Tennessee: Can ringleader repeat?

HOOVER, Ala. — It’s been a three-ring circus for LSU football players this offseason.

First came the Southeastern Conference championship rings Les Miles and his Tigers earned last December for defeating Tennessee in Atlanta’s Georgia Dome. Then came the BCS national championship rings for defeating Ohio State at the Louisiana Superdome in early January. Finally, the Tigers received rings courtesy of LSU for their accomplishments.

Not that they’re still admiring all their newfound jewelry.

“It’s out of our system now,” senior defensive end Tyson Jackson said Wednesday at SEC Media Days. “When we got our last rings in June, Coach Miles told us to move on and put it behind us, but it’s really not hard to move forward if you have a team that is hungry like we are. We know what we have to do.”

For all the winning LSU has done recently, and there has been a lot with an SEC championship in 2001 and SEC and national titles in 2003 and ’07, the Tigers haven’t been as dominant in even-numbered years. LSU has yet to reach an SEC title game in an even-numbered year, instead watching Auburn or Arkansas steal the spotlight.

LSU plays Auburn and Arkansas on the road this season and faces Florida in Gainesville, so it’s little wonder Miles opened his address by saying he was proud of last year’s team but that he wanted to move forward.

“We’re not defending anything,” Miles said. “We’re not dealing with rankings. This is a brand-new year. The good news about this team is that they’ve been through an experience that will allow them to continue to develop and understand the work that needs to take place.”

As if becoming the first national champ with two losses, each of which came in triple overtime, wasn’t enough of a lesson in maturity, the returning Tigers learned another this spring when Miles booted starting quarterback Ryan Perrilloux from the squad. Perrilloux, who was repeatedly in trouble during his time in Baton Rouge, was the MVP of the SEC title game when starter Matt Flynn was injured.

Vying for the quarterback spot now are redshirt freshman Jarrett Lee, Harvard transfer Andrew Hatch and incoming freshman Jordan Jefferson. Hatch completed one pass for 4 yards early last season against Middle Tennessee.

“All three of them are going to have to deal with consistency,” Miles said.

Quarterback may be LSU’s only real concern. The Tigers return four starters in the offensive line, are deep at tailback with Charles Scott, Keiland Williams, Richard Murphy and Trindon Hollliday and have receiving threats with Brandon LaFell and Terrance Toliver.

Defensively, the Tigers lose Glenn Dorsey but still may possess the nation’s most imposing line with Jackson, Charles Alexander, Al Woods, Ricky Jean-Francois, Marlon Favorite and Kirston Pittman.

“I think the whole feeling of this team is that we have so much talent surrounding that quarterback, that it’s going to be hard for him to lose a game,” Jackson said. “With the coaches we’ve got, we can make adjustments throughout the game for our quarterback and put him in the best position possible.”

Gary Crowton returns as offensive coordinator, but Doug Mallory (secondary) and Bradley Peveto (linebackers) are in their first season as co-defensive coordinators.

Miles is back for his fourth season, having gone 34-6 his first three years with bowl wins over Miami, Notre Dame and Ohio State by an average score of 40-13. He may not have been loved by LSU faithful in the same manner predecessor Nick Saban once was, but a title run can change things.

Speaking before LSU supporters recently in New Orleans, Miles said too much shouldn’t be put into this year’s game against Alabama because other teams from Louisiana beat Saban’s Crimson Tide last year. The remark was in reference to Louisiana-Monroe’s stunning win in Tuscaloosa, and it reportedly drew roars.

“It’s just Coach Miles being Coach Miles,” center Brett Helms said. “I don’t think he meant anything bad by it.”