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David Helman writes : The home stretch for the NFL draft begins in earnest Thursday for LSU alums, as the Tigers prepare for their annual pro day.

Ask LSU’s Zach Mettenberger if he’s ready, and you hear the hunger, pain and focus -- all wrapped up into one -- very clearly in his voice.

It wasn’t supposed to take this long for him to get his first real taste of being a starting quarterback in the SEC.

Not even close.

“It’s been a long and winding road in my college career so far, and I’ve gone through the trials and tribulations just to get here,” Mettenberger said.

He never envisioned it going the way it did when he graduated early from Oconee County (Ga.) High School in December 2008, but he also wasn’t banking on running afoul of the law thanks to a night of partying.

So here he is, going on four years removed from high school, and still waiting to take his first meaningful snap in an SEC game.

That’s about to change as LSU opens spring practice on Friday, and while Mettenberger’s not into making a bunch of promises, he does promise one thing: He’s determined to do everything in his power to prove to everybody that there’s a lot more to him than what’s stated in that Remerton, Ga., arrest report from the spring of 2010.

“People remember me as the talented guy who got kicked off the team at Georgia,” Mettenberger said. “It sucks that it’s that way, but that’s the way the world is until I go out there and show who I really am and then hopefully people will forget about it. I made a mistake, and I had to pay for it.

“The only way anybody’s going to move on is when I get back on the field and start playing again.”

Mettenberger was dismissed from Georgia’s team in April 2010, a little more than a week after putting up better numbers than Aaron Murray in the Bulldogs’ G-Day spring game.

At the time, Mettenberger’s March arrest in a bar outside of Valdosta, Ga., was already public knowledge, and Georgia coach Mark Richt had already said that Mettenberger faced at least a one-game suspension.

But the police investigation also turned up sexual battery charges against Mettenberger in addition to underage alcohol consumption and disorderly conduct charges. The timing couldn’t have been worse for Mettenberger, especially given the rash of alcohol-related arrests involving Georgia football players. Richt announced in April that Mettenberger had been dismissed.

Mettenberger pleaded guilty to two misdemeanor counts of sexual battery and was sentenced to two concurrent 12-month probationary periods under the state of Georgia’s first-offender act. All of the alcohol-related charges were later dropped.

Having spent two springs at Georgia (but never playing in a game), Mettenberger headed to Butler (Kan.) Community College and threw 32 touchdown passes during the 2010 season. He emerged as the top junior college quarterback prospect in the country and picked LSU over offers from Alabama, Arkansas and Texas A&M.

He spent last season watching senior quarterbacks Jarrett Lee and Jordan Jefferson guide the LSU offense and only threw 11 passes in five games.

So when Mettenberger says it’s been a long time coming, he means it.

He also understands the meaning of not getting too high with the highs and too low with the lows.

“I’ve dealt with a lot of adversity in my past, and feel like no matter what happens, through the good times and the bad, that I can keep a level head,” Mettenberger said. “I feel like I can still be a good player no matter what. If I throw a pick, I think I’m going to go out and lead our team on a touchdown drive that next series.

“All the stuff I’ve been through has helped mold and prepare me for next season.”

While at Georgia, the 6-foot-5 Mettenberger says he was pushing 260 pounds. He weighed in at 225 last week and hopes to play somewhere in the 225-230 range this fall.

“I’m a lot quicker, and my overall game has improved since losing that weight,” said Mettenberger, whose mother, Tammy, has worked in the Georgia football office under Richt for the past decade.

And speaking of Georgia, the coaches and players there still rave about Mettenberger’s arm strength and his undying work ethic. He was oftentimes the last player to leave the practice field.

That hasn’t changed at LSU.

“The way I look at it is that you’ve got to always prepare yourself like you’re the starter no matter if you’re first string, fourth string or a walk-on,” Mettenberger said. “It shouldn’t matter. You always have to prepare. Anything can happen in this game, and I think people have seen that over the years. So I always want to feel like I’m ready.

“I was ready last year if Coach [Les] Miles had needed me and feel confident that I could have gone in there and won games.”

His big right arm may be what people know him by, but Mettenberger has also been around the SEC long enough to know that you don’t make it in this league by trying to squeeze the ball in tight spaces all the time.

“I always tell people that it takes two things: heart and brains,” Mettenberger said. “There are so many guys who didn’t have the measurables. Look at the Drew Brees and Joe Montanas at the pro level and then a guy like Kellen Moore in college. Look at the job he did against the Georgia defense last year.

“If you know what you’re doing, it doesn’t matter how hard you can throw the ball or how far you can throw it or whether you can run a 4.4 [in the 40-yard dash]. If you know where you’re supposed to go with the ball in every situation and minimize your mistakes, you’re going to be a good quarterback no matter where you are.”

Mettenberger is well aware that people will be watching his every step -- both on and off the field.

“I’ll just use it as motivation,” he said.

In a lot of ways, the doubters have been his fuel for his entire career.

“Growing up, I was the short, fat kid,” Mettenberger explained. “I didn’t start at quarterback until I got to be a junior in high school. I was always a backup to one of my best friends.

“I’ve always been told that I couldn’t do something, that I couldn’t do this or do that and that I wouldn’t be able to play quarterback. That’s been my motivation and makes me work every day. Even with my off-the-field troubles, that’s motivation to prove people wrong and really just get people to shut up and move on.

“I moved on a long time ago and am just looking forward to getting back out there and having fun again and showing everybody what I can do … and who I am.”

Everybody loves position rankings. Well, most everybody.

We presented our preseason rankings back in June on the SEC blog, and like most preseason predictions, we wished we had a lot of those picks back by the second or third week of the season.

Now that we’ve actually played the 2011 season, we’ll do it all over again, and we’ll kick if off with the quarterbacks.

At most positions, depth will be the most important factor, and if there’s a superstar in the group, that’s going to carry a lot of weight, too.

But with the quarterbacks, we’re mostly concerned with how the main guy fared this season.

For all positions, performance in conference games is where we’ll start, and how a unit closed the season, including the bowl games, will also be a determining factor.

You can go here to see our preseason quarterback rankings.

Our focus now is how they did this season. Here goes:

1. Arkansas: In his first full season as a starter, Tyler Wilson was outstanding. He led the SEC in passing with 3,638 yards to go along with 24 touchdown passes and only six interceptions. He thought about declaring for the NFL draft, but elected to return and was rated recently by ESPN’s Mel Kiper as the No. 3 rising senior quarterback in the country. We didn't give Wilson nearly enough love in the preseason. Shame on us. He's the real deal.

2. Georgia: Aaron Murray had a record-setting season for the Bulldogs and tossed 35 touchdown passes. He was instrumental in their turnaround and had a big hand in their 10-game winning streak. He also threw 16 interceptions and had two costly picks in the bowl game that helped trigger Michigan State’s comeback. Five of Murray’s picks came in his last three games. All in all, it was still a splendid season for a second-year starter in this league.

3. Alabama: AJ McCarron gets bonus points for the way he played in the Allstate BCS National Championship Game. He earned Offensive MVP honors in leading Alabama to a 21-0 victory over LSU. It wasn't just that one game that has the Crimson Tide in the No. 3 spot. McCarron was solid all season long and didn't turn the ball over. In 234 passing attempts against SEC competition, he only threw three interceptions and averaged 207.2 passing yards.

4. South Carolina: The first half of the season belonged to Stephen Garcia, and it wasn't pretty. In retrospect, Garcia's dismissal might have been the best thing to happen to the Gamecocks. Connor Shaw took over and just got better and better as the season progressed. In his last three games, including wins over Clemson and Nebraska, Shaw completed 75 percent of his passes for 657 yards, eight touchdowns and just one interception. He also rushed for 239 yards in those three games.

5. LSU: It says something about the quarterback play in the SEC that the Tigers are ranked this high, especially with the egg Jordan Jefferson laid in the BCS National Championship Game and how poorly he played in the first half of the SEC championship game. But Jarrett Lee deserves props for stepping in there and playing the way he did in the first eight games, and Jefferson's ability to run the option made a big difference in the first Alabama game. Still, it's hard to get over that stinker in New Orleans.

6. Tennessee: The Vols were dealt a tough blow when Tyler Bray broke his thumb in the Georgia game. He had 14 touchdown passes and only two interceptions going into that game, but wound up missing the next five games. The Vols tried senior Matt Simms and then went with true freshman Justin Worley, but had trouble mustering any offense. Bray came back and played the final two games, although he was a shadow of what he was before the injury. He ended the season with a woeful performance against Kentucky.

7. Florida: When John Brantley went down with a high ankle sprain in the Alabama game, he was throwing the ball as well as he had since coming to Florida. But from that point on, the Gators were a train wreck on offense. True freshmen Jacoby Brissett and Jeff Driskel took a beating while filling in for Brantley, and even when Brantley did come back against Georgia, he wasn't close to 100 percent. Brantley still averaged 175.8 passing yards in league play, which was fourth in the SEC.

8. Vanderbilt: We had the Commodores ranked last in the preseason, and that's because Larry Smith had come off two rocky seasons in a row. He also opened this season as the Commodores' starter, and the passing game once again never took flight. Jordan Rodgers stepped in at the midway point and immediately pumped new life into the Commodores' offense. He was able to generate a lot more big plays down the field and also made things happen with his legs. He didn't end the season on a high note and played poorly in the bowl game.

9. Mississippi State: After finishing his junior season with a bang against Michigan in the Gator Bowl, Chris Relf just didn't take the kind of step during his senior season that a lot of people in and around the program thought he would. The Bulldogs also played Tyler Russell a bunch at quarterback, and he's got a big arm. It's just that much of his damage came against weaker competition in nonconference games. The Bulldogs were one of seven SEC teams that finished with more interceptions than touchdown passes in league play.

10. Auburn: The Tigers finished dead last against SEC foes in passing offense. Their vertical passing game was non-existent, and it was a struggle to complete anything down the field. They averaged just 126.5 passing yards per game against league foes. Three different players split the quarterback duties. Barrett Trotter opened the season as the starter, and Clint Moseley finished it. The Tigers also used true freshman Kiehl Frazier in specialty situations. Despite who was in there at quarterback, nothing came easy for the Tigers this season in the passing game.

11. Kentucky: The Wildcats had high hopes for Morgan Newton entering the season, and Kentucky coach Joker Phillips was pleased with the the way Newton had taken command of the offense in the spring and preseason. It just never translated during the season, though. Newton didn't throw the ball with any confidence and was also saddled with injuries. True freshman Maxwell Smith showed some promise toward the end of the season, but was also banged up. The Wildcats found a way to beat Tennessee in the finale with receiver Matt Roark playing quarterback.

12. Ole Miss: The truth is that there were several candidates for the cellar. It's not like anybody is going to remember 2011 as the Year of the Quarterback in the SEC. In the case of the Rebels, they struggled to find a quarterback all season. Three different players started games, and Ole Miss finished with six touchdown passes and 12 interceptions against SEC foes. Randall Mackey looked like he might be starting to get it once November rolled around, but was then suspended for the last two games.

In the realm of the SEC, one of the best gauges of how a team or player fared during the season is looking back at what happened in league competition only.

We’ve all seen cases where players pad their stats against weaker nonconference teams, or where teams roll up big numbers out of conference and then are pretty average against league foes.

We’ll start with a bit of irony.

As brutal as LSU was on offense in the Allstate BCS National Championship Game, the Tigers led the SEC in both scoring offense (35 points per game) and rushing offense (220.4 yards per game) in eight-regular season games against league opponents.

Alabama and LSU tied for first in scoring defense, each giving up an average of 8.4 points game, while Alabama was first in total defense against league competition. The Crimson Tide allowed an average of 180.5 yards per game, which was nearly 45 yards fewer per game than the second-place team -- LSU.

The worst team offensively against SEC competition was Tennessee, which was last in scoring offense, rushing offense and third-down conversions, 11^th in total offense and 10^th in pass efficiency. In eight league games, the Vols averaged just 11.5 points and 63.5 rushing yards.

Defensively, Ole Miss brought up the rear and was last in total defense, scoring defense and rushing defense. The Rebels gave up an average of 36.5 points per game to SEC opponents.

And how important is turnover margin?

LSU was first in the league at plus-12, while Ole Miss was last at minus-11.

Turning to individuals, anybody want to venture a guess as to who led the SEC in pass efficiency in the regular season against league foes?

The correct answer: LSU’s Jarrett Lee. The No. 2 guy on that list was Alabama’s AJ McCarron, and LSU’s Jordan Jefferson was not listed among the 10 leaders.

Georgia’s Aaron Murray threw 18 of his school-record 35 touchdown passes in his eight regular-season games against SEC foes. Arkansas’ Tyler Wilson threw 14 of his 24 against league competition.

Alabama’s Trent Richardson and Auburn’s Michael Dyer were the only two players to average more than 100 rushing yards per game against SEC foes. Georgia’s Isaiah Crowell and Vanderbilt’s Zac Stacy were both over 80 yards per game on the ground.

Richardson’s 12 touchdowns against SEC defenses led the way, and Stacy was second with seven.

Arkansas’ Jarius Wright led the way with six touchdown catches, while LSU’s Rueben Randle did so with 629 receiving yards.

Kentucky’s Danny Trevathan was the only SEC player with 100 or more total tackles during SEC regular-season play. He finished with exactly 100. He also had the most solo stops (48). Florida’s Jon Bostic was second with 43 solo stops.

Georgia’s Jarvis Jones had 12.5 sacks, and LSU’s Morris Claiborne and Georgia’s Bacarri Rambo tied with five interceptions.

South Carolina freshman defensive end Jadeveon Clowney had five forced fumbles along with Auburn’s Corey Lemonier.

There were plenty of SEC players who made improvements in 2011. Complacency wasn't an option for these players, therefore, they made tremendous strides.

Today, we'll look at players who either improved their play, rose from the ranks of reserve to really impress or returned from injury. I'll go first with my five players who I thought made the most improvement from 2010 to 2011. Chris will follow up with his top five later today. We haven't communicated about our choices, so we could have some that overlap or we could have five completely different picks.

Regardless, this should create some pretty fun debate for readers.

Here's a look at my five most improved players in the SEC:

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Nelson Chenault/US PresswireMississippi State's Fletcher Cox is projected to be a first-round pick in April's draft.
• Fletcher Cox, DT, Mississippi State: As a sophomore, Cox started 11 games and accumulated 29 tackles, including 6.5 for loss. But last year, he proved to be one of the top defensive tackles in the SEC. He had 56 total tackles, including 14.5 for loss and five sacks. He also blocked two kicks, recovered a fumble and forced a fumble. He's expected to be a first-round pick in April's NFL draft.
• Tyrann Mathieu, CB, LSU: As a reserve, Mathieu had a productive year in 2010, when he ranked first in the SEC and fifth nationally with five forced fumbles and tied for first in the league with three fumble recoveries. He also led LSU with seven pass breakups. He became a national star and a Heisman finalist in 2011, as he tied for the team lead with 76 tackles, tied for first nationally with five fumble recoveries, and tied for fourth with six forced fumbles. He was also fifth nationally with a 15.6 average on punt returns and took two back for touchdowns.
• Sam Montgomery, DE, LSU: Montgomery missed most of 2010 with a knee injury, but still managed two sacks. Last season, you would have never guessed that he was coming off an injury. Montgomery was one of the league's most productive players off the edge, ranking sixth in the SEC with nine sacks and had 13.5 tackles for loss.
• Zac Stacy, RB, Vanderbilt: He finished the 2010 season as Vanderbilt's second leading rusher with 331 yards and had three touchdowns. He looked like a completely different player in 2011, becoming one of the top running backs in the SEC. He was third in the SEC with 1,193 rushing yards and was second with 14 rushing touchdowns. He also averaged 5.7 yards per carry in conference play.
• Jarius Wright, WR, Arkansas: Wright left Arkansas as one of the best receivers to ever step foot in Fayetteville, but he saved his best season for last. After catching 42 passes for 788 yards and five touchdowns in 2010, Wright was the SEC's top receiver last season with 1,117 yards and 12 touchdowns. He also led the league with 93.1 yards per game.

Here are 10 more that just missed the cut:

• Antonio Allen, S, South Carolina
• Daren Bates, LB, Auburn
• Matt Elam, S, Florida
• Dont'a Hightower, LB, Alabama
• Jarrett Lee, QB, LSU
• Corey Lemonier, DE, Auburn
• AJ McCarron, QB, Alabama
• Aaron Murray, QB, Georiga
• Chris Rainey, RB, Florida
• Rueben Randle, WR, LSU

Since LSU's 21-0 loss to Alabama in the Allstate BCS National Championship Game last week, much has been made about the Tigers' ineffective game plan against the Crimson Tide.

The team we saw trample just about every prior opponent, was dominated in its own backyard of New Orleans. The defense held its ground for as long as it could, while the offense failed to adjust throughout the game and for some reason kept trying to run the option over and over again.

While LSU looked lost with the ball, LSU coach Les Miles said Tuesday that his team's struggles didn't happen because of a lack of effort.

"I have a difficult time people moaning my effort and my coaches' effort and the want to win," Miles said during his first interview with the media since his postgame press conference following the loss to Alabama. "I felt that they did everything that they could, that they were asked to do. I don’t think we played perfectly. I don’t think there’s anybody would say that this was something that was representative of our best play, but I can tell you that our guys gave everything that they had."

Miles defended his quarterback decision. Miles left Jordan Jefferson in the entire game even as he struggled throughout. There were plenty of opportunities for Miles to put fellow senior Jarrett Lee in, but never did.

Instead of handing the ball over to the quarterback that led the Tigers to an 8-0 start, averaging 156.3 passing yards per game and tossing 13 touchdowns to one interception along the way, Miles stayed with Jefferson and saw him pass for 53 yards and an interception. LSU finished the game with just 92 total yards and didn't cross into Alabama's territory until the fourth quarter.

"I can tell you that Jarrett Lee did come to mind," Miles said. "We do have confidence in Jarrett, we just felt like we needed that guy who might be able to get loose with his feet."

Alabama's pass rush might have been ferocious, but LSU's lack of offensive change truly was mind-boggling.

But Miles couldn't put everything on his quarterback. Miles said the defense played well as a whole, but struggled to put Alabama away on critical third downs.

(Alabama converted 3-of-14 third downs, with all three coming in the first half, though two came on drives that ended in field goals.)

Miles pointed out other mistakes, such as pres-snap penalties, the long punt return given up early, and a lack of big plays on offense.

"There were certainly a number of uncharacteristic mistakes by our guys," he said. "We ended up in some first down and 15’s that we didn’t need to. There were some snaps that hit the ground, some guys that had made big plays, not the quarterback, big plays throughout the year made some mistakes. Guys that we needed to count on in that game."

Now, Miles turns his focus to 2012, and he's excited. He's excited to see JUCO transfer Zach Mettenberger take over at quarterback and expects to see much more passing from the Tigers. He's also excited about the attitude of the team and the 16 starters returning.

Last Monday hurt those in and around LSU, but Miles said it won't erase what the Tigers did before. There is still plenty to celebrate from 2011.

"The fundamentals of this program are to win championships," Miles said, "and this team is a championship team. We won the (SEC) West. Now, in the West you have at one point and time, 1-2-3 (in the country). So when you win the West, anyway you cut it, you are in the top four in the country.

"Later this spring, our team will take a day and hang the Western Division championship and the conference championship banners in our indoor facility. I have to be very honest to tell you that I cannot bemoan this team’s success.

"By any measure, this is a great year."

Now that I’m back from the Big Easy and had my last cup of gumbo for a while, I wanted to reflect one last time on Alabama’s 21-0 victory over LSU in the Allstate BCS National Championship Game.

For starters, Alabama was the better team, the better-prepared team and played to win from the opening kickoff.

What do you say to the LSU defense? Those guys did everything they could to keep the Tigers in the game, but LSU’s offensive game plan was abysmal.

Alabama was ready. The Crimson Tide used their 40-plus days to prepare. They executed a fake field goal. They came out throwing on first down and wisely got sophomore quarterback AJ McCarron into an early rhythm.

Listen, McCarron can play. He’s confident and has a big arm. The Crimson Tide simply didn’t ask him to win a lot of games throwing the football this season.

As soon as you say that, though, you remember that Alabama was the only team in the SEC to average more than 200 rushing yards and 200 passing yards per game this season.

Outgoing offensive coordinator Jim McElwain went out in style. He’s leaving to take the Colorado State head coaching job, and his players were singing his praises late Monday night.

At a place like Alabama, where defense is king, the offense sometimes becomes the stepchild. But McElwain worked diligently to bring balance to Alabama’s offense and wasn’t afraid to jump out there and let McCarron throw it in the biggest game of the year.

On the other hand, what did LSU do during all of its extra preparation time to help its offense?

You knew the Crimson Tide would have an answer for the option, but the Tigers kept pounding away to see if they could get something outside.

It’s inexplicable that LSU coach Les Miles didn’t at least give Jarrett Lee a chance to see if he could get something going in the passing game.

Take a few deep shots. Go with the three-step passing game. Try something.

Even Alabama defensive coordinator Kirby Smart was stunned afterward that LSU didn’t try and go up top.

I thought this season was absolutely one of Miles’ shining moments, the way he navigated his team to a 13-0 record despite the deck being stacked against the Tigers much of the way.

Monday night was certainly not one of his shining moments, while it was truly a masterpiece by the entire Alabama staff.

Nick Saban has three national championships now and counting. Anybody taking bets that he gets to five before his work in Tuscaloosa is finished?

He’s a great coach, no doubt, and a great defensive mind. But don’t underestimate the importance of his hiring good coaches and letting those coaches coach.

Saban’s one of those guys who believes that you’ve never arrived. In fact, he was already thinking about this offseason and spring ball as soon as he finished his press conference Tuesday morning.

He won’t say it, so I’ll say it for him: Alabama football has most definitely arrived. Consider it a re-arrival of sorts, and the Tide are now prominently perched in college football’s throne.

NEW ORLEANS -- The ride is over.

The emotional roller coaster that was LSU’s season ended tragically inside the Mercedes-Benz Superdome.

The team that had shaken off a plethora of distractions and back-to-back games with double-digit, first-half deficits never made its way out of the French Quarter as No. 1 LSU (13-1, 8-0) fell to second-ranked Alabama (12-1, 7-1) 21-0 in Monday’s Allstate BCS National Championship Game.

For once, there was no spark for the Bayou Bengals. The team that had rolled over each and every opponent it faced this season -- and seemed on its way to a historic finish -- fell flat when it mattered the most.

“You have to play through adversity,” LSU defensive tackle Michael Brockers said. “That’s what our coaches teach us.

“[Alabama] made all the big plays and made all the tough plays tonight, and [I] tip my hat off to them for making all the big plays and winning tonight.”

The defense had more bend on Monday than it had been accustomed to, allowing nearly 400 yards, five field goals and a late-game touchdown. Still, for staying on the field for 35 minutes that’s pretty good.

For everything the defense did for the offense, it got nothing in return. It got no adjustments, no originality. What it did get was five first downs, 92 total yards, 2.1 yards per play and zero points.

It got an offense that crossed into Alabama territory just once … and that came in the fourth quarter.

Followed by criticism throughout the season, LSU quarterback Jordan Jefferson couldn’t get his offense moving. He couldn’t run and his arm didn’t help. The vertical passing game LSU promised wasn’t there because Jefferson admitted to holding onto the ball too long on designed deep passes because he wasn’t confident in where Alabama’s defenders were.

Some of his passes ranged from erratic to short. He was sacked four times and heard boos late in the first half and throughout the second when he took snaps instead of demoted quarterback Jarrett Lee.

Jefferson threw for 53 yards and an interception, and was beautifully contained by Alabama’s defense, which allowed him to rush for only 15 yards on 14 carries.

“I was seeing things clearly,” Jefferson said. “Making decisions with the ball wasn’t an issue.”

Jefferson turned the ball over twice, but it was his ill-advised flip-pass to an unsuspecting Spencer Ware that was devastating. Jefferson thought Ware was ready for the pass, but Ware had turned up field to block before Jefferson released the ball, which was intercepted.

“Other than that, I made great decisions with the ball,” Jefferson said. “Offensively, we just fell short.”

Very short.

Though there was no sign of Lee. He just stood on the sidelines, tossing the ball occasionally to keep his arm warm.

“It’s disappointing,” Lee said. “I would have liked to have gotten some snaps, but it is what it is. Didn’t get any snaps, so you gotta move on past that.”

LSU coach Les Miles' only explanation for not playing Lee was that with Lee’s lack of mobility he didn’t feel as though he could sustain Alabama’s pass rush.

Even with as poorly as Jefferson played, the pounding, wear-‘em-down running game that moved this offense never arrived. The Tigers got 12 carries from their running backs. (Leading rusher Michael Ford got four carries but managed only 1 yard.)

Offensive lineman Will Blackwell said the plan was to run the ball up the middle, but that never materialized so the staff directed runs to outside. Even after those didn't work, adjustments weren't made.

“I feel like we got away from our game plan a little bit,” Blackwell said. “We planned on running it inside and pounding them to maybe get the edge.

“We fell away from that and I don’t know what the reason for that is. Our game plan just fell apart.

“We got away from the things we’ve been doing all season, and whenever you do that in a championship game it usually doesn’t work out for you very well.”

LSU finally succumbed to all the adversity. For a team that fed off the negativity, the Tigers weren’t ready for Alabama. There was no game-changing play from the Honey Badger, the defense didn’t force any turnovers, there was no emotion in the second half and the offense never showed up.

For the defense, Monday must have hurt the most. They hunkered down near their own end zone and played well enough to win.

In the end, LSU’s defense just couldn’t play both ways for the Tigers.

“It was very disappointing,” linebacker Ryan Baker said. “We were clawing and fighting out there and we were just sitting back watching them go three-and-out.”

ESPN.com's Edward Aschoff talks with LSU QB Jarrett Lee following the Tigers' loss to Alabama in the BCS title game.

NEW ORLEANS -- College football has a new national champion and its name is Alabama. The second-ranked Crimson Tide (12-1, 7-1) totally dominated the night as Alabama came away with the 21-0 win over No. 1 LSU (13-1, 8-0) in the Allstate BCS National Championship Game.

We even had a touchdown in the rematch, as Alabama running back Trent Richardson put the game away with his 34-yard touchdown run late in the fourth quarter. After kicking killed the Tide in the first go-round between these two teams, Jeremy Shelley hit five of his seven field-goal attempts.

How it was won: Alabama's defense entered the game as the nation's best and it showed exactly why Monday night. LSU's offense did absolutely nothing for four quarters. The Crimson Tide contained LSU quarterback Jordan Jefferson all night and forced him to have his worst game of the year. Alabama quarterback AJ McCarron was outstanding as well. He was cool and collected in the huddle and never looked like the youngster that he is. He finished the game with 234 yards passing. LSU's defense wasn't bad either, allowing only the five field goals before Richardson's touchdown run with 4:36 left.

Turning point: Jefferson's interception in the third quarter stopped any chance of LSU making any sort of run in the second half. Honestly, the turning point might have been when LSU coach Les Miles sent Jefferson out to take the snaps at quarterback in the second half.

Stat of the game: LSU ran the ball so well against Alabama earlier this year, but the Crimson Tide's defense absolutely manhandled LSU's offensive line and held the Tigers to a season-low 39 yards rushing.

Player of the game: Shelley tied a bowl record with five field goals and scored the only points of the game until late in the fourth. After Alabama's kicking game was a disaster last time these teams played, he was the Tide's best offensive player.

Unsung hero: Courtney Upshaw was a monster on Monday. He recorded seven tackles, six solo and a sack. He couldn't be contained by LSU's offensive line.

Second guessing: Miles always has been very loyal to Jefferson, but it cost him Monday. He should have turned to Jarrett Lee at some point in the second half after a simply awful performance by Jefferson. Lee struggled against Alabama earlier this year, but he couldn't have been worse than Jefferson, right? Jefferson passed for 53 yards and an interception and ran for 15 yards.

What it means: Alabama now enters the offseason with Nick Saban's second national championship as the Tide's head coach. That's No. 13 in the Alabama record books. The Tide will lose some key pieces to this team, especially on defense, but the offense might be better with four of five linemen coming back and McCarron being much improved. Alabama should also have some better play at wide receiver. For LSU, this was a great season until Monday night. But the Tigers return the core of this team and will most certainly get better quarterback play from junior college transfer Zach Mettenberger. Both of these teams will be ranked right at the top of the polls to begin next season.

Record performance: Shelley's five field goals tied the record for most in a bowl game. His seven attempts set a bowl record.

NEW ORLEANS -- It might be time for Les Miles to hand the ball off to Jarrett Lee.

Fans booed Jordan Jefferson after he returned to the field following a terribly thrown ball that was intercepted by Alabama linebacker C.J. Mosley and those boos got even louder after he was sacked to end that drive.

Jefferson now has 48 passing yards, an interception and 3 yards rushing. Alabama's defense hasn't given him much to work with at all, but Jefferson has been awful tonight.

Jefferson returned to the huddle just before the fourth quarter and received more boos from the LSU fans

So, will Miles think of going with Lee, who began the year as the starter? He struggled mightily last time he played against Alabama, but he couldn't do any worse than Jefferson, right?

As the fourth quarter started, LSU's players trudged over to its side of the field with absolutely no emotion.

Alabama continues to take the ball out of Trent Richardson's hands inside the 30-yard line, but kicker Jeremy Shelley has been bailing the offense out on LSU's side of the field. He has now hit five field goals in this one.

We came close to our first touchdown, but Brandon Gibson dropped AJ McCarron's pass at the goal line.

Honestly, with the way LSU's offense is playing, 15 points might be enough for Alabama. The Crimson Tide has all of the momentum and all of the emotion. LSU also has just 66 yards of offense.

NEW ORLEANS -- Alabama defensive coordinator Kirby Smart isn’t into making guarantees.

But he is convinced that Monday’s Allstate BCS National Championship Game will feature a pair of offenses that are far more aggressive than they were in the first game on Nov. 5.

In his words, there’s “no way” it will be another 9-6 game with both teams being kept out of the end zone.

“It ain’t going to happen,” said Smart, whose Alabama defense hasn’t given up more than 14 points in a game all season. “I don’t think both teams will play it as close to the vest.”

Smart said LSU was more conservative the first time because the Tigers felt like they could control the game with their defense.

“They didn’t throw the ball vertically much on us,” Smart said. “Every game since ours, they’ve taken shots. They didn’t take a whole lot of shots against us. They probably got a little gun-shy early, because when they did, they threw the two picks and got away from it and won the game on defense. I don’t think it will be that way this time.

“They’ll take shots. We’ll be one-on-one, and we’ll either win them or we won’t.”

Smart said the Crimson Tide would be prepared for both Jordan Jefferson and Jarrett Lee at quarterback, but he doesn’t see it as having to prepare for two different guys.

“They run the same offenses. They just have more plays,” Smart said. “The preparation is very similar. You just have to be more prepared for the option with Jordan, and we will be.”

Alabama was the team that tried a few trick plays in the first game and not LSU and Les Miles, who’s renowned for rolling the dice.

With more than a month to prepare, Miles will undoubtedly have a few things up his sleeve for this game.

“They’ve got a ton of trick plays, but you can’t prepare for trick plays because you have no idea what they’re going to run,” Smart said. “You go through their history. You go through each coach’s history, where has he been, what has he run. But they’re going to run something based on something they’ve seen against us, an area where they say we’re vulnerable.

“We have no idea where that is. You try to do your job, but you can’t over-coach that because you’re playing scared.”

NEW ORLEANS -- There has been no shortage of complaining since the Allstate BCS National Championship Game teams were announced.

It’s understandable when you consider that No. 1 LSU (13-0, 8-0) and No. 2 Alabama (11-1, 7-1) have already played. But most of the protests stemmed from the fact neither team scored a touchdown when they played in November.

Something called “defense” was played in Tuscaloosa, Ala., but apparently there was too much.

Monday, you won’t see PlayStation-like numbers that have been the norm during bowl season, but both teams promise things will be different when they have the ball.

“We’re going to have a better game plan this time and hopefully put some more points on the board,” LSU wide receiver Rueben Randle said.

“I don’t think anyone’s going to be able to come out 9-6 and win this game.”

For Monday’s rematch to look different, some things need to change on both sides. Here’s a look at why things will be different inside the Mercedes-Benz Superdome:

LSU’s passing game will be more vertical

In November, LSU’s passing game was ineffective. Jordan Jefferson and Jarrett Lee combined to throw under the century mark and just four passes for double-digit yardage.

Now, the talk from LSU’s side is how vertical the Tigers want to get against Alabama’s defense. LSU ran for 148 yards last time, so Alabama will be keying in on the run.

LSU will want to start on the ground but wants Jefferson to air it out a little more.

“Our passing game is going to have to loosen some things up in order to get our running game started,” Randle said. “They’re going to fill that box to stop the run, so we need to be ready as receivers to make those plays down field.”

Alabama’s wide receivers want to prove themselves

Alabama might have had 100 more passing yards than LSU in November, but it never looked great. Quarterback AJ McCarron made some mistakes, but wide receiver Darius Hanks said the ones who catch the ball need to step up.

Alabama got two catches from tight ends and eight from receivers. Hanks, who caught two, said that should improve Monday.

“Our tight ends and our receivers will be the difference-makers in this game,” he said. “They think that if they stop our run game, then they’re going to win the game, but I feel differently.

“We can see a lot of their weaknesses, so we’re going to attack those areas, go strong and put the ball in the air this time.”

He also expects to spearhead Alabama’s passing game because he feels he can beat All-American cornerbacks Morris Claiborne and Tyrann Mathieu.

“I definitely feel like those guys, they can’t cover me,” he said.

P.J. Lonergan is 100 percent

Last time, LSU’s starting center wasn’t at full speed. He was hobbled by an ankle injury and played sparingly against Alabama.

While LSU was able to run the ball well without Lonergan, he should bolster LSU’s pass blocking, which will give Jefferson more time to look downfield.

“It’s definitely good that he’s back healthy,” LSU offensive guard Will Blackwell said.

“A healthy P.J. now will definitely be better than the P.J. that played Nov. 5.”

Alabama is prepared for the option

The Tide’s defense wasn’t as ready for Jefferson and the option in November. The team was prepared to see more of Lee, so when Jefferson came in, holes opened up in Alabama’s rush defense.

Now, Alabama knows that Jefferson will be LSU’s guy and the defense knows that Jefferson likes the option. LSU might want to throw more, but the running game is the heart of the offense.

Tide defensive tackle Josh Chapman said the key will be locking up the run gaps that were open too often when Jefferson ran the ball. Players were out of position because they weren’t ready.

“If we keep our running lanes right and affect him,” he said, “we’ll have a great ballgame.”

McCarron will have more confidence and emotion

McCarron didn’t play his game last time. He toned down the emotion and that sucked away his confidence.

His teammates had nothing to feed off of, and that hurt Alabama. McCarron has been given the green light to ramp up those emotions, and that should keep his spirits up against LSU’s defense.

“I definitely gotta come out and play with emotion in this game like I always do,” McCarron said. “Just play my game.”

If McCarron can get going, it will help Alabama in the red zone. The Tide moved the ball well between the 30s against LSU but reached the red zone just once.

Alabama’s secondary is nicked up

LSU could move the ball through the air better this time because Alabama’s secondary is banged up. Safety Mark Barron injured his ribs against Auburn, while cornerbacks DeQuan Menzie and Dee Milliner have leg injuries.

Menzie has a hamstring injury that bothered him all season, while Milliner suffered a thigh injury against Auburn. They say they’re fine, but they’re called “nagging” for a reason.

Backup safety Will Lowery is also out with a season-ending knee injury he suffered against Georgia Southern.

On the flip side, LSU is healthier.

“The most important thing about this break is we’re fresh,” LSU linebacker Ryan Baker said. “Going into Nov. 5, guys were nicked up. … The game plan is pretty much the same, it’s just those guys [who weren’t healthy] will be making plays."

Most of the focus will be on points, but these teams are too old school for this to be a track meet. Defense will continue to be the constant for both teams.

“I'd expect it to be big-boy football,” LSU coach Les Miles said. “And I'd expect it to be very, very physical and that it would be a game that would be representative of two quality football teams.”

NEW ORLEANS -- Jarrett Lee began the first game of LSU's season as its starting quarterback. He'll end the Tigers' last practice as … their backup center and guard?

Wait. What? How did Lee go from a quarterback to a 206-pound offensive lineman?

"We're switching jerseys with the centers," said Lee. "They wear our jerseys, we wear theirs. That's for the final practice."

Oh, OK. So Lee will swap numbers with fellow fifth-year senior guard/center T-Bob Hebert for Saturday's workout at the New Orleans Saints' facility. Lee will wear the massive No. 53 jersey of the 304-pound lineman. Hebert will try to squeeze into Lee's No. 12.

"It's definitely a sight to see," said Hebert, who came to LSU the same year as Lee. "There's a lot of guts hanging out. And a lot of oversized mini-skirt-looking jerseys going on."

Said Lee: "I've got a lot of experience with him."

Read more from Gene Wojciechowski.

LSU passed with flying colors during the regular season, so it's no wonder the Tigers are a win away from taking home the national title.

OFFENSE: B

When LSU wasn't throwing the ball, the Tigers were nearly impossible to stop. LSU's multi-headed rushing monster combined for 215.2 yards per game, including a league-high 35 rushing touchdowns. Against SEC opponents, LSU was even better, leading the conference with 220.4 rushing yards per contest. Sophomore Michael Ford led LSU with 755 yards and seven touchdowns. Spencer Ware, Kenny Hilliard and Alfred Blue added another 1,559 rushing yards and 23 touchdowns. Passing was another story for LSU. The Tigers started by losing offensive coordinator Steve Kragthorpe, who became quarterbacks coach after being diagnosed with Parkinson's disease. LSU then lost starting quarterback Jordan Jefferson for the first four games to a suspension that stemmed from a bar fight. But Jarrett Lee stepped right in and led this team. He was never flashy, but he was incredibly efficient. He lost his starting job after the Alabama game, but finished the year with 1,306 yards, 14 touchdowns and three interceptions. Jefferson took his job back late, and while he looked completely overwhelmed at times, he threw just one interception and six touchdowns. He also didn't lose a game. Despite an average passing game, LSU led the SEC in scoring (38.5) and was fifth in total offense (375.3).

DEFENSE: A+

LSU might have entered the season with a handful of defensive youngsters, but the Tigers never let it become an issue. LSU was fantastic on defense, finishing the regular season second nationally in total defense, allowing 252.1 yards per game and giving up just 3.96 yards per play and 14 offensive touchdowns. Defensive coordinator John Chavis really earned his pay check down in Baton Rouge. LSU was not only fierce but the Tigers were disciplined. Up front, LSU caused major headaches by overpowering offensive lines. With players like Sam Montgomery, Barkevious Mingo, Michael Brockers and Bennie Logan owning the trenches, LSU finished the regular season with 98 tackles for loss, including a league-high 37 sacks. Opponents also rushed for 85.5 yards per game. LSU led the SEC with 30 takeaways, including getting 18 interceptions. That was helped by arguably the nation's best secondary. First, you had do-everything cornerback -- and Chuck Bednarik winner -- in Tyrann Mathieu, who grabbed seven takeaways and forced six fumbles. Then there was Jim Thrope Award winner Morris Claiborne, who was the nation's best cover corner and snatched six interceptions and defended 12 passes.

SPECIAL TEAMS: A

Not only did LSU lead the SEC in net punting average (41.6) and allow just six return yards but Mathieu led the league with 420 punt return yards. He also had two touchdowns, both coming in the last two weeks, and tied for first in the SEC averaging 16.2 yards per return. Punter Brad Wing might have been the league's most accurate punter, planting 23 inside the 20-yard line and launching 18 that went for more than 50 yards, including that 73-yard beauty against Alabama. He also had a touchdown run called back for taunting. LSU also got a kickoff returned for a touchdown by Claiborne, who averaged 26.1 yards per return. LSU led the SEC in field goal percentage (.889) after hitting 16-of-18. In kickoff coverage, the Tigers struggled at times, ranking seventh in the league with a net average of 44.1 yards.

COACHING: A

If not for the passing issues against better defenses, LSU probably would have gotten an A+ here. Coach Les Miles had to deal with a handful of issues before and throughout this special season. The Associated Press' coach of the year saw his offensive coordinator step down and had to deal with a handful of off-the-field issues that led to suspensions. Still, he was able to lead LSU to its first 13-0 season, with 12 coming by double digits and seven by 30 or more points. The Tigers also beat eight ranked opponents, with seven of them coming by double digits. He kept order when Jefferson returned and is a win away from his second national title at LSU. Then you have Chavis, who did a masterful job with LSU's young defense. It was hard to find a faster, more athletic defense around, as LSU allowed 20-plus points just twice during the regular season.