#9 LSU Tigers

Even though the LSU Tigers have won 17 games in the past 2 seasons, the Mad Hatter (aka Head Coach Les Miles) has had to answer the “what’s wrong with your program” questions from outsiders and insiders alike. I guess that’s the type of spoiled following that is produced from three Top 5 finishes from 2005-2007.

But this year provides much reason for optimism amongst the Tiger Faithful. Last year, the LSU offense struggled mightily, particularly against the tougher competition (the Tigers averaged only 15 ppg against ranked opponents). The defense overall played well, but couldn’t overcome the lack of production by their offensive counterparts. QB Jordan Jefferson took much of the blame, and rightfully so. The True sophomore showed his immaturity at crucial points throughout the season, and his good moments were overshadowed greatly by his bad ones. But after a strong Spring and Summer, in which he held off formidable challenges from backup QBs Russell Sheppard and Jarrett Lee, Jefferson comes into 2010 as one of the most intriguing prospects in the conference. If he has matured the way he was projected to, then he has a chance at leading one of the more potent attacks in the SEC.

LSU returns a stable of solid RBs led by Stevan Ridley and Richard Murphy. Both were eclipsed by the strong play of departed senior Charles Scott, but the 2 former Blue Chip recruits have Coach Miles excited about the 1-2 punch they will bring.

Out wide, Jefferson will throw to pre-season All-SEC WR Terrance Tolliver, who is atop many experts’ draft boards as one of the elite WRs in America. Sophomore Rueben Randle will get a chance to show why he was one of the Top 2009 WR recruits. The most intriguing offensive weapon for LSU will undoubtedly be former QB turned WR Russell Sheppard. Sheppard was the #1 QB recruit in America in 2009 and as we mentioned he lost out in the battle for the starting QB job this spring… but instead of letting him sit on the bench, the Tiger Coaching Staff has moved him to what they are calling “The Percy Harvin Position”. They plan on using Sheppard the same way that Florida used Harvin in 2007-08 when he combined for 1,500 yards receiving, 1,300 yards rushing and 27 TDs. To aid them in this endeavor, Miles has hired former Florida Gator Assistant Coach Billy Gonzales to be the Passing Game coordinator as they hope he can bring his knowledge of getting playmakers the ball to Baton Rouge.

Defensively, LSU was stellar the entire decade of the 2000’s and that does not look to change in 2010. Defensive Coordinator John Chavis should continue his aggressive style and expect Senior LBs Kelvin Sheppard and Jai Eugene to flourish in the system. Junior CB Patrick Peterson is a returning All-conference selection and he is viewed as possibly the best CB in America. His ability to shut down an entire side of the field has earned him comparisons to such greats as Charles Woodson and Dre Bly. Defensive Lineman Drake Nevis and Lazarius Levingston anchor a front four that should wreak havoc on opposing QBs.

The LSU Schedule, as do all SEC schedules, provides a great challenge for the talented Tigers. They open up the season with the College Football game of the week against North Carolina and two weeks later they start a 4-game stretch where they face Mississippi State, West Virginia, Tennessee, and Florida in consecutive weeks. A late October matchup against Auburn precedes the always entertaining showdown with Alabama and they end the season a few weeks later with their rivalry game at Arkansas. The difficulty of the schedule makes this LSU team tough to predict, as they can be anywhere between 7 and 11 wins. The talent is there, but we will have to wait to see if they have the maturity to prepare for showdowns against the nations elite.

Key Returning Players:
QB Jordan Jeffeson
WR Terrance Tolliver
WR Russell Sheppard
DE Lazarius Levingston
DT Drake Nevis
CB Patrick Peterson

Key Games:
Sept 4 - North Carolina (in Atlanta)
Sept 25 - West Virginia
Oct 2 - Tennessee
Oct 9 - @ Florida
Oct 23 - @Auburn
Nov 6 - Alabama
Nov 27 - @ Arkansas