Home › SEC News
SEC 2008: LSU
LSU focused on this season, not title year
Dave Hooker audio
- Dave Hooker interviews Florida OL Phil Trautwein about the Gators’ offseason improvement
- Florida QB Tim Tebow visits with the media
- Florida QB Tim Tebow talks about his relationship with East Tennessee native/country singer Kenny Chesney
- Dave Hooker interviews Vanderbilt WR George Smith about the close losses the Commodores have suffered
- Dave Hooker and Drew Edwards interview Franz Beard from Gator Country to break down Florida
- Dave Hooker interviews Vanderbilt coach Bobby Johnson about the rigors of the SEC and replacing departed WR Earl Bennett
- Dave Hooker and Drew Edwards interview Ron Higgins from the Memphis Commercial Appeal to break down the SEC
- Dave Hooker interviews Mississippi State LB Jamar Chaney about coach Sylvester Croom
- Dave Hooker interviews Mississippi State QB Wesley Carroll about following up a winning season in 2007
Inside ... LSU
- Coach: Les Miles (Fourth year)
- Record at school: 34-6
- Record last year: 12-2
- Returning starters: 7 offense; 5 defense
- Outlook: Quarterback is a major concern but there’s enough talent elsewhere to take the pressure off the new guy. The Tigers could still make it to Atlanta to defend their SEC title.
More SEC News 
Share and Enjoy 
HOOVER, Ala. - Hey, it's 2008. Happy New Year. Turn the page.
That was LSU coach Les Miles' message, loud and clear, Wednesday at SEC Football Media Days. He wasn't much for reminiscing about the 2007 national championship.
Not just Miles, either.
"If you're thinking about repeating as national champions, you're not thinking about the first game,'' said senior center Brett Helms.
Well, then don't look at the LSU media guide that was distributed Wednesday. The cover belongs to a sparking crystal football, the trophy the Tigers were awarded after thumping Ohio State last January in the BCS national championship game.
The real thing is back home in Baton Rouge, emblematic of old business.
"This is a brand new year,'' Miles said. "We're not defending it (the trophy). It's there, in our trophy case. This is a brand new team.''
If only that were literally true, the rest of the SEC might feel better.
The fact, however, is that the Tigers return a bunch of familiar faces from the team that won the school's second national title in four years.
The most prominent face is the head coach's.
Miles spurned an overture from his alma mater, Michigan, to return for a fourth season at LSU, where he no longer labors in the shadow of the previous national champion coach, Nick Saban.
Miles is 34-6 in three seasons and that's the best three-season stretch in LSU's rich history.
The Tigers' roll might continue in 2008.
As in any season, there are pivotal jobs to fill. The first that comes to mind is defensive tackle Glenn Dorsey's. But replacing the Outland Trophy winner might be easier than replacing quarterback Matt Flynn.
The Tigers are so deep on the defensive line, there is more than one candidate waiting to step up. Injuries limited Ricky Jean-Francois to two games and Charles Alexander to one in '07. Both are good to go, along with bookend ends, Tyson Jackson and Kirston Pittman.
"If anybody else in this conference loses Glenn Dorsey, they're in real trouble,'' said Mississippi State coach Sylvester Croom. "LSU just puts another one in there.''
Miles admitted as much:
"I think our defensive front will be as strong as there is in college football.''
The quarterback scenario might be as dicey as there is in college football, at least among preseason top-10 teams.
Flynn's heir apparent is plenty talented. The problem is he's playing at Jacksonville State.
Miles dismissed Ryan Perrilloux in May for repeated misconduct. Perrilloux had also been suspended from spring practice, which at least allowed sophomore Andrew Hatch and Jarrett Lee to get all the snaps. Incoming freshman Jordan Jefferson makes it a threesome.
If Hatch gets the job he'll be the first former Harvard jayvee player to quarterback a defending BCS national champion.
Miles won't tip his hand, saying only the most consistent guy who makes the least mistakes is likely to play the most.
Some spring practice observers weren't smitten by either Hatch - a runner - or Lee - a passer - and thus hold out hope for Jefferson.
"I think we're good enough at skill,'' Miles said. "They just need to get comfortable and get ready to play.''
The Tigers don't necessarily need a Heisman Trophy candidate at quarterback, though, just someone to manage the game.
The offensive line is excellent. While workhorse Jacob Hester is gone, four backs return who averaged between 6.6 and 7.2 yards per carry and each gained at least 230 yards.
"It'll be running back by committee again,'' Miles said. "I see it being very much like last year.''
In wideouts Demetrius Byrd, Brandon LaFell and tight end Richard Dickson, the new quarterback will have quality targets.
"I like what I see going on,'' said Miles. "I see great chemistry.''
If he can find a competent quarterback, he might see another Happy New Year.
© 2008, Knoxville News Sentinel Co.
- Pennington: It is what it is
- Mattingly: UT football a happening that unifies
- Chavis' goal for defense: Learn to finish
- Vanderbilt ambushes South Carolina, 24-17
- Craft ready to go 'all-out' for Pearl, Tennessee
- McMahan told to make knee top priority
- Drops not whole story for Foster
- Adams: The Craft show might last awhile
- Next Bradshaw? UT gets commitment from combo guard Craft
- Prince admits he played most of season with dislocated shoulder
Please download the latest version of Adobe Flash Player, or enable JavaScript for your browser to view the video player.
Posted by andy112382 on July 23, 2008 at 10:33 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Yay.........
Hey, did anyone else read any of the blue ribbon previews on ESPN.com? They grade each teams offense, defense, special teams, and intangibles. We had good grades overall, but had a 'B' for offense because of the new QB and OC, despite the returning of everyone else.
I figured, heck getting a B with every starter returning except the QB, what bad grade would Michigan have with their top WR, best parts of their OL, their top 2 QBs, record setting RB and other RB being arrested, not to mention their coaching staff not being there any longer - they gave them an A+ for offense!!!! If that doesn't tell you something about the favorites in those BS previews..........(ok, I got to vent a bit, I feel a little better)
Posted by bobbarbilly on July 23, 2008 at 11:24 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Andy, consider the source.
Posted by andy112382 on July 24, 2008 at 12:21 a.m. (Suggest removal)
True......I suppose I don't always expect their bias to be so blatantly obvious...
Posted by threehundredbowler on July 24, 2008 at 8:29 a.m. (Suggest removal)
The game is played on the field not on some writers or T.V. reporters keyboard or microphone.The cream always comes to the top.Let the slobber knocking games begin.
Posted by orangebloodgmc on July 24, 2008 at 9:33 a.m. (Suggest removal)
I'm surprised that I haven't seen KNS making hay out of Miles' needling of Bama. Y'all know about this?
http://www.2theadvocate.com/sports/ls...
Posted by Smokey1 on July 24, 2008 at 9:33 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Hey, Isn't John Adams supposed to write this article?
Posted by TurboFan on July 24, 2008 at 9:48 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Orangeblood, an article by Ron Higgins that GVX published yesterday references Miles and Bama. Why would KNS be interested in mfg hay out of someone else's rivalry?
Posted by orangebloodgmc on July 24, 2008 at 9:51 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Turbo, a bad day for Bama is always a good day for UT, I'd say. But of course Adams would want to keep it quiet that some rival coach is getting laughed at instead of Fulmer. Finebaum, eat that!
Posted by pdhuff on July 24, 2008 at 10:19 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Miles 34-6.
They are recruiting as we used to in 1997-2002.
And coaching 'em up with an emphasis on D.
Running back by committee, why the very idea to not have a pecking order of favorites!
Why that sort of misguided leadership could lead to.....
The Grail.
Posted by jasonn1970 on July 24, 2008 at 12:15 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I'm surprised he didn't finish the article with "Geaux Tigers!". And last year was actually LSU's second National Championship in 5 seasons, not 4.
Posted by VOLstuckINky on July 24, 2008 at 12:55 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Strange ... did you let JA use your computer ?
Posted by VOLstuckINky on July 24, 2008 at 4:23 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Miles is like a mad scientist.... he should have lost 3 more games last year alone on his bone head coaching.
The piper will come calling with a 8 win season soon enough.
(Requires free registration.)
Comments are the sole responsibility of the person posting them. You agree not to post comments that are off topic, defamatory, obscene, abusive, threatening or an invasion of privacy. Violators may be banned. Click here for our full user agreement.