The LSU football players’ most undesired task, the dreaded fourth quarter conditioning program, came to an end yesterday.
With the last 5 a.m. running session done, the only people that may be happier than the players themselves are die-hard LSU football fans. The end of the program means the pads will be back on soon for spring practice and fans will get the first look at the 2006 LSU football team.
During spring practice there are different issues that need to be addressed each year. Here are five that should be looked at this spring:
 
1. NAME A STARTER AT QUARTERBACK
With three very capable quarterbacks – JaMarcus Russell, Matt Flynn and Ryan Perrilloux – on the roster, it is imperative to avoid any further controversy by naming an unquestioned starter this spring.
Russell made strides at the quarterback position in his first year as a starter. He led the team to 10 of its 11 wins and completed 188 of 311 passes for 2,443 yards and 15 touchdowns.
With Russell hurting from shoulder and wrist injuries, Flynn made the most of his opportunity in the Peach Bowl, going 13 of 22 for 196 yards, and led LSU to a 40-3 victory over Miami.
Perrilloux, who watched all of this unfold from the sidelines, will be eligible to play this season after red-shirting in 2005 and will make the quarterback decision even tougher for coach Les Miles.
What makes this situation even stickier is Russell will likely miss spring practice recovering from surgery on his wrist.
 
2. MONITOR THE RUNNING BACK SITUATION
Justin Vincent, 2003 national championship MVP, and projected 2004 starter Alley Broussard will both be entering the season coming off knee surgeries.
That puts offensive coordinator Jimbo Fisher in a tight spot because these are the team’s top two running backs. Since the next two backs behind them have a combined zero carries, depth is a concern.
Redshirt freshmen R.J. Jackson and Antonio Robinson should get plenty repetitions during the spring. Whoever performs the best of the two could find himself getting an extended amount of playing time this season if Vincent and Broussard’s injuries linger into the fall.
The wildcards in this group are current fullback Jacob Hester and prep school signee Keiland Williams. Hester has proved in his two seasons he can double as a tailback if needed, and Williams will enter this fall with the high expectations of a five-star recruit.
 
3. DEVELOP A NO. 1 RECEIVER
One way of summing up the performance of last year’s receiving corps is with the words ‘talented inconsistency’.
There were times when it seemed like the receivers could not be defended by zone or man defenses. And then there were times when it looked like they couldn’t catch a cold showering in ice water.
Dwayne Bowe and Craig Davis are entering their senior seasons, with Xavier Carter and Early Doucet beginning their third year. Last season all four were playing at about the same level.
All four are talented enough to step their game up and become “That Dude” to other teams defensively. “That Dude” who can’t be covered man to man, “That Dude” who opens up the field because the safety is always rolling to his side. And “That Dude” who makes plays anyway even though teams are doing all of this to stop him.
“That Dude” needs to be discovered this spring, because it would take pressure away from the other three and also allow them to face more single coverage.
The wildcard here is redshirt freshman Brandon LaFell, whose biggest weakness is that he is behind four other very talented receivers.
 
4. SETTLE THE OFFENSIVE LINE
This offensive line was hit hardest by graduation, losing three starters in Rudy Niswanger, Nate Livings and Andrew Whitworth and a key reserve in Terrell McGill.
Brian Johnson, Will Arnold and Brett Helms have experience starting, but there is very little experience behind them.
In this unit there is usually a lot of inter-positional changing between the guard, center and tackle positions. These changes should be made now so the young players can concentrate on one position in the fall, especially in the case of 6-foot 9-inch lineman Herman Johnson, who spent time at guard and tackle last season.
 
5. SETTLE DEFENSIVE LINE ROTATION
This will be the first time since the Gerry Dinardo era that the defensive line won’t be set heading into the season.
If the offensive line was the unit hit hardest by graduation then this is easily the second, with three starters gone in Melvin Oliver, Kyle Williams and Claude Wroten. The difference here is that there is a wealth of depth behind the trio.
Chase Pittman is the lone returning starter at defensive end.
Kirston Pittman, a speed rush specialist, returns after missing all of last season with a foot injury. Tyson Jackson, Tremaine Johnson, Charles Alexander, Carnell Stewart, Alonzo Manuel and Ricky Jean-Francois will battle for time on the ends.
Glenn Dorsey may be the only starter penciled in at defensive tackle. Marlon Favorite and Lyle Hitt are the other two tackles who will be looked at for time in the defensive line rotation.