Academic woes could sideline LSU's top returning rusher

By Glenn Guilbeau, Gannett Louisiana

BATON ROUGE - On the heels of losing its best defensive player from last season in Tyrann "Honey Badger" Mathieu, No. 1 LSU now might be facing a game or games in 2012 without tailback Michael Ford, the Tigers' leading rusher in 2011.

Ford, a fourth-year junior who gained 756 yards on 127 carries last season, might miss the season opener Saturday (ESPNU, 7 p.m. ET) against North Texas as he awaits the outcome of an appeal concerning his academic record at LSU. Tahj Jones, a junior backup linebacker expected to play a lot this season, is also facing the possibility of an academic suspension.

"Yeah, there is some appeal process that being undertaken for those guys," LSU coach Les Miles said at his first weekly media luncheon Monday. "And we'll kind of have to wait and see how that all turns out as we get closer to the game."

Miles dismissed Mathieu, a Heisman Trophy finalist last season as a cornerback and kick returner and the winner of the Bednarik Award as the nation's best defensive player, from the team Aug. 10 for repeated violations of the school's substance abuse policy. Mathieu, a junior, is now in a drug rehabilitation center in Houston and not planning on playing football this season.

Ford has had academic troubles before. He was held out of some spring practices and the spring game in 2010 to allow him to focus on his studies. He has also been held out of some practices and scrimmages in recent weeks.

To maintain eligibility, student-athletes must pass six credit hours each semester, maintain a schedule of at least 12 credits and earn 18 credit hours over the course of a year, according to LSU's student-athlete manual. Ford had to have had a 2.0 cumulative grade-point average entering his seventh semester on Aug. 20, according to the manual. Jones had to have had a 1.9 grade point average entering his fifth semester on Aug. 20.

Ford is coming off his best season at LSU. Over the Tigers' last six games before the national championship game, he gained 396 yards on 56 carries for a seven-yard average per carry. He led LSU with 73 yards on 11 carries in the No. 1 Tigers 9-6 overtime victory over No. 2 Alabama in Tuscaloosa. Ford scored the apparent winning touchdown in overtime to beat Alabama. It was called back because he stepped out of bounds at the 7-yard line after a 15-yard gain, but that play set up Drew Alleman's game-winning field goal. Ford is believed to be LSU's fastest player.

Junior Alfred Blue, who was LSU's third-leading rusher last season with 539 yards and led the team with 6.9 yards a carry, was listed as LSU's first team tailback on a depth chart released Monday. Sophomore Kenny Hilliard, who gained 336 yards last season as the Tigers' No. 4 rusher, is No. 2. Ford and junior Spencer Ware are listed at Nos. 3 and 4. Ware was LSU's No. 2 rusher last season with 727 yards on 177 carries, but he has also been missing in action in recent weeks and missed all of LSU's preseason scrimmages with a thigh injury.

"Alfred Blue is really running better," Miles said. "Kenny Hilliard is a knifing running back. Without demeaning the other guys, they've had the best camp."