[Tuck4Bama]

BATON ROUGE -- LSU starting defensive tackle Charles Alexander injured a knee in practice Wednesday and is gone for the season, team officials said late Thursday.

Chatter about Alexander's injury, the third suffered by a Tigers starter this year, filled LSU football Web sites throughout the day and was confirmed by LSU Sports Information Director Michael Bonnette. The team is exploring options such as a medical redshirt or an additional year of eligibility for Alexander, Bonnette said.

Alexander's injury was apparently more severe than those suffered by quarterback Matt Flynn and wide receiver Early Doucet. Those players, both seniors and the acknowledged leaders of the offense, are expected to return. Coach Les Miles said Flynn will play Saturday, though he declined to comment on whether or not Flynn would start against No. 12 South Carolina.

On Wednesday, Flynn took "the lion's share of the snaps" in practice and demonstrated marked improvement from a high ankle sprain he suffered against Virginia Tech in Week 2.

Doucet, meanwhile, is unlikely to play against the Gamecocks. Miles has been deliberately vague about the nature and severity of Doucet's injury, which radio reports have identified as a pulled groin. On Monday, Miles said he would not divulge particulars about injuries, and chastised the media for pursuing such story lines, which he argued could give opponents a competitive edge.

At this point, it appears the team is hoping Doucet will be ready to play against No. 3 Florida on Oct. 6, but Miles would not speculate on any specific timetable for the Doucet's return.

Alexander is a popular player on the team and his attitude will be missed, Bonnette said.

From a purely football perspective, however, his loss should prove easier than that of Doucet and Flynn for LSU to absorb because of the team's depth on the defensive line. The 6-foot-3, 292-pound junior from Breaux Bridge has appeared in 16 games and started eight at LSU, making him an experienced plug in the middle next to senior All-American Glenn Dorsey. But after being credited with four tackles in the opening game against Mississippi State, Alexander made just one in each the next two games and has not recorded a sack or a tackle for a loss.

Tigers lose Alexander for the season- NOLA.com