Half of LSU's secondary is related

[Tiger in Spain 0]

Technically, 3/4 of 's fan base is too.

For Jessie Daniels and Jonathan Zenon, playing defensive back for the LSU Tigers is all relative.

"Jonathan and I are second cousins," Daniels explained recently. "Our grandmothers are sisters. We grew up together, we went to the same schools, and we played together all our lives."

At Breaux Bridge High School, which also produced NFL stars Jake Delhomme and Domanick Davis and current LSU DT Charles Alexander, Zenon wore No. 1 and Daniels No. 2. They were Tigers then, too.

Now, along with Chevis Jackson and All-America candidate LaRon Landry, the two cousins make up one of the top secondaries in the nation. Jackson and Zenon play the corners, Daniels and Landry are safeties. It's a unit that last year helped LSU finish third nationally in total defense and has flourished under the attacking style of defensive coordinator Bo Pelini.

Last Saturday was Zenon's time to shine. The 6-foot, 176-pound junior had two interceptions in a 45-3 rout of Louisiana Lafayette, returning one of them 20 yards for a touchdown. He also contributed three tackles, and was named Defensive Player of the Week by the Louisiana Sportswriters Association.

"As small as Jonathan is, he's aggressive and fast," says Daniels of his cousin.

The LSU Web site says of Zenon: "Has a good knack for finding the football."

Louisiana Lafayette QB Jerry Babb, twice a Zenon victim, could only agree.

Because Pelini relies a lot on blitzes, the Tiger deep backs are often left one on one with receivers. That will be something Arizona quarterback Willie Tuitama will try to exploit when the Wildcats come to Baton Rouge on Saturday (5:30).

As always, Zenon will look to Daniels for guidance. The two entered the LSU program the same year, but Daniels played as a true freshman while Zenon was redshirted. He saw most of his action in 2005 as a nickel and dime back.

"It makes it easier having a relative back there," Zenon said of Daniels. "We've been together, and we know what we're capable of doing."

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