The wait is almost over for University football fans.
The Tigers only have 44 days until the season begins on September 3 in Tiger Stadium against the University of North Texas.
Fans will have an opportunity to see the Tigers before the season on Media Fan Day August 14.
The players have been participating in a non-mandatory summer conditioning program headed by Strength and Conditioning Coach Tommy Moffit, and will report to campus along with the coaches for preseason practice August 6.
Moffit said while the team has progressed this summer, there are still a few players who have not passed their conditioning test.
Moffit said the conditioning program consists of a weekly schedule of weight lifting three days, running four days and one karate session every Wednesday night.
“There is never a day when a college football player doesn’t need to run or work out,” Moffit said of the importance of being physically prepared.
While the players train, fans are left with the anticipation of the upcoming season.
The team has received preseason recognition throughout the summer to help fill the football void.
The Tigers have been ranked from No. 2 to No. 9 in three different preseason polls, and have had several players named to preseason watch lists for multiple awards.
College Football News ranked the Tigers the highest at No. 2 behind last season’s national champion University of Southern California.
CFN said its rankings are based on how teams are going into the season and not how they are going to finish.
“There are only two things keeping the nation’s most talented team from the top spot — uncertainty at quarterback and new head coach Les Miles,” CFN said on its Web site.
The Tigers enter preseason practice with sophomores JaMarcus Russell and Matt Flynn and true freshman Ryan Perrilloux competing for starting quarterback.
The Sporting News has the Tigers at No. 6, and Athlon Sports ranked the Tigers No. 9.
The Birmingham News picked the Tigers to win the Southeastern Conference Western Division in its 59th-annual spring SEC Football Preview.
SEC sports information directors voted to determine the results, but they could not vote for their own school.
The University of Tennessee was selected to win the SEC Eastern Division and also received the most total points overall with 111.
The Tigers were second in total points with 107.
Eight Tigers were named to the SEC Coaches Preseason All-Conference football team on Wednesday.
Senior offensive tackle Andrew Whitworth, junior safety LaRon Landry and senior wide receiver and return specialist Skyler Green were named to the first team.
Junior running back Alley Broussard and senior defensive tackle Claude Wroten were second-team selections, and seniors defensive tackle Kyle Williams, linebacker Cameron Vaughn and cornerback Ronnie Prude made the third team.
The 12 SEC head football coaches selected the preseason All-SEC teams.
Three Tigers also were named on the 2005 preseason watch lists of the three collegiate awards.
The Football Writer’s Association of America announced Whitworth was on the watch list for the Outland Trophy, which has been awarded to the nation’s best offensive or defensive lineman each season since 1946.
The Monroe native was a first-team All-SEC selection in 2004 after allowing one sack and being called for only five penalties for the season.
Whitworth enters the 2005 season with 39 consecutive starts and has a chance to become the first player in team history to start 50 games in a career.
The FWAA also said Landry and Williams were on the Bronko Nagurski Watch List, which has been given to the nation’s best defensive player each season since 1993.
Landry and Williams were named to the All-SEC second-team in 2004, and Landry also was a member of the 2004 SEC Academic Honor Roll.
Williams, a native of Ruston, recorded 57 tackles and 6 sacks in 2004 and enters the 2005 with 12 career sacks and 18.5 tackles for losses.
Landry is also on the watch list for the Jim Thorpe Award, which has been awarded to the nation’s best defensive back each season since 1986.
The Ama native led the Tigers in tackles the last two seasons, and started 22 of 26 games in that span.