LSU coach Les Miles is making a big deal out of not divulging the nature of senior receiver Early Doucet's injury, but it doesn't change the most important aspects of the situation.

First, "It appears to be a pretty significant injury," Miles said.

Second, it appears Doucet could miss a significant amount of time, including the Sept. 22 game against No. 12 South Carolina.

"That's our fear," Miles said.

While it's already been reported by several news sources that Doucet suffered a pulled groin muscle Sept. 14 during a light workout the day before a 44-0 home win over Middle Tennessee, the issue this week isn't the exact nature of Doucet's injury but what the No. 2 Tigers (3-0, 1-0 SEC) plan to do about it.

If the Middle Tennessee game was any indication, the Tigers will go with a combination of sophomores Brandon LaFell and Jared Mitchell, junior college transfer Demetrius Byrd and freshman Terrance Toliver.

When LSU lost receivers Dwayne Bowe and Craig Davis to the first round of the NFL draft, Doucet emerged as the team's go-to receiver. Doucet responded with nine receptions for 78 yards and an interception in the season opener against Mississippi State.

When Virginia Tech focused on stopping Doucet two weeks ago, LaFell came through with the best game of his career, setting career highs with seven catches for 125 yards.

With Doucet out for the Middle Tennessee game, Mitchell made his first start and led the Tigers with six catches for 82 yards. Toliver and Byrd both caught touchdown passes.

While Doucet is out for the South Carolina game and perhaps longer, the Tigers are counting on the return of senior quarterback Matt Flynn, who started the first two games but missed the Middle Tennessee game with a sprained ankle.

Flynn could have played if necessary against Middle Tennessee but the week off allowed his ankle to heal and gave backup Ryan Perrilloux his first start and extended playing time. Like the young receivers, Perrilloux responded positively, completing 20 of 25 passes for 298 yards and three touchdowns and running for 37 yards on eight carries.

With concerns about the potential for lingering problems with Flynn's injury, Perrilloux's performance is another reason to think the Tigers will continue to win after a strong start.

"It is a tremendous advantage to us having played the number of young guys that we have and that they have played well," Miles said. "Our football team is talented, and we are allowing some young guys to really develop and gain experience. That is important as we go forward."

--Most NFL draft analysts insist DT Glenn Dorsey would have been a top-15 pick in the 2007 draft, but Dorsey wasn't satisfied with his junior season and decided to return for a shot at national awards and one of the top five spots in the 2008 draft. As the key player in the middle of one of the nation's top returning defenses, Dorsey's performance will go a long way toward determining LSU's success this season. Through three games, he has recorded 14 tackles, 11 solo stops, 3.5 tackles for loss and two sacks, despite almost constant double and triple teams.

--With LSU losing Dwayne Bowe and Craig Davis to the first round of the NFL draft, WR Early Doucet steps up as LSU's go-to receiver. Through two games, he has 15 receptions for 153 yards and two touchdowns, and the constant attention he got from Virginia Tech's defense allowed receiver Brandon LaFell to have the best game of his career. However, Doucet missed the Middle Tennessee game and could miss several more because of a reported groin injury.

--Questions surrounding the nature and cause of Doucet's injury sent coach Les Miles into a diatribe on his relationship with the media during his weekly press conference. "When I handle injuries, I'm going to be as honest as I can," Miles said. "But, I'm not going to tell you everything. I want to protect my team and my players. Sometimes not everything is news."

Miles said he doesn't want to release information opponents can use against LSU. "I have always thought this way about injuries," Miles said. "It is about how do I best protect my team and best represent my players. I know the answers concerning the injuries. I know exactly what is wrong. I choose not to reveal it. I am honest when I say I am deceptive, because I am supposed to be. It is done with forethought. There have been a number of incidents where that piece of information gets out and is a tremendous advantage to the opposing team."

SCOUTING THE OFFENSE: The absence of Doucet means the Tigers will need even more help from younger receivers such as LaFell, Jared Mitchell, Terrance Toliver and Demetrius Byrd. Mitchell, Toliver and Byrd all made plays last week against Middle Tennessee. Now they have to do it against an SEC team. The offensive line is solid and there's depth, talent and versatility among the backs. QB Matt Flynn played well in the first two games and, when he sat out with an ankle injury last week, backup Ryan Perrilloux played well. Now Flynn is scheduled to return but the play of Perrilloux gives the Tigers a capable insurance policy if Flynn gets hurt again.

SCOUTING THE DEFENSE: The last time the Tigers recorded two shutouts in their first three games was 1959. The Tigers enter the fourth game of the season ranked No. 1 in the nation in both scoring and total defense, allowing 128.3 yards and 2.33 points per game. It starts up front with a strong defensive line, but the performance of cornerbacks Jonathan Zenon and Chevis Jackson allows defensive coordinator Bo Pellini to do more with his safeties and front seven.

QUOTE TO NOTE: "When you have your starting quarterback and star receiver on the sideline, we showed the ability to play without them. Other guys step up. When you play at LSU and come out on the field with 11 players, it doesn't mean that the guys at 12, 13 and 14, who are waiting to get out there, don't have talent. When somebody gets a little nicked and we want to rest them, and we turn to a guy like Jared Mitchell or Demetrius Byrd, they understand that it is the responsibility of the position to play like the guy in front of them or better. We challenged some young guys today and they brought their talents to the team." -- LSU coach Les Miles.

THIS WEEK'S GAME: South Carolina at LSU, Sept. 22 -- South Carolina showed its toughness and its ability to win with the run, play defense and take care of business in a 16-12 victory at Georgia two weeks ago, but the Gamecocks are still struggling to make plays in the passing game. If they can't run against an LSU defense that is especially tough against the run, it remains to be seen if they even have a chance. LSU must continue to be diverse and balanced on offense and make use of its multiple weapons. The key will be the Tigers' ability to make up for the injury absence of leading receiver Early Doucet.

PLAYERS TO WATCH: WRs Brandon LaFell, Jared Mitchell, Terrance Toliver and Demetrius Byrd -- First the Tigers lost Dwayne Bowe and Craig Davis to the first round of the NFL draft. Then they lost Doucet last week for at least one game due to a reported groin injury. That puts the pressure on LaFell and his fellow receivers to step up and make plays.

QB Matt Flynn -- South Carolina put a lot of pressure on Georgia QB Matthew Stafford but Flynn is more mobile -- when he's healthy. He missed last week's game so he could be healthy for this game. If not, backup Ryan Perrilloux can also make plays on the run.

DT Glenn Dorsey and TE Tyson Jackson -- South Carolina owned the line of scrimmage against Georgia but the Gamecocks haven't faced anyone like Dorsey and Jackson. Dorsey holds his ground and disrupts the run game with his penetration and Jackson gets upfield to cause problems in the backfield. The Gamecocks are already struggling to pass the ball and will likely need to commit extra blockers to slow Dorsey and Jackson up front. If the Gamecocks can't move Dorsey and Jackson, they could be in big trouble.

ROSTER REPORT: LSU coach Les Miles won't comment on the exact nature of Doucet's injury, even though it's been reported to be a pulled groin injury, but he did confirm that it appears to be "a pretty significant injury" that could force Doucet to miss multiple games.

While Flynn is expected to start against South Carolina, the tenuous nature of his high ankle sprain means the LSU coaches must have Perrilloux ready to go. Perrilloux helped his cause with a strong performance in his first start last week. Even if Flynn does start and play effectively, Perrilloux might see some playing time. "Our starting quarterback's Matt Flynn," Miles said. "That's not an issue. Does he (Perrilloux) deserve to play? Yeah, I'd like to tell you that we plan on playing two quarterbacks most of the season."

While senior guard Will Arnold has spent the past two seasons battling one leg injury after another, his absence against Middle Tennessee had nothing to do with an injury. Instead Miles said Arnold has a viral infection and will most likely miss the South Carolina game as well.

Redshirt freshman LB Derrick Odom leads the Tigers in arrests this season. He was arrested for the second time in less than a month, this time for allegedly helping former LSU football player and track star Xavier Carter damage the car of an LSU student on Sept. 1. Odom, who is 6-foot-2, 212 pounds, is accused of ramming the car with his body and attempting to smash a car window with his foot, according to a report provided by the LSU police. Miles suspended Odom for his original arrest on Aug. 23, when Odom allegedly tried to break down the apartment door of an LSU student, damage the student's vehicle and threaten the student and the student's father. Miles lifted Odom's first suspension on Sept. 10. As of Sept. 18, Miles had not announced any disciplinary action against Odom.