurposed van with a professional audio system, multiple TVs, an ice chest and more amenities. The group is ready to play any game that leads to “competitive trash talk,” like flip cup.
—The Neumannator
A DJ set at least once a year.
—Tigerholic Tailgaters
PLAYING BY THE RULES
LSU’s official tailgating policies prohibit:
• Live bands or performances
• Gas-powered generators
• Food sales
• Drones
• Tents larger than 10-by-10 feet or with corporate advertising
Setup starts Friday at 5 p.m. before home games. Find the full list of policies at lsusports.net/gameday/tailgating
of B.A.T.T.
Cajun Tiger Tailgate
Turning Point USA
Krewe of B.A.T.T.
Secrets
If you don’t know anybody, walk around, stop and talk to people. You’ll walk away with a beer and a plate of food.
—Too Much?! Tailgating
Be friendly to the other tailgates around you and help each other out.
—Zootey’s Corner
Fans and shade from tents are essentials in the south Louisiana heat. Having a plan is important: How you want it to look, supplies you are going to need and expenses.
—Krewe of B.A.T.T
Be prepared to geaux with the "fleaux."
—The Kroux
MYTH BUSTING
“Tailgating is not just all fun and games, there is some planning behind it. We don’t just show up. … It is a lot of work. ”
—Kyle Cutrer, Too Much?! Tailgating
“There is a misconception that you must know someone who knows someone to party at a tailgate, when it is a community that is welcoming to anyone.”
All the details are secondary to the people at the tailgate. And don’t try to manage the work alone.
—The Neumannator
—Heather Miller, Krewe of B.A.T.T.
Too Much?! Tailgating
The Neumannator
Issue Date: APR 2024 Ad proof #4
Words
Why these tailgaters return, season after season, to do it all again
“I love the football game, but I think I love tailgating just as much as I love the game.”
—Kyle Cutrer, Too Much?! Tailgating
“It’s the only time we’re able to see some friends together.”
—James Peck, Tigerholic Tailgaters
“All the original members of our group are now in their 70s and they still come down. These people grew up together and their kids have grown up together.”
• Please respond by e-mail or phone with your approval or minor revisions.
—Angela Long, Nakatrash Tailgaters
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“We’ve all become a close, tight-knit family over the years.”
—Jacob Trahan, Cajun Tiger Tailgating
“Unless you’re an Alabama fan, it’s the most welcoming atmosphere.”
—Austin Langley, Zootey’s Corner
Carefully check this ad for: CORRECT ADDRESS • CORRECT PHONE NUMBER • ANY TYPOS This ad design © Melara Enterprises, LLC. 2024. All rights reserved. Phone 225-928-1700 Scan
Tiger Tribe
“It’s
“It just creates this buzz and this excitement, and it’s contagious. Positivity creates more positivity.”
—Ray Smith, The Neumannator
the best game day in the country, and you get to have your own piece of it.”
—Will Nalezinek, Tiger Tribe
“It’s not just about football. It’s about the people.”
—Bryan St. Germaine, Tiger Trailers
“Personally, I love to host. So, when I see people having fun, enjoying themselves, and visiting tailgate to tailgate ... the sense of community we have created feels great.”
—Heather
Miller, Krewe of B.A.T.T.
“LSU game days are special because of the scale. … On an individual basis, what we do is generally a lot more than you will see on an individual basis at every campus in the SEC.”
—Zach Rau, DVA Tailgating
No Name Tailgate
Game-day looks
Band uniforms
EARNING THE Stripes
Tiger alumna Emily Dixon has worked with LSU Athletics for over a decade. Now, she’s connecting with past athletes in her newest role
BY OLIVIA DEFFES // PHOTOS BY COLLIN RICHIE
Emily Dixon styled a selection of LSU’s iconic letterman jackets in one of LSU Athletics’ locker rooms. Letterwinners receive a jacket after they earn their first varsity letter.
EMILY DIXON HAS devoted most of her adult career to working for her alma mater. The longtime Tiger has spent years on and off the football field sporting her unofficial uniform of purple and gold.
Now, in a new role, she’s combining her 12 years of full-time experience at LSU to connect with legends of the university’s past through the National L Club. The nonprofit aims to connect the school’s previous letterwinners, a group that counts former varsity athletes, trainers, equipment managers, video staff, cheerleaders, Tiger Girls and mascots among its ranks.
As the L Club’s director of letterwinner engagement,
Dixon will round up past letterwinners and introduce them to the booster club’s offerings. Members can enjoy social, networking and professional development events, including a big football tailgate hosted in the PMAC for home games. Dixon will also act as a liaison for the LSU Athletics Hall of Fame committee through its selection process and organize
The Tribute, a pre-graduation event where student athletes receive their stoles.
“‘Once a Tiger, always a Tiger’ is our motto for all student athletes, and you’re always a letterwinner,” says Dixon, 37. “After (working at LSU) for so long, none of us would have jobs without student athletes. We’re here
Issue Date: August 2024 Ad proof #1
• Please respond by e-mail or phone with your approval or minor revisions.
• AD WILL RUN AS IS unless approval or final revisions are received within 24 hrs from receipt of this proof. A shorter timeframe will apply for tight deadlines.
• Additional revisions must be requested and may be subject to production fees.
because of them.”
One of the most recognizable symbols of being a letterwinner is the stylish swag: sturdy letterman jackets with dark leather sleeves and bold yellow L’s sewn on the chest. Letterwinners receive a jacket after they earn their first varsity letter, and they receive a different letteraward each year they earn a varsity letter. Star players like Joe Burrow and Foster Moreau have been known to don their wellearned outerwear at important events.
“They are an iconic symbol that our student-athletes share through multiple generations,” Dixon says. “I love to see our current and former student-athletes wear them, because it is a source of pride
Dixon has a special closet section for all her purple, gold and tiger print—plus a guest room closet with Nike swag. In her past roles, Dixon dressed professionally for on-camera appearances and time in the press box. Now that she’s in a new role, she’s excited to don ensembles that are more “fan-like.” Here’s where she’s shopping.
Shop The Chic Girl Dixon says this Perkins Road boutique is one of her favorite spots to hit when beefing up her game-day wardrobe.
Star players like Joe Burrow have donned their letterman jackets at important events.
This football-centered brand is one Dixon frequents to find tailgate-ready pieces like comfy, lightweight T-shirts and glitzy tops and sweatshirts.
for what they have accomplished for their team, LSU and even the state of Louisiana.”
Dixon is well-versed in using her wardrobe to show her own school pride. She started a style blog years ago in her earlier days working at LSU, and today she continues to post her game-day outfits and shopping links on Instagram.
Her history working for LSU Football dates back to her time as a student worker. After a few post-college jobs, she was pulled back to Baton Rouge, where she resumed her career at the university.
She has worked as an in-house reporter interviewing coaches and athletes, served as coordinator of offensive operations and helped produce content like Heisman campaigns
NK Boutique
alongside LSU Football’s robust media team. In April, she hit the ground running in her latest role by gathering a group of LSU Gymnastics alumnae to ride in the national championship parade.
“I joke that I’m just stamping my Athletics passport again,” Dixon says.
Dixon says her game days will look different this year. Gone are the days of working in the press box, setting up for post-game interviews and traveling to every away game. But, she’s excited to celebrate football season in a fresh way. And, she’s ready to bring more LSU-forward items into her work wardrobe.
She’s especially enthused about connecting with letterwinners across all sports and reeling in new members.
Before football season kicks off, Dixon will make some muchneeded boutique stops to find stylish pieces that can be worn in the office or on a Saturday in the fall. Dixon likes to hunt for purple and gold at NK’s Corporate Boulevard location.
GEAUX GOLD.
“This is so much fun, because our head coaches and assistant coaches, our staff (members) who are former letterwinners and current student athlete letterwinners are future L Club members,” she says. “It’s getting back into those relationships, and to me it feels a lot like recruiting.”
And that recruiting shouldn't be a hard sell for Dixon, who bleeds purple and gold as deeply as the past letterwinners she works with.
“I know I could do what I do at another school,” she says. “But would I be as fulfilled or as passionate? I don’t think so, because it’s not LSU. … It just wouldn’t feel the same. And, I’d have to get a whole new wardrobe.”
Once a Tiger, always a Tiger.
Homefield Apparel
Dixon says she loves a good LSU tee, and she adores a vintage look. Homefield Apparel gives the best of both worlds with comfy pieces that both look and feel well-worn.
Stewart Simmons
Emily Dixon
GOOD FIT
El Bengal Tailor keeps Tiger Nation looking sharp
BY MAGGIE HEYN RICHARDSON PHOTOS BY COLLIN RICHIE
FRESHLY ALTERED AND ready for pick up, colorful summer dresses, blinged ball gowns and smart dress pants hang from racks situated around El Bengal Tailor, the longtime alterations shop near the North Gates of LSU. A trio of sewing machines stand sentinel, each one threaded with a commonly used color to save time.
But alongside the spruced apparel of Baton Rouge partygoers and professionals, there are familiar flashes of purple and gold. A rack of Tiger Band tunics sits alone, waiting expectantly for tailor Oscar Reyes to work his magic. Since the mid’80s, El Bengal Tailor has been an essential part of keeping the Tiger Nation looking good. It’s the go-to alterations provider for the band, the football team and many other LSU Athletics teams.
This time of year, the Golden Band from Tigerland is Reyes’ main focus. He spends a lot of time down the street at Tiger Band Hall, making adjustments for many of the band’s 325 new and returning members. The detailed, brocaded purple and gold uniforms, expensive to produce, are cleaned and passed down to new members each year. Many stay in rotation for up to a decade or more, Reyes speculates.
Reyes adjusts hems, cuffs and waistbands to ensure each musician is comfortable throughout game day. He also provides any needed alterations during the season. It’s a task that carries significant responsibility. Band members spend long hours in their uniforms as they carry out the rituals Tiger faithfuls expect.
Over decades of working with LSU, Reyes has seen styles and fabrics change.
At El Bengal Tailor’s shop near the North Gates of LSU, Oscar Reyes provides alterations for the Tiger Band, the football team and many other LSU Athletics programs.
“The band uniforms weigh a lot less today than they used to,” Reyes says. He says it’s been satisfying to be part of Tiger Band’s legendary pageantry.
“The students are always really excited,” he says. “You can always tell the new ones.”
Reyes’ father, the late Oscar Armando Reyes, started El Bengal Tailor in 1973.
The family was living in their native El Salvador when the elder Reyes immigrated to the United States in 1970. He took advantage of a program granting residency to certain trades, including tailoring. Reyes worked in New York and Dallas before settling in Baton Rouge in 1972 and opening the shop shortly after. His wife and children finally joined him in 1976.
Father and son began working together in the early ’90s. From the shop where it all started, Reyes reflects on the difficult learning curve of tailoring.
“It takes a lot of patience,” he says. “For like a year when I first started, all I did was work on pants.”
Oscar Armando Reyes died in 1994 from cancer. The younger Reyes has been running the shop since.
The relationship with LSU Athletics started slowly and built over time, Reyes recalls. The business’ proximity to campus and its bold yellow and purple exterior paint might have helped. But his father’s exceptional skills kept clients coming back.
“He was a true tailor,” Reyes says. “He could make suits from scratch. He was a master at it.”
Along with his continuing alterations for Tiger Band, Reyes sews on the many novelty conference and bowl patches that are added to football uniforms. He also repairs jerseys when needed and provides alterations for a number of other LSU sports teams.
The majority of El Bengal Tailor’s business comes from neighborhood residents, students and downtown business people, Reyes says, but working on band uniforms and football jerseys has its allure, especially this time of year.
“It’s fun to be a part of it,” Reyes says. Find it on Facebook
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GROWTHINNOVATION
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GAME, SET, MATCH!
STYLED BY ELLE MARIE
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Issue Date: August 2024 Ad 1 proof #2
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• Billini “Norva” boots, $120
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• AD WILL RUN AS IS unless approval or final revisions are received within 24 hrs from receipt of this proof. A shorter timeframe will apply for tight deadlines.
• Gametime Sidekick LSU Tigers Beanie Tiger Vault tumbler, $30 From Bengals & Bandits
• Additional revisions must be requested and may be subject to production fees.
Carefully check this ad for: CORRECT ADDRESS • CORRECT
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Sept. 1 USC Allegiant Stadium (Sunday) Las Vegas, NV
Sept. 7 NICHOLLS STATE Tiger Stadium
Sept. 14 SOUTH CAROLINA Williams-Brice Stadium Columbia, SC
Sept. 21 UCLA Tiger Stadium
Sept. 28 SOUTH ALABAMA Tiger Stadium
Oct. 12 OLE MISS Tiger Stadium
Oct. 19 ARKANSAS Donald W. Reynolds Razorbacks Stadium | Fayetteville, AR
Oct. 26 TEXAS A&M Kyle Field College Station-Bryan, TX
Nov. 9 ALABAMA Tiger Stadium
Nov. 16 FLORIDA Ben Hill Griffin Stadium Gainesville, FL
Nov. 23 VANDERBILT Tiger Stadium
Nov. 30 OKLAHOMA Tiger Stadium
In every issue of 225, you’ll find a cut-out print on this page. FRAMED celebrates life and art in Baton Rouge, each one featuring a local photographer, place or graphic designer. Tear it out to hang in your cubicle, or frame it for your home gallery wall. Show us where you hang them by tagging them on social media with #225prints.
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