The fall from grace won't last long as the Tigers should return to glory this season. LSU welcomes back fourteen starters, and they should be back in the SEC Title hunt in 2009.
The Tigers will be in a three-way competition to see who will walk away with the Western Division Title. The only reason I have LSU third in the West is due to the fact that they play Florida and Bama and Ole Miss doesn't.
The most important move during the off-season was hiring new Defensive Coordinator John Chavis. Chavis has been around the SEC for most of his coaching career, and he should be excited about the talent he has to work with.
The Tigers Defense will be back atop of the SEC, and their secondary is going to become one of the best in the nation. Look for this defense to be more aggressive and look for CB Patrick Peterson and Safety Chad Jones to vie for 1st team SEC honors in 2009.
Rahim Alem is back to anchor the D-Line, and the linebackers will be better too. No need to really toss out names here, as I truly think the best off-season addition was Chavis. Chavis will be the difference maker for the Tigers.
On the offensive side of the ball the Tigers look as if they have a QB in place that will keep the job for quite some time. I can't remember the last time the Tigers had a QB in place that could possibly lock down the position for three straight seasons. My guess would be that Herb Tyler was the last on to accomplish that feat.
Jordan Jefferson showed that he has plenty of talent and we should expect a breakout season in 2009. Jordan could become a front runner for the Heisman Trophy in 2010. The best news LSU got this off season came when RB Charles Scott and OT Ciron Black both announced they'd return for their senior seasons.
Both Black and Scott are two of the best players in the country at their position; they could really improve their draft status with solid seasons. The news was even more rewarding when WR Brandon LaFell came back to lead a talent group of receivers.
LSU is loaded at WR, and if incoming freshman Reuben Randle can bring some of his high school moves to the college level, the Tigers will be awfully tough to defend in the passing game.
The Tigers O-Line should be just as good with three interior guys back. Look for two new faces--C T-Bob Hebert and LG Josh Dworaczyk--to become two of the best young linemen in the SEC in 2009.
The Tigers have a chance to quickly put last season behind them. If LSU plays to their capability, they should be 5-0 before they head to Georgia to face the Dogs between the hedges. A win there would set up a possible top five match-up with defending national champion Florida in Death Valley the very next week.
If the Tigers fall to Florida, they may need to beat both Alabama and Ole Miss to have a shot at the SEC Title…and both of those games are on the road. LSU will win at least ten games this season, and if they come up big on the road, they could have a shot to play Florida twice, and that game could be for a shot in the BCS Title Game!
Coach: Les Miles
2008 Record: 8-5
Conference: Southeastern Conference (West Division)
Returning Starters: 7-Offense / 7-Defense
Projected Offensive Line-Up
QB Jordan Jefferson So.
RB Charles Scott Sr.
WR Brandon LaFell Sr.
WR Terrance Tolliver Jr.
WR Deangelo Peterson / Rueben Randle Fr.
C T-Bob Hebert So.
RG Lyle Hitt Sr.
LG Josh Dworaczyk So.
RT Joseph Barksdale Jr.
LT Ciron Black Sr.
Projected Defensive Line-up
DE Rahim Alem Sr.
DT Al Woods Sr. / Drake Nevis Jr.
DT Charles Alexander Sr.
DE Pep Levingston Jr.
LB Perry Riley Sr.
LB Jacob Cutrera Sr.
LB Kelvin Sheppard Jr.
CB Patrick Peterson So.
CB Chris Hawkins Sr.
SS Ron Brooks So.
FS Chad Jones Jr.
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