Halloween may be four days away, but LSU already had its fair share of scares this season.
Tiger fans across Louisiana held their collective breath in August after news broke that starting senior quarterback Jordan Jefferson would be suspended indefinitely in the days leading up to LSU's clash with then-No. 3 Oregon.
More brows furrowed weeks later when senior linebacker Ryan Baker was suspended for the second game of the season against Northwestern State.
A sigh of exasperation could be heard when LSU implemented a three-game suspension of junior wide receiver Russell Shepard at the start of the season.
When sophomore running back Spencer Ware and sophomore cornerbacks Tyrann Mathieu and Tharold Simon were held out against then-No. 20 Auburn, the storybook season looked to be in jeopardy.
Despite the horde of off-the-field issues, the Tigers managed to win every game this season and hold the top spot in the polls.
With the return of Ware, Mathieu and Simon to the team Tuesday, LSU will be at full strength for just the fourth time all season as the Tigers look ahead to their Nov. 5 showdown with No. 2 Alabama.
"To get them back on the field is really good for them, and it's really good for the team," said sophomore defensive end Sam Montgomery. "I feel like it's more family-based, and we have our family back again. When you're playing the best, you want to be at your best so you can perform at your top level."
LSU didn't miss a beat without the three starters, but the return of Ware gives the Tigers a bruising back who's racked up 512 yards and six touchdowns this season.
Mathieu and Simon bring a combined 71 tackles, three interceptions and 13 pass break ups, and the pair helps compose a secondary that ranks No. 11 in the nation, surrendering 174.75 yards per game through the air.
The Tigers have had nearly as many suspensions as they have had games this season, as seven players have been held out through eight games.
While some teams might crumble under the unfavorable circumstances, senior offensive lineman T-Bob Hebert said LSU uses the distractions as a rallying point each week.
"It could be seen as kind of a catalyst for everyone to come together," Hebert said. "This team's focus has been one of its strong points. I almost feel like everybody else makes a bigger deal about it than we do. It's not distracting to us."
With an undefeated season thus far and two more ranked opponents on the schedule, senior safety Brandon Taylor said the Tigers will need all hands on deck moving forward.
"To get where we want to be – and that's the national championship – we need everybody to be on point and to stay focused," Taylor said. "We need everybody we've got to get to our destination."
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Contact Mark Clements at mclements@lsureveille.com
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