The Amigos: Three Players LSU Will Need To Get Through the Season

(Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)

Sometime in October of 2008, LSU fans swallowed the bitter pill of disappointment while watching Florida and Georgia hang matching half-centuries on the Tigers.  

Under Les Miles, Tiger fans were used to losing two games per year, but the losses to the Gators and Bulldogs were not just defeats, but humiliating, tail-tucking beatings.

When those were followed up by a heartbreaking loss to the hated Crimson Tide at home, a beat down by Ole Miss, and then another one-point stunner to the previously lifeless Arkansas Razorbacks, the disappointment turned to despair.

But then LSU recovered with a dominating win over media-darling Georgia Tech in the Peach Bowl. That combined with the emergence of freshman quarterback Jordan Jefferson ignited a gleam of optimism in Tiger eyes once again.

But let's put the brakes on.

The Tigers should be an improved team this year. Nevertheless, they have a daunting season in front of them, one with enough hurdles to intimidate Edwin Moses. Let's just quickly examine three of the biggest barriers to LSU's season:

1. Strength of Schedule

LSU once again has an extremely difficult schedule in the SEC. The Tigers must travel to Georgia, Alabama, and Ole Miss. They host consensus preseason No. 1 Florida and All-Creation Tim Tebow. That sort of schedule would test even the most veteran and talented of teams, much less one with the issues that LSU is facing.

2. Inexperience at Quarterback

The Tigers will, for the second year in a row, be starting a largely inexperienced quarterback. Jordan Jefferson looked good against Georgia Tech, but his numbers weren't that great. Sure, he completed 16-of-25 passes, but for only 142 yards and one touchdown. And last year, they discovered having an inexperienced guy in there can kill a game, and a season. 

Before you bring him up, Russell Shepard is not the answer this year. Reports out of camp have him getting into games in some capacity due to his athleticism, but he is not ready to play quarterback in the SEC.

3. New Defense

On top of the schedule and unproven-quarterback-play difficulties, the Tigers must also break in a new defensive coordinator and new system. Last year's Mallory-Peveto two-headed monster of a coordinator did little to justify its elevation.

Many reports had the defenders—especially athletic safety Chad Jones—confused by the complexity and number of schemes, but this year he will be strictly a safety. That should help some, but the John Chavis-led unit must show an ability to avoid the big play, something it didn’t do last year.

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