BYB Top 25 Countdown - #14 LSU Tigers

LSU QB Zach Mettenberger

The team generating the least amount of buzz in the SEC heading into the season is also the program that’s been the most consistently competitive and successful in the last decade – LSU.

Les Miles’ squad is sporting a lot of new faces this season as the team returns only nine starters, six on offense and three on defense. Among the news faces is offensive coordinator Cam Cameron, whose sacrificial lamb style midseason firing from the Baltimore Ravens sparked the team’s run to the Super Bowl.

Cameron’s top objective will be polishing quarterback Zach Mettenberg who had a decent season in his first full year as a starter in 2012, passing for 2,069 yards and 12 TDs in a game manager type role.

Mettenberger will have two of his top targets from last season, Odell Beckham Jr. and Jarvis Landry, at his disposal so the pass could figure more prominently in the Tigers’ offensive gameplan but running the ball will continue to be LSU’s prime focus. The Tigers welcomed Jeremy Hill back to the team after suspending him for a sucker punch that a judge later ruled did not violate his probation. Hill and top reserves Alfred Blue and Kenny Hilliard form a great tandem and will run behind a line that returns three starters.

Miles and defensive coordinator have the tough task of restocking a defense hit hard by the loss of upperclassmen. Linebacker Lamin Barrow returns to lead the team from the middle linebacker spot. He tallied 104 tackles and 7.5 tackles as a junior. The secondary will be the strength of the defense as Jalen Mills returns at corner and Craig Loston returns at safety. Despite being a first year starter, expect Anthony Johnston to be an All-SEC contender and another in the line of great LSU defensive tackles.

While the Tigers suffered key losses all over the field the schedule is winnable. LSU starts with a tough game in Arlington against LSU but should have enough to beat a Horned Frog that wasn’t that great a year ago.

LSU will be a heavy underdog against Alabama for the first time in Les Miles’ career and it looks like a loss with all that Alabama brings back. The Tigers will also be tested at Georgia and in home games against Florida and Texas A&M. I have LSU at 8-2-2.