It's been a slightly altered week of preparation for LSU as another fall storm approaches. 

The Tigers had a pretty traditional Tuesday practice but were back outdoors on Wednesday morning for a 9:30 practice session. The goal was to beat the poor weather that's expected to come on Wednesday and early Thursday with Hurricane Francine making landfall in Louisiana. 

While Brian Kelly passed on his best wishes that storm passes and everyone in its path make their way through with no damage, Kelly also said from a football perspective, it was a good practice for a couple of reasons. For one, there is the potential for poor conditions on Saturday when the Tigers take on South Carolina in Columbia and Kelly wanted his team to feel those conditions in a practice. 

"They practiced hard. We were outside all day because we're expecting some rain on Saturday so it was good preparation for us to be handling a wet ball and handling the wet conditions if in fact we do get sustained rain on Saturday," Kelly said. "They did a really good job, I thought they responded well and the practice was what I expect it to be."

Kelly was later asked further about preparing in those kinds of conditions and said the most important element is making sure ball security is of utmost importance. From a special teams perspective for example, it's already pretty chaotic playing in a hostile road environment, particularly one the program hasn't visited in 16 years. 

Throw in the fact that it could be slippery and and in difficult conditions, the last thing the Tigers want is some game changing special teams blunder or a critical turnover on offense to affect the outcome of the game. 

"I think you have to be careful. In my years of coaching, I've had some quarterbacks that spin it better than others in wet conditions. You have to cradle the ball a little bit differently in wet conditions so I've always felt relative to preparation, it's important that you get into these wet conditions prior to the game if you feel like you're gonna get rain. That's why it was important to get outside," Kelly said. "Getting your feet underneath you, making sure you're in and out of your cuts and breaks because you do have an advantage on the offense and more than anything else, it's taking care of the football in these conditions."

Garrett Nussmeier and this offense have excelled in the short and intermediate passing game, which with dicey weather conditions, is a good element to be efficient at to stay ahead of the chains. What also could help the Tigers this weekend is if they're able to unlock a more consistent run game to really help complement what this group has already proven it can do through the air. 

The hope is that Francine passes and that the purple and gold can get back to a more traditional day of practice on Thursday before heading out on Friday for the 11 a.m. kickoff against the Gamecocks.

"Hopefully this storm passes through without much damage and we're able to get back to a regular schedule on Thursday," Kelly said.

The Impact of Hurricane Francine on LSU's Game Plan

The threat of Hurricane Francine has forced LSU to make adjustments to their game plan, prioritizing safety and preparation for potentially challenging weather conditions. The team's Wednesday practice session was held outdoors to simulate the expected wet conditions, a crucial step in preparing for the game against South Carolina.

Coach Kelly emphasized the importance of ball security, particularly in a road game with potentially slippery conditions. The team's focus on short and intermediate passing plays could prove valuable in the event of heavy rain, while a consistent run game would provide a crucial complementary element.

The Future of the Tigers and Hurricane Francine

LSU remains optimistic that Hurricane Francine will pass quickly and with minimal damage, allowing the team to return to their regular practice schedule on Thursday. The Tigers will then travel to Columbia for their highly anticipated matchup against the Gamecocks on Saturday, ready to face any weather challenges that may arise. The game is scheduled for an 11 a.m. kickoff, with the possibility of rain lingering throughout the afternoon.

It will be interesting to see how the weather ultimately affects the game. Will the Tigers be able to overcome the challenges of playing in a hostile environment with potentially poor conditions? Only time will tell, but LSU's preparations for Hurricane Francine have certainly added another layer of intrigue to this already important matchup.