BUILDING BLOCKS
The Tigers did lose some key players on defense, including DE Marcus Spears, MLB Lionel Turner and CBs Corey Webster and Travis Daniels, but they also return seven starters and plenty of talent for new defensive coordinator Bo Pelini to build with.

COACHING CAROUSEL
New coach Les Miles brought four of his Oklahoma State assistants to LSU but hired Pelini from Oklahoma to run the defense and also hired Chicago Bears defensive line coach Karl Dunbar and Middle Tennessee defensive coordinator Bradley Dale Peveto to coach on defense. He also retained offensive coordinator Jimbo Fisher and coach Stacy Searels from the previous staff. Just as important, he also decided to keep Fisher's offense and terminology to help with the coaching transition.

SCHEDULE SITUATION
The Tigers play their first three games at home, but the second and third game will be played against Arizona State and Tennessee, so the Tigers better get ready quickly. If they can survive that early stretch they also face Florida, Auburn and Arkansas at home, with winnable road games at Mississippi State, Vanderbilt, Alabama and Ole Miss.

QUOTE TO NOTE
"The only thing you can do is be honest and open, be yourself. And they have to understand that the coaching staff, myself included, has their best interest at heart. And they realize that we are all heading in the same direction. I think they've picked up and gone hard." - LSU coach Les Miles.

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