The LSU football team rang in 2008 in style, topping Ohio State in dominating fashion en route to its second Bowl Championship Series trophy in five years.
And Tiger fans did not have to wait long before they could celebrate the success of the team once again - this time off the field.
Belle Glade, Fla., offensive guard Henry Orelus (6-5, 265) sent LSU coach Les Miles a Valentine's Day gift Feb. 14 by committing Tigers.
Orelus, who marked the first commitment of the 2009 class, was only the beginning.
The Tigers landed a pair of commitments a week later in Leesville running back Michael Ford (5-10, 210) and Houston defensive end Mike Brockers (6-6, 260).
Ford, the nation's No. 6 running back according to Scout.com, is heralded as one of the best runners in the state, joining players like Kevin Mawae and Cecil Collins as former Leesville High prospects putting on the purple and gold.
Two more Louisiana natives gave committed to LSU the following day, bringing the total to five commits in just one week's time.
That number grew to six by the end of February, putting the Tigers leaps and bounds ahead of the rest of the Southeastern Conference.
But even bigger news was on the horizon.
Cypress Ridge five-star quarterback Russell Shepard (6-2, 185) of Houston made his way to Baton Rouge, and the Tigers were low on his radar.
Shepard, the nation's No. 2 quarterback prospect according to Scout, planned on taking a visit and weighing out his options. He returned to Houston in February from LSU junior day with a new attitude.
With that new attitude also came the Tigers sixth - and biggest - commitment.
"He walked into my office when he got back from Baton Rouge with a big grin on his face," said Cypress Ridge coach Gary Thibaud. "He had gotten very close with coach [Larry] Porter and coach Miles. He was very enthused with the weekend he had. He basically fell in love with LSU."
By late March, the Tigers would wrap up the quarterback position with the addition of Tupelo, Miss., native Chris Garrett (6-4, 222).
At month's end, LSU landed another running back in Dexter Pratt (6-2, 220) of Navasota, Texas.
Pratt, the nation's No. 6 running back prospect according to Scout, chose the Tigers over Texas and Oklahoma. At LSU, he will be able to play alongside friends and fellow Texas-natives Terrance Tolliver and Jarrett Lee.
With the addition of a pair of out-of-state linebackers Kevin Minter (6-1, 240) of Suwanee, Ga., and Willie Ferrell (6-2, 222) of Tallahassee, Fla., the Tigers' class of 2009 stands at 11 - eight more than conference-rival Alabama and nine more than Florida.
---- Contact Shea Dixon at sdixon@lsureveille.com.
