When former LSU defensive coordinator Bo Pelini accepted the vacant head coaching position at Nebraska, LSU coach Les Miles knew he had a major hole to fill in his coaching staff.Rather than going outside of the Tigers’ locker room, Miles promoted former defensive backs coach Doug Mallory and former special teams and linebackers coach Bradley Dale Peveto to co-defensive coordinators in an attempt to maintain the defensive dominance the team developed with Pelini.The LSU defense consistently ranked among the best in the nation during Pelini’s tenure, finishing No. 3 in NCAA in total defense each of Pelini’s three seasons.Under the Tigers’ new system, Mallory calls the defenses from the press box with Peveto handing personnel packages on the field.In practice, Mallory focuses on the Tigers’ defensive backs. Peveto coaches the team’s linebackers.Peveto said the system lets him and Mallory bring both of their coaching strengths to the Tigers’ defense on game day.”Doug has been in the press box and does a great job calling the game and seeing things and has good vision up there,” Peveto said. “I will get to be on the sideline where I’m more comfortable as a coach … I like making the adjustments on the field, and it’s going to work.”Senior defensive tackle Charles Alexander said there hasn’t been significant change to Pelini’s routine.”The defense is basically the same,” he said. “Maybe here and there, there are a few little changes, but the packages are the same. I think it helps us as a defense because everyone, even the young guys, have experience under this defense.”  Big 12 powerhouse Texas tinkered with the co-coordinator system this past season and did not have as much luck.Under co-coordinators Larry Mac Duff and Duane Akina, the Longhorns allowed 35 points per game in their final five games, forcing Texas coach Mack Brown to end the system for the 2008 season, citing “philosophical differences.”With co-coordinators Greg Mattison and Charlie Strong, Florida has also used the co-coordinator system each of the past three seasons, including the team’s 2006 national championship season.But defense has arguably been the Gators’ weakness, and Florida has given up more than 22 points per game in Southeastern Conference games in the past three seasons, including more than 28 points per game in conference games in 2007.Florida finished No. 7 in scoring defense and No. 8 in total defense in the SEC in 2007 — including No. 12 in the conference in passing defense, allowing 258.5 yards per game.The Gators went away from the co-coordinator system this season and named Charlie Strong as the lone defensive coordinator.The system has worked so far for the Tigers who gave up just 13 points and 239 yards in the opener against Appalachian State, a team who scored more than 30 points in 14 of their 15 games last season.  Miles said he is confident LSU will reap the benefits of having two coaches rather than one.”They work extremely well together,” Miles said. “The defense is benefiting from the fact that the calls are the same, that the attack is the same, that the strategy and the view are virtually the same. They’re comfortable with the direction that the defense is going. And I certainly am.”- – – -Contact Casey Gisclair [email protected]