LSU Football: Why Tigers Will Be Back In Mix Next Year

Calm down Tigers fans, LSU will not only be competitive next season but the team could even be better.

The Bayou Bengals looked terrible in the loss to Alabama in the National Championship Game. The offense only crossed midfield once, and the defense gave up 384 yards.

Fortunately, LSU still had a very successful season and will return many key players that will help the team succeed in the future where the current version failed.

The defense, which was second in the nation in points allowed, contains mostly underclassmen. Cornerback Morris Claiborne could decide to enter the NFL Draft, but past him is plenty of talent.

Heisman finalist Tyrann Mathieu will return as one of the favorites to win college football’s most prestigious award next season. The cornerback has as much of an impact on the game as any defensive player in the history of the sport with his ability to force turnovers and return punts.

Beside Mathieu in the secondary is fellow sophomore Eric Reid, who finished the season with 76 tackles from the safety position. He also had one of the biggest plays in the Nov. 5 win over Alabama with an interception near the goal line.

Another impact sophomore is Barkevious Mingo, a speed rusher who causes disruptions for opposing quarterbacks. He finished the year with eight sacks and 12 tackles for loss, and those numbers are sure to increase as he gains experience.

Despite what the team showed in the championship game, the offense is not too bad either. The unit averaged 35.7 points per game this season and topped 40 points on nine occasions.

The Tigers are losing both quarterbacks Jordan Jefferson and Jarrett Lee to graduation, but this was not the strength of the team anyway.

Jarrett Lee did very well at the start of the season, but he did not see any real action in the final three games.

Jordan Jefferson is a different case. The senior was supposed to be the starting quarterback when the year began, but a bar fight caused him to be suspended for the first four games of the season. It took another five games for him to earn the trust from Les Miles to become the starting quarterback.

The quarterback had an up-and-down career with LSU, and his time ended with a terrible performance when it mattered most. Jefferson had two turnovers against Alabama and threw for only 53 yards on 17 attempts.

Next season the Tigers will be inexperienced at quarterback, but it is very likely there will be an upgrade in talent.

Sophomore Zach Mettenberger will get the first crack at the starting job. The Georgia native saw limited action this season but completed 8-11 passes with a touchdown against Northwestern State.

If he fails, another option is incoming freshman Gunner Kiel. The Indiana recruit is ranked as one of the top quarterback prospects in the country.

Whoever is behind center will still have plenty of help from a running back corps that was the key to the team’s offensive success. Michael Ford, Spencer Ware, Alfred Blue and Kenny Hilliard each rushed for over 300 yards this season and will be returning next year.

If explosive receiver Rueben Randle decides to stay at LSU instead of declaring for the NFL Draft, the offense could match the defense as one of the best in the nation.

Head coach Les Miles will not be satisfied with the past season. An SEC Championship is nice, but LSU should be aiming for a National Championship every year.

In 2012 the Tigers will be hungry, and the rest of the country should look out.