A familiar football tagline says defense wins championships.And no matter how it’s presented, a defense’s capacity to force turnovers — whether stripping the ball from a bruising running back or hauling in an interception — is key for a team to become a champion.A positive turnover margin, which results when a team gains more turnovers than it loses in a season, is indicative of a team’s success each year. Since winning its first national championship in 45 years in 2003, LSU has only finished with a positive turnover margin in the team’s two national championship seasons.Miles garnered two BCS bowl victories since he took over as LSU coach in 2005 — the Allstate Sugar Bowl for the 2006 season and the BCS National Championship game for the 2007 season.In both seasons, the Tigers forced as many or more turnovers than they lost. LSU’s turnover margin was 0 in 2006 and +20 the following season, No. 1 in the Southeastern Conference and No. 2 nationally behind Kansas’ +21.At SEC Media Days in July, Miles stressed the importance of improving the turnover margin from 2008, when LSU    finished No. 6 in the conference and No. 67 in the nation with a -1 turnover margin. The LSU defense was also last in the SEC and No. 98 nationally with eight interceptions on the year.”Any time you have turnovers that mark a series of games, it’s the greatest defeating statistic there is,” Miles said. “If you had one statistic, it wouldn’t be time of possession. It would not be rushing yardage. It would be turnover margin.”The past three college football champions back up Miles’ statement. LSU was second in the nation in turnover margin in 2007, and Florida finished with turnover margins of +22 in 2008 and +5 in 2006 as they won two of the past three national titles.Florida forced 35 turnovers last season — nearly double LSU’s 19 — and finished second in the nation behind Oklahoma’s +23. LSU sophomore quarterback Jarrett Lee threw 16 interceptions in 2008, more than the 13 turnovers lost by Florida’s entire offense.LSU defensive coordinator John Chavis said the Tigers know how crucial turnover margin is for a defense, especially with how much the SEC emphasizes defensive performance.”We’re going to approach [turnovers] like any other situation we need to get better in,” Chavis said. “We’re going to practice stripping the ball. Coach Miles has given us the green light to be aggressive, even in our 7-on-7s. We’re going to attempt to get the ball every opportunity we can.”Junior safety Chad Jones, who accounted for two forced fumbles and one interception last season, said LSU defenders are “flying to the ball,” in attempts to solidify their production.”Coach [Ron] Cooper and coach Chavis have us going after every ball possible, even incomplete passes,” Jones said. “We’re still picking them up and running toward the opposite end zone. They’re setting us up to force as many turnovers as possible. That’s our mentality — to create turnovers and get the offense the ball back.”LSU’s turnover margin in 2003 under Nick Saban was +5, No. 39 in the nation and No. 6 in the SEC. Arkansas and Georgia led the SEC at +11 and won postseason bowl games.The past four SEC champions have also been among the league leaders in turnover margin. Georgia was second in the conference at +11 when it won the conference title in 2005, and Florida was No. 4 and No. 1 in the SEC in turnover margin when it won SEC crowns in 2006 and 2008, respectively. LSU led the conference in turnover margin when it won its most recent SEC title in 2007.The only BCS national champions who have also ranked No. 1 in turnover margin this decade are Miami (Fla.) in 2001 (+26) and USC in 2004 (+19). BCS championship winners in Miles’ LSU era have all been in the top 40 nationally in turnover margin.The best turnover margin any of Miles’ Oklahoma State teams attained was +17 in 2004 — No. 2 in the nation — during his final season in Stillwater. The Cowboys finished 7-5 that season and lost in the Alamo Bowl to Ohio State.Chavis said he expects the LSU defense to respond to the high level of play he is demanding for 2009, and the ability to force turnovers is a mark of a winning team.”This is a defensive league, and we’re expected to play great defense,” Chavis said. “I’m not taking anything away from the offense, but if you don’t play great defense and take the ball away from offenses, you’re going to have a tough time winning key games in the SEC, no question about that.”————Contact Rachel Whittaker at [email protected]