2011 LSU Football Predictions


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The LSU Tigers come into the 2011 college football season off an impressive 11-2 run in 2010. LSU tied with Arkansas for second in the SEC West at 6-2, and capped off their season with a 41-24 win over Texas A&M in the Cotton Bowl. The Tigers figure to once again be a threat in the SEC with 15 starters back, but they will have to deal with the loss of running back Steven Ridley, wide out Terrance Tollver,  linebacker Kelvin Sheppard, and corner Patrick Peterson. LSU hasn’t won the SEC since winning the National Championship back in 2007.

Here is a closer look at what the Tigers will send to the field on both sides of the ball, plus my prediction on where they will finish the year in the SEC West.

Offense:

Just how good the Tigers are in 2011 will depend a lot on the growth of senior quarterback Jordan Jefferson. In 2010 Jefferson completed 56.5% of his passes for 1,411 yards, but had just seven touchdowns to 10 interceptions. While LSU doesn’t need Jefferson to throw for 300 yards a game, they need him to do a better job of protecting the football, especially against the tough defenses he will see in the SEC. Jefferson is also a factor in the running game, he rushed for 450 yards and seven touchdowns last year.’

Jefferson will miss Tollver, who led the Tigers with 41 catches for 579 yards and five touchdowns, but he does bring back two experienced starters in juniors Rueben Randle and Russell Shepard. While both finished the year with 33 catches, Randle was the big playmaker with 544 yards and 3 touchdowns. I look for both of these receivers to really step up their game this season, which is a big reason why many believe Jefferson will put up much better numbers in 2011.

The Tigers are also going to need someone to step in and replace Ridley’s 1,147 yards and 15 touchdowns. Sophomore Spencer Ware appears to have the early edge on the starting job, but also look for fellow sophomore Michael Ford to get  plenty of carries as well this season. If these two can combine for close to what Ridley provided last year, LSU should be able to continue to move the football and put points on the board.

While the Tigers don’t have any offensive linemen that jump out at you, they do have two of the top guards in the conference in seniors Will Blackwell and Josh Dworaczyk.  They also bring back starting center P.J Lonergan and right tackle Alex Hurst. The only spot up for grabs is at left tackle, where sophomore Chris Faulk is expected to take over. Overall this is the best unit up front that the Tigers have had since winning it all in 2007.

Defense:

The Tigers really relied on their defense in 2010. They gave up just 18.2 points per game and were outstanding against the pass, allowing just 170 yards a game through the air. While they lose Sheppard and Peterson, they still have seven starters back on this side of the ball and should be one of the top defenses in the SEC again this season.

Up front they bring back starting defensive ends in senior Kendrick Adams and sophomore Sam Montgomery, but must replace both starting tackles. It looks as though the Tigers will turn to a couple of young players to take over the vacated spots, as sophomore Michael Brockers and freshman Anthony Johnson are the leading candidates after spring practices. Johnson is one of the Tigers top recruits and figures to make an immediate impact in the middle.

At linebacker the Tigers bring back senior weak-side linebacker Ryan Baker, who finished second on the team with 87 tackles last year. They also bring back senior strong-side linebacker Stefoin Francois. Sophomore Kevin Minter will have the difficult task of replacing Sheppard in the middle, but is more than capable of getting the job done.

Even with the loss of Peterson, the Tigers figure to have on the top secondaries in country. Junior corner Morris Claiborne is coming off five interceptions in his sophomore season, and is considered one of the best corners in the nation. Sophomore Tyrann Mathieu will take over in Peterson’s place at the other starting corner, and should really shine as a starter. Also back in the secondary are starting safeties Brandon Taylor and Craig Loston.

SEC Prediction: 2nd SEC West – While I believe the Tigers will be one of the top 15 teams in the country this season, I have them finishing behind Alabama in the West. I think the difference will be the fact that they have to go on the road to face Alabama, who I have ranked as the top team in the country heading into the 2011 season.

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