SPORTS SHOWTIME REPORTER

In 2009, the LSU football team seems to have found something that it lost last year: its defense.

It was found when the new defensive coordinator, John Chavis, arrived at LSU. After spending 14 years on Tennessee’s coaching staff, which included a BCS title in 1998, Chavis brings a new attitude to a Tigers defense that is now ranked 22nd nationally, surrendering only 13 points or less in the last three games.

“The enthusiasm, the attention to detail, the want to get to the ball. I  think our players had an existing culture of  playing dominant football on defense and I think John Chavis kind of instills that in them, in how he coaches,” said head coach Les Miles.

“We’re definitely tackling the ball carrier a lot better,” said linebacker Perry Riley. “Assignment-wise we’re getting a lot better, coverage-wise and being where we’re supposed to be, so we’re definitely growing and coming along.”

“I think we love the way he comes to work, and when we see him running around and having a good time out there it makes us want to come to work and practice hard,” said Al Woods, defensive tackle. “That’s what drives us. I mean, all the coaches come out here with great enthusiasm and we like all right man, even though we tired, a little banged up from the game, you know, let’s go to work for them because they obviously out here ready to come to work for us.”

The season is still young, but we all know the familiar adage: is that defense wins championships.

In 2008, there was no defense, and no championship. But John Chavis was not hired to pad stats or to generate draft buzz for his players: he was hired to bring LSU another SEC championship, and possibly its third BCS title. Only when this happens, will we know the true significance of Chavis’ hiring.