After several departures and additions this offseason, the LSU football teams’s spring practice kicks off today.
The Tigers are returning 15 total starters, but they lost starters at offensive tackle, defensive tackle, middle linebacker, kicker and punter from the 2010 season.
There are no coaching vacancies as LSU’s 15 spring workouts commence. Rumors swirled in January that coach Les Miles would leave for Michigan, but he instead signed a new seven-year contract.
The void at special teams coordinator lasted about three weeks after Joe Robinson resigned Feb. 17, departing to North Carolina. Miles announced Thursday the hiring of Thomas McGaughey to replace Robinson. Newly hired offensive coordinator Steve Kragthorpe will also take the field for the first time during spring practice.
 
QUARTERBACK COMPETITION GETS ANOTHER CANDIDATE
Many eyes will be fixated on quarterback Zach Mettenberger in spring practice.
Mettenberger, the No. 1 junior college prospect in the nation at Butler Community College in Kansas, enrolled early at LSU, and Miles said he will be in contention for the starting quarterback job with seniors Jordan Jefferson and Jarrett Lee.
LSU’s passing game was anemic at best in 2010, finishing last in the SEC and No. 102 in the nation in passing offense with 155.6 yards per game.
Miles hasn’t let Mettenberger’s criminal record impede his recruiting of the Watkinsville, Ga., native, who was arrested for sexual battery in March 2010 and kicked off Georgia’s football team in April.
“[Mettenberger] has done a great job in the coaching sessions, and he’s … going to be a fast learner,” Miles said. “He’ll pick it up pretty quickly. His abilities, even coming out of junior college, are pretty significant.”
Miles said Lee is also in the mix at quarterback. Lee, more of a pocket passer, has struggled mightily with interceptions in his career.
In eight starts as a redshirt freshman, he threw 16 interceptions and 14 touchdown passes and started just one game in his next two seasons. Jefferson started every game last season in a dual-quarterback system with Lee.
“[Jefferson] is in the best shape I’ve seen him in, and his attention to detail and his want to be a great quarterback appears to be there,” Miles said. “The Jarrett Lee-Zach Mettenberger pair certainly is the competition. … I don’t know that we will be in a two-quarterback system.”
 
ADJUSTING TO RIDLEY’S DEPARTURE
The LSU running back corps will have a serious void since Stevan Ridley opted to forgo his senior season and enter the NFL draft. Ridley led the Tigers with 1,147 yards on 249 carries and 15 rushing touchdowns.
To replace Ridley, Miles will rely on sophomores Spencer Ware, Alfred Blue and Michael Ford along with incoming freshman Kenny Hilliard. Ware, who also plays baseball for LSU, rushed for 102 yards on 10 carries in the Cotton Bowl.
“Ware couldn’t hit a curveball, and I’m going to get to work with him a little bit more specifically so that when he goes back to baseball, certainly he’ll be able to hit the curve,” Miles said.
Hilliard is another early enrollee and will participate in spring practice.
 
SPECIAL TEAMS TO HAVE NEW LOOK, NEW COACH
Special teams will be an area that experiences a great deal of turnover in the 2011 season.
First-team All-American kicker Josh Jasper and punter Derek Helton graduated, and Southeastern Conference-leading punt and kick returner Patrick Peterson spurned his senior season for the NFL draft.
Miles said sophomore cornerback Tyrann Mathieu will be in the mix at punt returner with junior wide receiver Rueben Randle, and senior cornerback Ron Brooks will continue as a kick returner.
 
DEFENSE LOSES FOUR KEY COGS
The LSU defensive line lost tackles Drake Nevis and Lazarius Levingston to graduation. Nevis started every game last season and led LSU linemen with 56 tackles.
Tackle Anthony “Freak” Johnson is LSU’s third early enrollee and will be on the field for spring practice. During his four years at O. Perry Walker High School, he broke the Louisiana sack record with 67.5.
Mathieu was one of three freshman defensive backs with an interception in the Cotton Bowl, along with Eric Reid and Tharold Simon. Miles said all three will be in the mix to replace Peterson, who is projected to be a top-five draft pick in April.
One more defensive stalwart will be missing next season in middle linebacker Kelvin Sheppard, LSU’s leading tackler in 2010. Miles said redshirt freshman D.J. Welter and sophomore Kevin Minter could be in line to replace him.
 
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