Playmakers welcomed

• By JOSEPH SCHIEFELBEIN
• Advocate sportswriter
• Published: Nov 5, 2008 - UPDATED: 12:05 a.m.

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LSU junior receiver Brandon LaFell has learned not to try to push too much. He’s discovered the calm from trusting his teammates to be playmakers. He’s found out how to put bad plays and tough games behind him quickly.

Guess what advice he gives to redshirt freshman quarterback Jarrett Lee?

LaFell started by trying to quiet LSU fans booing Lee after another interception got returned for a touchdown late Saturday against Tulane. Later, LaFell was in his ear telling him the offense was going to improve only if players believe in one another.

When Lee leans on his veteran receivers, this is the been-there, done-that advice he gets.

“They’re helping me a lot,” Lee said.

The bond that has been developing since the spring will be put to the test again in the Tigers’ third marquee game of the season, as No. 15 LSU hosts No. 1 Alabama at 2:30 p.m. Saturday.

Alabama coach Nick Saban has loved having cornerbacks play tight and physical, with their one-on-one coverage allowing other defenders to stack the line of scrimmage to blitz or stuff a running game.

“We know they’re going to put an extra dude in the box to try to stop the run,” LaFell said. “They’re going to be sending the house here and there. We have to get open for our quarterback. … It’s real critical we go out and try to open it up with the passing game, so they can’t put so many guys in the box to try to stop Charles Scott and Keiland Williams.”

LaFell, a 6-foot-3 junior with 17 career starts, and Demetrius Byrd, a 6-3 senior with 10 career starts, are LSU’s top two receivers, along with 6-3 junior tight end Richard Dickson, a junior with 22 starts whom Lee has turned to over and over for big plays.

“We’re fortunate to have two or three really good one-on-one pass-route runners in LaFell, (6-5 sophomore Terrance) Tolliver and Byrd,” LSU coach Les Miles said. “That’s certainly something that will be a key matchup in the game: our wide receivers versus their corners, those guys who will play man-to-man.”

This season, LaFell has 39 catches for 572 yards and a career-best six touchdowns. Byrd has 24 catches for 376 yards and three TDs.

“Everybody’s always begging for (on-on-one coverage), and we’re going to get a chance to prove it this week,” said LaFell, with a catch in 23 straight games. “They’re going to run a lot of cover three, cover man free. You have one-on-ones out there in their press coverage. They challenge you at the line; you have to make plays.”

Byrd, a former Pearl River Community College transfer, broke loose for a career-best 144 yards and one touchdown on six catches against Alabama last season. That was his first career start, as LaFell got benched for a costly bobble against Auburn the game before but came in for four catches for 43 yards.