LSU Top 35 of Last 35 Years

The football magazines are out and Athlon posted their Top 50 players of the last 50 years.  It’s an interesting list and got me thinking about some great LSU players from the past.  I went with 35 years because I attended my first LSU game on October 23, 1982.  So I have personally seen everyone on this list.  Please feel free to comment or email (prowler257@aol.com) me with your own lists.  I will be glad to post them on the blog.

My criteria for the list included a host of factors.  I considered statistics, awards, career achievements versus single season excellence and my memories of seeing these players in person and on TV.

1	Kevin Faulk 1995-1998	RB	#1 in LSU history in career rushing yards; #1 in LSU history in career rushing TD’s; #1 in LSU history in career All-Purpose yards; #3 in SEC history in career rushing yards.  Named All-SEC in 1996-1998 and 1995 SEC Offensive Freshman of the Year. Gerry DiNardo's most important recruit, Faulk was a game changer from day one.  He could do it all and was the catalyst for LSU's eventual resurgence as a national power.
2	Leonard Fournette 2014-2016	RB	#4 in LSU history in career rushing yards; #1 in LSU history career yards per carry; LSU single season rushing record, five 200+ yard rushing games; 2015 First-Team All-American. If you want to put him 1st I can't argue.  Fournette was a once in a generation talent that puts him in a league with Herschel Walker, Bo Jackson and Adrian Peterson.
3	Patrick Peterson 2008-2010	CB	2010 - Winner of the Thorpe Award, Bednarik Award; First-Team All-American (consensus), SEC Defensive Player of the Year (SEC Coaches), SEC Special Teams Player of the Year (SEC Coaches), First-Team All-SEC (SEC Coaches, AP), First-Team All-SEC Special Teams (SEC Coaches) Another incredibly talented player from day one.  Peterson holds the LSU single season record for KO return yards and scored 2 TD's on punt returns during his LSU career.
4	Tyrann Mathieu 2009-2011	CB	2011- Heisman Finalist, Bednarik Award Winner,  Walter Camp National Player of the Year Finalist, First-Team All-American at Cornerback, SEC Defensive Player of the Year (AP), First-Team All-SEC (SEC Coaches, AP) The "Honey Badger" exploded on college football during LSU's 2011 march to the National Title Game.  In only two seasons, Mathieu set the SEC record with 11 forced fumbles.  He took over punt return duties late in 2011 and had two returns for TD’s.
5	Glenn Dorsey 2004-2007	DT	Most decorated defensive player in LSU history. 2007 - Nagurski Award Winner, Lombardi Award Winner, Outland Trophy Winner, Lott Award Winner; First-Team All-American (consensus), SEC Defensive Player of the Year (SEC Coaches, AP), First-Team All-SEC (SEC Coaches, AP) 2006 - First-Team All-American, First-Team All-SEC (AP, SEC Coaches) Selected 5th overall in 2008 NFL Draft
6	Tommy Hodson 1986-1989	QB	#1 in LSU history in career attempts, completions, passing yards and TD’s; Most wins by a QB in LSU history; Maybe not the most physically gifted QB in LSU’s history, Hodson was by far the best player at his position over the last 35 years. He led LSU to two SEC titles in 1986 and 1988.
7	Dalton Hilliard 1982-1985	RB	#2 in LSU history in career rushing yards and TD’s, #1 in LSU career rushing attempts, #3 in LSU history in career 100 rushing games. Hilliard was a powerful RB that could catch out the backfield and make defenders miss.
8	Josh Reed 1998-2001	WR	2001 - Biletnikoff Award winner, #18 in NCAA history single season receiving yards, First Team All-American, First Team All-SEC A converted running back, Reed teamed with Rohan Davey to bring LSU its first outright SEC Title since 1986.  Reed holds LSU records for single game, season and career receiving yards.
9	Morris Claiborne 2009-2011	CB	2011 - Thorpe Award winner; First-Team All-American (unanimous consensus), SEC Defensive Player of the Year (SEC Coaches), First-Team All-SEC (Coaches, AP)
10	Alan Faneca 1995-1997	OL	Started 36 straight games at right guard for LSU form 1995-1997.  1995 Freshman All-SEC; 1997 First Team All-American, Jacobs Award winner, Outland Trophy Finalist (1st in LSU history)
11	LaRon Landry 2003-2006	S	#3 in LSU history in career interceptions, #7 in career tackles, 2003 All-SEC Freshman, 2005 First-Team All-SEC, 2006 First-Team All-American, Selected #6 overall in the 2007 NFL Draft Landry combined speed and power to improve every season he played at LSU.
12	JaMarcus Russell 2003-2006	QB	#3 in LSU history in career passing yards; 3rd most wins in LSU history by a QB; #2 in LSU history in TD passes and career completion percentage.  2006 First-Team All-SEC, Manning Award Winner; Drafted #1 in the 2007 NFL Draft
13	Wendell Davis 1984-1987	WR	1986 and 1987 First-Team All-American and All-SEC, 1987 SEC player of the year.  Ranks #2 in LSU history in career yards receiving, single season yards receiving, and single season receptions.  He ranks #1 in career receptions.
14	Corey Webster 2001-2004	CB	2003 and 2004 First-Team All-American, 2002-2004 First-Team All-SEC; #1 in LSU history in career passes defended, #2 in LSU history career interceptions.
15	Marcus Spears 2001-2004	DE	2004 First-Team All-American, 2003 and 2004 All-SEC.  Ranks #1 in LSU history for single game tackles for loss, #4 in single season tackles for loss and single season sack total, and 6th in career sacks.
16	Bradie James 1999-2002	LB	2002 First-Team All-American, 2001-2002 First-Team All-SEC.  Holds LSU single season record for tackles and #2 in career tackles.
17	Odell Beckham 2011-2013	WR	2013 Hornung Award winner, 2013 First-Team All-American and All-SEC.  #1 in LSU history in single season all-purpose yards, #5 in LSU history in career all-purpose yards, #2 in LSU history single season KO return yards.  Selected #12 overall in the 2014 NFL Draft. Beckham fully blossomed in 2103 as LSU’s all-purpose threat.
18	Domanick Davis 1999-2002	RB	#1 in LSU history in career KO return yards and Punt return yards, #1 in SEC history in total kick return yards, #2 in LSU history in career all-purpose yards. Davis could do it all for LSU and was a key player in LSU’s 2001 SEC Title.
19	Anthony McFarland 1995-1998	DT	1998 First-Team All-American, 1995 SEC Co-Defensive Freshman of the year.  #1 in LSU history in career tackles for loss, #3 in LSU history single season tackles for loss In the same recruiting class with Kevin Faulk, McFarland was an impact player from day one.
20	Ben Wilkerson 2001-2004	C	2004 Rimington Trophy Winner, 2004 First-Team All-American, 2003 & 2004 First-Team All-SEC
21	Nacho Albergamo 1984-1987	C	1987 First-Team All-American and First-Team All-SEC.
22	Rohan Davey 1998-2001	QB	Davey is here for his 2001 break out senior season. Had six 300 yard passing games in 2001, an LSU record. (seven 300 yard passing games for his career which puts him #1 in LSU history), holds the single game yardage passing record, (vs. Alabama).  #1 is LSU history in single season passing attempts and yards, #3 single season completions, #7 single season TD passes.  Five of LSU’s top 10 highest passing yards games belong to Davey.
23	Eric Martin 1981-1984	WR	1983 First-Team All-American and First-Team All-SEC, #3 in LSU history in career receiving yards, 100-yard games and consecutive games with a reception,  #7 in career receptions and single season receiving yards
24	Chad Lavalais 2000-2003	DT	2003 - First-Team All-American, SEC Defensive Player of the Year.  8th in LSU history career tackles for loss. Lavalais was disruptive a DT as I have ever seen.  His career numbers don’t stack up against some other players, but his 2003 performance was brilliant.
25	David LaFleur 1993-1996	TE	1996 First-Team All-American, 1994 & 1996 First Team All-SEC
26	Harvey Williams 1986-1990	RB	#5 in LSU history in career rushing yards and #6 in career yards per carry, #9 in career rushing TD’s
27	Ron Sancho 1985-1988	LB	#2 in LSU history in career sacks, #6 in career tackles for loss.
28	Gabe Northern 1992-1995	DE	Ranks #1 in LSU history for single game tackles for loss, #1 single season tackles for loss, #3 career tackles for loss, #2 single season sacks, #3 career sacks
29	Eddie Kennison 1993-1995	WR	1993 SEC All-Freshman Team; #6 in LSU history with 32 consecutive games with a reception,  #9 in LSU history in career all-purpose yards, #3 in career punt return yards, holds the record for the longest punt return in LSU history (100 yards), #4  in career KO return yards. Another dynamic all-around player, Kennison could solo in an LSU highlight clip.
30	Herman Johnson 2004-2008	OL	2008 First-Team All-American, 2007 & 2008 First-Team All-SEC
31	Kevin Minter 2009-2012	LB	2012 First-Team All-American & First-Team All-SEC; 4th in LSU history single season tackles, 9th single season tackles for loss.
32	Greg Jackson 1985-1988	S	1988 First-Team All-American; tied for 3rd place in LSU history single season INT’s, tied for 4th place in LSU history career INT’s
33	Zach Mettenberger 2011-2013	QB	Led the most prolific offense in LSU history in 2013.  #7 in LSU history in career pass attempts, #6 career pass completions, #3 career completion percentage, #5 career TD’s, #2 in career 300 yard passing games, LSU single game record with 5 TD passes,
34	Michael Brooks 1983-1986	LB	1985 First-Team All-American; 10th in LSU history in career sacks and single season sacks, 5th in LSU history in single game tackles for loss and career tackles for loss.
35	Brad Wing 2010-2012	P	2011 First-Team All-American & First-Team All-SEC, #1 in LSU history in career punting average. Had a brilliant 2011 season and was a true weapon for the Tigers.

Turn the Page

Ah here I am, on a road again
There I am, up on the stage
Here I go, playing the star again
There I go, turn the page

 

-Bob Seger

 

LSU turns the page this fall with new permanent head coach Edward Jim Orgeron, Jr.  With Alabama’s continued dominance of the SEC and college football in general, expectations are a bit muted for Coach O.  But that doesn’t mean Tiger fans will be satisfied with 8 or 9 wins.  LSU needs to up last year’s 8 win total and show improvement on offense.

A few thoughts from early June:

 

* A number of fans are down on Danny Etling as LSU’s QB.  I am not one of them.  In a season marked by Miles’ firing after four games, Etling finished 6^th in the SEC in QB efficiency rating with a 135.54.  For perspective, Jalen Hurts, Alabama QB and SEC Offensive player of the year finished 5^th with a 139.12.

 

* Etling and the rest of the offense are now mercifully free of Miles’ stone age offense with the hiring of Matt Canada.  Canada comes from Pitt where he had great success leading the Panthers to their 2^nd most prolific offense in the last 45 years.  A breakdown of what fans can expect to see this season are here and here courtesy of And the Valley Shook and SEC Country.  I expect Elting to have a solid season that will make LSU fans excited about the future.

* Derrius Guice is a legitimate Heisman candidate.  His 285 yards versus Texas A&M stand testament to his ability.

The key will be for him to rack up big numbers early as Fournette did in 2015.  The Tigers play BYU, Chattanooga, Miss. State, Syracuse and Troy to open the season.  The Tigers should be 5-0 and Guice could have between 750-850 yards by then.  The next three opponents, Florida, Auburn and Ole Miss will present a big stage for Guice and LSU’s “new” offense.


* I like the way LSU’s schedule sets up.  Challenging opener versus BYU then an FCS opponent then at State then two lesser teams at home before traveling to Florida.  Playing five SEC road games will be no fun, but there are a number of seniors on this team that can lead.


* New faces on defense but I’m not worried.  LSU has plenty of talent to compete and as mentioned earlier, the first five games give the Tigers some room for error and growth.





More video!!

The Reign of O Begins

Back on September 26, 2000, I watched LSU take on Auburn at the home of a fraternity brother. LSU lost 34-17 in a rather unmemorable game. However, two things still stick in my mind to this day. One, someone let their four year old repeatedly run in front of the TV during the game. (RUDE!!)  The other was a comment repeated by someone's wife multiple times during the game, “we paid $1.2 million for this?”

She was referring to the, at the time, very large salary of Mr. Nicolas Lou Saban Jr. Of course Saban has gone on to be arguably the greatest college head coach of all time. And to think LSU got him for the paltry price of $1.2 million!

On the front end of each of these coaching hires everyone is an expert. On the back end, everyone will say 'I told you so'.

In 2008, Clemson promoted 39 year old wide receiver coach Dabo Swinney to head coach. He had never been a head coach or coordinator at any level. Seven years later, Swinney was a few plays away from winning a National Title in the 2015 Championship game versus Alabama.

In 1998, USC hired the well regarded Paul Hackett as their head coach. Hackett had won a Super Bowl with the 49ers as their offensive coordinator in 1984. He also served as the Chiefs' offensive coordinator from 1993-1997, making the playoffs four times. But Hackett was fired from USC after three disappointing years with a record of 19-18.

Finally, I would point you to Jeremy Foley at Florida. The same man that hired Urban Meyer and Billy Donovan also hired Ron Zook and Will Muschamp.

The point being, we don't really know how these coaching hires will go. But I get the feeling a segment of the LSU fan base has already given up any hope that the Orgeron era will be a success. Were there more “qualified” candidates out there? Yes. Were there candidates with better resumes out there? Yes. Was I hoping for a head coach with a sharp offensive mind? Yes!

But I'm happy to give Coach O a chance. He's tasted failure. He knows many folks locally and nationally think he's in over his head. I like that. It makes him hungry. He's going to out work people. He's going to expect the best from his assistants. He's got a chip on his shoulder, a chip that will be taken up by his players.

It's an unorthodox hire for sure. And it just may damn well put LSU back on top.

Alabama Wins...Again

Another Bama game, another disappointing loss. While the game remained 0-0 for three and a half quarters, LSU was never really in a position to put a real scare in the Crimson Tide. This was a valiant effort by the Tigers. But right now Alabama is just better. Alabama is the best program in the country and possibly the greatest college football dynasty of all time.

A few observations:

The positives first, LSU has a national championship caliber defense. Bama came in averaging 44 points a game and was only able to manage to put up 10 on Saturday. Throw in forcing two turnovers and a great goal line stand, and the defense was just fantastic.

• Beckwith will be All-SEC at the LB position. He has been magnificent all season and a great example of why guys can really benefit from coming back for their senior year.
• The kicking game was solid except for the blocked FG. I had a few choice words for Tre White when he fielded a punt inside of LSU's own five yard line.
• Now for the bad, LSU's offensive line got pushed around all night. The line couldn't open holes or hold the space allowing Fournette to get loose. Bama usually only had seven in the box as well. Pass protection was a problem all night with Etling getting sacked five times.
• Speaking of Etling, he struggled terribly. Even when he got time he couldn't take advantage of the opportunities presented. He hurried throws and just looked uncomfortable all night.
• Fournette also missed a few cut back lanes that he could have exploited with Bama's relentless pursuit.
• In watching the replay, LSU had some opportunities on offense. The play calling was designed to try and give our play makers a chance. But the margin of error was small and the Tigers just couldn't capitalize.

Reality Check

Some people complained about play calling and the struggles on offense. I get it. But folks have to realize that Alabama has a front seven with seven NFL players. LSU's offensive line is good but not special. The Tigers got no push up front which really limits what you can do. Danny Etling can be productive, but he's limited. He's not a threat to run which seems to be a requirement for beating Alabama. LSU must completely revamp the offense and start developing QB's. Nothing will change until the Tigers address the problems that have plagued the program for years.

I mentioned earlier just how dominant Alabama has been since Saban's return in 2007. Look at these crazy numbers.

Opponent	Record
LSU (includes 2011 NC Game)	8-3
Mississippi State	8-1
Ole Miss	8-2
Auburn	6-3
Arkansas	10-0
Texas A&M	4-1
SEC East (includes 5 SEC Title Games)	27-3
Non Conference (including Notre Dame, Michigan, Clemson, Ohio State, Penn State, Oklahoma, Utah, WVU, Wisconsin, Colorado, Va Tech, Texas and Michigan State)	11-3

No one has more has more wins over Alabama than LSU over the last 10 years.

The Hogs

We all know about the hangover effect after the Alabama game. The Tigers have has a few bye weeks this season already so they should be in good shape even after the physical Alabama game. Coach O will stay positive and I still think there is a good vibe around the program. Will the players stay focused now that the SEC Title is out of reach? I think so. Arkansas is 11^th in the SEC giving up almost 200 yards per game. They are also 13^th in the league and 108^th in the nation in 3^rd down conversion defense. If LSU's offensive line can regroup for a good showing, the Tigers should put up plenty of points.

LSU 34 – Ark 20

Playoffs Week 10:

No change since the last post, Alabama, Clemson Washington and Michigan.

Momma!! Make the Bad Man Stop!!!

Leonard Fournette will not win the Heisman, but to my purple and gold tinted glasses, he is the best player in the country. Look no further than Saturday night's record setting performance, 284 yards on 16 carries with three touchdowns. Fournette's scores came from 78, 76 and 59 yards. He was a beast showing that rare combination of power and elite level top end speed. Savor it LSU's fans. It will be a looooong time before we see anyone in his class again.

After a tight first half, the Tigers dominated the final thirty minutes. That's a trend that has yielded a 73-7 second half scoring advantage for the Tigers since Coach O took over. A few observations:

• Etling continued his nice play. He finished the game 19 of 28 for 204 yards with 1 TD and 1 INT. He did have one fumble but that was a vicious hit from an unblocked Ole Miss defender.
• Speaking of the fumble, I think LSU was a bit too aggressive there. On it's own 17 with only a minute left, LSU looked to start a drive with a play action pass that ended up with Etling fumbling. Ole Miss got the ball at LSU's nine and scored with a few seconds left to go into the half.
• I thought the play calling in the first quarter was too clever. I'm happy the offense is mixing it up, but against a team as weak in run defense as Ole Miss, I was willing to line up and play a little smash mouth mixing in the play action pass. The play calling eventually settled down and Fournette began romping to a historic night.
• Since Coach O took over, LSU is averaging 8.6 yards per play. In the previous four games, the Tigers averaged 5.8.
• LSU's second half was an example of the type of killer instinct Miles never engaged in. The Tigers locked down on defense AND kept up the pressure offensively culminating in an 11 play TD drive that took six minutes off the clock and effectively sealed the game.
• After going down 10-0, the defense really clamped down on Ole Miss. If not for the fumble late in the first half, the Rebs would have been held to under 20 points.
• Beckwith was a laser guided missile all night. He was the embodiment of Mike the Tiger hunting and killing his prey.

Playoffs Week 8:

A little shake up this week! Ohio State fell at Penn State this weekend so Washington jumps in there with Alabama, Clemson and Michigan.

Big Plays Put Eagles Away

After an unexpected bye week, the Tigers returned to the field in triumphant fashion over an outmatched Southern Miss team. LSU looked disinterested and sloppy in the first half, but blew the game open with 35 second half points. The Tigers ran 10 plays in the third quarter resulting in 28 points. For the game, LSU ran 42 plays resulting in 45 points. A few observations:

1. I still don't know how good LSU is. The Tigers' best win is over...4-3 USM? Giant test this weekend against Ole Miss.
2. The defense is giving up only 14 points a game to rank #4 in the nation. LSU is #1 nationally in red zone TD defense. Teams are scoring a little less than one TD per four red zone trips. The Tigers are also only allowing opponents to convert 30.9% of their third down opportunities.
3. Danny Etling is moving up the stats chart as well. He is now ranked 5^th in QB efficiency in the SEC. He is also 5^th in yards per attempt (7.8) and completion percentage (58.8). On third downs with 1-9 yards for a first, Etling is 15 for 23 with 12 first downs. That's a 52% conversion rate. For comparison Harris converted only 38.8% of his third down attempts into first downs.

Ole Miss is up next for the Tigers. The Tigers are a 5 ½ point favorite over the 3-3 Rebels. Ole Miss has played a tough schedule, but who have they beat? Georgia? Memphis? Saturday will be a real test for both teams. Ole Miss has a dynamic offense lead by Chad Kelly. But the defense has struggled giving up 446 yards a game, dead last in the conference and 104^th nationally. Expect an inspired effort from both teams but with home field advantage and the return of Leonard Fournette, I like LSU.

LSU 34 – Ole Miss 24

Odds and Ends

• I'm tired of the LSU – UF drama but I will say this about the entire episode: I am glad the game will be played. It is a shame it took an ugly turn because UF and the SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey completely mismanaged the situation. Now both UF and Sankey are trying to deflect blame to LSU for their lack of foresight. Alleva made the best out of a bad situation mishandled by Sankey who has taken to making cheap shots at LSU.
• I have no idea who will be LSU's next head coach. I think the short list starts and ends with Jimbo Fisher. I think if LSU backs up the money truck they can get him. Tom Herman at Houston is also a hot name. The only question is his small body of work as a head coach. Other coaches I would look at would be Mike Gundy at Oklahoma State, Wille Taggert at USF and the guy running the shop right now Ed Orgeron. I think the only way Orgeron gets the job is if the top names on Alleva's list say no.
• Derrius Guice reached the career 1,000 yard mark in only 113 carries. That works out to be 8.8 yards a carry. Fastest to 1,000 yards in LSU history.

Playoffs Week 7:

I'm sticking with Alabama, Ohio State, Michigan, Clemson. I don't see either Big 10 team losing before the big showdown in the Horseshoe. Washington and Texas A&M are viable candidates as well.

Now this one was fun!!

A Smashing Debut

Les Miles coached LSU for 148 games. Ed Orgeron has coached LSU for one game. In that one contest, Coach O's offense put up more yards in a single game than Miles ever did in his entire tenure. If that isn't an indictment of Miles' gross offensive incompetence I don't know what is.

OK. I'm done bashing Miles and his stone age offense.

A few observations:

• Our defense was fantastic. Mizzu came into the game leading the SEC in offense scoring over 44.5 points per game. LSU held the other Tigers to 7 points and 265 yards.
• Mizzu went three and out their first three drives of the game.
• That was the offense LSU is capable of. In the context of one week's preparation, the Tigers were able to use their power running and open up the passing game.
• LSU had 42:00+ in time of possession. Amazing!
• Etling needs to work on his deep passes. He over threw three deep balls with open receivers. But otherwise he was efficient hitting 9 different receivers for over 200 yards.
• Etling needs to learn how to get out of bounds or slide. He took too may shots for my liking.
• The Tigers were in three and four wide formations for a big portion of the game. The staff also mixed in the I formation to good effect as well.
• The players noted that a lighter practice schedule helped with staying fresh and having more energy.

The Swamp

Coach O faces a huge test this weekend traveling to Florida. LSU has won five of the last six in this series. The Tigers are 4-3 in Gainesville the last seven visits. UF leads the league in defense giving up only 230 yards per game and 11.6 points per game. Those numbers are a little deceiving in that four of their five opponents are ranked 102^nd or worse in offense nationally. LSU opened up as a 2 ½ point favorite for Saturday's game. Expect a big effort form the Tigers in a relatively low scoring game. LSU has some real mojo going with the change of regime.

LSU 24 – UF 16

Playoffs Week 5:

After five weeks, the combined record of three of my original playoff picks (LSU, TCU, FSU) is 9-6.  Ouch!  But Michigan is still rolling along.  I think the Big 12 and Pac-12 will end with 2+ loss champions opening the door to the OSU - Michigan loser.

Alabama, Ohio State, Michigan, Clemson

Les Is No More

It's over folks. Les Miles is no longer LSU's head football coach. He finishes with a 114-34 record at LSU, three SEC West Titles, two SEC Titles, two National Title game appearances and one National Title in 2007. He is on LSU Football's Mount Rushmore along side Nick Saban, Charles McClendon and Paul Dietzel.

A number of factors led to Miles' dismissal. But first and foremost was his inability to evolve on the offensive side of the ball. In an age of high flying prolific spread offenses, Miles was stuck trying to play football in a phone booth. LSU's scheme and play calling were predictable and unimaginative. The Tigers were able to generally overcome such obstacles because of the amount of talent that came through Tiger Stadium. But Miles' inability to recruit or develop a serviceable quarterback magnified the problems with the offensive philosophy. Since 2009, LSU has finished 94^th or worse in passing yards per game 6 times. LSU is well on its way to continue that trend after four games in 2016. Miles' style of play and refusal to adapt to the changing nature of college football were ultimately his undoing.

When I look back at his tenure, there are numerous great moments. But I will also carry the memory when he lost me as a fan. On October 1, 2011, LSU faced Kentucky in Tiger Stadium. At that point, Jarrett Lee led the SEC in QB efficiency. He was 56 of 87 (64.3%) for 644 yards 7 TD's and 1 INT after four games. Lee had been fantastic thus far that season. In the first quarter of that game, Lee had driven LSU deep into Kentucky territory and was poised to score. But Miles ran Jordan Jefferson out on the field to a cascade of boos. Jefferson ran the ball in to score but the move obviously affected Lee as he only completed 38% of his passes on that day. Miles eventually replaced Lee for good after the Alabama “Game of the Century”. In the last two games of the season, the SEC Title game and the National Title game, Jefferson ran or passed the ball a combined 50 times. In those 50 plays, he generated a grand total of 93 yards, a whopping 1.8 yards per play. His QB rating of 80.9 for those two games was abysmal. No need to rehash the National Title game disaster.

After the 21-0 beating and Miles' refusal to pull Jefferson I was done sticking up for Les.

Miles had a chance at redemption in 2012. Alabama visited LSU as the Tigers played their hearts out that November evening. But Miles went super conservative late in the game and allowed Alabama to stick around and eventually win. Zach Mettenberger was on fire going 24 of 35 for 298 yards and a TD. But on two late drives, Miles went into a shell and took the ball out of his hands. Two promising drives that could have killed the game resulted in zero points. Alabama then scored with 51 seconds left to win and continue on to another National Title.

Since then, LSU has steadily regressed despite continuing to put numerous players in the NFL. It was time for a change. I encourage everyone to support our players and cheer on the Tigers to better days. There are eight games left and plenty of opportunities to make LSU football fun again.

Keep the faith and Geaux Tigers.

A Les Miles Special

Les gets to keep his job for another week. That's about the most significant observation I took from this game. It was typical Miles. For part of the game, LSU looked like the team we all thought they could be. But a lack of focus led to turnovers and penalties in the second half. Some will criticize Fournette's two fumbles, but LSU went three and out three times in the second half. After seeing LSU for three games, I have little faith in Miles leading LSU to enough victories to save his job.

How many wins does he need? My guess is 10. If LSU beats everyone except Bama and finishes 10-2 it would be very tough to get rid of him. But 9-3 could lead to his ouster. LSU still has to face Bama, Ole Miss, Florida, Arkansas and A&M. If he goes 4-1 against that group he deserves to stay.

Observations:

• Malachi Dupre really stepped up and played up to his potential. Excellent game from him.
• Why did it take so long to get Etling on the field? Had they put him in versus Wisconsin, the Tigers probably win that game.
• Fournette looked good. Not sure if there are any lingering leg issues, but he looked his old self. I'm not worried about the fumbles. He's just pressing a bit I think.
• The offensive play calling was very good for the most part. Even in the second half the staff was trying to move the ball. These guys are coaching for their jobs.
• The defense was great until the last 7 minutes of the game. The Tigers struggled in coverage but Key came up with a huge sack to seal the victory.
• Kevin Tolliver had a very rough night covering MSU's #1 receiver Fred Ross. He must get better as the season moves along.

Auburn up next...

As hot as Miles' seat is, Malzahn's is even worse. After leading AU to the 2013 Title Game, its been a steady decline. The other Tigers have gone 2-10 in their last 12 SEC games. The offense is struggling and the defense isn't good enough to win games all by itself. Having said that, LSU's offense isn't much better. But the Bengal Tigers are doing a better job on defense giving up only 16.3 points a game. Auburn is a very tough place to play. I expect a fairly low scoring game. LSU is a 3 point favorite as of this writing. I like Etling's poise thus far and he will make enough plays on third down for the Tigers to come out with a win.

LSU 27 – Auburn 17

Playoffs Week 3:

Three weeks and three of my initial playoff teams now have a loss, only Michigan remains.  This has the makings of a wild season.  

Alabama, Ohio State, Michigan, Louisville

I have a feeling Les knows his days are numbered at LSU. He's saying all the right things but he doesn't look like he actually believes them. After another dreadful start, Harris was benched for Danny Etling. Etling led the Tigers to three quick second quarter TD's. Coupled with White's wild punt return for a TD, LSU effectively put the game away by halftime. A few observations:

• I think Harris' career at LSU is over. He has zero confidence and looked terrible in his two series. Don't be surprised if he transfers at the end of the season. Add his name to the list of QB's Miles has failed to develop into a competent passer.
• The talking heads keep saying that Harris needs to be kept in the fold and even see playing time. My question is why? I honestly can't tell you when he is prepared to play or not. He knows the plays by now, right? He's practiced with the first team all spring and summer. If he's needed they will throw him back out there. If he's that mentally frail, how can we expect anything from him?
• Malachi Dupre needs to take a seat next to Harris. This guy has been a HUGE disappointment. Time for a new #2 WR.
• Etling started 6 for 8 for 100 yards and a TD. After the half he was 0 for 6 with one rushing TD, an INT and a fumble. It seemed the play calling changed in the second half and Etling's performance suffered.
• It's a sign of how low things have gotten when a guy goes 6 for 14 for 100 yards is being considered a savior. (His QB rating would be 12^th in the league had he played in both games.) Regardless of how well Etling plays, LSU's archaic offense will be this team's undoing.
• No matter how good he turns out to be, I have no faith in Miles' offense. His meddling in the play calling will cost LSU games this season and ultimately his job. LSU currently ranks 113^th in the country in total offense.
• With the exception of the long pass play I was happy with the defense. At this point, the players need to embrace their roles and mind their assignments. The Tigers need to be disciplined on defense.
• The paper reported that Miles and Aleva spoke after the Wisconsin game last week. Would have loved to be a fly on the wall for that chat.

Mississippi State

LSU has owned this series for years. LSU is 27-4 versus the Bulldogs dating back to 1985. MSU is giving up only 2.13 yards per carry on defense. On offense, State's QB, Nick Fitzgerald passed for 178 yards and ran for 195 last week versus South Carolina. Look for him to give LSU's defense plenty of trouble.

Regardless of Fournette's health, LSU will continue to rely on the running game. Etling will be forced to make some plays on 3^rd down to keep drives moving. The game will probably be relatively low scoring. LSU wins, but only because the game is at home.

LSU 23 – Mississippi State 20

Playoffs Week 2:

Two weeks and I lost two of my playoff teams.  Loser of Michigan vs. Ohio State will be looking pretty good.

Alabama, Ohio State, Michigan, Florida State