Tigers hope to end streak of disappointing finishes with strong 2010 season under Miles

http://www.thedaonline.com/sports/tigers-hope-to-end-streak-of-disappointing-finishes-with-strong-2010-season-under-miles-1.1489914

By Brian Gawthrop

Published: Tuesday, June 8, 2010

Updated: Wednesday, June 9, 2010

Following three-straight seasons of at least 11 wins including winning the 2007 National Championship, LSU and head coach Les Miles appeared to be a lock for a top 10 ranking and double-digit win seasons for years to come.

Two years later, however, the Tigers are coming off two underachieving seasons in which they won just eight games in 2008 and nine last season.
The SEC powerhouse is approaching the 2010 season as an opportunity to get back to national dominance. It’s not going to be easy, though, as LSU kicks off its season against North Carolina and then enters its league schedule with contests against Vanderbilt and Mississippi State.

West Virginia will meet the Tigers Sept. 25 in both teams’ fourth game of the year.

While the Mountaineer offense is filled with plenty of potential playmakers, LSU is currently in search of a standout offensive weapon after losing running back Charles Scott who led the team with 542 yards rushing and four touchdowns last season.

One of the Tigers’ lone returning playmakers from the 2009 season is quarterback Jordan Jefferson, who completed 61.5 percent of his pass attempts as a sophomore.

Jefferson won’t have his favorite target, however, after receiver Brandon LaFell was selected in the third round of the 2010 NFL Draft by the Houston Texans. 

The loss of the second-team All-SEC selection is especially troublesome for Miles, as LaFell was one of the team’s only offensive threats on one of the nation’s worst offenses.