While the typical college student landed a job or visited an exotic location during their summer vacation, members of LSU’s football team spent their time preparing to defend their national championship.Many Tigers had a few days off before they got into the swing of summer classes and workouts. But the general consensus among the team is this: It was a necessary measure and will have its advantages in the future.”We all understand what we’re preparing for, and we understand that not everyone is as fortunate as us to do this,” said junior running back Keiland Williams. “We know our jobs and understand that we have to be here, working out, getting better and preparing for the season.”Several of Williams’ teammates shared his beliefs because of their desire for the team to be successful in the upcoming season.”You have to put your commitment to the team very high, because summer is the time you get ready for the season,” said sophomore quarterback Andrew Hatch. “We did a great job this summer. I think [strength and conditioning] coach [Tommy] Moffitt ran a great program, and we were all able to benefit and prepare for the season.”Many Tigers said they have not had summer vacations since high school. “We were doing the same things,” said freshman quarterback Jordan Jefferson. “We had a program called Speed City where we’d run and do agility drills.”Jefferson, who attended Destrehan high school, said he lives for football and could think of no better way to spend his summers.Other players were able to take advantage of enough free time to go on more traditional summer vacations.Redshirt freshman quarterback Jarrett Lee visited New Mexico for two weeks.”I went up there, played some golf and did some fishing,” Lee said. “It was nothing special.”He said the brief time off was “just enough” to prepare him mentally for summer workouts because the summer is an important part of the season.”Being here, working out, just getting all those mental reps that you can do during the summer benefit you so much,” Lee said. “Being here for the summer does nothing but positive things for us.”For one Tiger, this summer was vastly different from all of his summers in the past.Sophomore safety Chad Jones is a two-sport athlete and has played summer baseball in the past.He was drafted by the Houston Astros in the 2007 MLB Draft before opting to stay at LSU.This summer, he decided to spend more time focusing on his football career.”This is definitely my first summer as far as I can remember [when I didn’t play baseball],” Jones said. “Baseball, for summertime, has probably been canceled out for the rest of my life because of football.”Jones said the situation has its positive and negative aspects.”It was weird not playing, but it gave me extra free time that I’m not used to,” Jones said. “I wanted to be on the field. I wanted to be playing, but my body got a good rest, so it goes both ways.”Some players said they wished they had a bit more time off before their summer routines got started.”I wanted to spend a little bit more time with my family before the season starts,” said senior wide receiver Demetrius Byrd. “Now it looks like I might not be home any time soon.”The Miami native said he was only able to spend three or four days with his family before things got into full swing.One of Byrd’s teammates made plans but did not follow up on them.”I spent my whole summer in Baton Rouge, unfortunately,” said senior defensive end Tyson Jackson. “I would have preferred to visit one of my [former] teammates who plays for the University of Miami. I had planned on going down there with him to spend a weekend or two, but it was out of the plans.”Freshman defensive back Patrick Peterson said it was weird to not be able to relax like many other college students, but he would sacrifice every summer if it meant he was able to play in the NFL someday.”There’s not a summer vacation,” Peterson said. “You’ve got summer school. Then you have workouts and conditioning, and then you run right into two-a-days. It’s tough, but it’s something I love to do.”—-Contact Johanathan Brooks at [email protected]