Solid in the Slop

The Tigers move to 4-0 on the season after a wet win over Auburn Saturday. One third of the season is already in the books.

OFFENSE

* Jeremy Hill is a beast. Hill ran for 183 yards on 25 carries with 3 TD's. I couldn't help but be reminded of Cecil Collins' performance against Auburn in 1997.

* I was very happy with the game plan through 3 quarters. But I really didn't like the offensive play calling in the 4th. I could see Miles fat fingers all over LSU's play calling which resulted in a grand total of 25 yards on 11 plays in the final 14:52 of the game. 9 rushes and 2 incomplete passes on 3rd down. Not the way to finish.

* Hated the fake FG. 3 points there puts LSU up 31-7 which is essentially a four score lead. Trying to run for 10 yards at that spot on the field is way too far.

* LSU's offensive line was guilt of 4 false starts. This must be fixed for the Georgia game.

DEFENSE

* Once again, LSU struggled mightily at times with the read option. LSU gave up 213 yards rushing, ironically the most since giving up 440 to Cam Newton and Auburn in 2010.

* LSU was beat deep twice, both times with safety help over the top. The safeties need to improve for Georgia's big play offense.

* I think it is clear that this defense is talented but not as good as we have seen in years past. But the player are there and this group will improve as the season goes along. The Tigers are ranked only 40th in the nation in run defense and 27th in total defense.

Next Week:

This will easily be the biggest test of the season thus far. Georgia is fantastic on offense ranking 6th nationally in total offense. Defensively, the Dawgs are not as strong, giving up 388 yards a game (68th in country). I expect LSU to again start out hot but Georgia is a veteran team and will not be fazed if LSU gets out to an early lead. I expect LSU to be in the lead late but look for Miles to go too conservative too early and Georgia pull the game out late.

LSU 28 - Georgia 31

3 Things

1. CoachesHotSeat.com is for all the fans that love to see crash at a NASCAR race or witness a guy do a face plant at the X Games.

2. While the Bama v. A&M was entertaining, it has proven to be the exception to the norm this season. We are one quarter of the way done with the campaign and only have 2 games, Clemson v. UGA and Bama v. A&M, that we would put in the 2013 time capsule. Through 3 weeks we have had a grand total of 5 matchups between Top 25 teams. This week is no better with only one game, Stanford v. ASU, pitting ranked teams against each other. No wonder attendance is down nationally.

3. How things change from one week to the next!! I'm drinking the Tiger Kool-Aid until they prove me wrong!

BCS Bowls

Rose: Stanford v. Ohio State

Orange: Michigan v. Clemson

Fiesta: Oklahoma v. Louisville

Sugar: Alabama v. Florida State

National Title: LSU v. Oregon

Pre-Season Out of the Way

LSU continued it's dominance of out of conference foes defeating Kent State 45-13. LSU's last regular season loss to a non-conference opponent: 2002 opening game against Virginia Tech. LSU's next big test to continue the streak: Wisconsin to open the 2014 season in Houston's Reliant Stadium.

A few thoughts on the game:

OFFENSE

*Z Mett just continues to impress. He is currently THIRD in the NATION in passing efficiency. I think it is fair to say that thus far he has exceeded Tiger fan's most optimistic expectations. Much better teams await, but this has been a brilliant start to the season.

*Jeremy Hill is one of the top backs in the SEC, maybe second only to Georgia's Todd Gurley. He's been flying under the radar and may continue to do so as he shares carries. But I expect his work load to pick up dramatically as we get into conference play. In LSU's last six conference games from 2012, Hill averaged 19.5 carries per game. Look for that to continue into this season.

*LSU ranks 36 in total offense nationally. This after languishing in the 100's the last few years. Cam Cameron has been just what Miles and LSU needed.

DEFENSE

*For all the griping I hear, the Tigers are ranked 10th nationally in total defense. The Tigers rank 3rd in the SEC in rushing defense allowing only 3.29 yards a carry. Compare that with A&M who is giving up a whopping 6 yards every rush.

*Tre'Davious White looks like a player at CB. Starting in place of Jalen Collins, White looked solid and racked up 4 solo tackles.

*Ego Ferguson was named SEC Defensive Player of the the Week. Ferguson leads the Tigers with 16 tackles and has been a force on the defensive line.

The Auburn Tigers are up next this Saturday night. Auburn rallied late against Mississippi State to score the game winning TD with only 10 seconds left to play in the game. Those Tigers are ranked 12th in the SEC and 92nd nationally in total defense. While Auburn is improved from last year, LSU has been nearly unbeatable at home. Look for the Tigers to again put up big numbers.

LSU 42 - Auburn 20

National Roundup - Week 2

A few thoughts and links from around the college football world.

*Georgia got a great win at home over South Carolina. The defense isn't much to talk about but the offense is nasty. LSU v. Georgia on the 28th of September should be epic.

*Michigan looked solid against a Notre Dame team that is coming back to earth after last year's run. UM may be favored in EVERY game the rest of the year. Look out!

*The train wreck that is Texas football crashed off the tracks in Provo, Utah. BYU ran for 550 yards beating the Longhorns 41-20. No way, no how should a team as talented as Texas get blown away like that. In Texas' 2010 and 2011 classes alone there were 3 five star players and 34 four star players. The coaches simply are not getting it done.

*Lame Kiffin may be one of the biggest frauds college football has ever seen. (I'm not counting Manti Tao's fake girlfriend.) He has never won anything, he's never built anything, yet he has been the head coach of the Oakland Raiders, Tennessee Vols and USC Trojans. But as all Ponzi schemes eventually unravel, so too is the farce that is Lane Kiffin coming to an end. I think a 6-6 final record awaits USC and a new coach at the end of the season.

*Curious to see how the dirty business at Oklahoma State plays out. Miles is going to have to deal with dirt headed his way. (Click here for the Sports Illustrated article)

I've got all sorts of changes in my BCS Bowls. The knee injury to Braxton Miller at Ohio State could be devastating to the Buckeyes' title hopes. Running QB's have to be able to run to be effective. (Duh!)

BCS Bowls

Rose: Stanford v. Wisconsin
Orange: Alabama v. Clemson
Fiesta: Oklahoma v. Louisville
Sugar: LSU v. Florida State
National Title: Michigan v. Oregon

Bombs Away!!

En route to Saturday night's 39 point victory, the LSU Tigers dazzled their fans and made the history books. These Tigers will be fun to watch in an SEC chase that will be wide open.

A few observations:

*Z Mett was 16 of 19 with 5 TD's, a school record. His QB rating was 295.7. I've never seen a single game rating that high. Z Mett is currently ranked 13th in the nation in QB efficiency.

*Odell Beckham is currently ranked #2 in the country in all-purpose yards. He's averaging 252 yards a game, and that is not counting his 100 yard missed FG return which was the first in LSU's long history.

*Hill and Hilliard combined for 105 yards on 17 carries. Hill had a healthy 8.3 yards per carry average on 6 carries. By the Auburn game I expect the depth chart to sort itself out with Hilliard and Hill getting the majority of carries.

*I think Hill should have been suspended for this game as well. I'm not a big moralist when it comes to player discipline, but Miles has invited unwanted scrutiny and criticism in his handling of Hill.

*At the end of the first quarter, UAB had a total of 10 yards of offense. For the most part, the remainder of the game was a scrimmage for the defense. 26 different defensive players recorded tackles for the Tigers. The backups struggled in the second quarter but the staff made adjustments and UAB was held scoreless the entire second half.

*LSU had seven "3 and outs" on Saturday.

The Tigers get a struggling Kent State team next week.  The Golden Flashes are ranked 117th nationally in pass efficiency defense.  Expect another big game from Z Mett.

LSU 52 - Kent State 10

National Roundup

Not a lot of great match-ups this weekend but a few games delivered some drama. Notes from the weekend.

*Clemson and Georgia staged a classic heavyweight bout that went down to the wire with...Georgia losing. Going into to the game, Georgia QB Aaron Murray was 3-11 versus teams finishing in the Top 25. With two turnovers Saturday, Murray again hurt his team.

*The Big 12 went 2-2 versus FCS schools. Yikes.

*The Big 10 went 10-2 this weekend with an average margin of victory of 22.5 in those wins. But the two loses tell me more about the conference. Iowa lost to Northern Illinois and Purdue was blown out by Cincinnati. Best win of the weekend - Penn State by 6 over Syracuse?

*Alabama is still very good. But they have some issues on that offensive line. McCarron was 10 for 23 for 110 yards with one TD and 1 Int. I moved them to second in the Super 7 until I see more from the offense.

*The American Athletic Conference (formerly Big East) flat out stinks. 4-5 record this weekend with 2 of the loses to FCS teams by a combined 47 points.

*USC did not look good at Hawaii. Lame Kiffin better start working on that resume.


BCS Bowls

Rose: Oregon v. Michigan
Orange: Alabama v. Florida State
Fiesta: Texas v. Louisville
Sugar: LSU v. Oklahoma
National Title: Ohio State v. Stanford

Tigers Win Opener

LSU's Terrence Magee scores on a 52 yard TD run.

LSU has won every season opener going back to 2003. In typical fashion, the game went back and forth with LSU seemingly controlling things but with a scoreboard showing a much closer affair. There was a lot to like, some things to cause concern and plenty to be optimistic about. 

Offense

* Zach Mettenberger looked very sharp. He was comfortable and accurate all game. On 3rd down with 9 or less yards to go, Mettenbereger was 9 of 10 with 8 first downs. Clutch. On the minus side, Mettenberger was 1 of 8 in the redzone. Overall, I think there is plenty to be excited about.

* I wonder if Kenny Hilliard will ever get out of Miles' doghouse.

* LSU probably won't have a 1000 yard rusher, but Landry and Beckham could both surpass that mark receiving.

* Really nice job by Terrence Magee leading the Tigers in rushing. Blue may take a little time to get comfortable with the knee, but he looked good for his first game back.

Defense

* Take away the KO return for a TD and the 5 yard TD after the fumble and the defense only gave up 13 points against a talented TCU offense.

* The LB's had only 8 tackles for the game COMBINED. Minter would get that on his own in one half last season. LOTS of work to be done.

* Jalen Mills will be an All-American by the time he leaves LSU.

* I didn't see the type of "team speed" on defense I am accustomed to. I will chalk it up to a number of new starters and Boykin probably playing more than LSU's staff anticipated.

Overall, a very good effort. Most promising was LSU's late game success on offense. After TCU cut the score to 30-27, I am sure LSU fans' anxiety levels shot through the roof. But on the ensuing kickoff ODB busted a 75 yard return. Mettenberger then hit Landry on 3rd down for a 20 yard TD pass. The Tigers then forced TCU into a 3 and out and got the ball back with 5:15 left in the game. The Tigers were able to run out the clock gaining 3 first downs on that final drive.

LSU gets UAB next week playing the Blazers for the first time since 2000, Saban's first season. LSU couldn't get out of it's own way losing that game by 3. Expect a much different result this time around.

LSU 42 - UAB 10