LSU is a team grateful to be where it is, playing near home for the BCS national championship. That they might have driven their fans to the verge of losing their marbles in the process doesn't diminish that.
"It seems like as long as I've been at LSU, that's how we've been." said Tigers running back Jacob Hester. "We shoot ourselves in he foot and somehow win in the end. That's just the way it's been."
Trying to pin down a hard-and-fast identity of the Tigers is an exercise in futility.
Everyone knows the Tigers are fast, big, resilient and opportunistic. But they are also sloppy and inconsistent.
They have a running back in Hester, who would have fit beautifully in offenses of another era. But his receiving skills might have been wasted.
They have a 5-foot-8, 159 pound receiver/kick returner, Trindon Holliday, who runs 40 yards in 4.27 seconds.
They have a 6-foot-7, 365-pound guard, Herman Johnson.
They can play smash-mouth football. They also use the spread offense.
"I don't know if we have one identity because we do have different options," said Hester. "That's a good problem to have, to be able to not have an identity, because you are able to do a lot of different things."
On defense, LSU has the projected No. 1 draft pick in defensive tackle Glenn Dorsey and another potential first-rounder in Ali Highsmith.
The Tigers cornerbacks are excellent athletes. Safety Craig Stelth hits like a truck.
Yet this same team that obliterated Virginia Tech 48-7 in the second week of the season, gave up five touchdowns in six overtime possessions to Kentucky and Arkansas.
In LSU's two most dramatic victories, coach Les Miles won with stunning rolls of the dice.
Against Auburn, LSU had the ball at the Auburn 22, trailing with nine seconds left. Instead of having the reliable Colt Davis attempt a field goal, LSU went for the touchdown. Matt Flynn threw to Demetrius Byrd for the win with one second left.
Against Florida, Miles went for it five times on fourth down. LSU made it every time to rally with 14 fourth-quarter points for a 28-24 victory.
"You don't mind him doing it maybe one or twice, but not fives times," said Tigers receiver Early Doucet. "It's kind of like, 'Hold on. What's coach doing? ' But we had confidence in our abilities and got those first downs when we needed them."
LSU went for it on fourth down 15 times this season, succeeding 12 times.
Other statistics show the extremes of LSU. LSU lost only three fumbles this season. Yet the Tigers were the most penalized team in the SEC with 113 infractions--13 more than any other team.
Through the good and the bad, LSU remained resilient. The Tigers won the SEC championship with Ryan Perrilloux subbing for Matt Flynn.
"It's a special group of guys who keep fighting, no matter what happens," said Steltz. "We've had a lot of adversity. Two triple overtime losses, a lot of teams wouldn't be able to bounce back from that. We've also a lot of key guys injured: Dorsey, Doucet and Flynn. When they went down, other guys stepped up."
Perhaps those injuries have prevented LSU from establishing the identity that could have made their path top the national championship game easier.
Soundbites...
Les Miles, LSU coach, when asked where his hat was at BCS Media Day: "It doesn't stay on my head all the time. For as long as I've been coaching, I've worn wearing a hat. This is the first time anyone's noticed. Hats really have changed. They come down a little flatter in the front. It's kind of important to me that there's a little high-rise on the front end. I like a traditional cap if you don't mind."
Miles, on taking a stroll down Bourbon Street: "It was a lot of fun. It was cool."
Ryan Perrilloux, LSU backup quarterback, on his rocky season: "I messed up, but in order to make things better, I needed to excel in other things around football. I went to every class, got excellent grades. Coach Miles took me back on the team because I'm a good person. I wasn't trying to do things that would hurt the team. I'm extremely thankful to him. I think all the time how maybe I couldn't have been part of this season."
Perrilloux, on his role as a backup: "I try to amp the team up. Run the option, try to pick up those 10 to 15 yards. Keep everyone on the offense amped up."
Notes: LSU just picked up a commitment from the nation's No. 1 defensive prospect, cornerback Patrick Johnson from Pompano Beach, Fla. They also got a commitment from Ouachita tight end Tyler Edwards. These commitments increased the Tigers' total to 24. Before these commitments, LSU ranked 11th nationally in the recruiting derby.
