BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) — LSU coach Les Miles contends adversity only strengthens the resolve of teams like his, a stance that is looking more accurate as the 2011 season wears on.
The No. 1 Tigers have overcome a slew of distractions to win their first five games comfortably.
Early in Saturday’s 35-7 win over Kentucky, Miles took what could have been an uncomfortable situation and turned it into a source of inspiration by inserting Jordan Jefferson for a successful quarterback sneak on fourth-and-goal. It was Jefferson’s first play back from a suspension stemming from an August bar fight.
LSU (5-0, 2-0 Southeastern Conference) also has overcome receiver Russell Shepard’s three-game suspension and a coaching staff shuffle in August, when quarterbacks coach Steve Kragthorpe relinquished offensive coordinator duties after he was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease.
