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Texas vs. LSU Border War: Tigers blocking Longhorns satellite camp?

By James Caldwell

Dec 29, 2015; Houston, TX, USA; LSU Tigers head coach Les Miles holds the Texas Bowl trophy after defeating the Texas Tech Red Raiders 56-27 at NRG Stadium. LSU won 56 to 27. Mandatory Credit: Thomas B. Shea-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 29, 2015; Houston, TX, USA; LSU Tigers head coach Les Miles holds the Texas Bowl trophy after defeating the Texas Tech Red Raiders 56-27 at NRG Stadium. LSU won 56 to 27. Mandatory Credit: Thomas B. Shea-USA TODAY Sports /
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Texas and LSU are scheduled to begin a home-and-home college football series in 2019. But, the border war has already begun.

Texas Football coach Tom Herman tried to schedule a satellite camp in Louisiana this month, but LSU has reportedly blocked the camp from taking place.

According to in-depth reporting by Sports Illustrated, three attempts at a satellite camp have been blocked.

The most recent attempt was Tuesday night when Texas was scheduled for a camp at BREC Memorial Stadium in Baton Rouge. However, that camp was blocked. Texas also tried to schedule a camp Thursday in Hammond, but that was also blocked.

So, what’s the deal? Relevant factors include:

  • Tom Herman left the Houston Cougars for Texas instead of LSU.
  • New permanent LSU head coach Ed Orgeron is a Louisiana native who wants to take a stand.
  • Big 12 vs. SEC rivalry, plus a border war.
  • Texas flipped elite 2018 safety Caden Sterns from LSU to the Longhorns.
  • Texas is right on the heels of LSU in the 2018 recruiting rankings.

There is a lot on the line for Ed Orgeron, who wants to prove that he was the right choice to permanently replace Les Miles.

Coincidentally, the recruiting war between Texas and LSU came to the surface because of former Tigers coach Les Miles.

The Texas vs. LSU: the Quiet War

Texas and LSU have not played since the 2003 Cotton Bowl when Texas beat LSU 35-20.

And, you have to go back a very long time to find the last time the flagship teams from Texas and Louisiana played in the regular season.

That was the 1954 season opener when Texas beat LSU 20-6 in Austin. But, in 1953, LSU beat Texas by a similar score of 20-7 in Baton Rouge.

Overall, Texas holds a 9-7-1 record in the all-time series against their neighbors.

But, despite only one game played in the last half-century, there has been a quiet war between Texas and LSU when it comes to college football recruiting.

Les Miles opened a can of worms when he infamously said in 2014 that he was recruiting the state of Texas because he considered the SEC the “conference of choice” for high school football players in Texas.

Now, the shoe is on the other foot with Texas looking to increase recruiting efforts in the state of Louisiana under Tom Herman.

Father of Texas Football Player in the Mix

Mike Roach is a high school football coach in Louisiana and the father of Longhorns defensive end Malcolm Roach.

Naturally, Coach Roach was involved in trying to make a satellite camp work in Louisiana. He spoke to Sports Illustrated’s Pete Thamel about what happened with LSU getting involved.

“We’re in LSU’s backyard. Louisiana home cooking may have played a part in it,” Coach Roach said before posing a question of whether LSU is hurting players in his own state.

“I guess we let the optics of college football influence the ultimate goal, educating young men and exposing them to a better life,” Roach said Tuesday. “The optics of college football has gotten in the way of what the mission of this thing is all about. I don’t have any allegiance to anyone. I have an allegiance to these kids in my community.”

Next: 2018 Texas Football Recruiting Tracker!

For now, it appears Texas Football will not holding a satellite camp in a neighboring state. But, the recruiting battle will rage on. And, barring a bowl or Playoffs matchup in the 2017 or 2018 seasons, we can look forward to the Texas vs. LSU rivalry returning to the football field in 2019.

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