2003 Statistics

Quarterback
Matt Mauck's early departure might have lowered offensive expectations for some, but those aware of the Tigers' depth at QB understand how much more versatility now exists at the position. Senior Marcus Randall has bided his time since starting six of the last seven in 2002 - he is now ready to lead. His athletic frame makes him one of the SEC's most dangerous scramblers, and he is a threat to throw on the run. He'll have defenses guessing, but to stay on Saban's good side, Randall will have to keep his pass efficiency rating (158.63) high or give sophomores JaMarcus Russell and Matt Flynn a chance to prove why they were two of the top recruits in 2002. Russell has it all: pro-style technique, a big arm, 6'6" size and 4.7 speed; Flynn has the best deep ball of the bunch and a track record of accuracy. Either way, physically, the Tigers can't lose. With that kind of talent, Randall must prove he can run the SEC's top scoring offense as Mauck did, for he'll be kept on a short leash.

Running Back
No team in America can match the abundance of riches in LSU's backfield. Their tailback-by-committee formula will be scrapped if sophomore Justin Vincent shows that his stretch run was no fluke. Back-to-back 100yd games closed out the championship run and proved Vincent thrives on the big stage. His preposterous 6.5ypc results directly from his ability to run inside and outside with equal effectiveness. The powerful back's soft hands make him a safety valve for Russell and will keep Vincent on the field in third-down situations. The only question is endurance, a question Vincent won't have to answer with junior Joesph Addai and sophomore Alley Broussard behind him. Addai has explosive speed, great vision, and, like Vincent, is a receiving weapon out of the backfield. Broussard, the top back in Louisiana in 2002, finds himself third on the depth chart. But, with his punishing style and 4.5 speed, he would start almost anywhere else. Former TE David Jones will use his size to beat out blocking specialist Kevin Stoltz at FB. It smells like magnolias in Baton Rouge.

Wide Receiver
The receiving corps will remind Tiger fans of the backfield going into 2003: one proven star and some of the best young talent in the SEC. The star is junior All-America candidate Skyler Green, whose breakaway speed is unrivaled. The loss of the 21 TDs between Devery Henderson and Michael Clayton means that Green must pick up the scoring load, which shouldn't be too difficult considering how many touches he'll get. Green can line up anywhere and is always a threat for a reverse as his 24yd TD in the Sugar Bowl proved. The only thing the sure-handed receiver lacks is size, something a pair of 6'3" leapers can more than make up for. Redshirt freshman Amp Hill has the strength and size to fill Clayton's void on deep jump balls; sophomore Dwayne Bose is the Tigers' most physical receiver. Adding depth are two of the nation's best recruits in Early Doucet and Xavier Carter, who boasts one of the fastest high school 40 times ever. Learning the offense and gelling with Randall will be the obstacles for this speedy but inexperienced group. 6'5" Keith Zinger and 6'4" Demetri Robinson offer big targets at TE, and will get LBs and safeties cleared from both underneath and in the middle, especially if Saban can make defenses respect them early on.

Offensive Line
While Rodney Reed will be missed, the line that allowed only 13 sacks will again be among the nation's best. Junior tackle Andrew Whitworth started every game and combines one of the SEC's biggest frames with surprising quickness and great technique. The former All-SEC freshman's team-high 17 pancake blocks should grab him preseason attention along with senior Ben Wilkerson. Already known as the quickest and most dominating center in the SEC with an uncanny ability to make checks at the line, Wilkerson should be an All-American, and already is a great leader for this unit. Guard may be the weakest position for the Tigers but Rudy Niswanger adds experience and versatility, and junior Terrell McGill, a starter heading into 2003, is a powerful run-blocker and a perfect compliment to this well-balanced line. Averaging over 310lbs and loaded with depth and an outstanding recruiting class, the line won't be an area of concern.

OFFENSIVE BREAKDOWN
Inexperience is the only thing preventing these Tigers from matching the consistent, record-setting productivity of Matt Mauck and Co. Marcus Randall will thrive under offensive coordinator Jimbo Fisher, whose schemes depend on balance. The powerful line gives the Tigers the option to run Vincent, Addai and Broussard until defenses load up the box, opening up the middle of the field. Safeties will have to be so cautious because of the Tigers' speed that Green will shred defenses on slants and crossing routes. On those rare occasions when opponents generate pressure on Randall, his running ability and uncanny pocket-presence will oft turn nothing into something to ultimately keep the chains moving. The sooner the young talent can gel and learn to play Saban's mistake-free football, the sooner the Tigers will return as the tops of the SEC in scoring offense.

Defensive Line
The Tigers won't match the dominance of the line on which every starter had at least four sacks. But they will remain the most athletic front-four in the SEC. The graduation of All-everything Chad Lavalais passes the torch to junior DE Marcus Spears, who himself has NFL scouts drooling at his speed and prodigious wing span. This Louisiana Spears has more talent than Britney and runs down QBs (19 hurries) as easily as he bats down passes. Sophomores Carnell Stewart, a converted tackle and run-stopping specialist, and Sean Merrill, a true speed rusher, combine to match Spears' versatility at the other end. Junior DT Kyle Williams returns as the most intense competitor of the group but the question remains whether he was a star in the making or merely Lavalais' sidekick. 2002 All-SEC freshman Melvin Oliver and his lighting-fast first step will help Williams inside. The group will still get pressure without a blitz and will still shut down the run (69.7ypg); only the most spoiled fans will be disappointed with the relatively slight drop-off. Rest assured, core Tiger devotees, for the line's impact will be the same, regardless.

Linebacker
Senior MLB Lionel Turner might as well have his own whistle and clipboard after making all the defensive calls for the nation's top scoring defense. He's a coach and a leader in the middle, not to mention one of the SEC's hardest hitters. Turner will stay on the field in every package and deserves to be included in discussions of the best LBs in the country. The instinctual Cameron Vaughn plays inside and out and adds a speedy cover man on the weakside. Senior Kenneth Hollis, a coveted juco transfer, fills the role as a primary run-stopper, though the strong-side position will more likely be filled by sophomore Alonzo Manuel. A converted DE, Manuel bucks the trend of defensive players moving up to linebacker (from safety) and brings 6'3" 230 size to toughen the unit, assuming he continues to mature at the position.

Defensive Back
Without question the secondary will be the strongest defensive unit as the Tigers return three seniors as well as sophomore starter LaRon Landry at free safety. CB Corey Webster will battle for the Thorpe Award and is known as the playmaker in their secondary. His long arms and leaping ability make it impossible to beat him with jump balls, a big reason he led the team with seven INTs. Fellow senior CB Travis Daniels proved he was up to the task when teams threw away from Webster, breaking up a team-high 26 passes. Having two shut-down corners allows nickelback Ronnie Prude to show off his toughness and play almost as a safety, pairing with sophomores Landry and Jessie Daniels for a very physical secondary. Landry has great ball-awareness to go with some of the best athleticism in the country, while the other Daniels, Jessie, brings his former RB mindset and 4.5 speed to punish receivers in the middle. There simply are no holes here.

DEFENSIVE BREAKDOWN
As with the offense, the bar has been raised with expectations of finishing first in the SEC in scoring, total defense and sacks; and given the talent and Nick Saban's wizardry, these goals might not be as unrealistic as they seem. Had it not been for Arkansas' garbage time TDs, no team would have even scored 20 on the Tigers. No SEC team rivals their defensive speed, and with Spears, Turner and Webster, every unit has a leader and an All-American candidate. The linebacking corps might not be spectacular, but with the Tigers' secondary, they won't have to be. While this defense won't have the luxury of catching teams off guard again, Saban will make the adjustments to utilize his depth and keep the Tigers among the nation's elite. Even though, there should be little drop off from last years domination.