The Bowl Championship Series Champion Tigers racked up a laundry list of awards this past season with recipients ranging from coaches to freshmen.
Coach Nick Saban joins Paul Dietzel as one of the only LSU coaches to win the FWAA/Eddie Robinson Coach of the Year award and the national title.
Saban also earned The Associated Press and Bear Bryant coach of the year awards.
The most decorated Tiger is defensive tackle Chad Lavalais. Lavalais earned first-team honors from Walter Camp, The Sporting News, ESPN.com, SI.com and the Football Writers Association. Lavalais also was awarded Southeastern Conference Defensive Player of the Year.
Junior defensive back Corey Webster was named a First Team All-American by the American Football Coaches Association and First Team All-SEC. The Associated Press named Webster to their second team.
Lavalais and Webster led the Tigers’ defense that was first in the nation in scoring defense and ranked second in yards allowed, surrendering only 259.5 yards per game.
Junior center Ben Wilkerson is an AP Second Team All-American. He also was named a finalist for the Remington Trophy, which is awarded to the nation’s best lineman.
Senior guard Stephen Peterman made the ESPN.com First Team All-America, and second team from the AP and the SEC.
The offensive line was key for the Tigers’ success, clearing the way for an offense that averaged 427 yards per game, including 188 on the ground.
Michael Clayton, the SEC’s leading receiver in 2003, earned All-American status as a member of the AP third team in a college season loaded with talented wide receivers. He is also First Team All-SEC.
Senior receiver Devery Henderson is a member of the Second Team All-SEC.
Sophomore Skyler Green, LSU’s third receiver, was recognized for his contributions in the return game. Green was named first team by ESPN.com, second team by the SEC and third team by the AP.
Green established himself as the nation’s top punt returner, averaging a national-best 18.5 yards on 25 punt returns.
Second Team All-SEC member Matt Mauck teamed up with LSU receivers to complete 29 touchdown passes on the season.
Freshmen LaRon Landry and Sugar Bowl MVP Justin Vincent were named to the Freshman All-America Team by Scripps/Football Writers Association of America.
Several Tigers received invitations for all-star games.
The Senior Bowl invited four Tigers to play in the Senior Bowl. Offensive guard Stephen Peterman, wide receiver Devery Henderson, punter Donnie Jones and defensive tackle Chad Lavalais were invited to make the trip to Mobile, Ala., on Jan. 24.
Jack Hunt and Eric Alexander were selected to play in the Hula Bowl in Maui, Hawaii, on Jan. 17.
Offensive tackle Rodney Reed played in the East-West Shrine Game in San Francisco on Jan. 10.
Coach Nick Saban, offensive coordinator Jimbo Fisher and defensive coordinator Will Muschamp initially were invited, but were forced to withdraw from coaching the Senior Bowl because the Tigers made the BCS National Championship Game.