Frustration Mounts

"It will only be a championship season, and that’s the only point and direction of this program. That’s where we’re headed."

-Les Miles

For Miles to deliver a championship in 2010, the offense must play better, particularly, Jordan Jefferson.  Among Tiger fans (and probably Tiger coaches) there is a tremendous amount of frustration with the offense.  LSU is currently ranked 115^th out of 120 teams in passing offense.  Jefferson is ranked 113^th in the country and dead last in the SEC in passing efficiency.  It appears that for some reason he has regressed from last season.  This is even more troubling when you consider the improvement by the offensive line and the running game.  Herb Tyler, where have you gone?

It seems clear that Jefferson is Miles’ guy.  Otherwise we would have seen Lee play a few meaningful snaps.  Miles believes that Jefferson gives LSU the best chance to win.  Having said that, it is also clear that the staff has VERY LITTLE faith in Jefferson.  The play calling is not fancy or diverse.  LSU must ‘out execute’ other teams because clearly they will not ‘out scheme’ any one.  Think about it, when was the last time you said, wow, that was a really great play call by LSU?

Miles’ plays Jefferson because unlike Lee, Jefferson is generally good at protecting the ball.  He had only 7 INT’s last season but is now on pace to finish this season with 12.  I assume Miles is willing to accept Jefferson’s shortcomings as long as he doesn’t kill LSU with turnovers.  Jefferson was sacked 37 times last season.  This year he is on pace for 12.  Again, Jefferson does not give up ‘negative’ plays.  I am not trying to justify Miles’ thought process, rather I am trying to explore the most likely scenario for why Lee remains firmly rooted to the bench.

The boos came cascading down last night as Jefferson’s play got worse as the game went along.  After starting 6 for 7, Jefferson went 4 for 15 finishing the game at 10 for 22 for 75 yards and 2 INT’s.  He still stares down receivers and can be terribly inaccurate. 

Last season, many of the talking heads on the local radio and in the nation media asked the question, “What is LSU’s identity?”  I think after four games that question has been answered in 2010.  LSU is going to play great defense, be excellent in special teams play and do just enough on offense to win the game.  The Tigers are going to run the ball and pass just enough to get by.  I believe the staff wants to shorten the game and reduce the number of drives by each team to cover up the offensive deficiencies.

The ultimate question then becomes, can LSU win with this philosophy?  More specifically, can LSU overtake Alabama and Florida in search of an SEC Title?  LSU has a national title worthy defense and special teams the envy of most teams in America.  But the offense may be the worst LSU has produced in the last 50 years.  In the age of spread offenses and with all the supposed talent on this team, the pathetic output of the offense is unacceptable.  I’m not saying Lee will be any better, but until he is given a chance, expect the booing to increase with every poor throw and missed wide receiver.

Let's Dumb it Down

From Miles' press conference on Monday.

On wanting QB Jordan Jefferson to be more aggressive…

“Well, we just want him to play, have some fun, smile and maybe do some things that he’s more comfortable with. Maybe it’s simplifying the game plan, or maybe it’s giving him the checks that he’s most comfortable with and really let him have some input on it. We know he can run the team. We know he has leadership ability. We just want to make him most productive. I just think we need to let him play.”

 Are you kidding me?  From what I can see, the game plan is not very sophisticated as it is.  Jefferson has been in the program three years and you are still having to simplify the game plan?  That's just great.

Time for a Change?

Please raise your hand if you have had about enough of Jordan Jefferson. The junior signal caller played his worst game in a Tiger uniform going 8 for 20 with only 96 yards and one INT. His QB rating for the game was an atrocious 70.32. By comparison, Auburn’s Cameron Newton rated out at 142.23 in his most recent game at MSU on Thursday night. Jefferson also ran the ball 13 times for a grand total of 13 yards. Jefferson was directly involved in 33 plays with a per play average of 3.3 yards. Garbage. I was in Jefferson’s camp and believed that this would be a break out season for him. While he played well versus UNC, he was abysmal this Saturday against the worst team in the SEC.

So what happens now? I hope Jefferson bounces back with a very good game against MSU. But I think Lee deserves a drive or two each half this weekend. You have to wonder about the level of confidence in Jefferson inside the LSU camp amongst coaches and players. LSU’s offensive line is playing better this season in pass protection and run blocking. Yet LSU is still ranked 107th in the nation is passing offense. Jefferson has had ample opportunity to make plays and hasn’t excelled, as you would expect from a player with his experience.

The defense is nasty. The Tigers are #2 nationally in sacks, #4 in tackles for loss and #4 in rushing defense giving up a paltry 44 yards a game on the ground. Through two games, the Tigers are only allowing opponents to convert on 20% of third down conversions. Drake Nevis has been a beast in the middle. IF the linebacker corps matures and the secondary rounds into shape, this looks to be a championship caliber defense.

A few other observations:

* What’s up with Michael Ford? He only got in the game at garbage time while true freshman Alfred Blue got a number of meaningful carries.

* Miles takes a lot of criticism but give him credit for sticking to his guns regarding the team’s offensive identity. LSU ran the ball 50 times for 280 yards. LSU ran a lot of two tight end sets looking to establish the ground game.

* LSU is averaging 5.17 yards a carry this season. Take out Jefferson’s 23 attempts and it moves to 6.73.

* Why are we still running the option?

LSU v.MSU

LSU gets State in the home opener this Saturday. The Bulldogs let a number of opportunities get away in their 17-14 loss to Auburn last week. MSU looked pedestrian on offense racking up only 117 rushing yards and 129 yards passing. I expect the game to be close in the first half with the Tigers pulling away late in the third quarter. I have it on a fairly reliable source that Lee will get an opportunity to play some meaningful snaps on Saturday. Let’s hope he comes out sharp and pushes for more playing time.

LSU 27 – MSU 13

1-0

I can say that almost without exception, it is better to give yourself 24 hours before writing about the Tigers. Be it a win or a loss, a little time to reflect and evaluate is invaluable.

I think it is fair to say that this was probably one of the more disheartening wins I’ve ever sat through. If you view the game standing alone, LSU’s performance could be explained away by any number of factors unique to that particular game. It was a season opener. It was at a neutral site. LSU has a number of new players on defense. UNC played with a great deal of determination. LSU let down after getting up by 20 in the first half.

But viewed in the light of Les Miles’ regime in Baton Rouge, the game was extremely troubling. How many times have we seen LSU fail to close out opponents? In three of LSU’s losses last season, the Tigers held leads going into the fourth quarter only to fade down the stretch. Against a team missing seven defensive starters, LSU’s offense mirrored last years’ unit. An inability to move the ball with any consistency and very questionable play calling were all too reminiscent of 2009. Did I also mention the sloppiness and lack of focus? Let’s start there.

* 8 penalties.
* The roughing the kicker penalty gave UNC the ball back and led to their first TD drive.
* The holding call on Hebert which brought back a nice TD run by Ridley.
* 5 turnovers.
* Speaking of Ridley, his two fumbles nearly cost LSU the game. With LSU driving for the clinching score early in the third quarter, Ridley fumbles at the UNC 12. Then late in the game with only a minute left he coughs it up again.
* 1 missed FG
* The secondary looked lost at times giving up over 400 yards passing.

On the plus side, Patrick Peterson is fantastic. His 244 return yards through 30 minutes allowed LSU to score 30 first half points. Minus the missed FG, special teams were fantastic.

The run defense was stellar giving up only 24 yards the entire game. Yates was sacked 4 times and the Tigers accumulated 11 tackles for loss.

Russell Shepard and Rueben Randall looked great.

Jordan Jefferson was fairly efficient but two bone headed plays left many fans (myself included) questioning whether he has progressed from last season.

I think it foolish to make any definitive statements about this team thus far. It is clear they have tremendously talented playmakers, but do they have the mental focus and proper coaching to win a championship? I’ve been a believer in Miles but I am getting more and more frustrated with LSU’s tendency to play to the level of the competition. I am curious to see how LSU plays this weekend against Vanderbilt. The Tigers should win this game comfortably. But I expect it to be a much tighter affair until late.

LSU 27 - Vandy 10

Predictions

SEC East

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

SEC West

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

A few thoughts:

* Alabama and Florida are still the two best teams in the SEC until proven otherwise.  The October 2^nd game in Tuscaloosa should be titanic.

* I’m not buying the hype on the Hogs.   Sure, they will put up a lot of points, but the defense is atrocious.  Even with a plus 15 turnover margin, Arkansas finished dead last in the league in total defense.

* No one will go undefeated in the league this year.  Florida and Alabama are 31-1 in the SEC the past two seasons.

* Georgia is a huge question mark this season.  One poll has them ranked third while others leave the Bulldogs unranked.  The September 11 game at South Carolina will be an elimination game for the chance to challenge the Gators for the East title.

*As usual, the media loves offense and thus gave a nod to Auburn over LSU in the West.  The problem is Auburn's defense stunk last season finishing 11^th in the SEC in total defense and 12^th in scoring defense.  What has changed to give the defense a boost?

The Magic Number is...?

I was recently asked how many wins Miles needs to keep his job.  This is a legitimate question that I will address.  However, I am frustrated by the fact that this question seems to be the primary interest for many LSU fans.  Not whether Jordan Jefferson will become the QB everyone wants him to be.  Not whether LSU will be able to run the ball this season.  Not even whether LSU’s defense can become the dominating unit it has been in the past.  The questions that raise the most interest involve Miles’ future (or lack there of) at LSU.

To answer the initial question, I think Miles needs to go 8-4 to retain his job.  If he goes 8-4 and the four loses are competitive, I could see him being given an ultimatum for the 2011 season, SEC Title, BCS game or 10 wins…or the door.  Miles looks to have a tremendous recruiting class coming in for 2011 and the team will be poised to make a strong run based on the 2011 schedule and the number of returning starters.  Those factors weigh in his favor.  Could they fire him if he goes 8-4, sure.  I just think he would be given one more year to try and recapture the success of his first three years at LSU. 

Give me your thoughts.  How many wins do you think Miles needs?

The Over Signing Issue

Miles is taking a lot of heat on the over signing issue.  My thought is this is well deserved but a little unfair as Saban is the worst offender.  The SEC or NCAA should step in and stop the practice.

Mixed thoughts on Miles

Dennis Dodd's thoughts about Les

Bleacher Report article on Miles

You have to look at the source when reading these articles.  The writer in the Bleacher Report refers to the SEC as the "South Eastern Conference."  Are you kidding?  Some guy who doesn't know that the proper name of the SEC is the Southeastern Conference is going to then state that Miles is gone after 8-4?  I notice he failed to mention the $14-$15 million buy out.  Who is going to pay that?

Furthermore, Burton says, "in typical Les Miles fashion, he may continue to lose one he shouldn't..."  Miles has been at LSU for five years, outside of the loss to Arkansas in 2008, where are these "typical losses?" Please readers, tell me where LSU was heavily favored and lost a game the experts picked them to win.

I accept that Miles has his short comings and they cost LSU the Ole Miss game.  I also accept that some people want Miles gone, even if he were to win the SEC Title.  I just think any discussion should be based on facts and reality, not some wild notion that LSU is one of the elites of college football where anything less than 10 wins a year is a failure.  LSU has NEVER been that school and with the SEC as deep as it is, may NEVER be that school in the future.

SEC Media Days

A few LSU notes from SEC Media Days...

More SEC Media Day coverage...

"Truths" & "Myths" cont.

Yesterday I addressed the question of Jefferson's efficiency during the 2009 season. There were some legitimate observations posted on the comments that got me thinking. Given Jefferson's solid numbers, why wasn't he more effective? I looked at more 2009 stats, specifically, the TOTAL plays from the SEC's top QB's and came away with some interesting numbers. Again, only conference games are referenced.

Player	School	Plays	Yards/Play
Jefferson	LSU	293	5.3
Tebow	Florida	360	6.0
McElroy	Alabama	266	6.7
Mallet	Arkansas	316	6.8
Todd	Auburn	227	5.3
Cox	Georgia	239	7.4
Garcia	South Carolina	380	5.7

(All stats courtesy of cfbstats.com)

In all fairness to his detractors, when the sacks and rushing attempts are factored in, Jefferson's yards per play average is relatively poor compared to the other top SEC quarterbacks. For LSU to thrive, he must be more productive with the ball in his hands in 2010.

Thanks for reading and the feedback.

LSU 2010

Summer Reading

LSU Preview from College Football News

LSU Preview from Athlons

Preview of LSU v. UNC opener

Welcome Back

September 4, 2010 is still six weeks away, but college football season is rapidly approaching.  I’ll share my thoughts on the upcoming season as we go along, but in the interim, I will post a few nuggets and other (hopefully) interesting stuff.

For a stats junkie like me, it doesn’t get any better than this College Football Stats page.  Just like reading a horse racing form, I am hoping to pore through all of the data to discover some underlying truths to help explain prior results and also to debunk some commonly held assumptions and conclusions that just don’t hold up under scrutiny.  Here are three “myths” and “truths” that bare a closer look under the stats microscope.  All of the stats reference conference games only.

1. LSU’s defense was on the field way too much.  This “bend but don’t break philosophy doesn’t work.”

Now I will agree that at times it seemed the defense was always on the field, but the stats create an interesting picture.  LSU’s defense was on the field for 545 plays in 2009, 4^th most in the conference.  Would you believe that Alabama’s vaunted defense had 560 plays, 2^nd most in the SEC?  LSU’s defense was only on the field two plays more per game than Florida.  Furthermore, LSU gave up only 4.8 yards per play, ranking 3^rd.  Alabama and Florida led the conference at 4.5 yards per play.

2. Jordan Jefferson is the problem on offense.

Compare these four QB’s:

1. QB “A” – Comp % 54, TD’s 14, INT’s 7, Rating 118.39
2. QB “B” – Comp % 58, TD’s 11, INT’s 8, Rating 128.48
3. QB “C” – Comp % 52, TD’s 11, INT’s 8, Rating 118.42
4. QB “D” – Comp % 62, TD’s  9, INT’s 4,  Rating 130.65

Quarterback A was a 5^th year senior and won a National Championship that season.  Quarterback B was a redshirt sophomore who eventually went on to become the #1 pick in the 2007 NFL Draft.  Quarterback C was a true sophomore who eventually went on to be the #1 pick in the 2009 NFL Draft.  Quarterback D will be starting for LSU against UNC on September 4^th.  We are talking about Matt Flynn, JaMarcus Russell, Matthew Stafford and Jordan Jefferson.

At this point in their careers, Jefferson stacks up very well.  He has a better rating and the fewest turnovers.  Furthermore, 2009 saw the worst offensive line in the past decade at LSU.  Jefferson absolutely needs to improve, but let us place blame where it belongs, on the large shoulders on the O-line.

3. Winning the “turnover battle” is just coach speak.

The last three SEC Champs have all finished first in the league in turnover margin.  Since 2004, the lowest turnover margin by the eventual champion was the 2004 Auburn team that went undefeated.  The Tigers finished at +1, ranked 5^th in the conference.

Thanks to cfbstats.com for all of the data.  Priceless.

Do College Players Really Get Cut?

Interesting article from oversigning.com on schools that "oversign" players each year.  Schools are limited to 85 scholarship players at the start of each season which ultimately forces players to leave the team before their eligibility expires.  You will never hear a coach say a player was "cut," but that is exactly what is going on.  (Click here for more)

I love mail!

Prowler

The people aren't upset Miles can't coach.They're upset that a fairly incompetent coach make more in a year than they do in a lifetime.There are quite a few below average to average coaches in the collegiuate ranks.  The people are pissed because while they bust their hump for 25-35k a year, spend a 5th of their salary on ridiculously priced season tickets, and this assclown is netting 4 mil to put out a subpar product. When you make 4 mil, you can't let clocks run out or throw a middle-in with no time left and--suprise suprise--no timeouts left.  He's a bad coach and worth about 60k...max. LSU overpayed, and everyone knows it. That's why they're mad.  And ask yourself what exactly was enjoyable about this season?  Very little.  You talk about the combined points for LSU's 4 losses. What about their wins. [emphasis added by me]


UW-Close
MSU-Squeaker
UGA- last second
Ark-OT


This season was a waste.  We'll see what happens with season tickets this year.


You keep the faith.
 
Anonymous
 
AH!!

Jealousy! That explains a lot. Here is this guy who makes tons of money that the average person will never make. He makes so much money and therefore he should be held to a higher standard. You know why he gets paid so much? Because “assclowns” (such as yourself? Just kidding, you didn’t leave your name so I have no idea who you are.) pay a ridiculous amount of money to go watch a bunch of 18-22 year olds run around and crash into each other.

My entire point is this: The delusional behavior where fans wrap their OWN self worth into LSU football is understandable on some level but ultimately misguided. I honestly feel sorry for these people whose lives are so empty that firing the head coach of LSU’s football team is the only thing that would get them motivated enough to “write a letter to the editor.” Who is the real dummy? The guy making 4 million a year or the guy who gives his hard earned money to the LSU football program so LSU can spend $20K on gold helmets for a “one time alternate uniform?”

As for this season, was I frustrated at times? Absolutely! Did I get upset about LSU’s struggles? You bet. But I’m a “just win baby!” type of guy. That is all I care about, winning the damn game. When I look at the Troy game last year, I see the greatest comeback in LSU history. When I look at the wins over Arkansas and Georgia this season, fantastic drama!

If you are so unhappy with a 9-4 season, why do you even watch? If you cannot find anything to enjoy about winning 9 games, I ask again, why do you even bother?

I sat through 6 losing seasons from 1989 to 1994. I sat through the entire 58-3 beat down Florida laid on LSU in 1993. I didn’t leave. I don’t expect everyone to agree with me. I don’t expect everyone understand the type of pressure and adversity I face on a daily basis which colors my personal perspective of LSU football. But I will never understand nor embrace the irrational negativity or the myopia of LSU fans.

Thanks for reading and responding.

Prowler

2009 put to bed...

Earlier today I got an e-mail from a friend asking me if I was still on the Les Miles bandwagon. You bet I am. I look for very good things the next two seasons from Miles and the Tigers. I'll tell you why.

1. Jordan Jefferson is one of only six underclassmen that start at QB for teams ranked in the AP Top 25. SIX. The other 19 teams in the Top 25 have junior or senior QB's, many who were redshirted. Furthermore, only TWO of those six had more wins than Jefferson, Kellen Moore at Boise and Terrell Pryor at Ohio State. Moore is actually a redshirt sophomore, meaning he had the benefit of an entire year on campus before he stepped on the field. It never fails to amaze me how fans are unable to appreciate the difficulties for young QB's thrown into the fire and asked to perform immediately. Quick, name me the last QB that played in the SEC Championship in only his second year on campus.

2. LSU will be better on the offensive line. There are a number of younger players that will be given an opportunity and I have faith in Miles and the staff to get this group going in the right direction. A better line means a better running game and less pressure on Jefferson to carry this team as he has been forced to do.

3. LSU's defense will be even better in 2010. The core of the secondary returns intact. Nevis will anchor the line and will benefit from talented younger players emerging. Kelvin Sheppard has morphed into an All-SEC caliber player and will be back next season. With another year of the same defensive staff working together, I expect big things from a defense that ranked 12th in the nation in points allowed in 2009.

4. The conference will be in a transition period next season. Tebow is gone at Florida. Joe Cox at Georgia and Jonathan Crompton at Tennessee are graduating. In the West, MSU, Ole Miss and Auburn will all start new QB's. If Mallet goes pro, the Hogs will also be looking for a new starter at QB.

5. The 2010 schedule will be challenging but manageable. Tennessee, Alabama, Ole Miss and MSU all visit Tiger Stadium. Auburn, Florida, Arkansas and Vandy will be on the road.

6. This year's team is not nearly as bad as the "doom & gloom" clan would lead you to believe. LSU lost four games by a combined 23 points. The four teams LSU lost to are a combined 46-7. With better play on both sides of the ball in 2010, LSU can finish 10-2 with a possible SEC Title or BCS Bowl game birth.

7. Miles will get his mojo back. Despite stumbling the last two season, from a strictly won/loss perspective, Miles has been fantastic. Don't believe me, look HERE. I know half the fan base wants him gone, 30% aren't sure and the rest are still backing him. The funny thing is, NO MATTER WHAT HAPPENS NEXT YEAR, HALF OF THE PEOPLE WILL STILL WANT MILES GONE.

Former Texas Tech coach, Spike Dykes, was once quoted as saying the following:


"....as a coach, you lose about 10 percent of your friends every year. And that's in a good year; attrition is proportional to losing.......I never met a coach who didn't do what he thought was best to win every game. You don't win every one, of course, and you make mistakes, too. So, along the way, your personal bandwagon develops more vacancies on an annual basis (taken from the book, Spike Dykes Tales from the Texas Sidelines)."

Which leads me to...

Final observations

*The psychology and mind set of the sports fan in general and the LSU fan in particular fascinates me. While coaches have little or no impact whatsoever on their lives, fans are ready and willing to go on the record that the coach needs to be fired. Meanwhile, their elected politicians are literally raping these same fans at the state capital or in Washington D.C. Does my Senator agree with the health care reform bill which will allow the government to dictate who my doctor is? Who cares! The real question is whether the coach is going to run a pro style offense or the spread. Is my President for or against military tribunals? Irrelevant! What really matters is whether the coach can expertly manage the clock in late game situations.

*I think Oklahoma and USC are great examples this season of what can happen when you don't have experience at the QB position. Stoops and Carroll are very good coaches that were forced to play young QB's and it showed.

*Some of you may have seen THIS ARTICLE in the paper. Just to let you know, all is quiet on the home front, any taunting will result in a 5 diaper change penalty and loss of quiet time.

I like to get a little feedback so send me your predictions for next season. Plus, if you are on the 'Fire Les' bandwagon, send me who you think LSU should get and why. prowler257@aol.com

Thanks so much to everyone who reads. Without you i'm just some dude taking space up on the internet...(feel free to send in snide comments)...see you next time.

Love Me Some Feedback!

Mailbag:


I wish I had you for my teacher growing up. I'd have made straight A's.  B for the D line? C- for coaching? Does Miles have McCarthy paying you too?  3 words:  Fire. The. Assclown. LSU will never be in title discussions again until it happens.  Go back and watch Ole Miss. I'd rather have Bowden!

LSU went 9-3. The Tigers had ONE player make first team All-SEC. Fault Miles in Co. for recruiting missteps, but they did OK (C-) with what they had to work with. Yeah, the Ole Miss game was a mess. But only a reactionary fool would judge an entire season on 30 seconds of one game. I guess Houston Nutt should get an F for losing to an MSU team with a losing record at the end of the season right? Florida got stomped by Bama this weekend, do we give Meyer a C+ for coaching now?

I give you the Ole Miss game…but you must give me this.

*Miles rallied the troops for Arkansas and LSU executed late to get the game into overtime and WIN THE GAME.

*Earlier this season, LSU went on the road and beat Georgia with two late clutch drives and a game sealing INT by Perry Riley.

*I could go on and on with LSU’s clutch wins over the last 5 years.

*Miles is 4-0 and about to be 5-0 in bowl games.

*Miles owns VICTORIES over Urban Meyer (twice), Bob Stoops (twice), Jim Tressell, Nick Saban, Bobby Petrino, Paul Johnson, Steve Spurrier, Frank Beamer, Mark Richt, Tommy Tuberville, Gary Pinkel, Mike Leach, Mark Mangino, Mike Stoops, Bob Toledo, Bill Snyder, and Dennis Franchione (the same Dennis Franchione that came into Tiger Stadium in 2002 and beat down Nick Saban 31-0). Not to mention a number of other coaches who are no longer employed.

*Miles is 51-14 over 5 years. Meyer, the Gold Standard for college coaches, is 56-10 over that same period, averaging a whopping 1 win per season more than Miles.

*I’m tired of this knee jerk “fire the bums” reaction by delusional LSU fans. Had you been in my class you’d have gotten a “D.” Just for the simple fact that I wouldn’t have wanted to see you again for another semester.

Three Words: GET. SOME. PERSPECTIVE.

2009 in Review

Offense

Defense wins championships, but elite teams are built on excellent offensive lines. It goes without saying that the 2009 LSU football team did not merit elite status, and we need look no further than the offensive line. LSU rushed for 129 yards per game, the worst output since 1999. LSU gave up nearly 3 sacks per game (35 total), ranking them 108th in the nation. Compare that with Alabama who only gave up a total of 14 sacks all season. The offense could never generate any consistency or rhythm because of the lack of a consistent running game. Which in turn led to…

Way to much pressure was placed on the shoulders of Jordan Jefferson. Without a reliable running game, Jefferson was called upon repeatedly to make plays for the Tigers. He was placed in tough situations with unreliable pass protection, which led to inconsistency and numerous sacks. Were some of the errors his alone? Sure. But repeatedly placing Jefferson in five wide formations did not play to his strength. Making Jefferson run the option got to be a running joke. Not because he executed the play poorly, but because Gary Crowton refused to throw it out of the playbook. Given Jefferson’s inherent strengths and weaknesses, I think he did fairly well overall.

Speaking of Crowton, I think Les Miles needs to make a move and bring in another coordinator. Crowton was the right guy in 2007, but I am not sure he is the guy who can lead LSU long term on the offensive side of the ball. It appeared that LSU was consistently out coached in the second half of games. The Tigers only scored 7 offensive TD’s in the second half of their 8 SEC games. Not that first halves were much better, the Tigers only tallied 7 offensive TD’s in the first half of the 8 SEC games. When you think about it, it is amazing the Tigers finished 5-3 in the conference with such a poor offensive output. LSU finished 11th in the SEC in rushing offense, 9th in passing offense and 10th in scoring offense.

My solution, hire former Kansas head coach Mark Mangino. He’s coached at Oklahoma and Kansas and does a great job of developing QB’s. While he’s at it, Miles should get rid of the offensive line coach as well.

Offensive Line: D
Quarterback: B
Running Backs: B-
Wide Receivers: B-
Coaching: C-

Defense

He was on the top of my list and LSU fans are glad we have him. Thank you John Chavis! After an utterly forgettable 2008 defensive fiasco, Miles brought in Chavis to right a listing defense. He did that and plus some. But that’s not to say there is no room for improvement. The Tigers ranked 44th in the country stopping the run and 4th in the SEC. The Tigers finished 19th in pass efficiency defense and 29th in total defense. The most encouraging statistic was the number 12 national ranking in scoring defense at 16 points per game.

Great defense starts up front and while the defensive line was good, it was nowhere near elite. All too often teams had success running on LSU and the Tigers struggled to create a pass rush with the front four. LSU loses a few guys on the D-line, but I have a feeling the younger players will step up next year and make this unit even better.

The linebacker spot was where fans saw the greatest improvement. So many times in 2008 fans were left asking, “where are the linebackers?” as an opponent scooted down field for another big gain. Not this season. Kelvin Sheppard has morphed into a real playmaker and will battle for All-SEC honors next season. The loss of Cutrera and Riley will hurt, but LSU has Ryan Baker and other young guys ready to step in.

The secondary was solid all season. As I have said before, I think Patrick Peterson is LSU’s best football player. Period. He’s a lock down corner who has to be on the field. No one of significance is leaving so the secondary should be in great shape next year.

With another year of coaching by this defensive staff, the Tigers look to improve in 2010 on an excellent 2009 performance.

Defensive Line: B
Linebackers: A-
Secondary: A-
Coaching: A

Special Teams

Josh Jasper was excellent all season making 19 of 16 FG attempts, none bigger than the two late FG’s versus Arkansas. As a team, LSU finished #1 in the nation in punt returns and Trindon Holliday finished #3 individually. The Tigers were ranked #14 in net punting. Another great season on the special teams front.

K/O returns: B
Punt Returns: A
Punt coverage: A-
K/O coverage: A-
Punting: B+
Coaching: A

The Sigh of Relief Heard Round the World

True Story:

Riding the elevator down from the west upper deck after the game, feeling pretty chippy, I joking said loud enough for everyone to hear, “Les Miles for Coach of the Year.” The people on the elevator looked at me like I just called their mothers whores that are banging the entire football team.

We just won a great football game folks. Get over yourselves! Be joyous. I’m sorry your life is so empty and unfulfilling that you have to live through LSU football. Do you realize that we WON THE GAME? Isn’t that the goal of football? This is just another reason I have gradually grown to resent so much of the LSU fan base, ignorance, hypocrisy and narrow-mindedness.

I have a confession to make. For the first time since the death throws of the Gerry DiNardo era, I gave up on the Tigers during a game. It happened when Jefferson threw that pick to open the second half and the Hogs quickly converted. I could see LSU giving away another half time lead and going into the toilet. LSU led Alabama and Ole Miss at the half and let those games slip away. Maybe the entire season had worn me down maybe my lack of faith in Gary Crowton got the best of me.

But just when you think it’s over, the Tigers claw back. Jefferson led LSU on a 67 yard drive which culminated in a 19 yard TD pass to Deangelo Peterson. On the drive, Jefferson was 4 of 5 for 41 yards and also rushed for 11 yards. The Tigers again went down with 1:12 left in the game but put together a CLUTCH drive which resulted in a 41 yard FG with 9 seconds remaining.

This game was a microcosm of LSU’s season. Offensively, at times the Tigers floundered and looked inept. They routinely seemed to make things more difficult for themselves. But at other times they looked crisp and very sharp. But they never had that killer instinct, in SEC games, LSU, outside of the Auburn game, never really put any of their opponents away when given the chance.

The defense gave up plays between the 20’s but then seemed to solidify in the red zone. I think everyone would agree that the defense is much better than last year. LSU finished 12th in the country in scoring defense at 16 points a game.

At times the coaching was hit and miss, but the bottom line is winning. LSU went 9-3 this year and without the gaff at Ole Miss, LSU would be 10-2 with losses to UF and Bama. The players never quit and always played hard (minus maybe the Louisiana Tech game which in my mind was understandable).

To quote Al Davis…just win baby.

My next post will review the season in more depth and address what I think LSU needs to do in the future.

LSU's Unis for this Weekend

I LIKE 'EM!