| Hello, everyone. We're back. The LSU sports newsletter returns as preseason football camp cranks into high gear. Well, sort of. The team will take its first day Wednesday since the Tigers reported to camp Aug. 5. And just in time, too. There were a lot of players absent from Tuesday's practice ... 19 by our count in this practice report from Wilson Alexander. Some of the more notable no shows were cornerbacks Derek Stingley Jr. and Eli Ricks, running back Tyrion Davis-Price, guard Chasen Hines and defensive tackle Glen Logan. It's a little disturbing, but the Tigers are still more than three weeks away from their Sept. 4 season opener at UCLA in the Rose Bowl. The silver lining (as long as the injuries aren't serious) is that starters standing down means more precious reps for reserve players. And in case you were wondering — or worried — starting quarterback Max Johnson was there airing out passes in his gold (non-contact) jersey. Quarterbacks are always off limits to contact during practice. Another sign that the season is fast approaching: USA Today released its preseason' coaches Top 25 Tuesday. The Tigers came in at No. 13, a respectable ranking considering last year's rocky 5-5 record. Defending CFP national champion Alabama opened at No. 1, while the UL Ragin' Cajuns were ranked No. 23, the first appearance in a preseason poll in program history. In my column, I decided to take a local angle on the death Sunday of beloved former Florida State football coach Bobby Bowden with a look at how close he came to becoming LSU's coach in 1979. A 24-19 by the Seminoles over the Tigers that year convinced Bowden he could win big in Tallahassee, and may have indirectly had an impact on LSU's entire athletic program. One of LSU's most successful programs, track and field, now has a Hall of Famer at the helm. Sheldon Mickles writers that LSU coach Dennis Shaver was selected Tuesday to be inducted into the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Association's Hall of Fame. Shaver led the LSU men to the NCAA outdoor championship in June. To our paying subscribers: Thank you for supporting our sportswriters’ work. If you’re not already, please consider becoming a digital subscriber and continue to support our journalism. Click here for a special offer from us. As a paying subscriber, you'll enjoy full access to our award-winning coverage, faster-loading web pages with fewer ads and much more. Until next time, The Advocate LSU beat team — Scott Rabalais, Wilson Alexander and Sheldon Mickles | 
