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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!

No time to pout Leslie...

Check out Ryan Mallett's road stats...

Check out the Hogs' road stats...

More national humiliation for Miles...

Just listened to Miles' press conference at lunch. He said all the right things and took responsibility. It's over; let's get ready for Arkansas.

I want a REAL COACH...

I want a real Coach.

I want a real coach that wins the National Championship every year.

Like…er…nevermind.

I want a real coach that wins his conference EVERY year, like Pete Carroll at USC.

Oh…wait…USC has given up 50 points twice this year and is going to the Sun Bowl.

I want a real coach that has been to the National Championship game three times and won them all, like Jim Tressel at Ohio State.

Well…actually…he’s 1-2 in title games getting blown out by Florida and LSU in ’06 and ’07.

I want a real coach that wins 10 games every year and has been to 7 BSC games, 4 National Championship Games and won them ALL! You know, like Bob Stoops at Oklahoma.

That’s not entirely correct; he’s actually 6-5 this season, 1-4 in National Championship Games and lost his last 5 consecutive BCS games. LOSER! Who wants a guy like that!?

I want a real coach that can win the SEC 6 times in 10 years, like that Spurrier guy.

Nevermind the fact that he’s 18-22 in the SEC in his last 5 seasons.

I want a real coach that can lose to UAB and UL Monroe at home and go 12-0 in the regular season, lose in the SEC title game and then get blasted in the Sugar Bowl.

Actually, I think Nick Saban could have some success at LSU.

I want a real coach who can win two National Titles in three years and would never lose TWICE to a fool like Les Miles. Urban Meyer is our man. We will just look the other way at those two loses to that goofball Miles.

That settles it then, LSU’s AD needs to fire Miles and hire either Saban or Meyer for the 2010 season. See how easy that was…

I've had about enough...

I give up. I’ve tried to defend Miles’ game management skills and I am not doing it any more. LSU is a slightly above average football team (program?) led by a below average game management coach. Miles’ may be able to manage the program, recruit, hire the right people and be the face of the football team. But how in the hell do you allow 17 seconds to run off the clock before calling a timeout? Inexcusable.


Miles is now 11-10 in his last 21 SEC games. He has losing records to Meyer, Saban, Richt, Nutt and Petrino (6-11). He is 1-8 in the last nine games versus these coaches. You want to fire him, fine with me. But be sure the next guy is better than Miles. Not just in game management, but in all respects. That is always my criteria. Can you get someone to come to LSU that is better than who you have?

I remember when Saban left he recommended Houston Nutt to replace him as LSU’s coach. Many scoffed. I wonder what they think now.

Does anyone think this team can bounce back this weekend versus Arkansas? Or is another embarrassing loss more likely?

Is LSU a program in decline?

I hate to make such bold pronouncements, but as long as Les Miles is at the helm, LSU will not win another division title much less an SEC Title. There won’t be any more BCS games or runs at a National Title. That ship has sailed.

The only thing left is the countdown. How many 8-4 seasons will it take before “the owners” have had enough of Miles and his atrocious game management? LSU won’t fall to the depths of say Florida State or Miami under Larry Coker, but special teams and special seasons will no longer be a possibility under the current regime.

Sure, LSU could win the last two games of the season and finish a very respectable 10-3. We could speak of the possibly and promise of the 2010 recruiting class and season. But would you really believe it? Would you really have any faith in this staff to turn that potential into tangible success?

Miles will be back in 2010 for his sixth year. That will make him the 5th longest tenured coach in LSU history and give him the longest term in office since Charlie McClendon. Stability is a good thing, but not at the price of success.

Let the countdown begin.

Hate those guys...

No, not the refs...

LSU played the fourth quarter versus Alabama with a backup quarterback, a backup running back, a backup tight end and a backup center. Add that to the fact that LSU’s best PLAYER was not on the field as Julio Jones streaked down the sideline for 73 yards, and Miles' utterly STUPID attempt at a two point conversion in the third quarter and you have a nine point loss to the number three team in the country.


LSU played valiantly and even led going into the fourth quarter, but Bama held LSU to 9 yards in the final stanza while the Tide put up 14 unanswered points.

* The attempted two point conversion is what infuriates me the most about the loss. STUPID, STUPID, STUPID. I am not sure if that originated with Miles or he just went along with another coach yelling for two, but he is the head coach and must take full responsibility. That single call changed the dynamic of the game and put LSU in an impossible situation late. Had he kicked the extra point, LSU would only have been down 7 with three minutes left to go. Plenty of time to move the ball and even throw in a few well timed running plays. But because of the call earlier, LSU was down 9 and Lee was forced to drop back every play. That was an unfair spot for Lee.

* LSU got hosed by the refs. Imagine that. Peterson was clearly inbounds on the pick. I am sick of the SEC refs who can’t even get it right with replay. Pathetic. I hope that crew gets suspended. That’s not a rant or throw away statement; I really do hope that Mike Slive suspends those guys in the booth.

* LSU was called for roughing the kicker mid way through the fourth quarter. Daniel Graff, who blocked a punt against Tulane, came free and had a bead on the punter. He was in position to make a play but instead ran into the kicker and drew the five yard penalty. Bama had new life and eventually scored a FG on that drive. Graff was trying to make a play to regain the momentum for LSU but came up a bit short. Unfortunate and unlucky.

* LSU made too many mistakes to win a big game like that on the road. On LSU’s first drive, Jefferson seemingly scrambled for the first but then twisted and stood up and was tackled just short. LSU was forced to punt. Put your head down and run man! Next drive, Jefferson connects with Lafell for a big first down only to have it called back because LSU lined up improperly. LSU had 8 penalties for the game, many of those pre-snap.

* Would you believe LSU lost and MOVED UP in the BCS rankings? How bout them apples?

* Miles is going to earn his paycheck the next three weeks (or not). It will be interesting to see how he handles the psyche of the team after this tough loss. With a division and SEC title out the window, can he get this group to focus and finish strong?

* While unlikely, LSU can still play in the Sugar Bowl. A loss by Bama to Miss. State or Auburn then another loss to Florida in the SEC Title game combined with LSU winning out would give both teams two losses. LSU would finish near the top 5 in the BCS Standings and be very attractive for the Sugar Bowl. It’s a stretch, but not impossible.

* LSU will have to figure out how to finish the season without Chuck the Truck. His broken collarbone puts him out until the bowl game or worse.

* This is the second draft of this blog. In the first draft I was ready to throw Miles under the bus and declare the SEC West Division the permanent property of Alabama as long as Saban walks the Tide sidelines. That may still happen, but I am holding out hope that Miles & Co. finish strong and have this team ready to rock in 2010. Seriously, it’s not like LSU has lost to bad clubs. Florida and Alabama may be the best two teams in the country and LSU went toe to toe with both. No shame there.

SEC officials...crooked or just stupid?

LSU v. Alabama

Greetings!

We’ve been off for a few weeks but the giant tilt with Alabama has gotten us off the couch. LSU is 7-2 versus Alabama since 2000. LSU has won four in a row in Tuscaloosa and since 1982, the Tigers have posted a gaudy 10-3 record in games played at Alabama. From a historical standpoint, LSU has fared very well on the road in this series.

What LSU needs to do:

* Score early. This will put pressure Alabama’s offense and give LSU some early confidence.

* Stop Ingram. Alabama’s offense has slowly regressed this season. McElroy is averaging only 126 yards passing per game in his last four outings. Stop the run and LSU can win this game.

* Convert in the Red Zone. Opportunities will be at a premium. LSU MUST take advantage of deep drives into Bama territory and score TD’s.

* Get a Special Teams or Defensive score. Pick 6, punt return for a TD…LSU needs a game changer from one of these units.

What will happen:

* LSU won’t be able to run the ball at all. LSU’s O-line versus Alabama’s D-line is a mismatch. Third and short for LSU will not be as advantageous to the Tigers as it should be.

*Without a running game, more pressure will be put on Jefferson to perform. He will look good at times, but he’s not at a level yet where he can LEAD LSU to victory with his QB play.

*LSU’s defense will be excellent. The Tigers may even win the turnover battle. But Bama will put together one big drive each half which will be critical.

*Alabama will do just enough to win late. The game could even go into OT again.

LSU 13 – Bama 17

LSU v Bama from 2005....

Auburn up Next

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Thoughts on this week’s game…

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

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

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

LSU 27 – Auburn 23

The Off Week

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Gators Grind out Victory

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Truckin'

Clutch is defined as:

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

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

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

Here are a few thoughts on the game:

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

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

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

*Say it with me, “Chuck the Truck.”

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

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

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

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

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

Both teams undefeated

#1 versus #4

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

Is Tebow going to play?

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

LSU has won 32 straight Saturday Night games in Tiger Stadium

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

The keys for LSU against Florida:

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

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

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

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

A few links from the hype machine…

ESPN Game Preview
 
Nefarious LSU students

Computers Love LSU

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

Georgia Week...

I am going to slap a few links in this spot this week...

No One is Picking LSU to Win this Weekend...Good!

College Football News' preview of the game

Georgia's problems worse than LSU's...

No One is Picking LSU, Part II

No One is Picking LSU, Part III

No One is Picking LSU, Part IV

Finally! Someone likes the Tigers!

Smoke & Mirrors

The pragmatist says, “LSU is 4-0 and 2-0 in the conference. I’m good with it”

The realist says, “LSU has looked OK thus far and is fortunate to be where they are. The season could go anywhere from here.”

The optimist says, “LSU is ranked #4 in the country and has the potential to be a very good team.”

The pessimist says, “LSU is #4 in the country this week?! Obviously the voters haven’t seen us play. It’s all downhill from here!”

Thus four people can see the exact same team yet draw different conclusions after four weeks.

Throw into the mix LSU’s statistical numbers (CLICK HERE) and it is fair to walk away scratching your head. With all the bad numbers, how is LSU 4-0?

*The Tigers are +7 in the turnover department. LSU already has 7 INT’s this season after only 8 all of last year. The offense, while not terribly productive, has only turned the ball over three times this season.

*LSU’s passing efficiency defense is ranked 10th in the nation. Thus far, the defense has made plays when needed. Look no further than the last two weeks. Two goal line stands late in each game are successes to build on.

*Jefferson has been efficient if not spectacular. Look at his numbers broken down here. Notice his second half numbers and his proficiency on third down and 6 yards or less and 7 yards or more.  With any sort of running game Jefferson can be very effective.

*The Tigers have three non offensive TD’s this season, two this week. It may not be pretty, but LSU is finding a way to win.

*LSU’s schedule has presented a few decent challenges thus far, but no marquee games. LSU’s four opponents are now 8-8. Compare that with Auburn’s and Alabama’s opponents who are 5-9 respectively.

Saturday’s game

LSU’s offense is terrible. Let me clarify that, LSU’s offensive line is terrible.

There is no other way to put it. The Tiger’s offense could only muster 263 total yards of offense and 16 points against the 44th ranked defense in the country. MSU turned the ball over FOUR times yet was in a position to win the game with about a minute left. LSU ran the ball 30 times for 31 total yards. Now included in that stat is 54 negative yards from sacks and bad snaps in the kicking game. But State is ranked 88th in the country in rushing defense. I couldn’t tell you the last time LSU ran the ball for fewer yards. MSU ran 86 offensive plays to LSU’s 59. The defense wore down in the second half as the grossly ineffective offense mustered a mere 85 yards after Lafell’s TD catch very early in the third quarter. The Tigers were a putrid 2 of 13 on third down conversions.

While LSU’s special teams cost the Tigers points with a missed FG, missed XP and a botched punt, Chad Jones saved the day with a 93 yard punt return. A great example of the old adage, ‘its not about the X’s & O’s, its about the Jimmys and Joes’

The defense played decent. Peterson had a pick 6 and the rest of the unit forced three other turnovers. But giving up that 50 yard TD pass was inexcusable. The Tigers are not potent enough on offense to give up cheap TD’s and get into a shootout.  The goal line stand was a thing of beauty.  No one can question LSU's toughness.

At this point, I think LSU is an average team that will go 4-4 down the stretch…if they are lucky.

I think this latest game has exposed some serious issues in year 5 of the Les Miles regime.

*It is clear that the 2009 team is much less talented than the 2005-2007 versions.

*A huge part of that goes to recruiting. While Miles can be forgiven for a small 2005 class finalized only after Saban’s post Christmas departure, the 2006 class was all Miles. Looking at that class, by my count 14 of the 26 players recruited either never made it to campus, were booted off the team, left school or transferred. The core of the “4 star” players in that class never saw the field. The 2007 is a little better, but attrition has taken a toll. By my count 9 players in that class are no longer at LSU.

*On a positive note, the 2008 and 2009 classes have had almost ZERO attrition. Nearly everyone is in school and working to get playing time. It remains to be seen how these classes work out, we won’t know for another two to three years. But two or three consecutive subpar recruiting classes can create an ugly bubble in a coach’s resume.

*The offensive and defensive lines are mediocre. Miles and crew either have done a poor job of evaluating talent or a poor job of developing players. Again, this could be a function of the recruiting. Nevertheless, the offensive line is yet to gel. Working with a young QB can’t help in getting the right blocking calls implemented.

*Questions have to be asked about the offensive staff and the play calling. Mad Hatter, where have you gone?  Russell Shepard is averaging almost 7 yards a carry. Why aren’t we using him more? Are we going to burn an entire year of eligibility having him play 3 or 4 plays a game? Should Holliday give way to Shepard? Shepard has Holliday’s speed and quickness with size. Let’s run him on the bubble screens, WR option plays and slot routes. He’s a guy that can create big plays for the offense. Can Jefferson check to new plays? What are we doing to attack these 8 and 9 man fronts Jefferson is seeing?

*Is LSU a middle of the road SEC program now? Are we looking at more 8 win seasons with the occasional 9 or 10 win year interspersed? Is it unrealistic to expect more of this program? From 2003 to 2007, LSU went 56-10. Are those days gone for good with Les running the shop?

I know the coaches have much more at stake than I do. The cumulative coaching salaries at LSU exceed $4 million. But the two year trend thus far is NOT encouraging. With games left against Tulane and La. Tech, I am confident LSU will make a bowl game. But hasn’t LSU risen above such mediocre goals?

October 3rd’s game versus Georgia will NOT make or break this season or Miles’ career. You will probably here a lot of blather about such ideas. I suggest you ignore it. But this IS a yardstick game. LSU and Georgia are similarly situated programs at this point. Both are playing second fiddle at the moment to juggernauts in their respective divisions. Both programs are trying to rebuild and make it back to a BCS bowl.

If LSU can avoid turnovers, play solid defense and be sound in the kicking game, the Tigers have an EXCELLENT shot at winning this game. Georgia’s defense is giving up almost 30 points a game and the Dawgs are -9 in the turnover department. Cox has thrown at least one INT in every game this year and Georgia has fumbled 7 times. The key will be whether LSU can capitalize on Georgia’s mistakes. Hopefully Miles reaches under that hat and pulls out a few tricks. The Advocated quoted Miles saying, “we can be a very, very good football team.” We shall see.

LSU is #1 in one poll at least...

Colley Rankings

Photos from LSU v. UL Laffy & other Stuff

Sports Illustrated LSU photos

ESPN's Gameday Final

Chris Low's thoughts on the SEC

You thought an LSU game was expensive

Who is LSU?

Statistically, LSU has the worst offense in the conference. You knew it was bad, but not this bad. The Tigers are only churning out 325 yards a game. EVEN VANDERBILT IS GAINING MORE YARDS PER GAME!!! Compare that with two years ago when LSU was averaging 439 yards a game. What’s the problem?

1. The offensive line is not very good. Cleary this is NOT a power running football team. The holes have not been there. The longest run this season was 21 yards by Charles Scott. We are one quarter of the way through the season and Scott has ZERO TD’s.

2. Jordan Jefferson has a LONG way to go to become an effective SEC QB. The call went out last week to see the deep passing game. It doesn’t exist. From a purely ascetic point of view, Jefferson throws and UGLY ball. That quail is wobbling all over the place. From an execution stand point, he doesn’t put enough air under the ball on deep passes to let the receivers run under it. His timing is off as well; he waits too long many times to throw deep passes. The game plan specifically called for a number of deep routes and he couldn’t deliver.

3. Jefferson’s shortcomings are not debilitating to the offense per se, but the offensive line has got to begin to gel. If LSU is to run a ball control offense focused on running and short to intermediate passes, the O-line must get better at run blocking.

4. Let me throw some numbers at you. LSU ranks 43rd in the country in yards per rushing attempt. The Tigers rank 80th in yards per passing attempt. Contrast that with Alabama which ranks 12th and 16th respectively.

5. Here are some more numbers. Auburn is averaging 79 offensive plays per game. LSU is averaging 63. LSU is 11th in the SEC in offensive plays per game. The Tigers’ slower tempo on offense plays a large part of this, but only a part.

6. The play calling and game planning thus far this season have been very interesting. In his post game comments, Doug Moreau mentioned that LSU does not have an identity yet on offense. I agree. He went on further to say that the LSU staff must have a method to their madness; he just didn’t know what it was.

7. Let me take a stab at it. I have a feeling that the coaching staff is running certain plays to see how Jefferson does. Obviously they want to move the ball, but I think the staff may be taking a “big picture” view of the season. Let’s see what we are good at; let’s see what works, but don’t tip our hand too much. Leave the other staffs guessing what we will do when we get to the heart of the season. The only way this was possible was because the schedule set up very nicely. Bring the offense along slowly and stay patient. Mississippi State will be a challenge, so I expect a more “well defined” game plan. But don’t look for the offense to really open up until Georgia.

Defensively, the Tigers are looking a little better, but there are issues.

1. The D-line does not generate a pass rush. LSU is ranked 67th in the country in sacks and 70th in tackles for loss. The defensive line has not been as good as I expected.

2. As I mentioned last week, much is expected of the LB’s in this defense. Not surprisingly, the top three tacklers on the team are Harry Coleman, Kelvin Sheppard and Perry Riley. There seems to be improvement each week with this group.

3. LSU is ranked 19th is pass efficiency defense. The Tigers have 4 INT’s already as compared to 8 all of last season. Opponents are only completing 50% of their passes against the Tigers.

4. The defense has forced only seven ‘3 and outs’ this season. Compare that with Alabama which forced North Texas into seven ‘3 and outs’ this weekend alone and 16 for the season.

5. The Tigers are +3 in turnover margin.

Special teams were solid but not spectacular.

1. LSU ranks dead last in KO returns in all of college football. But the Tigers’ average starting field position after KO’s is the 32 yard line. I don’t know how that stacks up against others in the conference, but it is not terrible by any means.

2. It is VERY good to know that Jasper can hit a 52 yard FG.

3. Helton seems to have found his groove punting. He kicked 4 times for an average of 44 yards per punt. Bravo! As an interesting side note, LSU is tied for first in the nation for fewest punts on the season.

4. Holliday ranks 44th nationally in punt returns.

So what does all this mean?

I don’t think we can read this team yet. LSU could finish anywhere between 12-0 (try not to laugh) and 8-4 (try not to cry). Clearly this team has plenty of potential, but they must continue to improve to achieve anything this season. A win this weekend would push the Tigers to 2-0 in the conference and 4-0 overall, exactly where they were last season. My gut says LSU probably finishes 9-3, grinding out victories all season.  The matchup with Georgia on October 3rd will be a measuring stick game.  Let’s hold judgment until then.

Last Week's Odds and Ends

Sorry this is so late...was a little busy this week

*Talk about wild. In the first 20 minutes of the game, Georgia Tech and Clemson combined for four TD’s.

GT – 82 yard TD run.
GT – 85 yard punt return.
GT – 34 yard fake FG pass for a TD.
Clemson – 63 yard TD pass.

Dandy game.

*Oh Sparty, how can you live with yourself? After giving up a late score you hold off the Might Chippewas as they go for two to retain a 1 point lead with only a few seconds left. Bu then you let Central Michigan recover the onside kick. You force your smaller neighbor from up the street to kick a 47 yard game-winning field goal, which they miss. But out of the kindness of your heart you give the Chips a second chance by jumping off side. At this point, your fate was sealed. From a thousand miles away I knew that the kick from 42 yards was going in.

*Lou Holtz – suck it old man!! Notre Shame 34 – UM 38.

*Not Ready for Prime Time – Oklahoma State and Mike Gundy. After getting a huge win over Georgia last week, the Cowboys sleep walk against Houston and give up 45 points to lose by ten, at home no less. JC, you still think Gundy is better than Miles?

*Not Ready for Prime Time II – Tennessee and Lame Kiffin. It’s a little tougher when you have to play someone with a pulse. You think losing to UCLA hurts? Welcome to the Swamp. Pissing in Urban’s cereal bowl is not a good idea.

*Same Old Song and Dance – Big non conference game, Suckeyes come up short. USC drives down the field late to score and take the lead for good. OSU has lost six straight versus top 5 ranked teams. I still don’t get all the hype about Terrelle Pryor. Think about this, if OSU doesn’t get the GIFT pass interference call against Miami in the 2002 title game, what is Tressell’s legacy at this point?

*Same Old Song and Dance II – USC knows how to win the big ones. They may stub their toe this season, but it won’t be against any of the top teams on the schedule.

*The National Champion will come from this pool of teams – Florida, Texas and USC. No one else is even close. I know the Trojans only won by 3, but consider they went on the road with a true freshman QB and still won tells me all a great deal. Florida and Texas should ROLL through the season.

*Two weeks into the season, we have had four teams ranked in the top 10 lose. Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, Virginia Tech and OSU. Poser Material!

*LSU is ranked 7th by the coaches and 9th in the AP poll. The argument could be made that LSU is undeserving of such lofty status. I would not necessarily disagree. The problem is, who are you going to put up there? If you take LSU out of the top 10, here are your candidates:

OSU – This is a good team, but there are serious offensive issues.

Oklahoma – No Sam Bradford. Nuff, said.

Georgia Tech – After watching LSU dominate that offense in the Peach Bowl and the performance against Clemson, I’m not sold.

Virginia Tech – See Ohio State.

TCU – Good team, but top 10?

Oklahoma State – Just got beat by 10 at home by Houston.

The point is, after the big four of Florida, Bama, USC and Texas, you can throw everyone else in a pot. The Tigers are a work in progress, as is the rest of the country.

*The other thing to take from the start of this season is that we need to look at teams and not necessarily conferences. Across the board you will see quality in each conference along with potential bottom feeders.

Defense Leads the Way

It was wet, at times ugly, but it was a conference win over a better than given credit for Vanderbilt team. LSU didn’t put the game away until Keiland Williams scored his second TD of the game with six minutes remaining. Vandy played well but LSU’s defense completely contained the Commodores’ offense.

*Defense was very good. The Tiger defense gave up only 7 points and 210 yards in the entire game. Take out the one scoring drive and Vandy managed only 130 yards. Vanderbilt was only 4-15 on third down conversions, a far cry from Washington’s proficiency of last week. However, the learning curve is still steep for some of these guys. On Vanderbilt’s only TD, QB Larry Smith ran a read option play. LSU’s DE Chancey Aghayere crashed down on the RB without even looking at Smith who fumbled the ball but was so alone that he was able to pick the ball back up and trot into the endzone. Overall, I’d have to grade the defense out as an A-, a stark improvement over last week’s D-.

*While LSU’s defensive line needs work, it appears the biggest weakness is at linebacker. The LB’s under Chavis’ system are expected to carry a heavy work load and I am not sure the current cast is up to snuff. Kelvin Sheppard can make plays, but he misses a lot of tackles and appears out of position at times. I am sure learning a new system takes a great deal of practice and dedication, but I am not sure Sheppard is a good enough football player to become anything more than serviceable to this team.

*The offensive line has not impressed me. The holes just aren’t there like they were last year. The pass protection is OK, but not great.

*The receivers don’t do great jobs of blocking. One of the keys to big running plays is the blocking by the WR corps. Too many times I saw WR completely flailing out in space and missing their blocks. The bubble screen only works if the WRs make blocks.

*I know they are bringing Jefferson along slowly, but I’d like to see a bit more of a vertical passing game implemented. Vanderbilt dared the Tigers to go downfield and was successful in crowding the line of scrimmage.

*Speaking of Jefferson, he does a great job of running the offense. Sure he needs polish, but in his last four games he is 56 of 94 for 595 yards, 6 TD’s and ZERO interceptions. I don’t want to jinx him, but I wonder who holds the LSU record for most consecutive pass attempts without an interception.

*RJ Jackson looked good. I would guess the majority of LSU fans saw #28 out there and said, “Who is that guy? Where’s he been?” I thought Ruben Randall would have wrapped up the 3rd WR spot, but obviously the 5th year senior Jackson has his own ideas.

*Finally, the pre-game video on the big screen at Tiger Stadium was AWFUL!! Whoever designed that junk needs to rethink his career.

Week 1 Random Thoughts

*Terrelle Pryor will be a great college QB, but he’s got a very funky throwing motion. Many of his passes look like ugly floaters. OSU looked pretty tame against Navy. I know USC is next so the Suckeyes were probably looking ahead, but come on. Championship teams look much sharper than this.  BTW: Terrelle Pryor just needs to shut up and play football...

*Greg Paulus looked great for Syracuse, up until he threw a terrible interception in OT. Guy hasn’t played football in four years then comes in and looks like a 5th year senior. Oh wait, he is a 5th year senior.

*Penn State looked very good. Same goes for the Mighty Spartans, Michigan and Northwestern. I now it’s Akron, Montana State, Towson St. and Western Mich, but they all looked sharp.

* The MSU front office needs to pay Dantonio whatever he wants. That guy will win a Big 10 Title before he leaves East Lansing.

*The Big 10 still looks mediocre on the whole. Iowa needed TWO last second blocked FG to beat a I-AA team. OSU barely survived Navy. Indiana beat I-AA Eastern Kentucky by 5. Minnesota was forced into overtime before beating Syracuse. Illinois got drilled by Mizzu.  Wisconsin had to hold off Northern Illinois to win by 8.

*If Ron Zook doesn’t make a bowl this season, he needs to go. They looked terrible against Missouri.

*If he does get run, the Illini need to sprint down the road to Cincinnati.  Brian Kelly has done a fantastic job with the Bearcats.

*Speaking of the Nati, they went into New Jersey and laid down a Tony Soprano style beating on Rutgers.  Looks like the Big Least is Cincinnati's for the taking.

*The Big 10 looks downright unstoppable compared to the ACC.  The ACC was 0-4 versus BCS conference teams.  Virginia and Duke even lost to I-AA teams!  Stay tuned!

*BYU is pretty good. I know Bradford got knocked out, but BYU is the real deal.

*That Alabama v. Virginia Tech game was great.  Tech's offense is awful, but they stayed in the game until the very end.  I have to tip my hat to Saban, as of right now, Bama looks to be the best team in the West.

*I am writing this as I watch the FSU v. Miami game.  It is 31-24 FSU with 9:30 left in the 4th quarter. Damn it's good to have college football back.

*I love the guy in the Miller High Life commercials...

*Guys, do yourself a favor and check out this dude's blog on Sports Illustrated's web site.  I was so distracted I don't even know if the blog makes sense.

1-0 baby...

This weekend’s LSU game was rough on fans but leaves tons of material for an amateur writer/blogger. Where to begin? I try to stay positive, so we will start with the good stuff.

*LSU won. DO NOT DOWNPLAY THIS FACT. It was ugly at times and the defense stunk (more on that in a minute), but we went up the Seattle and won the game.

*Jordan Jefferson was very efficient. 11 for 19, 172 yards and 3 TD’s. He ran the ball 8 times for 42 yards as well. I would like to see the staff get him out of the pocket more though. He was very effective running the option and the QB inside read play.

*This was a coming out party for Terrance Tolliver. 4 catches for 117 yards and 2 TD’s. This is a great sign and will only help alleviate the pressure on Lafell.

*Special teams weren’t special, but there were no miscues. No botched snaps, no kicks blocked and no big returns by Washington. On Washington’s four kickoffs, LSU returned the ball on average to about the 35 yard line. LSU’s KO coverage was pretty strong.

*The Tigers were only penalized 3 times Saturday. Contrast that with Washington’s 11, Bama’s 10, Oklahoma State’s 15 or Mississippi State’s 12.

*Instead of giving away a pick-6, Jacob Cutrera picked off Locker in the first quarter and put LSU up for good. The Tigers never trailed the final 50 minutes of the game.

Now for the bad stuff:

*If not for Cutrera’s pick-6, I would grade the defense out as a D minus. Washington was 11 of 19 on third down conversions. The defense could not get off the field. Numerous times LSU got ahead in down and distance only to give up a third and long pass. It reminded me of Lou Tepper and Pelini’s first few games at LSU. That zone was very soft. Maybe it’s just me, but I feel that man coverage is in LSU’s DNA. We have such great athletes that we should just let them play. Combine that with some poor tackling and you had the most yards given up by an LSU defense in a long time.

*3rd and long killed LSU. In the first half, UW converted on a 3rd and 12, a 2nd and goal from the 17, a 3rd and 14, a 3rd and 8 and a 3rd and 9. Husky quarterback Jake Locker completed 8-of-11 passes for 137 yards on third downs alone. He also ran for 40 yards on five third-down carries. To their credit, in the second half, the Tigers gave up only a 3rd and 10 conversion and a 3rd and 12 on the final drive after the game had been decided.

*The front four generated ZERO pass rush for the most part. LSU had 8 tackles for loss, which actually surprised me, but many of these were in the second half against the run.

*Derek Helton STUNK. Four punts for an average of 32 yards per punt is garbage. Amongst players with at least four punts this weekend he ranks second to last. This has got to be fixed. This guy is on scholarship which is even more frustrating.

*The offensive line looked a little discombobulated at times. It may take a few games for this unit to find its rhythm.

*The offensive play calling left a lot to be desired as well. LSU’s strength was its speed on the corner which was not exploited. Most everything was between the tackles which UW bottled up well. We didn’t see any screens, misdirection or draw plays form Crowton. Play calling was very vanilla. Maybe this was by design.

My thoughts:

*LSU may have been a little fatigued from a tough fall camp. Combine that with the 2,600 mile trip and a game starting at 9:30 local and you have the ingredients for a tough night.

*Chavis and the defensive staff were at a bit of a disadvantage because there was no game film to study. Sarkisian was at USC for a number of years, but USC has never had a duel threat QB like Locker. Give UW credit, they came out prepared and executed.

*LSU never really adjusted to the sky kicks on the kickoffs. I would like to see more from this unit.

*I like Jefferson running, but he needs to avoid these big licks. OUCH!

*The offensive line struggled at time, but should get much better as the year goes along.  Ask Oklahoma and Oregon about breaking in new guys to the O-line to open the season.

*For all the talk we heard about Russell Sheppard and Rueben Randall during camp, neither of those guys saw the field. I am curious to see how this plays out. Could Sheppard redshirt in hopes of focusing on the QB position in the future?  What about Randall?  For all the hype I don't think he was out there once.  No knock on the kid, but it is curious.

*I think many LSU fans may be disappointed in this opening game. Everyone was telling themselves that UW went 0-12 last season and they are a terrible team, blah, blah, blah. Remember, LSU was pushed but never really threatened.  Disappointment is a mindset.  There is a lot to be positive about. 

*As usual, in reviewing the game, I feel better about LSU’s performance. I think Washington is well coached and will win a few ball games this season. I have faith in Chavis that adjustments will be made and the defense will continue to improve. Offensively, reviewing the game allows you to see that many of the mistakes are mental and can be corrected. Plus, as Jefferson grows as a player, so will the playbook.

*As of today LSU is not good enough to win the West, but the critical stretch of games don’t begin until October 24th when Auburn comes to town. The Tigers will get better each week so we should all continue to look at this season with cautious optimism.

*Finally, that may have been the poorest game I have ever seen ESPN produce. They cut away IN BETWEEN PLAYS in the first half and missed Tolliver’s long TD score. Then went to commercial without a replay!! Bob Davey and Mark Jones could not stop talking about Jake Locker. Actually they could not stop talking period. Usually I like Davey but tonight he was just annoying. Whoever worked the cameras from the production truck needs to get his ass kicked; repeated cuts to the UW sideline and the gushing about Sarkisian left me cursing at the TV.

No cursing here...except by UW's defense...

LSU Videos....

Isn't the internet great?

I found some VERY COOL LSU videos that some of you may enjoy:

Meet the Offense




Meet the defense





Going the Distance

Roy Jones would be proud....

*This is a great straight right to the jaw by Oregon's LeGarrette Blount:



Oregon's struggles on offense should be no surprise.  The ducks lost four seniors on the O-Line from last season and this is what you get, 8 points and 31 yards rushing on 17 attempts.  The O-Line is the foundation not just for an offense but an entire team.


*Here is an excellent article on Spurrier and his time at South Carolina:

The long decline of Steve Spurrier

* This guy has and excellent breakdown of the LSU v. Washington game:

LSU v. Washington

LSU at Washington

The only real question I have about the game is this: How many LSU fans drinking at house parties in Baton Rouge are going to pass out before kickoff?

The experts have LSU a 17 point favorite which I think is about correct given some of the unknowns on an opening game. But I look for the Tigers to completely dominate this football game. Miles is 4-0 in season openers at LSU and the Tigers have outscored their opening game opponents 166-47 in those contests.

LSU’s offensive and defensive lines will be too much for the Huskies to handle. LSU has superior athletes and an experienced coaching staff. Washington has rookie head coach Steve Sarkisian looking to rebuild a program that went 0-12 last season. If you want to see how bad the Huskies were, click here to see the 2008 statistics. The offense scored 13 points a game and the defense gave up 38 points a game.

Look for Charles Scott to run up and down the field and the defense to look much more like the unit fans expect. You will get sick of hearing this from me, but John Chavis is a DAMN STRONG coach. Click here for Tennessee’s stats from last season. I ran a few numbers for Chavis over the last 10 years.

Scoring defense: avg. rank 23rd
Rushing defense: avg. rank 27th
Total defense: avg. rank 23rd

UT’s defense finished in the top 3 nationally against the rush three times during this period. Chavis’ crew finished in the top 13 six times in total defense since 1999.

Tigers will romp in the Pacific northwest.

LSU 37 – UDub 10

PS...On the offensive side of the ball, I am making a request now to see LSU run the wishbone at least once this season. Shepard under center, Scott in the fullback position, Williams at one tailback spot and Holliday in the other. PLEASE COACH!!!

Rich Rod's Speech Writer...

If I had the privilege to write Rich Rodriquez’s statement regarding the allegations of violating the NCAA’s workout rules:

“I want to start out by saying that this staff knows the rules regarding work outs and we follow the rules. End of story. Anyone who says different is flat out wrong. This team went 3-9 last season. We haven’t beaten Ohio State since 2003. Our players need to understand the importance of hard work. Is there peer pressure amongst our players to go above and beyond what the coaches require? Absolutely. You think players from the top teams around the country are content with working out within NCAA rules and then calling it a day? Of course not. These players are self motivated and take responsibility for their own success.

I will tell you the same thing I told my players when I heard about this garbage. If you don’t want to be a Michigan Man, there is the door! I’ll release you from your commitment in a heartbeat. I am sick of guys around here treating this place like a country club. All the whinning and bitching makes me sick.  You know why so many players have left since we got here? They weren’t committed to winning. They were not committed to taking responsibility upon themselves to be winners.

I don’t get these malcontents in our locker room attacking the integrity of the Michigan program. All they are doing is hurting their teammates and the Michigan program by anonymously spreading these lies. I am sure these are players who are frustrated because they are being out worked by their team mates. They aren’t where they think they should be on the depth chart.  They think that since they have been here for a few years they are entitled to a starting spot. Instead of responding to the challenge and examples set by the leaders on this team, they would rather go to the media under cover of anonymity and spread lies to poison this program.

(Lower voice and give a steely glare) A true Michigan Man stands up to be counted…a true Michigan Man stands up to adversity.

Michigan is a great school and the Michigan Football program was great long before I got here or any of these players got here. It will continue to be an elite program long after I am gone as well. But I will be damned if I don’t do everything in my power to maintain the history of excellence of the Wolverines and the integrity this program is renowned for! (Pound on podium at this point)

I’m sick of this crap and all the negativity surrounding this program. We didn’t do anything wrong. And I’m not answering any questions regarding this bullshit; I have a game to prepare for.” (Walk off stage)

Quote of the Day

Oregon State has practiced a package that would occasionally place burner Jacquizz Rodgers at quarterback. You know what that means. Wild Beaver. Make it happen, Mike Riley.

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Game Week

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Preseason Consensus 2009

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Big Blue Discontent

Tebow...Best Ever?

Random Musings

I saw an interesting stat that showed that only seven teams since 1983 finished in the AP top 5 with a freshman quarterback starting at least four games. Only ONE of those quarterbacks, Oklahoma’s Jamelle Holieway, was a TRUE freshman. I am very interested to see how USC does now that Pete Carroll has named true freshman Matt Barkley the starting quarterback. All the talking heads are saying USC is so good it doesn’t matter who you line up behind center. I respectfully disagree. (So does the LA Times Click here) The Trojans lost both coordinators and eight starters on defense. Trips to Ohio State, Cal, Notre Shame, Oregon and Arizona State will present significant challenges. USC is looking at a 9-3 or 10-2 record.

The media seems to be drinking the Nick Saban Kool-Aid in massive amounts. They seem to forget about the fact that Saban has never had back to 10+ win seasons. Saban has never won back-to-back division titles. Alabama was mediocre on offense last season and lost their top two offensive linemen and their number one tight end.

Looking beyond just this season, there will be a tremendous amount of pressure on Saban the next two years. He is one of the highest paid coaches in the country, but thus far he has produced one division title and one Independence Bowl win over Colorado. If Bama doesn’t win the division or conference this season, will next season be any better? In 2010, the Tide are at Arkansas, at Tennessee, at South Carolina and at LSU plus get Florida at home. Does that look like a schedule conducive to an SEC Championship much less a National Championship? Saban just signed an extension through 2017. I have no doubt that he is a great coach, but the expectations at Alabama will be through the roof this season and in the future. How will Saban and the fans deal with disappointment? This will be an interesting situation to watch.

I think this season could be a wild one similar to 2007. The top teams are all dealing with serious questions that I think the media glosses over. (ahem…Bama, USC)

Take Oklahoma for instance. Great team no doubt. But the Sooners lost FOUR starters on the offensive line. The defense gets everyone back, but real questions exist.

Penn State has only one senior on the offensive line. That line will include three new starters including two sophomores. Only four starters return on defense.

Ohio State only has four starters returning on offense. Pryor will really have to carry the Buckeyes at times this season.

Trendy picks Oklahoma State, Ole Miss, California and Georgia Tech have not proved themselves to warrant confidence. The Cowboys last won a conference title in 1976, in the now defunct Big 8. It has been over 45 years since Ole Miss won the SEC. The 1958 Bears were the last Cal team to represent the Pac-10 in the Rose Bowl. Georgia Tech has won a grand total of two conference titles in the last 50 years.

I think the ACC may be very good this season. Virginia Tech, Florida State, Georgia Tech and UNC all have the potential to be excellent teams. The consensus seems to be that Florida and a Big 12 team will play for the national title. Don’t be surprised if an ACC team makes the title game. The ACC is better than people think and someone could emerge from there.

Rutgers is an interesting case from the Big East. Looking at their recruiting over the last five years, each class looks stronger and stronger. The Scarlet Knights return ALL FIVE starters on the offensive line and the starting tight end returns as well. All the tough conference games are at home this year.

Only a few days left until the season begins. Can’t wait.