LSU thinks change is in air in 2010

When the dust settled and the last piece of confetti fell to Bourbon Street following LSU’s 2007 BCS National Championship season, the Tigers returned to Baton Rouge and gently placed their prize, the AFCA National Championship Trophy, into their trophy case and locked the doors for safe keeping.

LSU’s football trophy case hasn’t seen a significant new addition since.

And that’s not OK by Tigers coach Les Miles, who said competing for a championship is LSU’s lone goal after two “title-less” seasons in 2008 and 2009.

“It will only be a championship season, and that’s the only point and direction of this program,” Miles said at Southeastern Conference Media Day. “That’s where we’re headed.”

Immediately after last season ended, Miles said he met with his staff and officials in the LSU athletics department to evaluate the direction the Tigers were headed following 2008 and 2009’s 8-5 and 9-4 campaigns.

What resulted from the meeting of the minds was three new offensive coaches and a tweaked philosophy that Miles believes will better equip the Tigers to make the next step now and into the future.

“We looked at everything we did,” Miles said. “We hired three coaches. Our weight/strength position, you know, adjusted. What we do on offense and defense we adjusted. We practiced a little differently. We’ve done a lot of great things. … We’re working toward making real quality adjustments so that our team can focus on those things that will lead it to the championship.”

With the team’s new attitude in place, LSU returns six offensive starters from last season’s team, including junior quarterback Jordan Jefferson, senior wide receiver Terrence Toliver and sophomore receiver Russell Shepard.

But despite most of the team’s returning weapons being in the passing game, it’s running the football that is getting most of the coach’s attention in summer practices.

LSU ranked just No. 90 of 120 Football Bowl Subdivision teams last year, a stat LSU hopes to fix this season.

Senior Richard Murphy, junior Stevan Ridley and freshman Michael Ford are the backs who will probably get most of the acclaim if LSU can turn it around on the ground.

But LSU offensive coordinator Gary Crowton also points to a new-look offensive line as part of why he feels the Tigers will be more balanced this year.

Senior tackle Joseph Barksdale will shift from right to left tackle in 2010. Joining him on the offensive line will be guards Josh Dworaczyk and Will Blackwell, as well as center Patrick Longeran and right tackle Alex Hurst.

“Right now it’s been very positive,” Crowton said. “I’m pretty optimistic about the front right now with the line.”

Barksdale agreed and said he has been impressed with the chemistry the group has shown in their first summer together as a group.

“We are definitely coming together as a unit,” he said. “We hang around each other a lot more than we did last year as far as enjoying each others’ company, having the same interests and bonding on those interests.”

On defense, LSU returns four starters in defensive coordinator John Chavis’ second season in Baton Rouge.

And while losing seven of 11 is tough, when three of the four returnees are defensive tackle Drake Nevis, linebacker Kelvin Sheppard and cornerback Patrick Peterson, you’re still in line to field a pretty formidable team on paper.

And Chavis doesn’t think the new starters are half bad, either.

“We’ve got seven or eight starters that we have to replace. I’ve been there, done that,” Chavis said. “Let me tell you the advantage that we have. We have talent. We are inexperienced, and we are very young when you start looking at the number of juniors and the number of seniors that we have. You are going to find out that this defense is going to be a lot of sophomores and a lot of freshmen, and that doesn’t put any fear in me because I love coaching a young football team that’s aggressive.”

On the defensive line, Sam Montgomery, Kendrick Adams, Lazarius Levingston, Josh Downs, Chancey Aghayere, Michael Brockers, Chris Davenport and Barkevious Mingo are all expected to pitch in playing time to compliment Nevis.

“There’s some competition there,” Chavis said.

At linebacker, Ryan Baker and Stefoin Francois will join Sheppard as the likely starters.

Baker and Francois both weigh less than 230 pounds, but with a loss in size, LSU believes they’ll get the addition of speed to their defense.

“Defensively, there is so much speed on that side of the ball it is really a lot of fun to watch them run,” Miles said.

Joining Peterson in the secondary will be first-year starting cornerback Morris Claiborne, as well as safeties Brandon Taylor, Jai Eugene and Karnell Hatcher, who are competing for the two starting safety spots.

Miles said he believes he has the two best cornerbacks in the SEC.

Peterson can’t argue with that.

“Obviously he hasn’t played in an SEC game yet, but I kid you not, I would have Morris at the top of the mound when the season starts,” Peterson said of his counterpart Claiborne.

Overall, LSU wants championships, but the media isn’t buying it, picking the Tigers to finish fourth in the six-team SEC Western Division.

But that’s just fine by the Tigers who say they are confident their struggles will end this season and another trophy will be added to the collection.

“We’re focused on being the old LSU,” Jefferson said. “Being victorious week after week.”

LSU linebacker Kelvin Sheppard surveys the defense prior to a play last season. Sheppard is one of LSU’s most prized returnees in 2010 – a year the Tigers believe will bring a “championship” back to the program. STEVE FRANZ LSU SPORTS