Spring game

With the BCS National Championship Game still a punch-in-the-gut memory, the next chance for LSU fans to look forward to football is the National L Club Spring Game on March 31. With free admission, it’s also the cheapest way to watch the Tigers live all year, and the game caps a four-and-a-half week stretch of preliminary practices.

It’s an opportunity for Tiger fans to get a sneak peek at the 2012 team, a squad expected to be among the frontrunners again this fall. Rising junior quarterback Zach Mettenberger takes the keys to our offensive ignition, but there will also be plenty of other depth-chart battles to keep an eye on—particularly at wide receiver, the offensive line and linebacker. Cornerback Tyrann Mathieu is back to make another run at the Heisman Trophy and headline a revamped defense that loses five starters but has loads of talent back to build around.

Besides the obvious appeal of seeing what’s new on the field, the game is slotted on a Saturday when the Tigers’ baseball and softball teams are both at home against Arkansas in Southeastern Conference action, giving fans a chance to take in the boys and girls of spring as a pre-game appetizer. lsusports.net