2007 LSU Tigers College Football Picks & Predictions
June 5, 2008
The loss of the No. 1 pick in the draft, quarterback JaMarcus Russell, clears the way for fifth-year senior Matt Flynn to take the helm. The Tigers returns 14 starters and are perennial BCS contenders with the 2007 season being no different. LSU is ranked 2nd in the country to start the season and needs to get off to a better start than a year ago to hold their ground. They lost two of their first six games to Auburn and the eventual National Champion Florida Gators to kill any hopes of a title.
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Redshirt sophomore Ryan Perrilloux, a former high school phenom, will challenge Flynn at the quarterback position. Coach Les Miles says they need both of them. Flynn led the Tigers to a 40-3 rout of Miami in the 2005 Chick-fil-A Peach bowl so he has the experience to take his team all the way in 2007. The offensive star appears to be Early Doucet no matter the quarterback. Doucet caught 59 passes for 772 yards in 2006.
Versatile senior Jacob Hester returns in the backfield, but may end up playing fullback after only rushing for 440 yards last year. Sophomore tailbacks Keiland Williams and Charles Scott showed promis last season, and senior Alley Broussard has hopes of returning to his pre-injury form of three years ago. LSU returns six starters on offense, a number that does not include potential All-American Will Arnold, a senior guard who missed more than half of last season due to injury.
Senior tackle Glenn Dorsey’s decision to return for his senior season improved an already strong group that returns seven other starters. Dorsey earned All-SEC honors while finishing with 64 tackles. Junior linebacker Darry Beckwith had 65 stops and Senior linebacker Ali Highsmith came in at 63. Tyson Jackson, the 6-5 292-pound junior end, returns after making 37 tackles and a team high 8.5 sacks last season. The front seven is going to reek havoc against SEC foes in 2007.
The Tigers take advantage of their immense athleticism by attacking on defense. Even in the one area where they may have lost half a step, senior strong safety Craig Stelz compensates with an infectious enthusiasm that will ease the departure of Jessie Daniels. The loss of All-American free safety LaRon Landry is also a tough hump to overcome. Senior cornerbacks Jonathan Zenon and Chevis Jackson return to ease the burden. Anon returned two of his four interceptions for scores last year and tied Steltz for the team lead in picks.
There is plenty of talent for the offense to succeed without Russell, but how quickly the Tigers adapt to new coordinater Gary Crowton’s scheme will dictate their early success. A defense that is as athletic as any in the country is poised to continue its stingy ways. A favorable schedule works to LSU’s advantage, so the pieces are in place to ride to the national title game. That is if LSU doesn’t choke it away in 2007.