LSU doesn’t reveal anything new at SEC Media Days

By David Moorman  |   Thursday, July 31, 2008  |  Comments( 1 )

LSU Tigers
Got something to say?

Log In above and share your thoughts on this topic with other fans!

LSU’s recent appearance at the Southeastern Conference Media Days didn’t reveal anything new about the Tigers.

Fourth-year coach Les Miles repeated his springtime refrain about how the Tigers aren’t defending anything after having won last season’s BCS national championship. The title is theirs, he said, and they have the trophy to prove it. This simply is a new season.

The quarterback derby remains an open race, too, he said. At least he threw another name into the mix. Junior Andrew Hatch and redshirt freshman Jarrett Lee battled to a standoff in the spring.
Jordan Jefferson officially will join the fray, though, when he reports to campus along with the other true freshman on Aug. 3., and begins practice the next day.

With the season opener scheduled for Aug. 30 against Appalachian State, LSU doesn’t have much time to find a replacement for Ryan Perrilloux, the former QB heir apparent who was dismissed from the team last May and transferred to Jacksonville (Ala.) State.

With such inexperience at quarterback, LSU will be well-served by having veterans elsewhere; that especially goes for the offensive line, which returns all but one starter from last year’s unit. It’s no secret that LSU will likely rely more on the run this season.

Miles said it appears as if Charles Scott, Keiland Williams, Richard Murphy or Stevan Ridley “will step out of the pack” to become the Tigers’ featured running back. Scott, Williams and Murphy all alternated behind the departed Jacob Hester last season and made significant contributions. As a redshirt freshman, Ridley isn’t expected to have the same impact as the others this year.

Miles said it’s important that defensive end Tyson Jackson and center Brett Helm provide senior leadership. That comes as no surprise seeing as how Miles brought both players to Media Days in Birmingham, Ala.

Jackson was among eight Tigers chosen to the media’s preseason first- or second-team All-SEC squads. He joined fellow senior teammate and linebacker Darry Beckwith on the first unit.

LSU was picked to finish second in the SEC West behind Auburn. That stands to reason when you consider the treacherous road schedule LSU faces. In addition to traveling to Auburn, LSU must make road trips to Florida, South Carolina and Arkansas. Furthermore, LSU will entertain ever-dangerous Georgia.

Given that Miles played it close to the vest about his team, he wasn’t about to get caught up in a war of words when asked about Alabama. The Crimson Tide is under the second-year tutelage of Nick Saban, LSU’s former coach, who will be making his first return to Tiger Stadium since having left LSU.

Saban has become the coach LSU fans love to hate since he bolted for the NFL’s Miami Dolphins, left them and joined an SEC rival.

Miles diplomatically said he respects Alabama’s history and its competitiveness. More of stating the obvious, which is exactly how Miles intended it to be.
Got something to say?

Log In above and share your thoughts on this topic with other fans! (1)

About David Moorman

Dave Moormann is an award-winning journalist, who has covered LSU athletics since 1980. He began his coverage with the Baton Rouge Advocate, where he was a writer and editor from 1980-98. In 1996, he authored a book on the history of LSU football entitled, "Fighting Tigers Handbook: Stories, Stats ...
read more
Article Tools Share!   |  RSS  |  Bleacher Report About Bleacher Report