LSU dismisses Heisman finalist Tyrann Mathieu

BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) -- LSU has dismissed Heisman Trophy finalist Tyrann Mathieu from its football program for violating school and team rules.

The junior defensive back nicknamed Honey Badger was a surprising Heisman candidate last season as the Tigers won the Southeastern Conference championship and reached the BCS title game. LSU lost the championship 21-0 to Alabama.

At a news conference Friday, coach Les Miles would not specify the reason Mathieu was kicked off the team.

"We'll miss the guy," Miles said. "The football team's got to go on. We'll have to fill the void."

The Tigers enter this season as one of the favorites to reach the national championship game again. They are No. 1 in the coaches' preseason poll and expected to be right near the top of the AP college football poll when it is released Aug. 18.

Mathieu won the Bednarik Award as national defensive player of the year last season and was big-play machine at cornerback and on special teams. The All-American scored four touchdowns - two on punt returns and two on fumble returns - intercepted two passes and caused six fumbles and recovered four.

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