Kelly: LSU ‘grew up’ by answering Tide challenge
BATON ROUGE, La. — LSU coach Brian Kelly made the decision to go for two against Alabama sound simple.
“If you asked me, ‘Hey, I’m going to give you one play and if you’re successful on that one play, you beat Alabama,’ I would’ve taken that 100 times out of 100,” he said.
Kelly was able to smile about his gambit on Saturday night because it worked. After answering the Crimson Tide’s touchdown in the first overtime with a touchdown of their own, Kelly and the Tigers passed on kicking the extra point to play a second overtime and instead opted to go for two and the victory.
LSU quarterback Jayden Daniels went to his right and completed a pass to tight end Mason Taylor for the walk-off win.
Alabama’s playoff hopes were diminished. LSU’s chances of reaching the SEC Championship were suddenly alive.
Thousands of fans stormed the field, giving Kelly the signature win of his first season in Baton Rouge.
“That was truly a home-field advantage for us,” Kelly said, alluding to the sell-out crowd. “And then I thought tactically we played smart. We were able to pin Alabama in poor field position — mostly the first half — and made it difficult for them. And I thought we just played smart. We didn’t turn the football over. We had the one play where we came out of coverage late. Other than that, I think our guys played really smart football.
“So the basic tenets of winning games like this is one play at a time, play tactically smart, take care of the football. I thought we did all those things and really grew up today.”
Daniels, who was maligned at points during the season for not throwing the ball effectively, was a playmaker with his arm and his legs against Alabama. He threw for 182 yards and two touchdowns, and he ran for 95 yards and a score.
Kelly said the win was emotional for him.
“Because that was such a great game,” he said. “And I had never beaten Alabama.”
A guest of Kelly’s sounded her approval from the back of the news conference.
“She hasn’t beaten out Alabama either and she’s been with me,” Kelly said, smiling. “But so those things are kind of like you want to check the box and move on. And so yeah, you get a little emotional about those.
“And I was emotional, not for myself, but I was emotional for our team because I know what we look like in January and to see where we are today, that’s pretty emotional.”
LSU, which lost the season-opener to Florida State and was trounced by Tennessee at home, now controls its destiny as the first-place team in the SEC West.
The Tigers play at Arkansas next Saturday, followed by games at home against UAB and on the road at Arkansas.
As it stands, LSU would play Georgia in the conference championship game in Atlanta.
“This is really about building a program and doing it week in and week out,” Kelly said. “We’re here to graduate champions and we want to win a championship. Now, we’ve put ourselves in a position where in November, we’re contenders for the SEC championship. But we’ve got Arkansas next. We’re going to enjoy this win over the next 24 hours and then we’re going to get ready for Arkansas. “
Alabama, handed its second loss of the season, is left to pick up the pieces.
Crimson Tide coach Nick Saban said everyone needed to “check their hole card” and focus on improving — whether that’s players improving their personal stock or the team goal of winning 10 games.
“I like this team,” Saban said. “I think this team is very capable. I think we could play with more consistency and sometimes we beat ourselves too much and it’s kind of hard to overcome. So it’s a tough loss. But there’s nobody that feels worse about it than the players; they work their tail off, they compete their tail off and we just came up a little bit short.”
Alabama plays at No. 11 Ole Miss next Saturday before ending the season with games at home against Austin Peay and Auburn.
Tyler Johnson has announced his retirement after playing 13 NHL seasons and winning the Stanley Cup twice with the Tampa Bay Lightning.
Johnson called it a career in a lengthy message posted on social media Monday. Johnson had battled injuries in recent years and is set to turn 35 on July 29.
“As a short kid from a small town, I saw my chances of playing in the NHL as very slim,” Johnson wrote on Instagram. “But my family — my parents, Ken and Debbie, and my grandparents — believed in me when doubt clouded my mind. Their unwavering faith turned that dream into reality.”
Listed at 5-foot-8 and 191 pounds, Johnson won at just about ever level, capturing the Western Hockey League and Memorial Cup championships in 2008 with his hometown Spokane Chiefs and the Calder Cup championship with Norfolk of the American Hockey League in 2012.
The NHL brought more success, as he skated in 863 regular-season and playoff games since debuting in the league in 2013, putting up 498 points. Johnson was part of the Lightning’s core when they reached the final in 2015 and helped them hoist the Cup back to back in 2020 and ’21.
Johnson finished with Chicago, playing three seasons with the Blackhawks, and Boston, signing with the Bruins early last season following his training camp tryout.
“After a lifetime devoted to hockey, I’m ready for what’s next,” Johnson said. “This moment is bittersweet, but I leave the game with no regrets.”
SALT LAKE CITY — The Utah Mammoth re-signed center Jack McBain to a five-year contract worth $21.25 million on Monday.
McBain will count $4.25 million against the salary cap through the 2029-30 NHL season, which was announced a little more than 24 hours since the team elected salary arbitration with the restricted free agent forward.
“He is a big, strong, physical player who competes hard on a nightly basis and brings a gritty toughness to our group,” general manager Bill Armstrong said. “Jack is an important part of the championship-caliber team we are building, and we look forward to having him back on our roster for the foreseeable future.”
McBain, 25, is coming off setting a career high with 27 points and playing all 82 games. He was one of six players to skate in every game of the organization’s first season in Salt Lake City.
“Jack’s versatility as a player, his care for his teammates and his demonstrated willingness to do whatever it takes to win, are all critical elements to our future team success,” president of hockey operations Chris Armstrong said.
McBain has 82 points in 241 games with the franchise, which moved to Utah from Arizona. Since debuting in April 2022, he ranks third in the league with 832 hits.
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