Auburn up Next

Is there a better series in college football right now? This game has had it all over the past twenty-one years starting in 1988 with…

1988 - The “Earthquake Game.” LSU was down all night to #4 Auburn. Late in the fourth quarter, Tommy Hodson hits Eddie Fuller in the back of the endzone of fourth down to seize a 7-6 victory. The emotional eruption registered on the seismograph in the geology department.

1989 - The next season LSU lost a tough defensive game 10-6 at Auburn.

1992 – Jamie Howard brings LSU all the way back from a huge deficit to take the lead 28-27 late in the 4th quarter. But Curley Hallman, in a sign of failures to come plays prevent and Auburn marches down the field and kicks the game winning FG. AU 30 – LSU 28

1994 - The Interception Game. Jamie Howard throws 3 pick-6’s as LSU blows a game they dominated all afternoon. AU 30 – LSU 26

1995 - #5 Auburn travels to LSU only to fall 12-6 in Gerry DiNardo’s first season. The game wasn’t over until the final play when LSU intercepted the potential game winning pass in the endzone.

1996 – LSU again traveled to Auburn and came home victorious. AU scored very late to pull within two points. On the ensuing two point conversion, the Tigers intercepted the pass and raced down the field for a “pick-6” making the score 19-15. However, Auburn recovered the subsequent onsides kick. LSU sealed the game with an interception with only moments to play.

1997 – Cecil Collins went nuts but Auburn’s Dameyune Craig led the Tigers down the field and scored the game winning TD with only moments to go. AU 31 – LSU 28

2004 – The series took a hiatus from the thrill rides of past seasons but returned to form in a classic defensive struggle decided by a missed XP and a dubious penalty on LSU. Auburn converted on a 4th and long on the game winning drive. Then missed the XP after tying the score at 9-9. But a flag was thrown on LSU for landing on another player and Auburn was allowed to re-kick. I have NEVER seen that penalty called in 27 years of watching football. AU 10 – LSU 9

2005 – LSU won a wild game 20-17 in OT. Auburn’s normally reliable kicker, John Vaughn, missed FIVE field goals, the last hitting the left upright in OT.

2006 - Another classic marred by the officials. Down 7-3, LSU throws deep on 4th and long. Early Doucet is mugged around the goal line and the ball is tipped away. The ref closest to the play throws a flag but is overruled. AU 7 – LSU 3.

2007 – LSU triumphed 30-24 in stunning fashion. With only seconds left on the clock, Matt Flynn hit Demetrius Byrd for a 34 yard TD in the corner of the endzone. At the end of the play, only one second remained on the clock.

2008 – Down 14-3 at the half, Jarrett Lee brought LSU back for a stirring 26-21 win in Jordan Hare Stadium. Lee hit Brandon LaFell with a little over a minute left for the game winning TD.

Thoughts on this week’s game…

I think coaches are starting to figure out that Auburn offense. The Tigers were blown out on the road two weeks ago and scored one offensive TD against Kentucky this week. ONE. And that was at home. Tiger Stadium will be rocking this weekend for this annual blood feud.

Auburn ranks 11th in rushing defense and total defense in the SEC. If LSU can’t move the ball against these guys this season will have an unhappy ending. I hope the coaches come out with a game plan that will emphasize the run. Either from the spread or two TE’s, LSU needs to have an identity. Jordan Jefferson cannot be the identity of this team. The staff needs to put less on his shoulders, not more.

The last five games have been decided by an average of four points each...

LSU 27 – Auburn 23

The Off Week

One of the themes I repeatedly hit on is the importance of fans keeping their perspective.

*For instance, for all of LSU’s struggles on offense, at least they did not go on the road to a 1-5 team and score a grand total of 18 points. Terrelle Pryor, for all the hype, finished 17 of 31 with two INT’s versus the 76th ranked defense in the nation. OSU is ranked 108th in the nation in passing offense. Pryor was the consensus #1 player in the country coming out in 2008.

*Some of these “dual-threat QB’s” may be viewed as fool’s gold. OSU and LSU have interesting parallels in this respect. I am sure during the recruiting of these two, coaches were looking at their athletic ability and drooling. But are they good fits for these programs? Tressel and Miles are Big Ten guys who believe in good defense, pounding the run and mixing in the pass. Look at Miles first four seasons, Russell, Flynn and Lee lined up under center for the Tigers, traditional pocket passers that could throw downfield and hand the ball off. Tressel has had Craig Krenzel, Troy Smith and Todd Boeckman before Pryor. In 2002, Krenzel ranked 14th in the nation in passing efficiency as he led OSU to a national title. In 2006, Troy Smith won the Heisman trophy finishing the season ranked 7th in passing efficiency. Boeckman led OSU to the 2007 National Championship game.

*You cannot underestimate the importance of talented coordinators. Look at Florida, the Gators lose offensive coordinator Dan Mullen and we see a regression in the offense. I know UF lost Percy Harvin and Louis Murphy, but you have TIM TEBOW at QB.

*USC’s TE Anthony McCoy is a freak. He’s 6-5, 250 lbs. and can RUN. He had 5 catches for 153 yards versus ND.

*The Hogs went toe to toe with Florida but thanks to the officials and wasted opportunities by Arkansas we will have to wait at least another week to see that come to pass. Florida has no receivers to speak of.

*Iowa is 7-0 but travel to Michigan State this weekend. Since 2002, the teams have played five times, the home team winning all five.

*The angst expressed upon Nick Saban’s hiring at Alabama was well founded. Not for the silly reason of betrayal or hurt feelings, but because he would elevate the Crimson Tide to the juggernaut you now see. Using MIKE SHULA’S players (seems that Saban is getting a TOTAL pass on this) Saban has led Bama to a 26-8 record thus far and a 19 game regular season winning streak. Alabama’s defense is as nasty as the 2003 LSU crew. BUT…and this is a bigger BUT(T) than Terrence “Mount” Cody’s, if Bama does NOT win the SEC Title this season, Bama fans will have nothing of importance to show for Saban’s first three seasons.

*BCS Standings are out and LSU is ranked 9th. In my mind, LSU can still play for the National Championship. Foolish you say?! I would probably have to agree. But if LSU can get past Auburn, the Tigers will head to Tuscaloosa in November with a 7-1 record and its fate squarely in its hands.

Gators Grind out Victory

Truth be told, the game was kind of boring. The #1 Gators ground out a 13-3 victory over an offensively challenged LSU squad. Florida held the ball for over 36 minutes and LSU’s offense generated only one scoring drive all night. As with most loses, there is plenty to discuss.

*On the positive side, the defense held UF to 13 points. That’s the lowest point total under Meyer since 2005 when the Gators lost 31-3 to Alabama. LSU also held Florida to 200 yards below their season average.

*Unfortunately, the defense killed itself with penalties. LSU was flagged five times for offside’s. (Evidently, UF’s center was simulating the snap of the ball drawing off the LSU players and the officials didn’t catch it until the second half) Throw in two facemask penalties, one of those against Tebow early in the 3rd quarter, and you have LSU giving UF multiple second chances.

*Speaking of cheating, the Gator’s only TD came after a CLEAR holding penalty by UF’s Riley Cooper that wasn’t called. Replays show Hawkins jersey being pulled by Cooper.

*I knocked Kelvin Sheppard a few weeks ago but he has really come around. He leads the team in tackles and ranks 10th in the SEC in that category. He’s playing very well right now.

*For the season, LSU is ranked 14th in scoring defense giving up a measly 14.5 points a game. Chavis has really turned this group around. Last year, the Tigers gave up a combined 103 points to Georgia and Florida; this year a grand total of 26.

*LSU’s offense is terrible. The Tigers are ranked #88 in rushing, #103 in passing and #109 in total offense. I’m not saying anyone needs to get run out of town, but those numbers are pathetic for a team with this much talent.

*LSU is 6 for 23 on third down conversions the last two games. You really have to question some of the play calling this week. LSU had 3rd and goal from the 2 yard line and ran off tackle and got stuffed. Miles then elected to kick a FG. That was a big turning point because a TD would have put pressure on Florida to respond. I don’t believe the Gators have trailed all season. Plus the fans would have gotten back into the game as well. Play action would have worked beautifully there getting Jefferson out on the corner with a run/pass option. Our blocking has been terrible all season, why do you think we could make that play work against UF’s fantastic D-line? That was a bull headed call and really hurt LSU in what turned out to be a VERY tight game.

*Speaking of the offensive line, that group is worthless. I am sure they are good and fine men trying their best, but that unit is just atrocious. The Tigers have no ground game and Jefferson is repeatedly under heavy pressure. At one point Saturday, Florida rushed 3 men versus our 5 blockers, Jefferson ended up getting sacked.

*I’m not going to beat up on Jefferson too much. He has not developed as fans had hoped as the season has evolved. He doesn’t go through his progressions and his pocket presence leaves much to be desired. He’s not going to win games for you, but he won’t throw them away either. Fans forget how tough it is on QB’s in this league. The last underclassman QB to lead his team to the SEC title was Georgia’s David Greene back in 2002. It’s tough for underclassmen QB’s just to get to Atlanta. In the last five years, only Arkansas’ Casey Dick, in his sophomore season in 2006, was able to win a division title.

*After 6 weeks there are a few plays we can discard. Get rid of the option. Jefferson looks uncomfortable running it and he’s not very good at it. Get rid of five wide as well. LSU’s offensive line is so poor; the Tigers need more blockers, not less. Get rid of Holliday as a part of the offense as well. LSU needs to focus on doing a few things well, and for all of Holliday’s speed, he’s not going to make anything happen on this team.

*LSU’s offensive staff needs to figure out what they want to be. Is this a team that runs out of the I-formation and relies on the play action pass? Or is LSU a spread team that is going to go five wide and run the read option QB play? Whatever it is, the Tigers need to focus on one thing and learn to do it well.

*My thought? If I had to guess, Les Miles wants LSU to run out of the 'I' and be a power running team. LSU could embrace this philosophy and work from there. Jefferson is not a naturally gifted runner which is key to running the spread. He would be more effective running a few different things with greater pass protection. Part of the problem with this is Gary Crowton, the offensive coordinator and Greg Studrawa are both spread offense guys. It will be interesting to see how Miles and Co. get this going in the right direction.

*One of the big questions coming into this season was whether the 2008 campaign was an aberration or a sign of more to come. Given how this year has progressed, it seems that LSU is back to its winning ways competing for SEC titles. There is plenty of football left this season so a full assessment can’t be made. But I think it is clear that the program is in great shape. While this 2009 LSU team has flaws, the LSU football program is on a solid foundation.

Truckin'

Clutch is defined as:

done or accomplished in a critical situation; dependable in crucial situations. See LSU Tigers Football Team.

Ok, so I added the last part about LSU, but you get the point. Under Les Miles, the Tigers have had a tremendous knack for making critical plays at critical times, none more so than in Athens on Saturday. LSU scored two touchdowns in the final three minutes to defeat the Bulldogs 20-13.

Les Miles is now 15-6 in games decided by 7 points or less, 18-8 versus ranked opponents, 7-4 versus teams ranked in the top 10 and 12-5 versus ranked teams on the road or at a neutral site. That’s not luck; that is great game day management and great coaching. Very few picked the Tigers to win Saturday, but Les was able to pull one out of his hat and confound those who hesitate to give him the credit he is due.

Here are a few thoughts on the game:

*While the offensive line struggled, they kept the chains moving in the first half and took over late in the game. With a little over six minutes left in the game, the Tigers went 88 yards to go up 12-7. After Green’s tremendous catch to put Georgia up 13-12, the line rose up again to spring Scott for the 33 yard game winner.

*Jordan Jefferson played very well. On the 88 yard scoring drive, Jefferson was 4 for 6 for 54 yards and had a key scramble for 26 yards to get the ball down to the 13. On the negative side, Jefferson took a few sacks and threw an interception in the endzone. It is clear he holds the ball too long, but this can be corrected with practice and more game experience. I wish he were better at running the option, but it seems clear he is hesitant to turn the ball up field. I don’t know if the coaches fear him getting hurt, but the option is not terribly effective when he’s in the game.

*So stick Russell Shepard in there. Shepard carried the ball 6 times for 32 yards. He was very effective in the red zone and I expect to see him more. I’d like to see him run some option and place him in the slot for short crossing routes.

*Say it with me, “Chuck the Truck.”

*LSU has got to fix it’s red zone woes. 18 trips into the red zone have resulted in only 8 TD’s. This inability to finish drives has kept LSU’s games closer than they probably should have been.

*Defense looked GREAT. The Tigers held Georgia scoreless for 3 quarters. The defense didn’t create a turnover until the final game ending pick by Perry Riley, but the Tigers forced SIX “3 and outs” in the game.

*I am curious as to why Peterson was not on Green late in the game. Green made a phenomenal catch to put the Dawgs up 1 late in the game. Hawkins has great position, but Green will be a top 10 NFL draft pick when he comes out. As the kids say, Green has “Mad Skills.”

*I dare you to kickoff to Trindon Holliday. Holliday had two returns in the 4th quarter, one for 40 yards the other for 49.

Next up are the Mighty Florida Gators for what will be probably the most hyped game of the season.

Both teams undefeated

#1 versus #4

The winner of this game has won the last three National Championships.

Is Tebow going to play?

Who can forget the 2007 game when LSU was 5 for 5 on 4th down?

LSU has won 32 straight Saturday Night games in Tiger Stadium

On paper, LSU doesn’t stand a chance. The Gators are #1 in rushing offense, #3 in total offense and #2 in scoring offense in the country. Defensively, UF is #1 in total defense and #2 in scoring defense. But as Les said to the media last week, “Our team, if you turn your back on them, they will beat you up.”

The keys for LSU against Florida:

1. Control the ball in the first half as they did against Georgia. LSU completely dominated time of possession to start the game.

2. Convert when you get in the Red Zone. LSU must score TD’s when the opportunities present themselves.

3. Create turnovers. LSU has a ball hawking secondary which needs to make plays this Saturday.

4. Stop the run and make Tebow/Brantley pass. I like the matchup of LSU’s secondary versus Florida’s receiving corps. Florida is ranked #1 in the nation in rushing offense so this will be a very tall task.

A few links from the hype machine…

ESPN Game Preview
 
Nefarious LSU students

Computers Love LSU

Since when is 5-0 not good enough?
 
The last time Florida came into Tiger Stadium ranked #1...