Tigers' consistency key to talent haul 
November, 21, 2012
11/21/12
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By
David Helman | ESPN.com
Here's a telling statistic for anyone questioning LSU's recent recruiting success: in the past 11 seasons dating back to 2001, the Tigers have finished first or second in the SEC West nine times.
During that span, LSU has played for five conference championships, won four of them, traveled to five BCS bowl games, played for three national championships and won two.
Simply put, no other program in the SEC has sustained that level of success over such a long period -- not Alabama, which was up and down for years before the hiring of Nick Saban, and not Florida, which endured mediocrity at both ends of the past decade.
During that span, LSU has played for five conference championships, won four of them, traveled to five BCS bowl games, played for three national championships and won two.
Simply put, no other program in the SEC has sustained that level of success over such a long period -- not Alabama, which was up and down for years before the hiring of Nick Saban, and not Florida, which endured mediocrity at both ends of the past decade.
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Gary Laney
Gary Laney joined ESPN.com in 2012 after spending a year and a half as online sports editor of the Baton Rouge (La.) Advocate. Before that, he covered LSU sports for the Advocate. He has also been the sports editor at the Beaumont (Texas) Enterprise and covered McNeese State athletics for the Lake Charles (La.) American Press. Laney currently lives in Baton Rouge. Email him at glaneyespn@gmail.com