Pressure is nothing new to LSU athletics.But after 19 of LSU’s 20 University-sponsored teams made it to NCAA postseason play this past season, these teams may be feeling more pressure than a shaken up bottle of champagne.Though football and women’s outdoor track and field were the only squads to bring home national championships, other teams reached feats that will put extreme pressure on them to succeed this season.    LSU fans are expecting great things during the next 10 months from most, if not all, of the players that don the purple and gold — expectations that are going to prove to be too great for most to uphold.FOOTBALLThe Bayou Bengals brought home the Bowl Championship Series national championship trophy this past season after whipping Ohio State, 38-24, in the title game in the Louisiana Superdome and enter this season ranked No. 7.The Tigers should be happy they start the season with Appalachian State — who may be able to upset Michigan, but will not be able to hang with LSU — Troy and North Texas because they have a rough road ahead.Not only do they have to find replacements for key offensive players like Matt Flynn, Jacob Hester and Early Doucet, but they have more holes on defense than a block of Swiss cheese.The team must replace Glenn Dorsey, Craig Steltz, Jonathan Zenon, Chevis Jackson, Ali Highsmith and Luke Sanders — not to mention punter Patrick Fisher.That’s not the end of the team’s worries, though.LSU goes on the road to play Southeastern Conference foes Auburn, Florida, South Carolina and Arkansas. They also play preseason No. 1 Georgia at home Oct. 25.Let’s just say I hope fans aren’t buying tickets to Miami because this squad isn’t making another national title game appearance this season.SOCCERThe pressure starts early for the Tigers as the SEC coaches predicted them to win the SEC West for a second year in a row.That shouldn’t be a problem for LSU as the team returns nine starters from a squad that advanced to the second round of the NCAA tournament a year ago.Despite returning five starters, Florida is picked to capture the 2008 SEC Championship.That will not be the case, though, as this will be the year coach Brian Lee and the Tigers break through.Expect the Tigers not only to win the conference title, but to make it deep in the NCAA tourney as they have improved their record every year since Lee joined the team after the 2004 season.VOLLEYBALLThe volleyball squad had its own success this past season,    winning its first NCAA tournament match since 1993.The team may be one of the most underrated teams on campus after finishing this past season 25-8 — the third consecutive season the Tigers finished with more than 20 wins.The team lost three players, only one of which was a key contributor.Barring significant injuries, expect the Tigers to record another 20-win season and make another NCAA tournament appearance.MEN’S BASKETBALLDespite not reaching the postseason, the men’s basketball team may have the most pressure to produce this upcoming season.LSU ousted former coach John Brady and hired Trent Johnson from Stanford.But the changes don’t stop there.LSU has no returning coaches, as Johnson brings in three new assistants. He also aided in replacing the basketball team’s strength and conditioning coach.The Tigers’ new coach lucked out with this season’s schedule as the team will host a team-record 21 home games.With that said, the Tigers will face 13 teams that advanced to the postseason this past season, including Xavier and Washington State, who reached the Elite 8 and Sweet 16, respectively.With the tough schedule and the loss of the team’s best player, former forward Anthony Randolph, Johnson’s first season doesn’t look too promising.The team has loads of experience — five seniors and three juniors — but the NCAA tournament is too much of a reach, and the team will have to settle for an NIT bid this season.    WOMEN’S BASKETBALLThis past season the women’s team fell a win shy of the national championship game — sounds familiar, huh?Not much can be said about this season’s women’s basketball squad. It’s been a while since LSU fans have had to associate these words with the team, but this upcoming season is a “rebuilding year.”Just in case you’ve been living under a rock the past few months, the team lost eight seniors and has no returning starters.Without Sylvia Fowles, Erica White, Quianna Chaney and RaShonta LeBlanc, I’ll be surprised if the Lady Tigers are a .500 team this season.—-
Contact Jay St. Pierre at [email protected]