Tigers rank 1st in class

• By SCOTT HOTARD
• Advocate sportswriter
• Published: Feb 5, 2009 - Page: 1A - UPDATED: 12:30 a.m.

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Les Miles stood before a media gathering Wednesday afternoon during his annual National Signing Day news conference. He lauded LSU football’s 2009 recruiting haul, breaking down the highly touted class he and his coaching staff secured.

Two minutes in, his cell phone rang.

Miles scanned the digits on Caller ID, hoping for more good news.

“Nope,” he said. “Don’t need that one.”

He then pulled the phone from his hip and tossed it to Michael Bonnette, LSU’s sports information director.

“I apologize,” Miles told the crowd. “I promise you haven’t seen that besides this day.”

Welcome to the Super Bowl of recruiting season, the day teenagers throughout the country sign letters of intent and college coaches such as Miles spend restless hours waiting by phones and fax machines.

Miles lost a few prospects he surely hoped would call. But he and the Tigers still dialed up the school’s most decorated class in years.

LSU finished No. 1 in two of the four major recruiting services. That Southeastern Conference rival Alabama finished No. 1 in one of the other two is something LSU fans can probably accept.

The Tigers were named the recruiting champion by ESPNU and CBS College Sports. They were second in the other two, ranked behind Alabama by Rivals.com and Ohio State by Scout.com.

The rankings, of course, project that longtime LSU commitment Janzen Jackson, a Barbe defensive back, follows through and signs with the Tigers in Lake Charles this morning.

That would complete a 26-player puzzle.

“Take a step back and look at this class,” Rivals.com recruiting analyst Barton Simmons said. “It’s a remarkable group regardless of the rankings. I don’t know what else you would want from this class. I can’t imagine anyone would be disappointed.”