The 2008 college football season didn’t go the way most LSU fans had hoped with a five-loss season — the most by any defending BCS national champion.But with a 35-point bowl win and one of the nation’s best recruiting classes, fans are optimistic the Tigers will turn things around in 2009 as spring practices begin this afternoon.”I cannot wait,” Jon Cefalu, communication studies freshman said on Wednesday. “I’ve been this way since the Chick-fil-A Bowl. Last year was a little bit of a down year for us, but I have no doubt we’re going to get back where we need to be.”One of the players fans are most anxious to see is five-star freshman quarterback Russell Shepard.Shepard enrolled at LSU early to compete for playing time with rising sophomores Jordan Jefferson and redshirt sophomore Jarrett Lee.Political science senior Jeff Carey said he is looking forward to seeing how offensive coordinator Gary Crowton utilizes Shepard this spring.”I want to see a Jordan Jefferson wildcat with Shepard,” he said. “That’s like having a college Reggie Bush in the backfield who can throw the ball a little bit, too. I think it’d be pretty much unstoppable.”Justin Selva, kinesiology sophomore, said he wants Shepard to be showcased with Jefferson at the same time.”That would be interesting,” he said. “That’d be really exciting to see, because Shepard is an all-around player. That’d work well for him.”Another topic of interest to fans is the LSU defense.The Tigers allowed 24 points per game in 2008, which ranked No. 9 in the Southeastern Conference.LSU coach Les Miles hired former Tennessee defensive coordinator John Chavis to replace co-defensive coordinators Bradley Dale Peveto and Doug Mallory, who both left LSU for new jobs.The Volunteers thrived under Chavis in 2008 and were No. 3 in the SEC in scoring defense, allowing 17 points per game.Miles also hired former South Carolina defensive backs coach Ron Cooper to coach the team’s secondary and former Mississippi State and Chicago Bears defensive line coach Brick Haley to the same position at LSU.Warren Mott, finance junior, said he hopes to see a new defensive philosophy from the Tigers in 2009.”I am excited to see what the new coaches can do,” Mott said. “We have some of the best athletes, so I hope we play a different style this season.”Carey said he wants to see a more attack-oriented style with Chavis running the defense.”Last year we didn’t get any pressure on the quarterback,” he said. “I hope we have more blitz packages this season, so we can get more sacks and force more turnovers. That’s why we gave up so many points last season.”—-Contact Casey Gisclair at [email protected]