In 1999, Gerry DiNardo and Hal Hunter led LSU to a 3-8 record overall, the worst since 1992, when the team finished 2-9. In 2000, Nick Saban took over the Tigers’ program and in his first year, went 8-4. Four more seasons followed, and Saban left with a BCS National Championship on his way to Miami to coach the Dolphins for two years before taking over at Alabama.

Since the 2005 season, Les Miles has been the new man in charge, and despite some scrutiny, has won one national title and lost another. In his 11 years as head coach, Miles has gone 112-32 overall. Averaging over 10 wins per season is nothing to shrug at.

Despite his success with the Tigers, a former LSU player and current SEC Network analyst, Booger McFarland, was at the SEC Spring Meeting on Wednesday where he talked about the current LSU team and how it fares to past Tiger teams. McFarland played at LSU and was drafted 15th overall in the 1999 NFL Draft, coming from the final team led by DiNardo and Hunter.

“LSU has got the best team they’ve had since Nick Saban left,” McFarland said, via The Advocate. “Better than in 2011. They have more star power and more players who have potential to be good.”

Back in 2011, Miles went to the BCS National Championship game where LSU faced off against Nick Saban and Alabama and lost, 21-0. The Tigers’ offense as a whole since Miles has led the team is one area naysayers typically poke at. That shutout defeat against Saban only heightened those cries.

LSU has had talented offenses in the past, such as the one in 2013, led by Zach Mettenberger, who was able to hand the ball off to Jeremy Hill and throw to receivers such as Odell Beckham Jr. and Jarvis Landry. To this point in their NFL careers, Hill, Beckham Jr. and Landry have all proven themselves at the next level.

McFarland said he’s heard this off-season that Miles is willing to expand the Tigers’ offense, but isn’t certain things will change, despite the immense talent LSU possesses.

“But I also heard it two years ago,” McFarland said. “LSU has been so successful doing it one way. It’s human to want to go back to what’s worked.

“I want to see if LSU’s evolved. Not against Wisconsin. They can line up and beat Wisconsin (in the Sept. 3 season-opener). But against Auburn (Sept. 24). To me, Florida (Oct. 8) has enough talent that that’s a test. And obviously, the biggest test is that first Saturday in November.”

That is the day LSU will once again take on Nick Saban and the Crimson Tide. The matchup will take place on Nov. 5, and critics will be watching, as LSU will have home-field advantage. The Tigers have lost its last five meetings against Alabama.

The Tigers have a legitimate opportunity to prove its doubters wrong, too. The team returns 18 starters and have arguably the best player in college football at running back, in Leonard Fournette.

“If not now, when?” McFarland asked. “Alabama is breaking in another starting quarterback and another new running back (…) Leonard Fournette should be a Heisman candidate, but he shouldn’t come close to winning. If they give him as many carries as last year that means they’re not giving the ball enough to Derrius Guice. He needs 15 touches a game. And you’ve got to get it in (Malachi) Dupre’s hands.”

No offense to Guice, but Fournette should be getting the bulk of the carries. And not just more than Guice, but significantly more. Fournette has drawn comparisons to Hall of Fame running backs already, and for good reason.

If LSU wants to beat not only Alabama, but every opponent the Tigers will face this season, it comes down to junior quarterback Brandon Harris protecting the ball. Harris will be faced with numerous 3rd-and-short situations thanks to Fournette.

The key will be making the right decisions, not forcing passes, and letting the talent around him do their job. If Harris can accomplish that, Miles won’t hear another peep about potentially losing his job any time soon.