Choke Job

In what was one of the biggest choke jobs in LSU history, the Tigers blew a 21 point half time lead and a 17 point fourth quarter lead Monday night. LSU mustered a measly 44 yards of offense in the second half as the Vols passed the Tigers silly on their way to a critical overtime win.

Let's play the blame game. Our first contestant: Les Miles.

I don't want excuses about the hurricanes and cancellations and players blowing coverages. This game was in hand and pitifully thrown away. The offense went into run out the clock mode as soon as the second half began. LSU repeatedly ran into a very stiff UT defensive line while Russell only threw 9 passes in the second half, two of those being intercepted. The lack of aggressiveness permeated the entire team and ultimately killed the Tigers hopes for victory. Most telling was the decision to play for overtime with two minutes left on the clock. This tells the offense, "I don't have confidence in you to win this game." Many have blamed Jimbo Fisher for the offensive play calling. I disagree. Miles is the head coach, and such a drastic change in offensive philosophy probably came from him. The offensive play calling in the second half was dubious at best. Of the first 13 plays of the second half, 11 were running plays. In overtime, the Tigers had 1st and 10 at the 15 in overtime and ran the fullback up the middle? Then on second down they try a throwback pass to the fullback that fools no one?

Where was the killer instinct? Where was the kill shot to end the game? Where the hell was a play action pass amongst those 13 plays the Tigers ran in the third quarter?

Our second contestant: Bo Pelini

The defense is giving up 5 points a game before halftime, and 25 points a game after the half. You seeing a trend here? The pass defense is now ranked 116 out of 117 division I-A teams. Let's also not forget that USC dismantled Pelini's Oklahoma defense last season in the National Title Game. (Which LSU will not get within sniffing distance of this season.) Clausen did a great job of dinking and dunking down the field as he lead the Vols to a great comeback. But LSU made it easier on him. There was no pass rush and the Tigers couldn't get to him when blitzing. He shoved it right in LSU's face and the defense is going to have to get used to it unless significant changes are made. I don't know if there is a drop off in talent on the defensive side of the ball or the scheme is not being picked up yet, but the defense didn't show the kind of improvement I would have hoped for. Lou Tepper proved that playing soft zone will get you run out of the SEC in a hurry.

Both sides of the ball are responsible for losing this game, the offense couldn't stay on the field and put up any points in the second half while the defense couldn't get off the field or make a play to win the game.

And our final contestant: Jamie Howard

What idiot called him up? Who would invite to the home opener the orchestrator of the most monumental meltdown in the history of LSU football? Next thing you know we will have Josh Booty out there before the game. (If that ever happens, the loud booing will be coming from me!)

Saban lost some heartbreakers, but never like this. I know the doomsayers will be out en masse calling for heads to roll and predicting a losing season, but let's not get ahead of ourselves. A fairer assessment will come after October 15 when the Tigers play the Mighty Gators. LSU will have played 5 games by that point and we can make conclusions based on half a season, not just two games against top 15 opponents. Miles will right the ship and make changes or get run out of town.

As for this weekend, the Tigers are favored by two touchdowns over Mississippi State. LSU scored 51 on the Bulldogs last year. I expect a lot less on Saturday. This game is huge for Miles, something I never would have thought before the season started.

LSU 31 - MSU 20.

Good...Bad: Lost in Lincoln Edition

With LSU off this week, I was able to plop down on the couch, turn on my 4 TV’s and watch about 20 games this weekend. Some may say this is insane sensory overload; I like to think that I am beefing up my college football IQ to bring some perspective and insight to this little spot in cyberspace.

So without further ado…

Good…Nice job by the Wolverines beating Eastern Michigan.

Bad…where was this intensity last week?

Good…USC is the real deal. I know a lot of folks around here hate the men of Troy, but they CRUSHED the helpless Hogs. Less than six minutes had passed in the game and they were up 21-0.

Bad…Unless USC’s entire team comes down with food poisoning, the Trojans are on the way to 12-0.

Good…I have railed on the Noles all season, but they have a National Championship caliber defense. Now, if that offense could stay off the field, “Free Shoes University” could do some special things this season.

Bad…Down by 11, ball on the 2 yard line, 3 minutes left in the game and you have all your timeouts. Tough situation, but BC was very much in the game. That is until the BC brain trust ran 7 plays from the 2, burned two timeouts and…came away with ZERO points. NICE!! Keep running into the line jackass. (The best was the 4th down call, a QB sneak from the 2 after pounding the ball with the fullback 4 times for no gain. Brilliant!)

Good…I play this little game on the internet where you pick some games and win some “fake” money you can exchange for prizes. I picked Nebraska over Pitt and the Cornholers won 7-6.

Bad…I actually had to watch the game. I am convinced that former Raider coach Bill Callahan and former Bears and Dolphins coach Dave Wannstedt are fairly clueless. It appears that both of these guys are more interested in “running their systems” than actually, you know, winning football games. Callahan insists on running the west coast offense when his quarterbacks couldn’t hit my grandma as she shuffled across the floor. Yo! Bill! Nebraska is still a running team. Try running the ball a few times and sprinkle in a few passes here and there. Wannstedt is even worse. He repeatedly ran into the boundary on third and short. He was repeatedly stopped by a very good Nebraska defense. He has basically wrecked Tyler Palko’s confidence and eliminated any semblance of a passing game. Wannstedt sucked in the pros and if nothing else he has been consistent.

Good…The Mighty Spartans. I said John L. Smith was a great hire and I am sticking to it. At least until he loses next week to Ron Zook and the Illini.

Bad…Historic failures. After beating a top-10 team, Michigan State is 0-7 in its next game during the same season since 1997:

1997: Beat No. 4 Penn State, 49-14; lost to Washington, 51-23
1998: Beat No. 10 Notre Dame, 45-23; lost to Michigan, 29-17
1998: Beat No. 1 Ohio State, 28-24; lost to Purdue, 25-24
1999: Beat No. 3 Michigan, 34-31; Lost to Purdue, 52-28.
2000: Beat No. 9 Purdue, 30-10; Lost to Penn State, 42-23.
2001: Beat No. 6 Michigan, 26-24; lost to Indiana, 37-28
2004: Beat No. 4 Wisconsin, 49-14; lost to Penn State, 37-13
2005: Beat No. 10 Notre Dame, 44-41 (OT); Saturday at Illinois

Good…Clemson v. Miami was a DANDY game.

Bad…Florida v. Tennessee was actually pretty dull. Neither team could move the ball but it didn’t have the feel of a great defensive struggle.

Good…VANDY BABY!!! 3-0 and leading the SEC EAST!!

Bad…Ole Piss. Tell me again why Cutcliffe was fired.

Good…Penn State is quietly 3-0, average score 35-13.

Bad…The Big Eleven slate is brutal for JoePa, Minnesota, Michigan, Ohio State, Purdue, Wisconsin and Michigan State are a combined 15-2.

Good…Contenders: USC, Texas, LSU, VaTech, Florida, The Criminoles, Georgia, Louisville, Purdue, California, Georgia Tech, Michigan State, Texas Tech, Alabama, Iowa State, Virginia, UCLA, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Oregon, Vandy, Nebraska and Penn State.

Bad…Poser Material.

Good…UVA v. the Cuse was another exciting game. Plus Al Groh referenced a great line from Risky Business.

Bad…The Carrier Dome is basically an oversized garage.

The BEST…Family.

The WORST…Going into the home you grew up in and seeing complete and utter devastation. My folks’ next remodeling project will be to bulldoze and start fresh.

Wild West Shootout

“I don’t believe what I just saw!” - Jack Buck

Long after I had given up hope, the LSU Tigers showed the resiliency that has made them successful under Nick Saban. As in so many games over the last five years, the Tigers refused to quit and ultimately triumphed in dramatic fashion. In a game for the ages, LSU scored with 73 seconds left to go ahead for good in a wild shootout in Tempe, Arizona.

For three quarters, my fears concerning LSU’s opening game became a reality. LSU looked sloppy and distracted, bumbling their way to only 7 points as the Sun Devils looked to score with only a few minutes left in the 3rd quarter. But then LSU found a reprieve when ASU fumbled inside LSU’s 10. The Tiger’s eventually punted, but instead of going down 24-7, the Tigers turned the tables on ASU, scoring four 4th quarter touchdowns.

The single most important thing that came out of that game was LSU got a much deserved WIN. Despite all the mistakes and poor play, LSU beat a Top 15 team on the road. While I am going to hammer the Tigers for the bevy of miscues this week, remember, WE PLAY TO WIN THE GAME.

On the plus side of the ledger was the play of JaMarcus Russell. Outside of the fumble I’d have to give him very high marks. He made good decisions all evening and he was on the money with almost every pass. If not for the numerous drops and penalties, he would have had over 300 yards passing. Joseph Addai was his usual dependable self. He had 16 carries for 106 yards and two TD’s and caught three passes. The uncharacteristic fumble was the only blemish on the evening.

Special teams was fantastic and ultimately propelled LSU to the victory. Two blocked kicks returned for touchdowns is astounding. I look for more great things from the kicking game, including making all our extra points. Colt David was 5 for 5 in that department. BRAVO!!

Before you think this is some love fest, let’s talk about the ugly side of Saturday night’s game.

* 11 penalties
* 2 fumbles
* Too many dropped passes to count
* 560 yards of total offense for the Sun Devils

The secondary needs a lot of work as the Tigers gave up 461 yards to Sam Keller. The pass rush was MIA and when the Tigers did blitz, it was with limited effectiveness. Lou Tepper….er…Bo Pelini has a LOT of work to do to get the Tiger defense into championship form. I think it is unfair to draw too many conclusions from one game, but I think we can all agree that there is plenty of room for improvement.

Chase Pittman played substantially at DE but had ZERO stats. Basically he was out there taking up space but wasn’t involved in a SINGLE play. I think this highlights some of the struggles we can expect on the defensive side of the ball. Over the past 2 years, LSU has lost three defensive linemen to the NFL, Chad Lavalais, Marquise Hill and Marcus Spears. While Kyle Williams is an excellent DT, Pittman, Wroten and Oliver are merely solid players. None of those guys can dominate like the three departed players.

The secondary lost both starting CB’s to the NFL and no one is going to confuse Ronnie Prude for Webster or Daniels. I think with time, players will develop and become more comfortable in Pelini’s system, but patience will be the key. By mid season we will know if the ASU game was an aberration or indicative of flaws in Pelini’s defensive philosophy. Saban built his defense on tight man coverage and as complicated a blitz package as there was in college football. It takes time to completely integrate a defensive scheme, so Pelini gets a pass…for now.

All the dropped passes made me nuts. The WR’s just weren’t there mentally and it showed for a big part of the game. However, as a group they collected themselves and ultimately made plays highlighted by Early Doucet’s game winning touchdown catch. Up to that point, most Tiger fans were ready to pull his scholarship and sending him packing. Fortunately he remained confident and made the type of play justifying all the praise heaped on him coming out of high school.

The Tigers are off this weekend. They have two weeks to work on the many deficiencies apparent Saturday night. Savor this one because even though the Tigers are 1-0, many struggles remain ahead.

Good...Bad

Good…Road Warriors – Notre Shame, Texas and LSU all went on the road and won against Top 15 teams.

Bad…The Big 11 - Michigan, Ohio State and Iowa all went down on Saturday.

Good…Vandy is 2-0 baby!! Tied for 1st in the SEC East!! The Commodores scored 15 points in the 4th quarter capped by a 6 yard TD pass with 26 seconds to go. Vandy gets Ole Piss at home next week. A 3-0 start would be the story of the season so far in the SEC.

Bad…The Hogs. Houston Nutt and company were probably looking ahead to next week’s game at USC. Look for Arkansas to play better but end up with the same result. (Just think, Nutt was being considered for the LSU job. Ugh!)

Good…little babies.

Bad…little babies’ dirty diapers.

Good…Adrian Peterson – Oklahoma’s best player had 220 yards and 3 TD’s in a win over Tulsa.
Bad…The Sooners needed all 220 yards to beat the Golden Hurricanes at home. OU will struggle to score all year.

Good…Despite my dire predictions, Nick Saban may do well this season. Miami is off to a 1-0 start.

Bad…Saban took his fantastic defense with him when he left Baton Rouge.
Good…Perennial powers USC, Penn State, Alabama and Notre Shame are a combined 7-0.

Bad…The Sunbelt Conference is a combined 3-12 to start the season. Ouch.

Good…The Mighty Spartans pound Hawaii after getting jobbed in the islands last season.

Bad…TCU, after knocking off OU in Norman last week, the Corned Frogs lost to…SMU? Say what? (Big props to SMU head man Phil Bennett.)

THE BEST…Hurricane relief efforts by the people of south Louisiana and the rest of the United States.

THE ABSOLUTE WORST SINCE I STARTED THIS PAGE…Louisiana Governor Kathleen Blanco. In a time of crisis, people in authority will rise to meet the challenge or crumble under the weight of the situation. Blanco collapsed, completely overwhelmed by the duties and decisions before her. Being governor is a not a game. It is not a stepping or a line on a resume’. Her inability to act decisively probably cost people their lives. Why wasn’t the National Guard, fully under her control, sent into New Orleans in full force? Why was the Red Cross barred from bringing supplies to the Superdome? Why did she need 24 hours to consider the President's offer to send assistance? She needs to be removed from office if for no other reason than gross incompetence. I am looking forward to this commission investigating the disaster relief, I think the truth will show a good deal of the blames lies at the feet of our worthless Governor.

Into Indian Country

While it won’t resonate through the years like Princess Leia’s, “Help us Obi-Wan Kenobi, you’re our only hope,” John Albano’s desperate plea for rescue will remain embedded in my memories forever.

On September 1, 2005 at about 8:30 p.m. I got a disturbing voice mail from a family friend stuck in New Orleans. “Jeff…It’s John. Please come and get us! We are at East Jefferson Hospital and the situation is becoming really desperate.” Now, it is one thing to confront a murderer in court and try to convince a group of 12 strangers to send him to Angola for the rest of his life. Armed with a sharp mind and quick wit I can move comfortably and with confidence toward completing my very important mission. It is completely different to venture into “Indian Country” with only those same quick wits and an SUV at my disposal.

After telling my dad about the call, he looked at me and said, “What are we going to do?” My dad had evacuated before the storm hit and was grateful to have escaped the city of New Orleans which had slowly devolved into hell as the days passed. I finished tying my boots and looked up at him and said, “we’re going to go get them.”

We hopped into his SUV and made our way down to New Orleans.

All sorts of things were going thru my head at the time. All the reports out of the city painted a grim picture bordering on anarchy. For the last three and one half years I had seen the worst of humanity that Baton Rouge had to offer. As murderers, rapists, thieves, pedophiles and the other undesirables of our community made their way thru my courtroom, I did my best to protect the innocent and prosecute the guilty. But every encounter was a home game for me. We were on my turf and we played by my rules. The bad guys came in the courtroom in shackles. Deputies maintained control and provided me and other court personnel with a sense of security.

My dad and I had none of that as we made the lonely trip into New Orleans. My anxiety grew as the miles passed. For those unfamiliar with the trip between Baton Rouge and New Orleans, it is a long stretch thru the woods, marsh and swampland. There were only a few vehicles on the road. About half way to New Orleans a military convoy of Humvees slowly passed us. Were we going home to the city I grew up in, or some post apocalyptic war zone?

We arrived at the base of the spillway and slowed to a stop at the State Police checkpoint. I got my credentials out as my dad looked over at me and said, “You’re doing all the talking.” I had to smile as I rolled down the window and was greeted by a pretty female State Trooper. I was a little nervous. Were they going to let us in? Was it even a good idea to let us in?

She stepped forward as I showed her my credentials. “We’re heading to East Jefferson Hospital to scoop up 6 guys,” I quickly blurted out. She smiled and said, “good luck,” and waived us thru.

At that point it hit me, we are actually going in there. Holy crap. My dad sped up as we made our way across the spillway. While you could usually see the city completely lit up while on the spillway at night, this evening was unlike any anyone could remember. My anxiety level kept rising. Were there roving bands of gangs on the interstate? Did the police have control of the situation?

We made it into Metairie fairly quickly. It was eerie to say the least. For most of the trip into New Orleans, our only illumination was our own headlights. The Kenner police station was lit up bright as day, but that was the exception. Looking off the interstate was pointless. The neighborhoods of Kenner and Metairie were swallowed up by the darkness. We made it to the Clearview exit without incident where we were greeted by another set of State Troopers. I told them our plans and they quickly waived us thru. We rode down a few side streets before finding the hospital which was well lit. We drove up to the front entrance and I hopped out and walked up to an armed security guard displaying my credentials in front of me. I told him about the six people we were here to pick up. At that same moment, four National Guardsmen walked up. They were fully dressed in fatigues and all were armed with machine guns in the ready position. They pointed me to the “six civilians” and I hopped back into the SUV as we moved to another location at the hospital.

We rounded the corner and made our way to the emergency entrance. Bingo. I saw our six refugees sitting out on the sidewalk with a shotgun toting Sheriff’s Deputy standing guard. We pulled up and discovered we were rescuing four men, two women, three big dogs and a cat. I greeted John with an outstreched hand. He grabbed my dad and I in a big bear hug as he fought back tears. “Thank God you made it.”

Amazingly we were able to pile everyone into the back of the SUV. As the loading was in progress, my dad gathered what information he could from the Sheriff’s Deputy. He told us to get out of town ASAP. Don’t slow down for anyone. Our guests smelled wretched. We rolled down the windows to air out the stench.

As we left the hospital I advocated heading back to the interstate along the exact same route. I was out voted and we tried to make it back by a more direct route. We were doing fine until a huge tree blocked the entire street and forced us to back track. I wanted to be in harm’s way for a little as possible and driving around trying to find a new route out didn’t fit with my plans so I again urged an exact back track of our path. This time I won out and we were on the interstate on ramp in minutes. As we made the slow turn on the ramp, I spotted the first natives out in the night. They triad flagging us down but my dad gunned the SUV and we swung wide, hoping that none of them had guns.

We broke free and headed to safety, all hands present and accounted for.

Mission Accomplished.

PS…I want to give credit to a dear friend who we affectionately call “O.M.A.C.” for giving me the idea for the title. As a former Coast Guard chopper pilot we all owe a debt of gratitude to him for his years of dedicated service.

Week 1

LSU’s opener last week was cancelled. There was no way that game could have been played in Tiger Stadium with the human tragedy being played out on TV all week. I don’t know if the players were in any shape to focus on a game which was suddenly placed in its appropriate context. Could the Tigers have played at North Texas? Sure. Would they have won? Probably. Would this have been appropriate? I think each of us must answer that for ourselves.

This weekend’s upcoming game with Arizona State was also to be played in Tiger Stadium. However, it has been moved to Sun Devil Stadium in Tempe, Arizona. While I think most folks would agree with the administration’s decision regarding North Texas, I think the feelings are mixed for this weekend’s game. It was reported that the game could have been played in Oxford on Ole Miss’ campus. That seemed to be a great solution to the problem facing the LSU decision makers. The game will go on, LSU fans could drive to Oxford and Ole Miss staff and support people would be in a great position to handle the logistics. LSU would lose home field advantage, but at least a large contingent of LSU fans would be present.

Instead we now have a road game at ASU. Plus we have the idiotic LSU chancellor encouraging people to head to Tempe for the game. Say what? Am I supposed to get plane tickets and a hotel room wrapped up in four days and head out for the weekend while my house is full of folks from New Orleans? At least the drive to Oxford would allow fans to leave early Saturday, play the game at 2:30 p.m., and then drive back to Louisiana. The chancellor’s plea for a big LSU turnout is asinine. But hey, at least he is hooking up his good buddy, the chancellor over ASU.

On top of everything else, LSU STILL has to travel to Tempe in 2008. I’m calling b---s--- on the entire deal.

As for the game itself, I have no idea what will happen. If LSU can collect itself and focus on the task at hand, the Tigers can make a BIG statement this weekend. But if the adversity proves to difficult to overcome, expect a sloppy, poorly played game marked by numerous mental errors. The Sun Devils have the advantages of playing at home and one game already under their belt. The Tigers are more talented and as of yet, unscouted. Who knows what new wrinkles Les Miles has brought to the Bayou Bengals?

LSU must run the ball to have any offensive success. Russell is not to the level where he can carry the offense. If the defense can get after ASU's new QB, Sam Keller, LSU can keep the game close and rely on that nasty offensive line to carry the day in the fourth quarter.

Of course I will be screaming at the TV Saturday night for the Tigers, but I can’t shake the feeling that all the distractions will be too much for LSU.

Arizona State – 24 LSU – 20.

Getting the Hell out of Oxford

The situation at Ole Miss gets more and more interesting. First the Rebels fire the very successful David Cutcliffe after one poor year. Cutcliffe was the only coach in the history of the school to win seven games in his first 5 years. Then the administration goes on some fantasy coach tour dropping names that Ole Miss couldn’t get in sniffing distance of hiring. The Rebels then settle on a COLLEGE POSITION COACH. He has never even been a coordinator and he is now expected to run the entire football program. Are you kidding me??? This smacks of desperation.

Now SEVEN new recruits have left the team for various reasons including players quitting, failing to qualify academically and guys getting booted off the team for disciplinary reasons. Orgeron stated that his late hire at Ole Miss forced him to take chances on a number of players, but losing this many guys within a few weeks raises a number of red flags. I thought firing Cutcliffe was a terrible decision and the hiring of Orgeron compounded the mistake. Everyone talks about his “enthusiasm and intensity,” but I expect Ole Miss to wallow at the bottom of the SEC West for the next few years.

Long Live Chief Osceola

Doesn’t the NCAA have anything better to do? Instead of dropping the hammer on a VERY dirty Ohio State football program (more on that another time), the NCAA bans Native American mascots for its Championship Tournaments. This sort of half handed and sloppy “feel-good” legislation has created an issue where one didn’t exist. Let’s get this straight, we are not talking about money or property or personal liberty. Essentially a select group of individuals at the NCAA have decided that Indian nicknames are offensive and must go.

The fundamental problem is that you CAN NOT legislate “feelings” or "emotions." The NCAA has banned all mascots that are “offensive, hostile or abusive.” Ok, so who decides this? What one man finds offensive, another man will eagerly embrace. Why are the Florida State Seminoles banned, while the San Diego State Aztecs given a free pass? Why is Chief Osceola banned when the Seminole tribes of Florida and Oklahoma endorse the University’s use of the mascot? Shouldn’t the Seminoles decide if they are being demeaned or offended?

The elite liberals in this country KNOW they are smarter than the rest of us and feel very comfortable telling us how WE should live. They are comfortable dictating to the uneducated and crude “lower classes” on issues such as religion, gender and in this case, offensive mascots.

I happen to think Chief Osceola is a fantastic mascot and getting to Doak Campbell Stadium to see him throw his spear down at the 50 is on my list of things to do before I die. One of the bigger problems I see is the gradual elimination of all candid thoughts and comments in the media and in public for fear of offending some person, group or entity. Here the NCAA seeks to dictate to a select number of universities its own morality. In their quest to become more enlightened, all they do is become more oppressive and dare I say communistic? Where does this lead? Getting rid of the Fighting Irish? Do we get rid of all mascots because some folks way out on the left (yes you PETA) are offended because we chain up animals and use them as a novelty act?

At this point you are saying, “Well, that is just going to far. That is ridiculous. There is a difference between a race of people and animals.” And evidently there is also a difference between races in the NCAA’s mind. I guess the Aztecs are made of heartier stuff than these Seminoles whose land we took so long ago. (Don’t forget about the Spartans and Trojans. But I guess since they are all dead now it’s OK to use them as mascots.)

I’ll handle my morality myself thank you. If I am offended by something I see I will change the channel, turn the page or draft my own blog. I don’t need the NCAA, the federal or state government or anyone else for that matter telling me how I should feel.

Off Season Random Musings

• "I chuck it down there, just to let people know we'll throw deep. If you don't throw it deep, they'll never back up." - Steve Spurrier
• I for one am glad to see Darth Visor back in the SEC.
• I like Purdue to win the Big 11. 21 starters return and the schedule excludes Ohio State and Michigan.
• Since the inception of the BCS, one of the two top teams in the initial Coaches Poll has been in the Championship Game. So USC and Texas would seem to have a leg up, if you believe in streaks.
• I’m going to go a little crazy with my Championship Game prediction. USC vs. Purdue. I think USC will lose one game but won’t fall from one of the top two spots. I just like Purdue and their schedule. No Michigan or OSU. They play at Minnesota, at Wisconsin and at Penn State with their toughest game at home versus Iowa. The Boilermaker’s 2004 season reminds me of the 2002 LSU team. Similar record (7-5 vs 8-5 for LSU), strong start a with mid season swoon and lost their bowl game. I know it is a reach, but picking USC vs. LSU is just too much pressure for me to handle.
• Michigan State will make a Bowl Game, Penn State will not.
• I am sick of T.O. Go blow out a knee or something and let ESPN move on.
• The number of games on TV is staggering. I’ll have four going at once and it still won’t be enough.
• Upon learning of Spurrier’s return to the SEC, Phil Fulmer’s first thought was, “Aw Crap.”
• There is no way to be fully prepared to have a child.

Toothless Gator Defense?

While I think the Gators made a great hire in Urban Meyer, I am a bit confused by his retention of Charlie Strong as defensive coordinator. Much as Lou Tepper played a huge role getting Gerry DiNardo fired from LSU, Strong was instrumental in getting Ron Zook run out of Florida. Don’t believe me? These five games from 2003 and 2004 ruined any chance Ron Zook had to remain at Florida.

· (2003) Leading by 23 mid way through the 3rd quarter, the Gators go on to lose to Miami, 38-33. The canes scored with 1:44 left on the clock. The game winning drive lasted 4 minutes, taking 11 plays that covered 89 yards.
· (2003) Florida loses to Ole Miss at home 20-17 after allowing the Rebels to score the go ahead touchdown with 1:16 left in the game. The drive covered 50 yards over 8 plays and took over 4 minutes.
· (2003) On 4th and 14 with 55 seconds left to play, the Gators give up a 52 yard touchdown pass and lose to FSU 38-34.
· (2004) Tennessee kicks a game-winning 50-yard field goal with six seconds left, as the Volunteers defeat the Gators 30-28. Florida allowed UT to drive 28 yards in 5 plays in only 31 seconds to set up the game winning kick.
· (2004) LSU completes a 10-yard touchdown pass with 27 seconds remaining to lift the Tigers to a 24-21 victory over Florida. The final drive went 50 yards in 1:39 and took five plays.

Ultimately Ron Zook took the fall for these debacles but I think a great deal of the responsibility lies with Strong. I know Florida has had talented defensive players the last two years, but it seems they were unable to make stops when it counted.

The numbers don't lie. In 2003 the Gators were ranked 65th in run defense, 44th in pass defense, 51st in total defense and 28th in scoring defense. 2004 wasn’t much better as Florida was ranked 53rd in run defense, 46th in pass defense, 42nd in total defense and 31st in scoring defense.

As a comparison, the last three SEC Champs finished 1st in the SEC in scoring defense, with Auburn and LSU finishing first in the nation in that category. (Georgia finished 4th nationally in 2002) All three also finished in the top 15 nationally in total defense. (Auburn 5th, LSU 1st, UGA 15th) The recent trend appears to favor teams with great defenses. Florida will need one to win a very tough SEC.

Bucking the Trend

The SEC held its Media Days this week and the press picked Tennessee to win the SEC East and the SEC Championship. At first glance this seems a solid pick, but I looked a little deeper at the winners of the SEC Championship Game over the last 10 years and found an interesting common denominator among the former Champions, experience at the quarterback position. Of the 10 SEC Champs since 1995, half were led by senior QB’s (Wuerffel in ’96, Manning in ’97, Martin in ’98, Davey in ’01 and Campbell in ’04). Two Juniors captured titles (Wuerffel in ’95 and Mauck in ’03), as did two red-shirt sophomores (Zow in ’99 and Greene in ’02) and finally one red-shirt freshman (Grossman in ’00).

What does this all mean? Only one team won the SEC with a second year player as the quarterback, Florida in 2000 with Rex Grossman. Who is Tennessee’s starting QB this season? True sophomore Eric Ainge will be under center when UT opens up at home versus UAB. Senior Rick Clausen took over last season after Ainge went down with a shoulder injury and played well capping off the 2004 season with a big win over Texas A&M in the Cotton Bowl. But it appears that Ainge is the clear #1. If Ainge remains the starter, the Vols will be bucking history in their quest for their first SEC Championship since 1998.

2005 LSU Preview

Expectations are great. No, really.

Fan interest is high. The stadium is full every Saturday night. Excitement surrounds the program. The Talking Heads are singing your praises.

Just don’t lose.

Don’t lose to Arizona State.
Don’t lose to Tennessee.
Don’t lose to Florida.
Don’t lose to Auburn.

And for God’s sakes man don’t lose to the likes of Mississippi State!

Expectations are great…as long as you don’t stumble.

LSU will be far from stumbling through the 2005 season. The Tigers are loaded and have the potential to make a run at an SEC Title and possible National Title. But to do so, the QB position must be a source of stability. For most of 2004, LSU fans covered their eyes as Randall and Russell flopped around from game to game. One week’s hero was next week’s goat. That can not happen this year if LSU is to have any chance of making a legitimate run at the Rose Bowl.

The entire offensive line is back and is joined by a bevy or returning players at the skill positions including Skyler Green, Craig Davis, Alley Broussard and Mr. Everything, Joseph Addai. If the pieces fall together, this could be the most prolific offense in LSU history. In 1969, the Tigers averaged a gaudy 34.9 points a game. While the 2005 Tigers will not be that prolific, look for LSU to put up BIG numbers throughout the season.

I am VERY curious to see LSU’s new defense. Seven starters return for new defensive coordinator, Bo Pelini. Pelini spent 2004 as co-defensive coordinator at Oklahoma and 2003 as defensive coordinator of the Nebraska Cornhuskers. Pelini's 2003 Nebraska defense led the nation in pass efficiency defense (88.66 rating), ranked No. 2 in scoring defense (14.5 points per game), was No. 11 in passing yards per game (177.8 yards per game), and No. 11 in total defense (297.2 yards per game).

The defensive line is in great hands and is led by Kyle Williams. The linebacking corps and secondary will see new faces but there is plenty of talent returning with All-SEC Safety LaRon Landry leading the way.

Can Les Miles pull a Larry Coker? Can he win it all in his first year?

Yes and yes.

Miles and LSU can, but I don’t think they will. The Tigers will finish a fantastic 10-1. LSU will make a return trip to the SEC Championship, but a great regular season with a single blemish will not be enough to play in Pasadena. Who will serve as that sole loss? I have no idea. Last year I nailed the season picking LSU to go 9-2 and lose to Auburn and Georgia. This season I am not nearly as confident. There are a number of tough tests in 2005 that could derail the Tigers. But I expect a great deal of success and another SEC West title.

Finally, I want to dedicate this season’s Hit Parade to a wonderful person who is very close to me and the Traylor Clan. Our prayers will be with you all season.

Bitterness be Gone!!

I think it is fair to say that the end of the 2004 LSU football season sucked. Not the whole season mind you, just the ass end of a promising season that was derailed in early October. As the season played out, that ridiculous penalty against LSU in the Auburn game loomed larger and larger. Now there was no guarantee that LSU would have won that game, but…had LSU survived overtime and finished 10-1, the Tigers would have made their third appearance in four years in the SEC Championship.

What if…what if…what if!

Saban’s departure was inevitable and only a matter of time. While I was not as upset as some other folks, his announcement definitely put a damper on Christmas. The Capital One Bowl was a stinker for the first three quarters before the Tigers woke up only to give up a last second hail-mary to the Hawkeyes. (Remember UK in ’02? What goes around comes around…blah, blah, blah.)

Good riddance to 2004!

Hello 2005!!

Tigers Rose Bowl Bound??????

College Football News has LSU and USC playing for the 2005 National Championship in the Grand Daddy of them all. Click here for more.

SEC West Preview

The Georgia Dome will see Tigers again this season, but look for Tigers of a different stripe. LSU will return for its 3^rd visit in 5 years to the SEC Championship. The schedule is brutal but the toughest games are at home. The rest of the West is a big jumble. Folks are hyping Alabama but I’m not buying it. The Tide are one or two injuries away from a poor season. Starting THREE freshmen on the O-Line will leave Croyle at the mercy of nasty SEC defensive linemen. Auburn is reloading while Arkansas brings back almost everyone. Ole Miss and Mississippi State will fight it out for the cellar.

We could squabble about rankings but very little separates the top four teams in the West. I think Houston Nutt will get the Hogs back to a bowl game while Ole Miss will sink closer to the bottom. The Rebels made a mistake by replacing David Cutcliff in the off-season and I can assure you, Johnny Vaught is not walking thru that door.

SEC East Preview

The days of beating up on the Mighty Gators are over. If you haven’t gotten your licks in yet (this means you UGA), then don’t expect to get them in now. Urban Meyer will return Florida to the lofty perch it assumed under Steve Spurrier. The Gators are loaded on both sides of the ball and anything less than a BCS birth (at least in my mind) would be a disappointment. Everyone is picking Tennessee but I am not sold. Rocky Top plays at Florida and then the next week at LSU in a brutal early road trip. The Vols then play at Alabama and have to sandwich in a game at Notre Dame late in the season. The bottom line with Georgia is I do not believe in senior QB D.J. Shockley. Do you think the Dawgs are better than last year after losing David Greene, Reggie Brown and Fred Gibson, Thomas Davis, Odell Thurman, and David Pollack? Yeah, me either.


I admit it, I love Spurrier. He brings flair and panache to the game. He runs smack and throws the ball deep up by four TD’s late in the game. Alas, he doesn’t have the players this year and may never get them. The Gamecocks will run up some mean scores the next few years, just not this season. Vandy is….well….Vandy. Don’t even get me started on UK. Hiring Rich Brooks was just plain stupid and the AD should get fired for it.

SEC 2005 Forecast

East

1. Florida
2. Tennessee
3. Georgia
4. South Carolina
5. Vanderbilt
6. Kentucky

West

1. LSU
2. Alabama
3. Auburn
4. Arkansas
5. Ole Miss
6. Mississippi State

New Sheriff in Tiger Town

After serving a stint with the Dallas Cowboys and the last four years with the Oklahoma State Cowboys, les Miles is the new Sheriff in Tiger Town. While it is impossible to forecast the future with absolute certainty, I think the search committee did a very good job hiring Miles.

Many of you will hear complaining and griping about Miles, but before falling in with the emotional (and regularly ignorant) crowd, look at the numbers and compare them with Saban’s tenure at Michigan State. Miles is 28-21 after four seasons in Stillwater. OSU has been to three straight bowl games after only one appearance in the prior 13 years. As a side note, the last time Oklahoma State was competitive on a consistent basis was back in the late 80’s when a guy named Barry Sanders was toting the rock. If memory serves me correct, he was pretty good (he won the 1988 Heisman Trophy).

Against Oklahoma, Texas A&M, Nebraska, Kansas State and Colorado, Miles was a respectable 7-7. Only Texas befuddled the Cowboys as Miles went 0-4 versus the Longhorns. Miles was 17-8 at home overall and 16-4 over the last three seasons. His road record was a respectable 10-11. Easily Miles’ two biggest wins are the consecutive victories over Oklahoma in 2001 and 2002. The Cowboys pushed the Sooners to the limit this year finally falling 38-35.

His quarterbacks have consistently played efficiently even as the offense morphed this year to a more run oriented attack after two seasons of Josh Fields to Rashaun Woods. In 2002, the Cowboys had a 3,000 yard QB, 1,000 yard RB and 1,600 yard WR. The Cowboys started a redshirt freshmen this year at QB who, while not spectacular, played very well, passing for over 1,400 yards, 13 TD’s and only 4 INT’s. The last three seasons, the Cowboys have averaged 35 points a game on offense, ranking 15^th in the nation in 2004. With all the weapons returning next season at LSU, expect more of the same.

Defense will be the real question mark. Miles will bring his defensive coordinator, Bill Clay, with him from Oklahoma State. The Cowboy defense has been porous the last four years giving up about 25 points a game, ranking 49^th in the country this past season. That is a far cry from what the Tiger faithful have come to expect from Saban’s nasty defense. I am sure part of that is a function of the talent level at Oklahoma State. I haven’t watched enough Cowboy football to compare LSU’s defensive tendencies versus OSU. But the Cowboys did have 32 sacks in 2003 which shows me they got after the QB. Oklahoma State finished this season ranked #1 in the country in turnover margin at +18. In comparison, LSU finished 79^th at –3.

Miles will have an opportunity to prove himself immediately. LSU will be loaded as the entire offense returns. The defense will miss Marcus Spears, Lionel Turner, Travis Daniels and Corey Webster, but there are a number of guys ready to step in and make an impact. (BTW – Webster made a living this season off last year’s hype, easily the most disappointing guy on the defense.) LSU should be picked to win the West in 2005 and possibly contend for an SEC Championship and National Championship.

The pieces are also in place for a solid recruiting class this season. Miles just needs to pick up where Saban left off and rebuild a few relationships. I am confident that Miles will lock down the state of Louisiana and with his experience in recruiting the bevy of talent in Texas, expect a few studs from across the border to migrate to LSU. I’m very excited about the future and I think LSU is in good hands. Let’s hope Les Miles can build upon the success of the last five years and lead LSU back to another Championship.

Grinched

In comedy, in the courtroom and on the gridiron, timing is everything, and the timing of Saban’s announcement stinks to high heaven!! On Christmas evening, Saban gave LSU a huge lump of coal as he jumped to the No Fun League’s, Miami Dolphins. Saban’s departure was expected and very few were surprised, but on Christmas Day?? Sure, I know, he wanted to tell his players first yada-yada-yada. I get it. I also understand that the Miami gig is a fantastic opportunity and I can’t blame him for moving on to the next level. But his timing was a bummer, and perhaps, unavoidable.

I listened to the first few minutes of Saban’s press conference but then I realized, why the hell am I watching a press conference involving the Miami Dolphins head coach? As that fact dawned upon me I quickly turned off the TV and got back to much more important matters, like open the remaining gifts with my family.

I know there will be wailing and gnashing of teeth and plenty of FOOLS cursing Saban’s name. Get a grip. The man won two SEC Championships and a National Title. He has won 48 games over five years and beaten the best in the business. It hurts now, but as time passes and LSU continues to win, the pain will subside. I know some will root against Saban so they can say, “should have stayed at LSU.” Others will cheer for the Dolphins and hope Nick’s success continues at the next level. I’m more ambivalent. I don’t know Saban personally. He seems like a good guy. He worked very hard while he was at LSU earning every dollar thrown at him. He won a bunch of football games and I was able to watch LSU win a National Title because of his hard work. But our relationship is over, because the only thing we shared was LSU football. Now that the link is broken, we can go our separate ways.

College sports is a business where loyalty takes a back seat to a number of things including, wins, money and ego. Had Saban come in and struggled, folks would be burning up the airwaves with complaints. Look at Ron Zook, before he even coached a game two guys created FireRonZook.com. Remember, Nick Saban was hired for ONE reason, to win football games. Everything else is window dressing. He wasn’t hired to be funny. He wasn’t hired to fall in love with LSU. He wasn’t hired to eventually retire in Baton Rogue and become a symbol of the university. He was paid for W’s, and he delivered big time.

Where to now? I have no idea. I assume Bertman has been working behind the scenes putting together a short list of coaching candidates. LSU is VERY attractive and LSU should do well as long as the process isn’t botched. I hope it happens soon. A new coach must assemble a staff and pick up where Saban left off in recruiting. LSU will be loaded next year, with the right guy, the Tigers will make another run at a National Championship. Let’s hope the next guy is in the Saban mold….not Curley bout Crazy.

PS…Oh yeah, the bowl game! Lost in the saga was the fact that LSU will play Iowa on New Year’s Day. A number of questions come to mind. Will Randall put together consecutive solid games? Will the younger players be distracted by the uncertainty of a new coach? Will the entire team focus on the task at hand when they know the taskmaster will be out the door at game’s end? All we can do is hope for the best and be prepared for the worst.

Final Musings...

Final Musings?! What do you mean? The season isn’t over yet! What about the bowl games?

What about them? You play all season to get in the best bowl possible, then play a meaningless game over New Year. Outside of the Championship Game, the rest of the match-ups are a bunch of exhibitions…thus the fundamental problem with the college football postseason. If you have a pulse, you’re in. 6-5? Come on down. Lost two games by more than 25 points this year? You can still play a great post season bowl no one has ever heard of. Haven’t beaten a team with a winning record this season? Think nothing of it. We will gladly have you fans in town to blow their hard earned money.

Auburn got hosed this season, but those are the rules. Everyone is complaining that Auburn should be ranked ahead of Oklahoma and USC. This is the wrong argument. Fans should be saying, “this system blows and we need to blow it up.” I like the four team playoff idea. Only one extra game. I would rather have the 5^th place team yelling than a worthy 3^rd place team.

Who does Ole Piss think they are fooling? You can throw as much money at a guy as you want, you are not going to play with the big boys every season. Recruiting Mississippi is tough with Ole Piss, Southern Miss and MSU all competeing for the same players. Firing Cutcliff was a HUGE mistake. Mark it down, the Rebels will be looking for a new head man following the 2007 season.

What happened to Miami? Lose a Championship game to Virginia Tech? At home?

Notre Shame is not a great job. The Irsih don’t have a natural geographical recruiting base advantage (think the Florida schools, OU and Texas, LSU, Michigan Ohio State or USC). Everyone is on TV now, so ND’s special deal with NBC isn’t all that special. The fan’s are unrealistic and the academic standards can create recruiting issues. Plus they try and low ball “THE MAN” (Urban Meyer) after they gunned Willingham. If I have to pick between making 1 million a year or DOUBLE that amount, the decision is made much easier.

I like Oklahoma in the National Championship game. No one is going to pick them, a la the 2001 Orange Bowl when the Sooners spanked the Criminoles. I picked the Sooners to win it all back on August 25, so I am sticking with them now.