LSU Tigers
Preview 2007
By
Pete Fiutak
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2007 LSU Offense Preview |
2007 LSU Defense Preview
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2007 LSU Depth Chart
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2006 CFN LSU Preview
Nick Saban might have gotten the ball rolling, but it’s time to
officially acknowledge that Les Miles has nudged LSU into one of the
consistent elite of the elite programs, and more importantly, one
with staying power.
It’s easy to forget that while Saban had one mega-year in Baton
Rouge, he also had a lot of merely above-average ones, with only one
double-digit win season. Miles has won 11 games in each of the last
two years, weathered the storm of concern over his hiring and the
storm of Katrina, and has recruited well enough to keep the momentum
going.
Head coach: Les Miles
2nd year: 11-2
6th year overall: 39-23
Returning Lettermen:
Off. 24, Def. 20, ST 2
Lettermen Lost: 21 |
Ten
Best Tiger Players
1. DT Glenn Dorsey, Sr.
2.
DE Tyler Jackson, Jr.
3.
CB Chevis Jackson, Sr.
4. LB Ali Highsmith, Sr.
5. OT Ciron Black, Soph.
6. WR Early Doucet, Sr.
7. RB Keiland Williams, Soph.
8. QB Matt Flynn, Sr.
9. G Will Arnold, Sr.
10. WR Brandon LaFell, Soph. |
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2007 Schedule
CFN Prediction: 11-1 |
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Aug.
30 |
at Mississippi St |
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Sept. 8 |
Virginia Tech |
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Sept. 15 |
Middle Tennessee |
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Sept. 22 |
South Carolina |
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Sept. 29 |
at Tulane |
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Oct.
6 |
Florida |
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Oct.
13 |
at Kentucky |
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Oct.
20 |
Auburn |
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Nov.
3 |
at
Alabama |
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Nov.
10 |
Louisiana Tech |
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Nov.
17 |
at Ole Miss |
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Nov.
24 |
Arkansas |
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2006
Schedule
CFN
Prediction:
10-2
2006 Record:
11-2
Preview
2006 predicted
wins
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| 9/2 |
UL Lafayette W 45-3 |
| 9/9 |
Arizona
W 45-3 |
| 9/16 |
at Auburn L 7-3 |
| 9/23 |
Tulane
W 49-7 |
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9/30 |
Miss State
W 48-17 |
| 10/7 |
at Florida
L 23-10 |
| 10/14 |
Kentucky
W 49-0 |
| 10/21 |
Fresno State
W 38-6 |
| 11/4 |
at Tennessee W 28-24 |
| 11/11 |
Alabama
W 28-14 |
| 11/18 |
Ole Miss
W 23-20 OT |
| 11/25 |
at Arkansas
W 31-26 |
| 1/3 |
Sugar Bowl
Notre Dame W 41-14 |
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LSU
has done it with speed, speed, athleticism, and more speed, with backups
that have more raw talent than the starters for about 100 other teams.
This year’s version is no exception, and with a schedule that’s far more
manageable than last year’s (only two road games against a 2006 bowl
team, Kentucky and Alabama), an SEC title is a demand, and a national championship
is certainly possible.
How loaded is LSU? It lost
JaMarcus Russell, and likely will replace him with Matt Flynn, who has
starter’s experience, or eventually Ryan
Perrilloux, the super-recruit of a few years ago with next-level
skills and more running ability than Russell. The track team of NFL
receivers that left is being replaced by another track team of NFL
receivers, and veterans are waiting in the wings to replace the starting
safeties … who are also off to play in the big league.
Can LSU win the really big game? It proved it could at the end of last
year. Is LSU able to reload rather than rebuild? 11-2 and a Sugar Bowl
win gave the answer. Can LSU win the national title under Miles? This
year, anything less will be a disappointment.
What to watch for on offense: Don’t expect much of a change in
the offensive production with Gary Crowton, who replaces Jimbo Fisher
(who left for Florida State), but that doesn’t mean things won’t be
different. Crowton’s spread offense bogged down at times at Oregon, but
he’s fantastic at developing quarterbacks and should use backs Keiland
Williams, Jacob Hester and Alley Broussard to give the offense more
balance. Expect more option use and more running from the quarterbacks
than Tiger fans are used to.
What to watch for on defense: More of the same. With eight
starters returning, including future NFL millionaire tackle Glenn
Dorsey, the nation’s number three defense of last year should be every
bit as dominant. Defensive coordinator Bo Pelini will keep the D
aggressive, the sacks will come in bunches, and the front seven will be
a brick wall to run on.
The team will be far better if … the penalties are reduced. The
Tigers weren’t killed by the errors, but there were just enough, 83 on
the season, to be annoying. They were mostly the ticky-tack, five-yard
variety, but it is one of the few areas that could use improvement.
The Schedule:
The schedule
last year had four brutal road games and eight manageable home dates.
This season, the scheduling gods are much kinder, with the five away
games at Mississippi State, Kentucky, Tulane, Alabama and Ole Miss. Any
team that thinks it can win the national title should be able to get
through those five without much of a problem. The early home game with
Virginia Tech should be as good as any BCS match-up in January, while
the showdown with Florida will be as good as whatever the national title
game turns out to be. Missing Georgia and Tennessee from the East is a
plus.
Best Offensive Player:
Sophomore OT
Ciron Black. A 314-pound rock on the left side, he turned in a great
freshman season and a top pro prospect from day one. With potentially
four returning starters up front, the line should be a strength in time
as long as Black plays as expected.
Best Defensive Player:
Senior DT
Glenn Dorsey. An almost-certain first-round pick had he left early, and
a possible top-15 selection, the 300-pound All-American will be the
anchor of one of the best lines in America. He missed spring ball with a
leg injury but is expected to be more than fine by the time the season
starts. As long as he keeps his weight in check, he’ll be a sure-fire
All-American.
Key player to a
successful season:
Senior
WR Early Doucet. Is this the year he puts it all together and becomes
the superstar, All-America-caliber target everyone’s been waiting for?
The speed is peerless and he has decent size; now he has to be
consistent as a number one, instead of as a second or third option
behind Dwayne Bowe and Craig Davis.
The season will be a
success if
... LSU plays for the national title. The defense will be among the five
best in the nation, the offense will be more than fine no matter who’s
at quarterback, and the schedule is tailor-made for a title. Of course,
if all goes well there will be an SEC championship game first, and the
Tigers will be more than happy to worry about that when the time comes.
Key game:
Oct. 20 vs. Auburn. LSU
can afford a loss to someone like Florida or even Virginia Tech (but not
both) and can still get to the national championship (since those two
games are relatively early on the slate). However, winning the West
might be tough if Auburn wins in Death Valley for the first time since
1999.
2006 Fun Stats:
- First half scoring: LSU 240; Opponents 87
- Fourth down conversions: LSU 13-17 (76%); Opponents 8-20 (40%)
- Fumbles: LSU 22 (lost 12); Opponents 21 (lost 5)