| It's open date week for LSU football, but there is no lack of news in Tigertown. Let's get right into it. While most LSU fans figure the season is lost, quarterback Max Johnson is still trying to improve going into the Tigers' final four games. But that's been difficult because of how injuries continue to mount for LSU, so many that coach Ed Orgeron said Wednesday that open date practice plans have had to be altered. Off the field, the LSU Board of Supervisors begins a two-day meeting Thursday, during which it will vote on whether to approve Orgeron's $16.9 million buyout. Also on the agenda is a proposal to raise track and field coach Dennis Shaver's base salary from $360,000 to the still comparatively quaint figure of $400,000 a year. We also have a story from the news side questioning why LSU did not attempt to fire Orgeron for cause instead of paying him his staggering buyout. We updated our capsules of potential LSU coaching candidates earlier this week. Check back for further updates as we move along. Meanwhile, another LSU player, linebacker Navonteque Strong, has decided to enter the transfer portal (wouldn't waiting for the new staff be sort of like transferring?). As we said earlier, baskeball season is fast approaching. Check out my column on women's basketball's kickoff event Tuesday night. We also have stories on the preseason All-SEC men's and preseason All-SEC women's basketball teams as selected by the league's coaches. If you can put up with it, here's another column of mine on all the speculation about the LSU coaching vacancy (no one really knows yet who the new coach will be, including athletic director Scott Woodward). And we have a feature on wide receiver Jaray Jenkins, whose patience has paid off in some key performances just as the Tigers have badly needed them. Thanks for reading and we will talk again soon. Scott Rabalais | 
