LaFell coming back

• By RANDY ROSETTA
• Advocate sportswriter
• Published: Jan 18, 2009 - UPDATED: 12:05 a.m.

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When Charles Scott and Ciron Black announced last week that they would return for their senior seasons at LSU, one of the biggest motivations was work left to do for the pair of Tigers that put off a chance to play for pay.

LSU wide receiver Brandon LaFell must have liked what he heard from his two longtime teammates. Because LaFell reversed field and withdrew his name Sunday for consideration for the 2009 NFL draft.

The 6-foot-3 Houston native issued a statement Thursday announcing he had submitted his name for the draft, but he made a point of saying he had not signed with an agent — giving him a 72-hour window to withdraw.

Sunday, LaFell took advantage of that window, giving the Tigers another major jolt of optimism heading into the 2009 season.

LaFell was unavailable for comment Sunday. LSU coach Les Miles issued a statement through the athletic media relations office.

“We are extremely excited to have Brandon returning to the LSU football team for his senior season,” Miles said. “We were going to support him no matter what decision he made. We tried to give Brandon as much information as we could to help him with this decision, but ultimately it was a decision that Brandon and his family had to make.

“The news of Brandon coming back to school is big for our football team. His contributions to our football program have been very significant and I’m glad we are going to get another year with him.”

Indeed, LaFell’s return bolsters an offense that already got good news with the return of Scott and Black — an 1,174-yard rusher with 18 touchdowns on the ground in 2008 and a left tackle who has started the last 40 games.

As a junior in 2008, LaFell led the Southeastern Conference with 63 receptions and his 929 yards were the second highest total in the league. He also snared eight touchdown receptions, tied for SEC best.

The return of that trio, plus the emergence of freshman quarterback Jordan Jefferson in LSU’s last two games gives the Tigers the potential for one of the most balanced and explosive offenses in the SEC.

“We get a guy back who has shown he can get the job done,” LSU receivers coach D.J. McCarthy said. “He’s already proven that he’s one of the best in our conference and in the nation. Now he brings back great leadership.”

LaFell comes back as the cornerstone of a receiving corps that includes veterans Terrance Toliver (22 catches, 257 yards, 1 TD) and Chris Mitchell (8-115, 2 TD). Current freshman Chris Tolliver and Deangelo Peterson and highly touted recruit Rueben Randle — if he signs with the Tigers — are rising stars. And incoming quarterback Russell Shepard might also play receiver.

“With (LaFell) coming back, that takes a lot of the pressure off of the talented young guys we have there,” McCarthy said. “They don’t have to worry about getting double-covered because he’s the one who will get a lot more attention and that will give the other guys the chance to go one-and-one and make the most of those opportunities.”