ESPN College Football 2004 Team Preview: LSU Tigers

ESPN COLLEGE FOOTBALL 2004 TEAM PREVIEW: LSU TIGERS #1

...I know it is a long read, but it is so worth it! Geaux Tigers!!!

Wednesday, July 28, 2004

Team preview: LSU
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LSU Tigers

LOCATION Baton Rouge, La.
CONFERENCE Southeastern (West)
LAST SEASON 13-1 (.929)
CONFERENCE RECORD 7-1 (t-1st)
OFF. STARTERS RETURNING 6
DEF. STARTERS RETURNING 7
NICKNAME Tigers
COLORS Purple & Gold
HOME FIELD Tiger Stadium (91,600)
COACH Nick Saban (Kent State '73)
RECORD AT SCHOOL 39-13 (4 years)
CAREER RECORD 82-39-1 (10 years)
TEAM WINS (last five yrs.) 3-8-10-8-13
FINAL RANK (last five yrs.) 73-12-6-35-1
2003 FINISH Beat Oklahoma in BCS title game.
2004 Schedule | 2003 Results | 2003 Statistics

COACH AND PROGRAM

Four months after LSU won the Southeastern Conference and then a national championship, ESPN.com ranked the Tigers as the preseason favorite to win the 2004 national title.

Big-time results translate into high expectations. LSU coach Nick Saban, however, doesn't get hung up on outside pressures. Perhaps that's why and how Saban had turned LSU into a perennial national power in such a short period of time.

Days after beating Oklahoma to win a share of the national championship-LSU won the Bowl Championship Series title while Southern California won the ESPN/USA Today coaches poll championship-Saban listened to a multi-year, mega-million-dollar offer from the NFL's Chicago Bears.

Much to the dismay of the rest of the SEC, Saban turned down the Bears and instead agreed to a new seven-year deal at LSU, one that will pay him $2.3 million this season. The reigning national coach of the year has indicated that he plans to stay in the college game for quite a bit longer, bad news for a league that was shell-shocked by LSU's meteoric ascension last year.

Saban has to find a new quarterback this season after the early loss of steady Matt Mauck to the NFL and/or dental school. He still has to locate a consistent place-kicker and the schedule includes road trips to Auburn, Florida and Georgia. However, there is no reason to believe LSU won't win the SEC West, claim the overall league title and be in the mix to play for another national championship come January.

"We were pleased with the progress our team was able to make during the spring," said Saban, who was chosen the 2004 coach of the year by Playboy magazine. "Offensively, I felt we had some young players develop at the receiver position. Everybody knows about our young quarterbacks and Marcus Randall and we were pleased with the progress that they made. Defensively, even though we lack depth, we seemed to have a pretty good spring developing young players and some of the good players that we have back had a good spring. We were inconsistent in the kicking game but that's something we want to work at in the fall.

"The biggest thing we're trying to do is keep our players from competing against themselves. We don't really, necessarily, want to compete against last year's team or accomplish what that team did but create an identity of our own for this year's team and see how good we can be relative to what we have and what we need to do to be the best we can be. That's what I'd like to keep the players focused on."

That was Saban's focus during the spring-getting his team to forget last season and look ahead to new things. During his pre-game speech before the Tigers' annual spring game, the national championship never came up. Neither did Michael Clayton, Mauck or Chad Lavalais, three now-departed leaders from that group. Saban didn't talk about last season. He didn't talk about the future. He talked about one day, that day. He talked about the spring game as if it were the Tigers' season opener.

"This is the first chance this team-this team right here, our team-has, in front of anybody, to establish an identity," Saban said.

Saban knows that there are no guarantees in the SEC. He knows injuries can quickly take a toll, that the breaks the Tigers got last season (look no further than LSU's 17-14 win at Ole Miss last November, one in which the Rebels were oh-so-close on several occasions to making what would have been a game-winning play) and that his team will wear a bulls-eye all season. The team that wanted so badly to win last year is now the team every opponent wants so badly to beat.

Saban pointed out all spring that last year's LSU team will not be around to defend itself. Instead, this is a new LSU team, loaded with talent and a healthy share of experience, yet also wearing championship rings that bring with them the temptation of complacency.

"You get out there and you have fun and you compete as hard as you can," Saban said. "There is nothing to fear about competing. There is dishonor only in not trying as hard as you can."

The first hurdle for the LSU coaching staff is to try to get a bunch of young men who will spend the entire off-season being congratulated to somehow comprehend what Saturdays are like when you're the champs. Offensive tackle Andrew Whitworth, a 2004 Playboy All-American who played on three state championship teams in high school at West Monroe (La.) High School, has an idea of what to expect.

"I've been there and I think it's something that's going to help me," Whitworth told The Shreveport (La.) Times. "We're going to be everybody's national championship game. But it's also going to be fun. When you expect it, and you prepare for it, and you know you're going to get their best, it's a great experience when you win."

"It feels like we just ended the season," wide receiver Skyler Green said during spring drills. "Now we're about to get right back at it again."

The talent level on this team is still extremely high. Seven starters, including All-SEC standouts Marcus Spears and Corey Webster, both 2004 Blue Ribbon and Playboy All-Americans, return. The offensive line returns three starters blocking for a bevy of running backs, including SEC Championship game star Justin Vincent.

The championship also served as motivation for players eager to get another ring, to participate in another parade like the one that rolled through Baton Rouge on Jan. 24.

"That day, I saw one of the greatest things of my life," Spears said. "I saw Southern [University] and LSU fans coming together and applauding one another. I went to Southern Lab and have a lot of Southern ties. Some people there really helped me. To see them all come together was touching to me. I realized what sports could do to a community."

"It would be amazing if we do it again," Green said. "If we do that again, there's no telling what might happen in Baton Rouge. They might let Mike the Tiger walk around town."

Saban bolstered his already-strong coaching staff in January when he hired former Michigan State coach Bobby Williams. Williams, who was fired by the Spartans after the 2002 season, succeeded Saban at Michigan State before spending his first season out of the college game as an assistant with the Detroit Lions last year.

"Bobby's an outstanding person and as fine an assistant as we had at Michigan State," Saban told ESPN.com. "To be able to hire someone of his caliber, who also has knowledge and experience of your system, it's almost like you didn't lose a coach because there's so much continuity."

Williams, 45, will work with LSU's wide receivers. He was in Mobile, Ala., for the Senior Bowl in January, hoping to latch on with an NFL team, when he ran into Saban. Williams walked over to his former boss to congratulate him on the national championship when Saban inquired about Williams' interest in coming to Baton Rouge.

"It hadn't really crossed my mind about going back to college," Williams said. "If I was going to go back, why not with Nick? Our relationship has always been very solid."

If there's a knock on Saban, it is inability to keep assistants. It is a reputation that was cultivated by the fact that none of his Michigan State assistants followed him to LSU and his first defensive coordinator-current East Carolina coach John Thompson-left after just one month on the job. Four assistants from last season's title team left for new jobs, though three of those were clearly career promotions.

Saban said he doesn't expect to keep Williams around for a long time, either. Instead, Saban expects Williams to be back among the head coaching ranks sooner rather than later.

"I've never really talked to him about [the Michigan State situation], but he doesn't seem any different to me," Saban said. "Unfortunately, what we learn as assistant coaches doesn't always prepare us to be head coaches. I think if he ever gets the opportunity to do it again, he'll be able to do it just fine."

QUARTERBACKS

Talented red-shirt freshman quarterbacks JaMarcus Russell (6-5, 236) and Matt Flynn (6-2, 224) showed flashes of brilliance in the spring, but neither was consistently dazzling enough to unseat senior Randall (6-2, 223).

"I don't think that anybody did anything really significant [during spring practices] to change where we are in the decision-making of who should start, who should be second, who should be third," Saban said. "How they develop over the summer and fall will determine how we manage that come game time. But I'm not ready to make that decision right now.

"It's the same as it was before. Marcus Randall needs to get beat out. We're not disappointed in anybody's progress. But I can't sit here and tell you that someone has beat him out, either. And he's done fairly well himself."

Fans are eager to see Russell, a highly recruited player who has a cannon for a right arm and fairly fleet feet for a man his size. Randall, meanwhile, is still remembered for shaky appearances in 2002, when he played the second half of the season after Mauck went down with a foot injury.

"A whole lot of things have changed," Randall told the Baton Rouge Advocate. "I'm learning things I didn't know then, like game management things. It's basically learning the game. I was young then. I didn't really know what to expect. Now I know what to expect. I know the game speed. I know what the defense is playing.

"So I know if we've got this play called, I read here, here, here. Or I read backside if they rotate down. It's just like the game is looking a whole lot brighter to me."

Randall went 2-4 as a starter in 2002 and the two games he won-Ole Miss and Kentucky-were fluky at best, downright lucky if you just want to be truthful. As a sophomore, Randall threw for seven touchdowns, ran for two touchdowns and threw five interceptions. In limited action last season, Randall threw two touchdowns and one interception.

"I think he improved tremendously while he was playing his sophomore year," Saban told the Baton Rouge paper. "I think the best he played was the first half of the Cotton Bowl [a 35-20 loss to Texas]. And I think when he played last year, he showed a little more poise, command and all those things in terms of being in control of what he was doing. He seems really comfortable in what he's doing and has not shown a lot of anxiety in how he's performed."

If it's close, look for Saban to go with Randall because of the experience. But know this: Saban pays no attention to hype. If Flynn is better than Russell, Flynn will play. That said, Russell is ahead of Flynn and could be on course to be leading LSU's offense by late September.

Russell certainly has the pedigree. In 2002, he was a consensus top-five national pro-style quarterback pick by every major recruiting publication and a Parade All-American. Russell, who played for Williamson High School in Mobile, Ala., finished his career as the all-time leading passer in state history, throwing for 10,744 yards and eclipsing the mark set by current Alabama quarterback Brodie Croyle. He also set a state record with 84 touchdown passes. As a senior, he connected on 219-of-372 passes for 3,332 yards and 22 TDs. Russell is mobile for such a big man; he ran for 400 yards and five TDs in 2002.

Flynn also brings sterling credentials from high school. As a senior at Robert E. Lee High School in Tyler, Texas, he was a consensus Top 100 player and rated the No. 16 pro-style quarterback by Rivals.com.

In 2002, Flynn completed 124-of-206 passes for 1,679 yards and nine touchdowns and also ran for 305 yards and 12 touchdowns.

RUNNING BACKS

Last season, the hype machine that is college football preseason publications waxed poetic about Auburn's quartet of running backs-Ronnie Brown, Carnell Williams, Tre Smith and Brandon Jacobs.

This year, that hype goes to LSU's group that consists of sophomore Alley Broussard (6-0, 235), junior Joseph Addai (6-0, 205), sophomore Vincent (5-10, 208), senior Shyrone Carey (5-6, 198), junior Jason Spadoni (6-0, 207) and sophomore Barrington Edwards (6-0, 213).

Vincent rushed for 1,001 yards last season and is the star of the group after breaking Dalton Hilliard's school rushing record for freshmen (901 yards) despite having started just eight games.

Vincent made his first start against South Carolina after Carey and Addai suffered knee injuries. That was the week after LSU's only loss, to Florida. Vincent responded with 77 yards and two touchdowns, and a force was unleashed on the SEC. Vincent kept getting better every week, and he ended the season in unbelievable fashion. Vincent closed with four straight 100-yards-plus games, including an SEC Championship game-record 201 yards and two TDs in a 34-13 win over Georgia and 117 yards and a score against Oklahoma in the Sugar Bowl. Vincent was voted MVP of the SEC title game and the Sugar Bowl.

Vincent, who led the Tigers with 10 rushing touchdowns, was chosen a first-team Freshman All-America by the Football Writer's Association and also made the All-SEC Freshman team.

Not bad for a rookie running back who was well down the pecking order when the season began.

"Actually I was at No. 5 coming into the season," Vincent said after the Sugar Bowl. "I already had my mindset out there that I was going to be the best special teams player that LSU ever had. Every time I got a chance to go out, whatever it was, I was going to try to hurt somebody. & It's kind of sad how I got the starting job because the guys ahead of me went down. They were helping me. They weren't the type of people that would look down upon me because of what I'm doing and they're hurt. They were all supportive. I practiced each day. They would pull me aside and say you didn't do this right or that right or take this step. It was basically a team effort what I did."

The other running backs in LSU's stable are wonderful complementary parts. Addai opened the year as LSU's starter before an injury against Florida sidelined him for two games. He still wound up with 520 yards and two touchdowns on 114 carries. He also caught 14 passes for 86 yards.

Broussard is a bruiser who excels in must-have, short-yardage situations. He's hard to bring down. Broussard twice rushed for more than 100 yards a year ago, coming up with 108 on 19 carries against South Carolina and 106 on 16 carries against Louisiana Tech. He finished with 389 yards on 85 carries and scored five times.

Like his cohorts in the LSU backfield, Carey had his moments last year, too. Swift and elusive, Carey came up a career-best 124 yards and a TD in win over Western Illinois and led the Tigers to a huge win over Georgia with 73 yards and a touchdown on 18 carries. Carey finished the season with 338 yards on 78 carries.

Edwards provides an every-down sort of back should Vincent get banged up. Last season he showed signs of his ability with a 66-yard effort (on 11 carries) against Louisiana Tech.

WIDE RECEIVERS/TIGHT ENDS

Clayton caught 78 passes last season. Devery Henderson, a second-round selection of the New Orleans Saints, caught 53. While there is talent returning, it's not game-day proven. Addai and All-SEC defensive back Corey Webster (6-0, 201) could get some time catching passes, but the Tigers' youngsters should step in and become the newest group of stars in the SEC.

Red-shirt freshman Amp Hill (6-0, 203) injured a knee last season and was still gimpy in the spring. Sophomore Craig Davis (6-2, 190), junior Green (5-9, 190) and junior Bennie Brazell (6-1, 166) all have talent and will get long looks. Green, it should be noted, caught 14 passes last season, including a dramatic game-winner against Georgia last September in Baton Rouge.

Miami native Dwayne Bowe (6-3, 202) made some superb catches during spring scrimmages and could be ready to become a prime-time performer. Bowe displayed great concentration and is willing to go over the middle to make a big catch, a trait that turned Clayton into a first-round draft pick. Bowe and others will be asked to learn to block downfield the way Clayton did.

The expectations are also high for incoming freshmen Early Doucet, Xavier Carter and Lavelle Hawkins (more on them later).

Flexible junior David Jones (6-4, 259) splits his time between tight end and fullback, but when Jones goes into the backfield, sophomore Keith Zinger (6-4, 255) is more than capable of taking over. Expect to see a lot of two tight sets from this duo.

OFFENSIVE LINE

LSU lost two great starters (All-American Stephen Peterman and steady tackle Rodney Reed) but may be better and deeper up front than a year ago.

"We have more guys who could be on the front five than we ever have," junior left tackle Whitworth (6-7, 325) said. "We have nine guys who have a chance to play."

Whitworth and senior center Ben Wilkerson (6-4, 296) are two of the nation's best, while junior Nate Livings (6-5, 313) goes from left guard to right tackle and junior Rudy Niswanger (6-5, 294) takes over at left guard. Junior Terrell McGill (6-4, 325) and sophomore Brian Johnson (6-4, 307) will carry the fight for right guard into August.

McGill was arrested the night after spring drills ended and charged with simple battery for allegedly punching a man at the West Campus Apartments in Baton Rouge, La.

David Kency claims McGill punched him in the mouth after he arrived at the apartment complex to meet a girl. Kency told WBRZ TV that he was cornered on a balcony by several people, including McGill.

"All I remember after that is Terrell hit me," Kency told the Shreveport (La.) Times. "I fell. All I remember was falling to the ground, and I seen nothing but blood."

McGill, a Miami native, played in 11 games last season as a backup at guard and tackle. He is a prospective starter at right guard but was running with the second team on the final day of spring practice.

Incidents have been few since Saban became LSU's coach after the 1999 season. There was a police investigation of a fight involving several players at a nightclub near the campus in 2001, and a player during the 2000 season was charged with battery.

"I don't know all the details but I think our players were trying to be good guys and were breaking up a fight," Saban said of McGill's situation. "Somebody hit one of our players and he hit him back. &Otherwise, what he did, the way I understand it, is no more than a traffic ticket, from a misdemeanor standpoint.

"We try to create a culture here where our players do the right things and are held to a pretty high standard in terms of the way they represent themselves, the family and the program. We try to create a culture but we can't be responsible for everybody's individual action. It's worked for us very well for the most part."

KICKERS

Sophomores Ryan Gaudet (5-6, 155) and Chris Jackson (5-11, 159) might be able to take their juggling act on the road, as they've become so good at trading the kicking duties. First it was Gaudet, then Jackson, then Gaudet again in the SEC Championship game and in the Sugar Bowl. Through the spring, the job remained up for grabs. On a team with few concerns, kicking is probably one of them.

DEFENSIVE LINE

Sure, several stars departed but there is plenty of ability left, just not a lot of able bodies. LSU ended the spring with just three dependable ends and tackles.

"If we're not fortunate to keep our players healthy," Saban said, "it could show on the field."

The left side of the line returns intact with senior Spears (6-4, 297) at left end and junior Kyle Williams (6-3, 288) at left tackle.

Spears is strong, long-armed and athletic, which enables him to make plays that normal defensive ends couldn't. Proof of that came in the Sugar Bowl, when Spears scored what proved to be the game-winning points on a 20-yard interception return in the third quarter. That touchdown gave LSU a 21-7 lead.

Last season, Spears a first-team All-SEC pick, recorded 49 tackles, 13 of which went for 72 yards in losses. He also had six quarterback sacks and 19 quarterback pressures. Spears played a key role in LSU's run to the national championship, making at least one tackle for loss in eight of LSU's last nine games.

Junior college transfer Claude Wroten (6-3, 315) takes over at right tackle and junior Melvin Oliver (6-3, 269) slides in at right end.

Wroten comes with solid credentials, having been rated by Collegefootballnews.com as the No. 7 junior college prospect a year ago. Playing for Mississippi Delta Community College, Wroten recorded 53 tackles, 15 sacks, three forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries in 2003. Wroten bench presses 370 pounds and squats 550 pounds, yet can still run a 4.9 40-yard dash.

On passing third downs, Oliver will annex one of the tackle spots while junior Kirston Pittman (6-3, 248) comes in at end to throw an extra gear of speed into the pass rush.

"We didn't lose a lot of starters on defense," Saban said. "But we lost a lot of our backups. We lost a lot of those next-group guys. We don't have enough depth on defense. We have voids at linebacker and safety. We could use a more few defensive linemen."

Oliver will be counted on to be a star. He had four tackles and one sack in the Sugar Bowl, giving him four sacks and 31 tackles last season.

"It's going to be a little more demanding, learning everything to do, making sure everything's perfect," said Oliver, who grew up in Opelika, Ala., in the shadows of Auburn University. "We don't have much depth. More of the starters will have a bigger role this year."

Oliver told the Baton Rouge Advocate that he is focusing on technique and fundamentals, learning how to handle 330-pound offensive tackles. He's also taking on a leadership role, helping teammates with less experience learn the ropes of the SEC.

One of those guys could be sophomore defensive end Brian West (6-3, 244), who is experienced, just not in the ways of SEC football.

Go back to fall 1998. LSU football coach Gerry DiNardo thought he had just the right ingredients for the recipe that new defensive coordinator Lou Tepper was concocting. DiNardo was recruiting three star defensive players from perennial state champion West Monroe High to possibly all start as freshmen in the same linebacker corps-outside linebacker Bradie James at drop linebacker, middle linebacker Jason LeDoux at that spot and defensive end West at rush linebacker.

The Tigers dropped to 4-7 in 1998, though, and fielded one of the worst defenses in the Southeastern Conference under Tepper. Nationally recruited LSU freshman linebacker Adam McConathy of West Monroe might have seen what was coming. He left the LSU team before the 1998 season for Texas and eventually ended up at Louisiana Tech. Not long after that 1998 season, LeDoux, who was the prep defensive player of the year that season, de-committed to LSU and ended up at Texas A&M in 1999. West also signed with Texas A&M that same season.

That summer, however, West signed for more than $1 million to pitch for the Chicago White Sox organization. The White Sox drafted him in the first round of the supplemental draft (35th overall).

Four years later, last June, West came to LSU as a defensive end after four years and a few months of minor league baseball. West, 23, still has three seasons of eligibility. West made 10 tackles in eight games last season as a backup for Spears. He made 4.5 stops for losses, including two quarterback sacks, against Louisiana Tech.

"He's been playing very well," Saban said. "Last year, he had to get back to a football mentality. But I see him as definitely being one of the guys in the rotation at end."

The White Sox had seen West as a future member of their rotation with a fastball that averaged in the 90s.

"He wasn't off the charts like a Mark Prior flying through the minors, but he certainly had a chance to make it to the big leagues," Birmingham Barons' announcer Curt Bloom told the Baton Rouge Advocate. "He's a very tough kid. [Then-Barons manager] Wally [Backman] always wanted him out there in the big games, especially the playoffs. I know Wally thought highly of him."

West had his best year on the mound in 2001 for Backman at Winston-Salem in Class A ball when he went 7-12 with a 3.68 ERA on a bad team, striking out 130 in 169 innings. West got a ring when Birmingham won the 2002 Southern League championship. The next year, he would earn a national championship ring for football.

"I was shocked when he decided to play football," Bloom said. "I didn't see a sign. He never brought a football to the stadium. I really didn't see it coming."

West made it to Triple-A Charlotte in May 2003 and won his only appearance, allowing four hits and three runs in five innings. He spent most of last spring and summer in Birmingham, though, going 3-5 with a 5.80 ERA.

"Occasionally you'd see flashes of first-round stuff, but a lot of the time he was not pitching healthy," Bloom said.

West developed elbow problems and was staring surgery in the face.

"I kinda always had the itch to get back into football, especially after coming here in 2001 and watching them beat Auburn to go to the SEC championship game," West said. "This is just a great place to be."

LINEBACKERS

Eric Alexander was lost to graduation. Everyone else is back, including senior middle linebacker Lionel Turner (6-2, 257) and junior weak-side linebacker Cameron Vaughn (6-4, 220). Throw in star-of-the-spring freshman Ali Highsmith (6-1, 225) in the strong-side linebacker slot and LSU might have its best linebacker corps in years.

Turner was quietly dominant last season despite having the unenviable task of replacing former All-America Bradie James (now with the Dallas Cowboys). How did Turner perform? Just say that the Tigers didn't miss James as much as they thought they would. Turner earned honorable mention All-SEC honors from the Associated Press after ranking second on the team with 78 tackles, five of which went for losses. He added three sacks and two interceptions, including one he returned 18 yards for a score against Georgia in the SEC championship game.

Turner also stepped up in the Sugar Bowl with nine tackles and two sacks.

Vaughn earned six starts last year and wound up with 55 tackles and two sacks. He also came up with three tackles for losses, six quarterback pressures and three pass break ups. His season high of eight tackles came in the loss to Florida.

Highsmith, who signed with Miami but failed to qualify academically, enrolled at LSU last January. His size, speed and ability to pick up defenses has earned him a spot in Muschamp's defense.

Red-shirt freshman Darius Ingram (6-2, 232) will see significant playing time as well.

DEFENSIVE BACKS

Bad news for SEC quarterbacks: LSU's defensive backfield is back and better than ever. Webster (6-0, 201) and senior Travis Daniels (6-1, 187) make up perhaps the best cornerback combination in the league and/or country.

Webster, in just his second year on the defensive side of the football, was highly decorated last season after making 46 tackles and ranking second in the SEC in interceptions (seven) and pass breakups (25).

Webster was a semifinalist for the Thorpe Award and a first-team All-American as chosen by the American Football Coaches Association. He was chosen second-team All-American by the Associated Press, Sports Illustrated and Collegefootballnews.com and was also a first-team All-SEC pick.

Daniels started the season at safety, but after six games moved back to his natural position of cornerback. Like Webster, he's a big-time cover corner and is extremely tough to shake in one-on-one coverage. With Webster and Daniels watching their backs, LSU's linemen can afford to be aggressive in their pursuit of the quarterback. Last season Daniels recorded 58 tackles, including 6.5 for losses, and led the Tigers with 26 pass breakups. He intercepted a pair of passes, returning one 48 yards for a touchdown just before halftime in the win over Mississippi State.

Sophomore free safety LaRon Landry (6-2, 180) is back after a brilliant freshman campaign and sophomore Jessie Daniels (5-11, 195), a physical player with a knack for finding the football, is slated to start at strong safety.

Throw in junior college transfer Mario Stevenson and versatile senior Ronnie Prude (5-11, 176) and LSU's secondary will be the league's best.

PUNTERS

Red-shirt freshman Patrick Fisher (6-5, 224) was line-driving punts all through spring practice and hit one backward in the Tigers' spring game, possibly opening up the job to Jackson. Suffice to say, neither kicking situation is satisfactory.

SPECIAL TEAMS

Green led the nation last season in punt returns with an 18.5-yard average and a pair of touchdowns. There are numerous candidates, including Green and Carey, to return kicks. This won't be an area of weakness.

RECRUITING

One month after winning the Associated Press national title, LSU claimed a recruiting national championship. There isn't a trophy for the accomplishment, but if there were, Saban would need to start clearing some space.

Saban's work ethic and straight-forward approach, as well as LSU's penchant for sending players to the NFL, has the nation's top recruits flocking to Baton Rouge. Saban has also all but closed the door on Louisiana while cherry picking out of surrounding states. Simply put, Saban is recruiting his way to a dynasty.

The crown jewel of the Class of 2004 was likely St. Martinville, La., wide receiver Doucet (6-2, 210). Doucet, the No. 1 rated prospect on the Mobile Register's Super Southeast 120, could play very early. The same holds true for Melbourne, Fla., wide receiver Carter (6-3, 195), another Top-10 member of the Mobile Register's Super Southeast 120, and Stockton, Calif., standout Hawkins (5-11, 175).

West Monroe, La., native Luke Sanders (6-3, 220) is considered one of the top linebacker prospects in the country, as is Pulaski, Ark., product Matt Stoltz (6-3, 240). Northeast Mississippi Community College defensive back Mario Stevenson (6-2, 195) reported in January and could be starting by mid-season. Denton, Texas, offensive tackle Herman Johnson (6-7, 395) is one of a handful of premiere offensive line prospects. Mississippi Delta Community College defensive lineman Claude Wroten could start in the Tigers' season opener and Gonzales, La., defensive tackle Glenn Dorsey (6-2, 295) is widely considered a future star.

As if he needed more, Saban got some more good news in the off-season when LSU's case in front of the NCAA Committee on Infractions was ruled on without major sanctions.

The NCAA announced that it will not punish LSU further for cheating and academic misconduct, agreeing with the school's report that violations were secondary and not systemic. The NCAA's ruling came after the organization reviewed a 1,300-page report which followed allegations that LSU athletes in 2002 cheated on tests, plagiarized papers and benefited from pressure on faculty to change grades. The NCAA will take no further action beyond penalties that LSU already imposed: the loss of two football scholarships for 2005; the loss of four official visits by recruits; and discipline against those involved.

"I don't think this hurts coach Saban or the football program in any way," LSU athletic director Skip Bertman said. "But he was penalized for actions for which he was not responsible."

LSU will sign only 23 players rather than the 25 it is entitled to. The school could have had 52 official visits from athletes this year rather than the 55 allowed by the NCAA. Instead it had only 46, below the 52 it had imposed as a sanction.

The school said there was no plagiarism, cheating or serious misconduct at the academic center. The NCAA agreed by ruling that the violations were secondary instead of major. Secondary is an isolated or inadvertent breaking of an NCAA rule, said Chris Howard, who is in charge of overseeing compliance at LSU. LSU also made changes concerning athletes and the academic center that took effect last fall and were aimed at preventing future problems.

QUESTIONS

Target on their backs? The Tigers will be the hunted now. How will they handle the pressure?

Quarterback? Russell is supremely gifted, but replacing Mauck, who made few mistakes, will be a chore.

Kicking game? Last season, Georgia's Billy Bennett and Ole Miss' Jonathan Nichols missed key kicks. LSU's kicking corps is nowhere near as talented. Will that finally catch up to the Tigers?

ANSWERS

Depth at running back! Wow, what a stable of ball carriers.

Coaching! Saban is the best in the game and coordinators Fisher and Muschamp are rising stars.

Secondary! Teams just can't throw on the Tigers.

BLUE RIBBON ANALYSIS

OFFENSE: B+; SPECIAL TEAMS: B; DEFENSE: A; INTANGIBLES: A-

Saban is building a dynasty. The Tigers are fairly youthful this season and also face a tough schedule, but there is no reason to believe this team can't win another national championship. Saban is the perfect coach for Baton Rouge.

The town can be a distracting circus, but Saban has shown the ability to get his team to focus on the game at hand and not get caught up in the lofty expectations. LSU has won two of the last three SEC titles. Only Georgia has a legitimate shot to stop it from becoming three out of four.

 

Not to stir up anything with all the UT Football fans, but here is a notable Q&A from the ESPN Chat yesterday on your prized recruit who gave his verbal commitment to Texas earlier this week.(High School QB Ryan Perrilloux who will talk about his college choice during the chat). :
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Erik, Baton Rouge LA: Why didn't you choose LSU? LSU is a great University, fans, student life, and a winning football tradition.

Ryan Perrilloux: It's not like I didn't' choose LSU. I just felt better about Texas right now. I could still change my mind if something drastic happens.

___________________________________________________
More from the chat...

Lemming on Perrilloux (6-3, 2-7): Perrilloux is one of the top three signal callers in the nation. It does not take long in the film room to recognize his incredible talent. Not only does he possess terrific arm strength, but he is also a dangerous weapon on the ground. Perrilloux has Donovan McNabb-type skills. I have seen him throw a ball 60 yards from one knee and his running skills are equally impressive. Perrilloux is without a doubt the country's most complete QB. Last season, he threw for over 2,400 yards and 29 touchdowns and rushed for over 1,300 yards and 22 scores. It looks like Texas has a lead over LSU and Florida State for his services."


Ryan Perrilloux: I am here and ready to go!




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Justin (Texas): What was the deciding factor in your decision to join the Texas Longhorns?

Ryan Perrilloux: The QB situation. I just felt like I could come in and compete as a freshman. Not so much playing time, just being able to compete.


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Allyson, Austin: Ryan, welcome to Austin!!!! Have you been practicing the hook 'em sign? What number is your favorite and the one you would like to wear at UT?

Ryan Perrilloux: I haven't been practicing much but yes, I want to wear No. 11. That's what I wore in high school.


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Austin,Tx;: Speaking for the Longhorn Nation,will you try and help recruit Fred Rouse?

Ryan Perrilloux: Yes, I will.


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Beau (Coleman,TX): Ryan, I just wanted to say congratulations on your choice to be a longhorn. Hwo do you think you did at the Elite 11 camp this past weekend? Who were other qb's that stood out to you? Thanks!!

Ryan Perrilloux: I feel like I did the best of all the QBs. Myself and Mark Sanchez really stood out.


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Andrew from Austin,Tx: Ryan, if you have a weakness in your game, what would it be and how are you taking steps to improve that weakness?

Ryan Perrilloux: Reading defenses and coverages is something you can always work on. I'm working on it now.


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Nick (Atlanta): You also looked at Georgia - what ultimately did not go in their favor?

Ryan Perrilloux: Well, they just didn't show that much interest in me.


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Kevin, Fort Worth: Do you think Texas can win the national championship this year?

Ryan Perrilloux: Yes, they just recruited five great receivers and they have a great defense. We can do it.


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Kelly Houston, TX: Ryan, Have you had a chance to hang out with Derrick Johnson ro Cedric Benson at all?

Ryan Perrilloux: Yes, I've hung out with several of the guys.


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Joaniqa: Ryan, congratulations on your choice. I have two questions: 1. Do you have a girlfriend? 2. Do you already hate Oklahoma?

Ryan Perrilloux: Yes, I have a girlfriend and no, I don't hate Oklahoma.


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Kevin (Waxahachie, TX): Welcome to Texas. I look forward to seeing you in Austin on Saturdays. Do you look to redshirt your freshman year or do you plan to push Vince Young for PT? Hook'em!

Ryan Perrilloux: I have no idea yet!


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Steve (Atlanta): In one of the stories on espn.com, it claimed you threw a 75-yd pass with an effortless, flick of the wrist. At what point does it require effort? 90-yd? 100-yd?

Ryan Perrilloux: Yes, that's true. I can throw the ball about 90 yards.


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Adam (Dallas, TX): Hey Ryan, welcome to a great tradition! What do you see as being your greatest strength on the football field? Arm strength? Speed? Ability to think on the fly?

Ryan Perrilloux: I think it's my arm strength and quickness in the pocket. The ability to run and find the open man.


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Mike, Austin: Who do you compare your game to?

Ryan Perrilloux: Michael Vick.


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erick (miami,fl.): ryan you ever thought about becoming a hurricane?

Ryan Perrilloux: I thought about it.


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scott: whos faster u or vince young?

Ryan Perrilloux: Not sure!


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Kevin, Boston MA: Have you begun a strenght and conditioning program to prepare you for the season yet?

Ryan Perrilloux: I'm mainly just working out. I have a bit of an ankle injury at the moment so I'm just trying to get back to where I was.


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David, Austin: Austin is a great city.... When do you plan to be in Austin full time?

Ryan Perrilloux: Beginning of the summer.


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Tory (San Antonio, TX): How do you feel about the enourmous pressure that the Texas fan base tends to put on its players and coaches, especially top flight QB's? Many find it to be a bit ridiculous at times.

Ryan Perrilloux: I'm ready for it. Doesn't really matter to me.


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Jay (D.C.): Did Colt McCoy's commit effect your decision to commit to UT at all?

Ryan Perrilloux: No. Not at all.


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Greg (Austin): Do you have a nickname?

Ryan Perrilloux: No, I don't.


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Sumreet, Ottawa: If you make the NFL, what team would you like to go to?

Ryan Perrilloux: My favorite NFL team is the Eagles.

Ryan Perrilloux: My favorite NFL team is the Eagles.


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Erik, Baton Rouge LA: Why didn't you choose LSU? LSU is a great University, fans, student life, and a winning football tradition.

Ryan Perrilloux: It's not like I didn't' choose LSU. I just felt better about Texas right now. I could still change my mind if something drastic happens.


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Manny, Arlington VA: Do you believe you have a chance to beat Oklahoma while playing for UT? We're getting tired of seeing Oklahoma beating you up here in the north.

Ryan Perrilloux: Yeah, we are going to beat them.


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Matt (Philly): How would you compae yourself to McNabb?

Ryan Perrilloux: I see the comparison because of my athleticism.


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Andrew Austin, TX: What is your expectations at Texs?

Ryan Perrilloux: My first year I want to learn the offense and in my second year with a conf. championship and then a national championship.


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Jonathan(New Orleans, LA): WAIT, you said you could change your mind?

Ryan Perrilloux: The only way is if the people that recruited me and the coaching staff that recruited me wasn't there when I arrive.


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Doug (Baton Rouge): Do you see yourself getting into an Applewhite/Simms/Applewhite situation with Mac Brown?

Ryan Perrilloux: I don't see that ever being a problem.

Thanks for the questions. I have to run. I'm looking forward to the upcoming season.

http://proxy.espn.go.com/chat/chatESPN?event_id=5621

 

Team preview: Texas Longhorns


Texas Longhorns
LOCATION Austin, Texas
CONFERENCE Big 12 (South)
LAST SEASON 10-3 (.769)
CONFERENCE RECORD 7-1 (2nd)
OFF. STARTERS RETURNING 8
DEF. STARTERS RETURNING 8
NICKNAME Longhorns
COLORS Burnt Orange & White
HOME FIELD Darrell K. Royal/Texas Memorial (80,082)
COACH Mack Brown (Florida State '74)
RECORD AT SCHOOL 59-18 (6 years)
CAREER RECORD 145-92-1 (20 years)
TEAM WINS (last five yrs.) 9-9-11-11-10
FINAL RANK (last five yrs.) 33-25-9-6-13
2003 FINISH Lost to Washington State in Holiday Bowl.
2004 Schedule | 2003 Results | 2003 Statistics

COACHES AND PROGRAM

In a lot of ways, Mack Brown has restored Texas' tradition of excellence since taking over in 1998.

In his six seasons on the sidelines, UT has garnered at least a share of the Big 12 South title three times and has finished in the Top 25 every year, the first time that has happened at the school since 1970-75. The Longhorns have also played in six consecutive bowl games, the longest such streak at the school since the legendary Darryl Royal guided eight straight teams to the postseason from 1968-75.

Only Miami can match UT's streak of six consecutive nine (or more) win seasons, and the Longhorns enter the 2004 campaign on the heels of their third straight 10 (or more) win effort (a school record). The program's 32 victories over the last three seasons rank third nationally during that span as well.

Yet, even for all of Brown's success in Burnt Orange and White, there is a contingent of Longhorn faithful who believe their program continues to fall short of great expectations.

Brown's Honeymoon period came to an abrupt end in 1999, as the Longhorns lost their final three games after a 9-2 start. That started a small group of whispers, which grew louder after last season's unexpected 28-20 loss to Washington State in the Holiday Bowl.

However, the biggest thorn in the side of UT fans everywhere has been the Longhorns' inability to beat Big 12 nemesis Oklahoma in recent years. Not since 1999, Bob Stoops' first season on the Sooner sideline, has UT won the Red River Rivalry, annually played in Dallas at the Cotton Bowl amid State Fair festivities in early October. In the four years since, OU has dominated the series, outscoring the Longhorns 177-54.

Last season's 65-13 debacle was the second time in four years that the Sooners set series records for points and most lopsided victory. OU began its first four-game winning streak over UT since 1985-88 with a 63-14 rout in 2000.

The string of losses has hurt the Longhorns' pride, but perhaps more importantly, has stung their wallet. Three of the four setbacks cost UT a berth in the Big 12 Championship game, and likely, its first berth in the highly lucrative Bowl Championship Series. And the one time the Longhorns still advanced to the league title game (2001), they lost to Colorado.

Still, the black clouds hanging over UT's otherwise sunny era don't discourage Brown or his players. If anything, they make them strive for success even more.

That was never more evident than a five-day span in January, when three key players announced they would return for their senior seasons.

All-America linebacker Derrick Johnson was the first to do so, announcing he would bypass the NFL draft in order to "take another shot at the national championship".

Quarterback Chance Mock, who was rumored to be thinking about a transfer to a I-AA school, and running back Cedric Benson, another potential high draft pick, followed by revealing their intentions to return to the Forty Acres as seniors.

Johnson and Benson's decision maintained Brown's record of never losing a Texas player to the NFL early. Ricky Williams, Quentin Jammer and Roy Williams are others who also had the opportunity to do so.

Brown and his family approach is a key reason, says Johnson.

"It's a tremendous feeling being around the Texas football team, and they just show you so much of a family atmosphere, it's hard to leave," Johnson said. "Mack is like a father away from home ... He's a great person, and that's what makes him a really special guy."

And just like any father, Brown chose to accentuate the positives of his squad-one that must replace several key players at the skill positions-when the Longhorns broke spring camp for the summer.

"We're excited about where we are and know we've got a lot of work to do," said Brown. "We're not as good of a team as we've been at this time of the year [in the past], so we've got a lot of work to do and a tough schedule next year. But it will be a fun team to watch. They work really hard."

QUARTERBACKS

Sophomore Vince Young (6-5, 225) heads into the fall as the starter after leading the first team offense on the field the final seven games of his red-shirt freshman season. He proved to be an explosive threat, finishing eighth in the Big 12 in total offense with an average of 179.4 yards per game while guiding the Longhorns to a 6-1 record as the starter and earning the league's offensive freshman-of-the year award.

Young was simply dazzling with his feet, rushing for 998 yards on 135 carries and scoring 11 touchdowns. His 7.4 yards per carry was the best of any Big 12 back with more than 100 rushing attempts, and was aided by four runs of 59 yards or longer. His longest, a 65-yard touchdown dash, came in the midst of a 14-carry, 163-yard rushing performance in a 31-7 win over then No. 12 Nebraska. He also had 100-yard rushing totals against then-No. 1 Oklahoma (15-127-1) and Baylor (9-101-2).

Young completed 58.7 percent (84-of-143) of his passes for 1,155 yards and six touchdowns for a pass efficiency rating of 130.6 (seventh in the Big 12). His best game in the air was the home finale against Texas Tech, when he completed 16-of-25 passes for a career-high 213 yards and two touchdowns in the Longhorns' 43-40 win over the Red Raiders.

Young's passing yardage total made him the first Texas player to rush for more than 900 yards and pass for more than 1,000 in a season. But like most rookies, he made some bad reads that resulted in seven interceptions on the season.

Improving his consistency was something Brown challenged Young to do in the spring, and he didn't disappoint.

"Vince, to me, will be a great quarterback before he leaves Texas," said Brown. "He's so talented and he made such great plays last year that I think we forget that he was a red-shirt freshman. He's got three years left to play. He threw the ball really well this spring and made a lot of progress."

That could be bad news for senior Mock (6-2, 225), who completed 100-of-183 passes (54.6 percent) for 1,469 yards and led NCAA Division I-A with an 8-to-1 touchdown-to-interception ratio (16 touchdowns, two interceptions) last fall.

Mock began his first season as the starter in week one, but relinquished the role after Young's standout performance off the bench against Oklahoma.

Still, even when Mock went to the bench, it was a regular occurrence to see him in passing situations. In fact, he was the one on the field at the end of the Holiday Bowl, and nearly led the Longhorns back from a 26-10 fourth quarter deficit. He completed 14-of-34 passes for 181 yards and a touchdown, a 30-yard strike to Roy Williams with 4:29 to go that cut Washington State's lead to 28-20.

Mock later led Texas to the Cougar's 11-yard line before being sacked and fumbling the football away with 2:16 to play. He was also sacked twice on the final drive of the game, including a game-ending takedown on third and 18 from the UT 46.

Meanwhile, Young was on the sideline with many fans wondering why he wasn't in the game. After all, he could have eluded some of those sacks at the end, right?

But the bottom line was that the UT coaching staff couldn't afford to put Young back in the game. He had a miserable day passing, completing just 6-of-14 for 15 yards, and the Horns needed points quick.

If Young has indeed improved his passing skills over the off-season, there could be fewer snaps for Mock in 2004.

Yet, Mock won't go down without a fight, as he signaled to his teammates by his decision to return to UT when he thought about transferring for his senior year. He, too, worked hard on his game during the spring.

"We wanted Chance to get more involved in the running game, and he's done that," Brown said. "He's taken his running game really seriously. We can run the same offense with both of them more effectively now than we could last year."

It's a healthy competition between a pair of quarterbacks who have had their moments on the field, and another, junior Matt Nordgren (6-5, 220), who continues to improve.

RUNNING BACKS

Texas' rushing attack ranked eighth nationally with 232.5 yards per game last season, and the Longhorns could even improve on that number with Heisman Trophy and Doak Walker Award Candidate Benson (6-0, 215) back for his senior year.

The nation's top returning rusher with 3,706 career yards, which ranks third on the school's all-time list, Benson also leads all active NCAA Division I players with 45 career rushing touchdowns, second in UT history.

A productive veteran with 30 career starts and 15 100-yard rushing games behind him, Benson was a consensus first-team All-Big 12 selection in 2003 after becoming just the third player in UT history (Ricky Williams and Chris Gilbert were the others) to rush for 1,000 yards in three straight seasons. However, Benson is the first to accomplish that feat as a freshman, sophomore and junior, and could become the first player in school history to notch four straight 1,000-yard rushing campaigns.

Last season, Benson finished with 1,360 rushing yards on 258 attempts, and scored 21 touchdowns on the ground. He was at his best late in the year, posting five 100-yard games and totaling 1,002 yards and 14 touchdowns over the final six games. In the regular season finale at Texas A&M, he rambled for a career-high 283 yards (the most ever allowed by the Aggies) and four scores on 35 carries.

Benson, a 12th round draft choice of the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2001, announced in early March that he was giving up his professional baseball career to concentrate on football. He still needs to improve on his pass protection and catching the ball out of the backfield if he is to be successful at the next level.

However, Benson's primary concern this spring was to get the Longhorns in the proper mindset for the 2004 season.

"Probably the biggest thing he's done [in the spring] is stepping up to become a leader," Brown said. "He's really working hard to be a great leader."

Joining Benson in the backfield is junior Selvin Young (6-0, 205), who battled injuries last year but can be explosive when healthy. He has rushed for 559 yards and eight touchdowns in 24 career games, and can return punts and kickoffs as well.

Also returning is junior Anthony Johnson (5-11, 195) and red-shirt freshman Erik Hardeman (6-1, 215). Johnson is a jack-of-all-trades type who will push for playing time. He can play tailback and wide receiver, and also returns punts and kicks. Hardeman learned a great deal while sitting out last fall and showed improvement throughout the spring.

WIDE RECEIVERS/TIGHT ENDS

Brown spent the spring searching for a new group of wide outs after losing three of the school's Top 10 career receivers in Roy Williams (70-1,079-9), B.J. Johnson (30-549-4) and Sloan Thomas (20-336-2).

"Obviously [the receiving corps] is our biggest question mark. Not only were those guys great players, but they played every snap for four years," Brown said.

Only two returning players-senior Tony Jeffery (6-1, 175) and sophomore Eric Enard (6-3, 200)-caught passes a year ago, and together managed just nine receptions for 97 yards and a touchdown.

The other members of the unit will come from an inexperienced group that includes junior Brian Carter (5-11, 185), sophomore Dustin Miksch (6-0, 180) and a trio of red-shirt freshmen, Limas Sweed (6-5, 205), Billy Pittman (6-0, 180) and Tyrell Gatewood (6-2, 190).

Jeffery is the unquestioned leader of the bunch, playing in all 38 games over the last three seasons. After Jeffery had a solid spring with the first unit, the Longhorns are hoping he can be a consistent big-play threat. He showed that ability against eventual Big 12 Champion Kansas State last season, when he hauled in a career-best 52-yard reception from Young to spark the Longhorns' game-winning drive in a 24-20 victory. He also recovered a blocked punt in the end zone for a touchdown against the Wildcats.

Despite not catching a pass in two years (he was a red-shirt in 2002), Carter will also see his share of action at the flanker position. After Jeffery, he is the most-seasoned returnee.

The loss of Williams, of course, is the biggest blow to the unit. He started 42 games during his career and crushed school career records for receptions (241), receiving yards (3,866) and touchdowns (36). Chosen by the Detroit Lions as the seventh overall selection in the NFL draft, Williams' career receiving totals ranked second in Big 12 history to fellow NFL draftee Rashaun Woods of Oklahoma State. Williams also tied the NCAA record for consecutive games with a reception (47) and set a school record with 17 100-yard receiving games.

Thus, Enard-whose only reception as a red-shirt freshman was a six-yard pick-up against Baylor-has huge shoes to fill at the split end position.

Sweed was one of the top recruits in the nation out of Brenham High School in Washington, Texas, and will challenge Enard for playing time again in the fall. Sweed is a big target with great speed that averaged 23.4 yards per reception as a high school senior and played in the 2003 U.S. Army All-American game.

Pittman and Gatewood, a pair of former high school quarterbacks, battled for the spot behind Sweed on the depth chart during the spring.

While there were many new faces filling the receiver spots in the spring, veteran tight ends David Thomas (6-3, 228) and Bo Scaife (6-3, 250) continued to show why they are considered the league's best combo at that position.

"Tight end is a really strong plus for us," Brown said. "We feel the tight ends will be a valuable part of who we are offensively this season, and they should take some of the pressure off the youth that we have at wide receiver."

Thomas, a junior, started all 13 games last fall and is versatile enough to play tight end, wide receiver, H-back or fullback. He caught 14 passes for 219 yards (15.6 average) and three touchdowns, including a 60-yard scoring strike against Texas A&M, last season.

Scaife, whom offensive coordinator Greg Davis called "a guy that can cause match-up nightmares for a defense," was awarded a rare sixth year of eligibility this fall after missing the 2002 season and the 2003 spring because of a knee injury. He contributed 16 receptions for 205 yards (12.8 avg.) and two scores last season.

Brown was also high on reserve tight ends Neale Tweedie (6-5, 255) and Steven Hogan (6-5, 240). Tweedie, a sophomore, was expected to play on the offensive line but moved back to tight end during the spring while he continues to try to gain weight. Hogan, a red-shirt freshman, is in the mold of Thomas, with the versatility to play a number of positions.

OFFENSIVE LINE

In his first season coaching the entire offensive line, Mac McWhorter's impact was tremendous. The former all-conference guard for Vince Dooley at Georgia turned a young finesse group into a physical unit that helped the Longhorns churn out tons of yardage on the ground.

The change didn't happen overnight. But with hard work and a recommitment to the running game, the Longhorns grew into a formidable force up front, posting six straight 200-yard rushing games to end the regular season.

"The offensive line improved so much last year," Brown said. "In fact, at the end of last year, they were right up there with the group that we had the first year we were here in 1998, and that group was all seniors."

Brown believes his line is even better now, with four starters returning off a unit that helped the offense set school records with 533 points scored (41.0 ppg, 6th nationally) and 5,709 yards of total offense (439.2 ypg, 20th nationally).

Senior center Jason Glynn (6-2, 275) enters his third season as the starter and anchors the line. The three-time first-team Academic All-Big 12 selection has made 26 consecutive starts and is on the preseason Rimington Award Watch List.

Junior Will Allen (6-6, 305) battled Glynn for the starting center position last August, but a thumb injury forced him to move to right guard. He started the first 11 games before missing the Texas A&M game because of injury. He returned to action in the Holiday Bowl, but came off the bench as a sub to Mike Garcia (6-3, 310).

Garcia, a junior, moved to left guard in the spring in an effort to replace first-team All-Big 12 and second-team All-American Tillman Holloway, the lone starter lost. However, Garcia sprained his ankle early in spring drills, paving the way for sophomore Kasey Studdard (6-3, 285) to enter the competition.

"Kasey stepped up and just had a great spring, so he and Mike are fighting now for the left guard sport," said Brown, who added that Studdard's emergence was "the biggest surprise" of the spring.

Brown also has two of the best young tackles in the nation in junior Jonathan Scott (6-7, 305) and sophomore Justin Blalock (6-4, 330).

Scott is the starting left tackle, a position that he held all 13 games a year ago. The third-team All-Big 12 selection enters the fall with a streak of 19 consecutive starts, and 20 overall in his career.

Blalock was a first-team freshman All-America selection by The Sporting News after starting all 13 games on the right side as a red-shirt freshman last season.

"Justin Blalock's probably had the best spring of any offensive lineman after improving every week as a freshman starter last season," Brown said.

With the starters all but penciled in, Brown and McWhorter spent a large part of spring drills evaluating the line's depth.

Sophomore Lyle Sendlein (6-5, 295) and red-shirt freshman Dallas Griffin (6-4, 275) were locked in a tight battle for the No. 2 center position, while veteran senior Trey Bates (6-5, 280) made a push to back-up Allen at right guard.

Junior William Winston (6-7, 350) enters the fall as the No. 2 right tackle behind Blalock, edging red-shirt freshman Kyle Thornton (6-4, 320) for that right in the spring.

Senior Lionel Garr (6-5, 350) and junior Terrance Young (6-6, 350) missed spring practice but are expected to bolster the line when they return in the fall. Garr has played at guard and tackle in 19 career games, but had his junior season cut short after suffering a knee injury against Kansas State midway through 2003. Young was Holloway's top backup at left guard last season.

KICKERS

UT returns two quality place-kickers in senior Dusty Mangum (5-11, 170) and junior David Pino (5-8, 175). Mangum, a former walk-on, is a three-year starter who has improved yearly. He enters the 2004 season ranked sixth on the school's all-time scoring list with 275 points after making 39-of-59 career field goal attempts and 158-of-160 PATs.

Mangum was having the best season of his career in 2003, making 7-of-9 field goals and 50-of-51 extra points over the first 11 games. He was perfect inside of 40 yards (6-of-6) and drilled a career-best 45-yard field goal as time ran out in the first half against Texas Tech. But a leg injury forced him to miss the regular-season finale against Texas A&M and the Holiday Bowl.

Pino stepped in and did an admirable job in Mangum's absence, connecting on all three of his field goal attempts and 13-of-14 extra points.

Pino, who spent the 2002 season as a red-shirt, can also kick off. He did so 29 times as a freshman, but had only five opportunities last fall.

Junior Richmond McGee (6-4, 200) held that honor in 2003, and the Longhorns' starting punter is expected to handle that chore for the third straight season. Last year, 36 of his 73 kick offs went for touchbacks (42.0 percent), while the opponents' average starting field position was at the 21-yard line.

DEFENSIVE LINE

When veteran defensive ends coach Hardee McCrary having resigned after the 2003 season in order to spend more time with his family, Brown knew he had his work cut out for him in finding an adequate replacement.

But Brown struck gold, as in San Francisco 49ers assistant coach Dick Tomey, who was tabbed as the Longhorns' new assistant head coach and defensive ends coach in January.

Tomey, the former head coach at Hawaii and Arizona, brings 40 years of coaching experience to Austin.

"We were fortunate there because we were able to add … a guy who has been a head coach for 24 years, is the winningest coach in two school's histories, and has NFL coaching experience," Brown said.

Tomey spent the spring trying to develop a chemistry with defensive tackles coach Mike Tolleson, and together they worked to fill the gaping holes in the line left by the losses of veteran defensive tackle Marcus Tubbs and defensive end Kalen Thornton.

That duo combined to start 70 career games and posted 128 tackles, 21 tackles for loss, 9.5 sacks and 47 quarterback hurries last season.

At least the Longhorns return junior tackle Rod Wright (6-5, 315), who led the team with 7.5 sacks and 30 pressures last season en route to earning second-team All-Big 12 honors. Wright moved to the left tackle spot in the spring because of the loss of Tubbs, a first-round draft pick (No. 23 overall) by the Seattle Seahawks.

Wright also tied for third on the team with 80 total tackles last season, including a season-high 11 against Baylor, and added 12 stops behind the line, three pass deflections and three forced fumbles. He enters the fall with 16 consecutive starts.

Wright is flanked on the right side by his former back-up, junior Larry Dibbles (6-2, 285). Dibbles played in 11 games last season and recorded 18 total tackles, including a career-high seven against Tulane. Dibbles was "the surprise of the spring" on defense, Brown said.

Veterans who will challenge Dibbles for time include junior Stevie Lee (6-4, 315) and sophomore Tully Janszen (6-3, 275).

Junior Kaelen Jakes (6-3, 260) and fifth-year senior Austin Sendlein (6-3, 265) add depth to Wright's left tackle position as well.

The loss of Thornton leaves sophomore Tim Crowder (6-4, 235) as the most experienced end. Crowder, a freshman All-America selection by The Sporting News, started the final nine games at left end last season and had a career-high six tackles in the Holiday Bowl loss to Washington State.

Sophomore Chase Pittman ended the spring as Crowder's backup, but decided to transfer over the summer. That left junior Eric Hall (6-2, 245), who has played fullback and middle linebacker in his collegiate career, as the second-team left defensive end and he missed much of the spring because of injury.

Brown hopes that junior right end Mike Williams (6-3, 240) has as much success filling in for Thornton on a full-time basis as he had in his only start last season. With Thornton injured, Williams got the call against Baylor and responded with three tackles, one sack, one pass breakup, five pressures, one forced fumble and one fumble recovered. He returned the fumble 33 yards for a touchdown to put an exclamation point on the 56-0 win over the Bears and earn UT's Mike Campbell Defensive-Player-of-the-Week honor.

Overall, the former linebacker finished his first season as a defensive end with just 23 tackles, but had seven for losses and finished second on the team with six sacks in 11 games (he missed the first two games with a knee injury).

The success of Williams led Brown to move another linebacker, sophomore Brian Robison (6-3, 245), to right defensive end in the spring because of his athleticism and competitiveness.

"He competed with our track team all spring," Brown said. "He won second in the Texas Relays in the morning and played in the spring game for us that night. We felt like he did a great job for us."

Robison made three starts at middle linebacker last fall and ended the season with 38 tackles in 13 games played.

Sophomore Bryan Pickryl (6-5, 240) will compete against Williams and Robison in the fall after missing the final nine games and all of spring practice because of a shoulder injury suffered against Tulane last season. Before the injury, Pickryl had started seven of the previous eight games dating back to his freshman campaign of 2002.

"We've got opportunities to be really good at both end and tackle if the guys will keep working to get better," Brown said. "Our ideal situation would be to play two and three deep at defensive tackle and end with all of the pass rushing that they have to do in a game, especially with the wide-open offenses we face. It's really important to keep fresh legs on the field."


RECRUITING

In the six years Mack Brown has been in Austin, the Longhorns have made a habit of staying at home in the recruiting process. In turn, that homegrown philosophy has translated into great success.

The Class of 2004 is no different, as UT signed 19 freshmen from the Lone Star State to come away with the nation's 10th-ranked class according to Rivals.com.

"Texas will always be our lifeblood in recruiting," Brown said. "We will always look hard at the guys in-state first, and if we can't find the perfect fit, then we will go out of state to fill our needs."

Defensive lineman Frank Okam (6-5, 300) of Lake Highlands High School in Dallas is considered the top overall recruit, with Rivals.com tabbing him as the Longhorns' only five-star signee and the nation's No. 2 defensive tackle. The three-sport athlete was a first-team all-state honoree in football as a senior, posting 56 tackles, four sacks and eight tackles for loss. He recorded more than 170 tackles during his prep career and played in the U.S. Army All-American Bowl.

Off the field, Okam was just as successful, maintaining a 3.9 GPA over his high school career. He hopes to attend medical school and become an orthopedic surgeon.

"He's an outstanding player at a position of need for us. He's big, he's fast (4.9 in the 40), he's powerful, and he penetrates well," Brown said of Okam. "We've been very, very impressed with Frank as a person and as a student-athlete."

Other defensive linemen who look to make an impact include Derek Lokey (6-2, 270) of Ryan High School in Denton, Brian Orakpo (6-4, 220) of Lamar High School in Houston, and Nic Redwine (6-3, 215) of Lee High School in Tyler.

Rashad Bobino (5-11, 225) of LaMarque High School in West Texas City and Jeremy Campbell (6-2, 220), Okam's teammate at Lake Highlands, were added to strengthen the linebacker corps, while Drew Kelson (6-2, 210) headlines the list of defensive backs.

The Longhorns also signed cornerbacks Ryan Palmer (5-10, 175) of Bowie High School in Arlington and Ramonce Taylor (5-11, 190) of Belton High School in Temple, a pair of speedsters.

Bobby Tatum (6-0, 190) of Dunbar High School in Ft. Worth, also played in the U.S. Army All-American Bowl and was an early enrollee who practiced with the secondary in the spring. He has great bloodlines, as great uncle Jack Tatum starred with the Oakland Raiders and Houston Oilers during the 1970s.

On offense, Brown's three linemen signees were Cedric Dockery (6-4, 325) of Lakeview Centennial High School in Garland, Greg Dolan (6-7, 270) of Westwood High School in Austin, and Adam Ulatoski (6-6, 285) of Carroll High School in Southlake. Dockery, a second-team All-USA selection by USA Today as a senior, is the younger brother of former UT All-American and current Washington Redskins lineman Derrick Dockery.

Strangely enough, UT didn't sign a quarterback (for the second straight year) or a projected running back, despite having two of the nation's best at those positions playing in their own backyard. Both players (quarterback Rhett Bomar and running back Adrian Peterson) signed with Big 12 nemesis Oklahoma.

Several of the defensive backs brought in-Kelson, Tatum and Taylor among them-were also star running backs in high school.

Knowing that, Brown opted to fill an immediate need by signing a five-man receiver class that is ranked second (behind defending BCS champion LSU) in the nation by Rivals.com.

One of those projected receivers, Myron Hardy (6-2, 200) of McNeil High School in Austin, is a converted running back who rushed for 3,520 yards (6.6 yards per carry) and 37 touchdowns over his final two seasons. He earned first-team Class 5A all-state honors after rushing for 2,184 yards (7.4 yards per carry) and scoring 21 touchdowns as a senior.

Jordan Shipley (6-0, 184) of Burnet High School and George Walker (6-3, 195) of Westbury High School in Houston are the top two true receivers in the group, which also includes Nate Jones (6-2, 180) of Texas High School in Texarkana and Chris Ogbonnaya (6-1, 205) of Strake Jesuit High School in Missouri City.

Shipley ranked second in the national high school record books with 5,424 career receiving yards and 73 career touchdowns.

Walker was a two-team All-Greater Houston selection who caught 26 touchdowns during his prep career.

Another who could impact the receiving corps is tight end Peter Ullman (6-4, 230) of Round Rock High School in Austin.

As for not signing a quarterback, Brown has a solid explanation.

"I feel like the class covers a gamut of positions, with the one obvious exception of not signing a quarterback," said Brown. "With Vince (Young), Chance (Mock) and Matt (Nordgren) all back next year, we have that spot pretty well covered in the short term, but signing one or two quarterbacks will be a priority for next year's class."

QUESTIONS

QB platoon? Will there be another Major Applewhite-Chris Simms-type saga? Or will Brown just hand the reins over to the ultra-talented Vince Young?

Receiver woes? The Horns need a cast of largely unproven receivers to step up after the loss of Roy Williams and Company.

Dibbles and hits? Larry Dibbles has the task of trying to replace defensive tackle Marcus Tubbs, who ended his career with 36 consecutive starts and posted 77 tackles as a senior.

ANSWERS

Vince Young! Already one of the top offensive threats in the Big 12.

Cedric Benson! Heisman Trophy within his reach after creating a buzz late in 2003.

Derrick Johnson! If Johnson stays healthy, he should be a lock to win the Butkus Award.

Special teams! From top to bottom, this unit could be the best in the country, even without Nathan Vasher.

BLUE RIBBON ANALYSIS

OFFENSE: B; SPECIAL TEAMS: A+; DEFENSE: A-; INTANGIBLES: A

To borrow part of a phrase coined by native Texan and former Houston Oilers coach Bum Phillips, the Longhorns have been "knocking on the door for years, now it's time to kick it down."

After three straight seasons of 10 wins or more, Texas fans won't accept anything less than a national championship in 2004.

That's a tall task, considering the Longhorns must replace their entire receiving corps (Roy Williams, B.J. Johnson and Sloan Thomas), as well as a pair of defenders (defensive tackle Marcus Tubbs and cornerback Nathan Vasher) taken in the first four rounds of the NFL draft.

However, there's still enough talent to accomplish the goal. The defense returns all-world linebacker Johnson and a solid run stuffer in defensive tackle Rod Wright. Running Benson is backed by a nice returning core of offensive linemen and should be the focal point on offense.

The key to the season could rest in the hands, or feet, of sophomore quarterback Young. His athletic ability will make up for some of his shortcomings that come with inexperience.

UT has a schedule that is friendly enough for a title, with home games scheduled against Big 12 foes Baylor, Missouri, Oklahoma State and rival Texas A&M. Arkansas presents the only major non-conference challenge, but the Razorbacks lost a lot off last year's team that surprised the Longhorns in Austin.

But make no mistake about it, the road to Miami and the BCS National Championship game (this year, the FedEx Orange Bowl), goes through Dallas. And if Texas finally finds a way to snap its four-game slide to neighboring Oklahoma, the Longhorns just might celebrate the program's first national title since 1970.

http://proxy.espn.go.com/ncf/news/story?id=1847914

 

Sorry for forgetting, but I had to cut out a section for UT because the article was too long.

Without further adooooooo... Here is the rest of the 2004 UT TEAM PREVIEW that I skipped.
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LINEBACKERS

Brown also went to the NFL to find his new co-defensive coordinator and linebackers coach after the January resignation of Carl Reese.

Greg Robinson, who won two Super Bowls with the Denver Broncos and coached 14 seasons in the NFL, returned to the collegiate ranks after spending the previous three seasons with the Kansas City Chiefs.

Robinson's presence should make senior weak-side linebacker Johnson (6-4, 230) even better, a scary thought for opponents.

Johnson is coming off an amazing season in which he became the school's first Butkus Award finalist and UT's first consensus All-American linebacker since Jeff Leiding in 1983. He enters the fall as the favorite to win the Butkus Award and is on the Rotary Lombardi Award Watch List.

The aggressive and explosive athlete led the Longhorns last year with 125 tackles (78 solo), 35 more than any other player. He had 20 tackles for loss, two sacks, 10 quarterback pressures, and nine pass breakups, while also contributing four interceptions, three fumble recoveries and a forced fumble. Six of the seven turnovers that he was part of resulted in eventual scores.

Johnson had seven of his 15 career double-figure tackle games last fall. He now enters his senior campaign with 28 career starts (25 consecutive), 328 career tackles (208 solo), 46 tackles for loss (second on UT linebackers' list), 8.5 sacks, 29 quarterback pressures and six fumble recoveries (tied for seventh on the school's all-time list). His 22 career pass breakups and eight interceptions are the most by any linebacker in school history.

Junior Aaron Harris (6-0, 235) is UT's other returning starter after starting eight times (including the final six games) at middle linebacker last season. He followed up a 60-tackle, 3.5-sack effort in the fall with solid duty in the spring.

However, Harris and defensive end Hall were involved in a fight in early May that resulted in fractured jaws for both. According to a published report in the Austin American-Statesman, Harris' father said the duo was jumped by a group of 15 men after leaving a Sixth Street business. Both underwent jaw surgery, with Harris' expected to be wired shut for up to four weeks.

Harris should be ready to go by August, but red-shirt freshman Scott Derry (6-3, 230) is a capable replacement if he is slow to recover.

Derry and fellow red-shirt freshman Robert Killebrew (6-2, 210) drew the eye of Brown with their play in the spring. Killebrew is expected to back up Johnson on the weak side.

The strong-side position will be manned by sophomore Garnet Smith (6-3, 230). He spent the first half of the 2003 spring camp on the strong side before switching to the middle. He was the starter opening night against New Mexico State and had four tackles (two for loss) and a half-sack before suffering a season-ending ankle injury that resulted in a red-shirt year.

Senior Stevie Stigall (6-4, 221) ended the spring as Smith's back-up after playing tight end and special teams for most of his three previous seasons.

Sophomore Eric Foreman (6-4, 215), listed as UT's No. 4 quarterback on the post-spring depth chart, also spent time at strong-side linebacker during the spring.

DEFENSIVE BACKS

Co-defensive coordinator Duane Akina has a major decision to make heading into the fall. Does he start junior Michael Huff (6-1, 200) at strong safety again? Or, does he move Huff to right cornerback in an effort to fill a hole left by the departure of third-team All-American Nathan Vasher, the lone loss from a unit that ranked third in the Big 12 in pass defense (177.3 yards allowed per game)?

The fact that Akina can afford to wait until August to make that decision is a tribute to team's depth in the secondary.

"The secondary is deeper right now than we've ever been," Brown said. "We're in great shape back there. The depth & is allowing us to look at different combinations of guys, and sometimes we'll play five defensive backs. We're going to need those guys."

Huff is a talent, regardless of where he lines up on the field. The versatile athlete has started 25-of-26 career games, including the final 12 contests of 2003 at strong safety. He ended his sophomore campaign with 66 tackles, six pass breakups and two interceptions. He enters the 2004 season with an impressive streak, returning all four of his career interceptions for touchdowns, and needs just one more to tie the NCAA record.

Sophomore's Tarell Brown (6-0, 180) and Michael Griffin (6-0, 180) anxiously await Akina's decision on what to do with Huff. Brown would become the starter at right corner if Huff starts at strong safety, while Griffin would have the honors at the latter if Huff starts at right corner. Griffin has the most playing experience of the two, starting two games last fall in the nickel package and finishing the season ranked seventh on the squad with 65 tackles (51 solo).

Junior Cedric Griffin (6-2, 190) is actually the one who steps into Vasher's old left corner spot, moving over from the right side. Griffin has made 19 career starts, including all 13 games a year ago. He finished the season with 48 tackles and seven pass breakups.

Griffin was pushed in the spring by sophomore Aaron Ross (6-1, 180), Vasher's backup last season. He played in all 13 games and finished with 27 tackles.

Phillip Geiggar (5-11, 200), the only senior in the secondary, returns at free safety, where he started the final seven games last season. He also made one start (the season opener against New Mexico State) at strong safety, and finished his junior year ranked second on the team with 90 total tackles (67 solo) after an 11-tackle performance in the Holiday Bowl.

Sophomore Matt Melton (6-0, 200), who returned a fumble 48 yards for a touchdown at No. 21 Oklahoma State as a red-shirt freshman last fall, competes with Geiggar for time.

PUNTERS

McGee, a junior, begins his second season as the starting punter and hopes to improve on his 40.9 average from a year ago.

The former walk-on had two punts of 58 yards last fall (against Arkansas and Kansas State) and pinned 10 punts inside the 20-yard line. Only five of his 46 punts went for touchbacks.

Sophomore Greg Johnson (6-1, 190) arrives to challenge for the starting job after sitting out the 2003 season because of NCAA transfer rules. The left-footed punter/place-kicker earned freshman All-America honors at Vanderbilt in 2002, ranking fifth nationally and setting a school record with an average of 43.8 yards per punt.

Classmate Taylor Landin (6-2, 205) returns after appearing in two games last season as a red-shirt freshman reserve. He averaged 37.5 yards on two punts, with a career-long 38-yard effort against Rice.

SPECIAL TEAMS

The Longhorns must find a new punt returner after losing Vasher, one of the best in school history. Last season, he ranked fourth in the Big 12 with 13.0 yards per return.

"We've got to look for guys to replace the yardage we lost," Brown said. "We think in trying to win two or three more games that our special teams can probably make up the largest margin in getting us toward our goal of winning them all. We want to be the best special teams across the board in the country."

Brown expects reserve tailback Young to continue to make plays as a kick returner, and replace Vasher on the punt team. He proved he can do both with excellence in the season opener against New Mexico State last year, taking UT's first kickoff return of the season back 97 yards (the second-longest in school history) for a score. He later put the finishing touch on the 66-7 rout with a 39-yard punt return touchdown to became the first player in school history to score on a punt and kickoff return in the same game.

Although the touchdown in the opener was Young's only punt return of the season, he returned five punts for 87 yards (17.4 avg.) as a true freshman. One of those was a school freshman-record 71-yard touchdown return against Tulane.

On the kickoff team, Young ranked sixth in the Big 12 with a 24.4-yard return average last fall, while teammate Brown added 18.2 yards per return on six attempts.

Fourth-year junior Nick Schroeder (6-2, 240) takes over at deep snapper after the loss of Cullen Loeffler (a free agent signee by the Minnesota Vikings), while Tony Jeffery will again serve as the holder on extra points and field goals.

Texas led the Big 12 in kickoff coverage last season, allowing just 17.6 yards per return. The Longhorns return special teams gunners Griffin and Ross on the kickoff team. Griffin led all UT players with 21 special teams tackles (16 solo) last year.