The Bayou Bengals celebrated their dominant victory over Ohio State in chilly fashion at Tiger Stadium Saturday afternoon, with 15–20 MPH gusts blowing and the temperatures in the upper 30s.
That didn't dampen the celebration one bit.
The Tigers' coach, Les Miles, congratulated his team and thanked the 30,000 or so fans that had come out from their warm homes or dorms to celebrate the crystal trophy's return to Baton Rouge.
Now, the question undoubtedly becomes: Do the Tigers have enough firepower, tenacity, and strength to make it back? The odds are stacked even higher against them this year, but in all reality, it is possible.
Obviously, this is too early to predict anything about college football, with the National Signing Day still two weeks away and the spring game not even on the horizon, but I'm going to try to put together a little something.
In a couple of weeks I will come out with an extended, position-by-position estimated starting lineup, providing that national signing day gets here quickly and the days are still short.
Here's my first crack at it. It is an overall report on the defensive and offensive sides of the football. Hopefully, it will give a little boost to Tiger fans who think that the next "run" will be a while from now.
Offense:
The Tigers will have arguably the best and most explosive offense in the SEC next year, led by run-pass threat junior Ryan Perrilloux, one of the most sought-after recruits in the nation before he chose LSU. Perrilloux is big, has a strong arm, and can run the option or quarterback sneak when needed.
His targets will be plentiful. The Tigers have talented wideouts in senior Demetrius Byrd, junior Brandon LaFell, sophomore Terrance Toliver, and will have quick young wideouts in freshmen Deangelo Benton and Chris Tolliver, along with one of the best tight ends in the SEC in junior Richard Dickson. Dickson's backup, Jordan Corbin, will also get some playing time and is a tremendous blocker.
On the offensive line, protecting Perrilloux will be the job of seniors Herman Johnson, Brett Helms, and Will Arnold; junior Ciron Black; and sophomores Jarvis Jones and Joseph Barksdale.
At running back, the Tigers have a stable of runners to supplement a strong, fast offense. Juniors Keiland Williams and Charles Scott will take turns pounding the ball, while sophomore Richard Murphy will provide a burst of speed to the outside.
But the real speed will be shown when and if junior Trindon Holliday returns. At 5'5" and 165 lbs., Holliday can make defenders miss, and is almost impossible to catch once he gets by an opposing player.
The backup to quarterback Ryan Perrilloux will be strong-armed redshirting freshman Jarrett Lee from Brenham, Texas.
Defense:
The Tigers will be returning six starters from the 2007 defensive front this year, including explosive defensive ends Tyson Jackson and Kirston Pittman. Both cornerbacks will depart to the NFL, but athletic sophomore Jai Eugene will likely lock down one side of the ball and it will be a toss up between Chris Hawkins, Phelon Jones, and Ron Brooks for the other spot.
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