The 13th annual Bayou Bash came to a close Wednesday as Tiger fans cheered the 26 players who make up the 2008 LSU recruiting class. Purple and gold fanatics lined up outside the Baton Rouge River Center as early as 8:00 a.m. Wednesday. Two minutes after doors opened at 8:30 a.m., future Tigers began faxing in their letters of intent. The day began with the commitment of Suwanee, Ga., cornerback Derrick Bryant and ended roughly three hours later with fullback Kellen Theriot of Bellaire, Texas signing his letter of intent. LSU received letters of intent from all 25 of its prospective commitments and one surprise commitment from defensive tackle Greg Shaw. LSU once again found recruiting success by securing the talent within Louisiana and a handful of players from Florida and Texas. The Tigers attained a No.6 ranking by Scout.com and No.11 ranking by Rivals.com. Sonny Shipp, a recruiting analyst for Scout.com, was present at the Bayou Bash and suggested that the 2008 class is about filling needs, not star power. “You’ve got your Terrelle Pryors and your DeAndre Browns, but that’s really just lagniappe,” Shipp said. “The two biggest needs going into Signing Day were cornerback and defensive end, and you’ve now got two lockdown corners in Patrick Johnson and Brandon Taylor and two great defensive ends in Chancey Aghayere and Chase Clement.” Taylor, a Franklinton native, committed alongside his brother, wide receiver Jhyryn Taylor. Both incoming freshmen are younger brothers of returning senior safety Curtis Taylor. Aghayere is one of several defensive signings from Texas and is considered by Scout.com the seventh-best defensive end in the country. Johnson, considered the consensus No.1 cornerback in the country, leads a trio of Florida commitments which includes linebacker Ryan Baker and safety Karnell Hatcher. LSU is gradually becoming known for its classes of wide receivers, and 2008 seems no different. “If wide receiver wasn’t deep enough, you’ve got Chris Tolliver and DeAngelo Peterson coming in,” Shipp said. DeAngelo Benton, an ineligible wide receiver from the 2007 class, also submitted his letter of intent Wednesday and will be available in the fall. Despite the wealth of athleticism in the 2008 class, the Tigers failed to sign a true running back. With a stable of running backs already on the roster and a strong local 2009 class, neither Shipp nor LSU coach Les Miles was concerned. “It’s not a strong year for difference makers at running back, but you have the established players, and don’t forget about [redshirt fullback] Stevan Ridley,” Shipp said. With all the recruits confirmed, the day’s festivities included a silent auction, free catering and speeches from LSU Athletic Director Skip Bertman and Baton Rouge Mayor-President Kip Holden. One lucky fan won an all-expense paid trip to the LSU-Auburn game next season. As the Bash drew to a close, the Tiger Marching Band treated fans to a 20-minute concert. The highlight of the day, and the reason the Tiger faithful stayed as late as 6:00 p.m., was Miles. “This is the only place where they tailgate at 8:00 am to see the names of future Tigers flash across a screen,” Miles said after introducing his recruiting staff and their families. Miles stressed the importance of securing great defensive backs and said this year’s lone quarterback commitment, Destrehan product Jordan Jefferson, will be part of the future of the LSU football program. Miles also emphasized the importance of controlling Louisiana recruiting. “We didn’t lose a single guy in this state that we went after,” Miles said proudly. Meanwhile, Miles also addressed the empty defensive coordinator position. Former LSU defensive coordinator Bo Pelini accepted the head coaching position at Nebraska on Dec. 3, two days after the Tigers beat Tennessee in the SEC championship game. “We lost a great defensive coordinator, but we still have great coaches,” he said. “We will promote from within.”
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