2007 SEC East Preview

So many question marks in the East:

* How will Florida fare with nine new starters on defense and Tim Tebow under center?

*Can the Vols win their first SEC Championship since the 1998 season?

*Will the Bulldogs bounce back from a sub par 2006?

*Is this the season Spur Dog gets the Gamecocks to Atlanta?

*Can Kentucky build on last season’s 8-5 record?

*When will the Commodores get the 6 wins necessary to play in the post season?

This may be Tennessee’s year to make it back to the SEC Championship game. Seven seniors start on a defensive unit that should improve over last season. The Vols play at Florida but get Georgia, South Carolina and Arkansas at home. Erik Ainge should be one of the top QB’s in the SEC while serving his second season under David Cutcliffe. Don’t forget the importance of senior leadership at the quarterback position. The last 3 SEC Champs all had Sr. QB’s at the helm.

Last season, Ohio State returned only two starters on defense yet went 12-0 and played Florida for the National Championship. This season, the Gators return only two starters on defense and look to defend their title. The big difference between the 2006 Buckeyes and 2007 Gators, OSU lined up senior QB and eventual Heisman winner Troy Smith behind center. Tim Tebow may eventually reach that lofty perch, but trips to LSU and South Carolina plus a visit by Tennessee will keep the Gators from a repeat visit to Atlanta.

This may be Steve Spurrier’s best team yet at South Carolina, but an absolutely brutal schedule awaits the Gamecocks. USC plays at Georgia and at LSU then has a three-week stretch of at Tennessee, at Arkansas then the Gators visit Columbia. Another mid-level bowl may be the best USC fans can hope for. But don’t be surprised if Spurrier pulls a few surprises this season. Blake Mitchell (QB), is a senior this year and Spurrier, at least in my mind, is the best coach in the league. He will win a few he shouldn’t.

Georgia is probably one year away from making a run at the top of the division. The Dawgs starting QB, Matthew Stafford is only a sophomore and the defense must replace studs off last year’s line.

Kentucky and Vanderbilt have improved over the last few years, but by playing in the SEC East, their achievements are completely overshadowed. Expect UK to make another run at a bowl game. Vanderbilt will be knocking on the door again, but much like South Carolina, the Commodores have a rough midseason three-week stretch of at Auburn, home versus Georgia and at South Carolina.

SEC EAST

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

6. Vanderbilt

Back to School...

A man and woman were sitting at a bar when the man turned and said to the woman, “would you sleep with me for thirty-two million dollars?” The woman thought a moment and said, “why yes, I would.” The man then asked, “well, would you sleep with me for 20 bucks?” The woman replied incredulously, “What do you think I am? A whore?” The man quickly replied, “We’ve already established that, now we’re just negotiating price.”

Upon taking the Dolphins job, Saban said, "This is something that I’ve worked for 30-something years in this profession to have an opportunity like this with an organization like this that has such great tradition, a great owner and an opportunity to be more successful…It's a tremendous challenge for me and a great opportunity for me and my family."

Evidently, after two years, Saban decided the challenge was too tremendous and the opportunity not so great. Here is another nugget from Saban’s opening statements with the Dolphins:

“…there are some words like respect, trust and working together that are very important in team dynamics which is going to be very important for this team and organization moving forward…”

A man walks into a Tuscaloosa group therapy session and stands at the podium. “Hi, my name is Nick Saban and I have ZERO credibility.” The other attendees at the meeting, all dressed in red and white, reply in unison, “Hi, Nick.”

I will never begrudge anyone for making money. But don’t tell me it’s not about the money when it is all about the money. Remember, Alabama approached Saban before Christmas about the job and he turned them down. At the time, the pot wasn’t sweet enough. The Tide then offered the job to Rich Rodriguez who used the offer to extort more money from West Virginia. Alabama then made another run at Saban, this time offering an ungodly sum of money, which Saban accepted. In taking the Bama job, Saban said college was where he wanted to be and blah, blah, blah. If that was true, why turn down Bama the first go around? Clearly there was a chance Bama could have landed Rodriguez or someone else and Saban would still be with the Dolphins. The reason Saban said “yes” the second time around was because the offer almost doubled.

The Random House Dictionary defines mercenary as “working or acting merely for money or other reward; venal.” Sound familiar?

Saban is a great example of the difference between “family” and “the hired help.” He was a guy LSU hired to do a job, which he did VERY well. Nothing more. No scholarships will be named after him, there will be no statues with his likeness, and no facilities bearing his name. Twenty years from now, he will be a footnote in the LSU media guide.

One of the local radio talking heads made a great point about the Saban situation. He doesn’t have a problem with Saban going to Bama, but rather with Saban’s condescending attitude, the way he handled the media and the way he treats people. I would also add to that the question of credibility and oversized ego. This is the same guy who said he’s always wanted to go the pros yet leaves after two years. This is the same guy who told the leader of the free world that he was “too busy” to have lunch. Are you kidding me? You are a freaking football coach.

Saban will win at Alabama. The question is how much is enough? Just a heads up to Bama fans, Saban is 2-3 versus Auburn and 0-3 in Jordan-Hare Stadium. Guess where the 2007 Iron Bowl is being played. LSU and Alabama are different situations and I think Saban will find the sledding more difficult than his time with the Tigers. He will battle Auburn for in-state recruits and the rivalry games (Auburn and Tennessee) will skew fan’s perception of his success.

I’m not nearly as upset as many other LSU fans. As I said when Saban left to go to the Dolphins:

I’m ambivalent [about Saban leaving]. I don’t know Saban personally. He seems like a good guy. He worked very hard while he was at LSU earning every dollar thrown at him. He won a bunch of football games and I was able to watch LSU win a National Title because of his hard work. But our relationship is over, because the only thing we shared was LSU football. Now that the link is broken, we can go our separate ways.

Nothing has really changed with my view. But it does make playing the Tide a little juicier each year. Now I can root against him and wish him heartbreaking losses with a clear conscience. I am already looking forward to the Tide’s 2008 trip to Baton Rouge.

Squeaker

This was LSU’s 2006 roll out the helmet game. I cannot remember a more uninspired performance by the Tigers since the Gerry D days. More than likely, Arkansas’ and Auburn’s victories earlier in the day deflated the Tigers. Knowing that the SEC Championship was out of reach took the fight out of a team that had been completely dominant through seven home games this season.

But in the 4th quarter, the Tigers recovered and took over the contest. In the 4th, LSU scored two TD’s on drives of 58 and 59 yards. Defensively, the Rebels were held to 10 total plays in the final stanza for 13 yards. LSU forced a critical fumble in OT and kicked the game winner to get out of Tiger Stadium with a 23-20 win.

We’ve become so spoiled by Russell’s home performances, we are hyper critical when he is anything less than brilliant. For the game, Russell was 20 of 36 (55%) for 223 yards and 3 TD’s. Most guys would kill for those numbers. But the bar is set unrealistically high because of his past performances. I have gone back and forth over this but I hope Russell comes back for his senior season. If he does he will be in contention for the Heisman Trophy and the Tigers will be a serious contender for the national championship.

To end on an uplifting note, I must say that the special teams were absolutely awful. I had to make a list to keep track of the futility:

1. Ole Miss blocked an LSU extra point
2. Ole Miss recovered an onside kick
3. Ole Miss converted an a fake punt
4. Ole Miss had two LONG kick-off returns (Marshay Green had two returns for an AVERAGE of 57.5 yards)
5. Ole Miss had a long punt return getting the ball to the LSU 35 (again, Green making the return)
6. LSU had two kick-off returns for a grand total of 6 yards and two punt returns for a whopping 11 yards.
7. LSU missed a FG

Special teams must play much better this Friday.

Looking Ahead

The mainstream college football media loves to jump on a bandwagon without taking a deeper look inside a team. A perfect example is Arkansas. All I have heard is that the Hogs are the best team in the SEC right now. Hmmm. This would seem to be based on the 10-1 record and the legs of Darren McFadden. But let’s take a bit closer look shall we.

Arkansas is ranked #4 in the nation in rushing. Nice number, but when you look at who they have played, the high ranking loses it’s luster. Excluding the USC game, the toughest run defense the Hogs have faced was Alabama (6-6) ranked #38 in run defense. Arkansas gained 172 yards on the ground against the Tide, 60 below their average. Against USC (#13 in run defense), the Hogs gained a mere 130 yards. Now the talking heads will say that game was at the beginning of the season and this is a different team. I’m not so sure. Just last week, Mississippi State held Arkansas to 128 yards on the ground and 14 offensive points. LSU will be THE toughest defense the Hogs face this regular season. No one has been able to run on the Tigers and I don’t see Friday’s game being any different.

LSU slept through about 48 minutes of the Ole Miss game. I expect a big effort from the lads to show everyone who really is the best team in the SEC. If the Tigers avoid their biggest road bugaboo, turnovers, LSU will have its first back to back 10+ win seasons in 113 years of football.

Tigers 24 – Hogs 16

LSU's BCS prospects and a little horn tooting...

*LSU is still in the running for an at large BCS birth. A few factors that can help the Tigers (this is all predicated on LSU beating the Hogs):

*Currently, Boise State has a bid. The Broncos have a big road game at Nevada to end the season. If BSU loses, that opens up an at-large spot, possibly LSU to Phoenix to play Nebraska, Texas or Oklahoma?

*West Virginia, Louisville and Rutgers all have one loss and are in the mix for the Big East title and a possible BCS birth. Each has two games left so losses here would help the Tigers. Right now, the Tigers are competing with West Virginia and Louisville for that last at large spot. (which could be the Rose Bowl)

*If Florida can win out and land in the BCS title game, the Sugar Bowl would have to take a REALLY long look at LSU. The game would assuredly be a sell out and the Sugar would have the Katrina/1st Sugar Bowl back in New Orleans/ LSU subplots. Plus the likely opponent would be Notre Dame which creates a juicy national match-up.


Not to brag, but remember my preseason post on the SEC West?

"Arkansas is a bit of a wild card in 2006. The Hogs return 19 starters on offense and defense. Unfortunately for Houston Nutt, Arkansas’ biggest offensive threat, Darren McFadden, broke his toe in a bar fight this summer. The schedule is favorable as the Razorbacks miss Georgia and Florida from the East and get LSU, Tennessee and Alabama at home. Nutt is a good coach and has been rebuilding the last two years. Don’t be surprised if Arkansas somehow sneaks its way to Atlanta."

Just ignore the fact that I picked Georgia to win the SEC East and Florida State to play for the National Championship...

Finally...A Little Tiger Stadium Drama

A little drama had some of the home fans a bit nervous at times last night. As everyone should have expected, the Crimson Tide was not just going to roll over like LSU’s previous six home victims. But the Tigers made the appropriate adjustments at half and sealed the game down the stretch. LSU has now won six of the last seven against Alabama.

Too bad LSU can’t play all their games in Tiger Stadium; JaMarcus would be the front runner for the Heisman trophy. In another brilliant performance, Russell was 18 for 21 with 3 TD’s and 207 yards. For the season, in seven home games, Russell is 109 for 138 (79%), 1620 yards, 17 TD’s and only 1 INT. I did a little math and his efficiency rating at home actually went down after the Alabama game. Unbelievable.

Keiland Williams looked great. It is a shame he was not able to participate in two-a-days sooner. He’s very fast and powerful. The future looks bright with Williams and a motivated(?) Broussard in the backfield.

The defense struggled a bit more than usual. See how spoiled we are?! The defensive unit gave up only 14 points and folks are complaining! A good deal of that had to do with the lack of a consistent pass rush. Even though the front four had four sacks, a number of times John Wilson had plenty of time to throw the ball. LSU didn’t blitz much, but when they did, the Tigers were very effective. Part of the problem was injuries. Jesse Daniels did not play at all. Beckwith went out in the first quarter and never returned. The Tigers are thin at linebacker as it is so the loss of Beckwith was a big blow. My guess is the Tigers played a lot of base defense as not to confuse the LB’s and create even more issues.

LSU gets Ole Piss next week for what should be another beat down. The Tigers have been even keeled all season and this coming game will be no different.

LSU 38 – Ole Piss 3

Rocky Top This!!!

If JaMarcus could ever stop turning the ball over, LSU would be unstoppable. In six home games, Russell’s QB rating is about 45 points higher than the ALL TIME NCAA RECORD for passing efficiency in one season. (183.3 held by Tulane’s Shaun King) The problem is, Russell’s road efficiency rating is about 100 points lower than his home rating. Thus we get 6-0 at home and 1-2 on the road.

I will never complain about a road victory over a top 10 team. Winning in the SEC is tough and winning on the road at one of the elite programs is even tougher. But I think LSU suffers from a perception problem. Fans and the media see the bevy of PHYSICAL TALENT on the field but can’t appreciate the mental part of the game which is critical. I can see that JaMarcus can throw the ball 50+ yards on the run; I can see that Trindon Holliday is incredibly fast; I can see that Glen Dorsey is a great pass rusher. What you don’t see is the decision making process. You can’t see the level of concentration a player has throughout a game. The Tigers, for whatever reason, have not focused as well when playing in the big road games this season. In the three games against Auburn, Florida and Tennessee, LSU turned the ball over NINE TIMES and had 21 PENALTIES. It is amazing that the Tigers were able to win even one of those games after committing so many errors.

To many, Russell is maddening because at times he looks tremendous and at other times he looks awful. The game in Knoxville was a microcosm of Russell’s career. There are unexplainable gaffs (how does the ball flutter out of his hand? I’ve never met him but he must have enormous hands, right? Remember in the Arizona State game when the ball just slipped out like he was goofing around when he went to pass?) then cool deliveries (the 4th down pass to Doucet and the TD to Doucet to win the game, game winning TD passes versus Arizona State and Alabama) which make me shake my head.

Accept it folks, on some Saturdays Russell is going to keep the other team in the game and then break their heart as time expires. This is who he is. Be thankful he never gets down, he keeps hammering away and stays in the game. He continues to be a work in progress, and most importantly, his teammates believe in him. Now I haven’t taken a poll in the locker room nor do I have an inside source, but as much as I have criticized him at times, I believe in him. And if I can keep the faith, the people around him have to be doing the same.

Some have said that this is a “signature” win for Les Miles. These are probably the same people who were saying that the Peach Bowl against Miami was “the biggest game in the history of LSU football.” In our, “what have you done for me lately culture,” the next game is always the biggest game and fans lose perspective in a heartbeat. What about LSU’s thrilling 16-13 win at fourth ranked and 9-0 Alabama last season? Beating the #4 team in the country at their place is not a “signature” win? As long as we are talking about Les Miles, why not mention his back-to-back victories over Oklahoma in 2001 and 2002. OU was ranked #4 in the nation in ’01 and 3rd in ’02. Do those count as “signature” wins? Please!

A few other random thoughts:

* The refs jammed LSU again on the no call fumble recovery. In the first half, a Tennessee player touched the ball as it bounced in the end zone after an LSU punt. The Tigers recovered the ball and instant replay CLEARLY showed the ball change direction and motion after hitting the back of the UT player’s hand. Yet the call on the field stood and UT took the ball and drove for the first TD.

* LSU had 231 yards rushing against the Vols. Amazing considering how LSU struggled to run the ball against Auburn and Florida.

* Keiland Williams needs to get the ball from now on. His numbers were not great, but he looks very strong and knows how to hit the hole.

* I was surprised LSU did not blitz more. The UT offensive line was solid and LSU’s front four were not as effective as usual.

* Is Trindon Holiday the fastest little dude you have ever seen?

* Loved the fake punt and other creative wrinkles in the game. A very well coached game…if JaMarcus would just stop turning the damn ball over…

* LSU is #1 in the nation in total defense and #11 in total offense.

Next week the Tigers get a dangerous Alabama team coming off a horrible home loss to Mississippi State. LSU has been steady defensively all season and down right ruthlessly efficient at home. The Tigers should pound the Tide and win comfortably.

LSU 32 – Bama 13

Good…Bad: Tiger Pimp Nation Style

Good…The Tiger Pimp Nation traveled to Tennessee this Saturday to proudly represent the LSU Tigers. With a touch of class and a display of elegance, 40+ “white-collar” pimps invaded Knoxville in style.

Bad…Guard the women and children.

Good…LSU moved up to #12 in the BCS standings. While a BCS bowl is a long shot, the Tigers are still in the running.

Bad…If the Tigers miss the BCS, the other possible bowl match-ups with Wisconsin, Penn State or Oklahoma do not look that appealing.

Good…Wake Forest. 8-1 for the first time since 1944.

Bad…the ACC is lame. But in a gory train wreck sort of way.

Good…LSU is now 18-4 since Saban left for the Dolphins.

Bad…Saban is 11-13 since joining the Dolphins

Good…The Suckeyes versus the Big Blue Mafia should be a dandy in two weeks.

Bad…Given two weeks, the media hype machine should suck the life and all entertainment value out of the game

Good…The Spartans will make a run at Butch Davis.

Bad…The Spartans have to make a run at Butch Davis because they are on their 8th coach in the last 34 years.

Good…Lost is still the BEST show on TV.

Bad…No complaining because the show is too “slow.” If you want to see the entire plot sewn up in 45 minutes watch Law & Order.

Good…Bob Davie and Kirk Herbstreit are great on ABC.

Bad…I hate the three man booth. Just too many people in there for my liking.

Good…The two-point play.

Bad…STUPID COACHES that go for two WAY TOO EARLY IN THE GAME. There is NEVER a legitimate reason to intentionally go for two in the first half. NEVER. This is one of my biggest pet peeves when I watch football, especially college. Case in point, Florida scored a TD in the first quarter then botched the snap on the extra point. The holder ran around and luckily threw the ball in the end zone to a receiver. UF 8 – Vandy 0. The Commodores score in the first quarter and go for two. WHY? There is 50 minutes of football left. Take the damn point! DUMB!

Plenty to Play for...

I wasn’t going to blog this week but my loyal readers have been clamoring for more of my BS. So here are a few thoughts from this season.

If I had the task of creating a “goal pyramid” for the 2006 LSU Tigers, it would look something thin like this.

National Championship
Playing in the BCS Championship Game
Winning a BCS Bowl Game
Playing in a BCS Bowl Game
Winning the SEC
Winning the SEC West
Go Undefeated on the Road
Go Undefeated at Home
Have a winning season
Becoming bowl eligible
Play hard every game

Only the top of the pyramid is out of LSU’s reach, no Crystal Football for LSU this season. All but one of the other goals are attainable. Winning the West and thus playing in the SEC Championship game are long shots, but anything can happen. LSU won this weekend upping their mark to 6-2. Obviously going undefeated on the road is unattainable. But the Tigers have two opportunities to make amends. The Tennessee game looms VERY large on November 4th. If the Tigers can get their act together, a BCS Bowl is definitely in the cards.

Urban Meyer was dead on when he said the SEC is “one tough ass league.” No other conference can match up with Auburn, Florida, LSU, Tennessee, Arkansas and Alabama. That doesn’t even include Georgia and South Carolina who will go bowling this season. Going on the road and winning at the top schools is a tall task for any SEC team. LSU has looked incredible at home and mediocre on the road.

Every now and again I listen to the idiots on talk radio and the new favorite saying begins like this, “well, when Nick Saban was here…” Let me be very clear, Saban did great things at LSU, but he wasn’t God. Saban suffered a few loses on the road including losing at Florida in 2000, at Tennessee in 2001, at Georgia in 2004, at Auburn in 2000, 2002 and 2004, at Arkansas in 2000 and 2002 and at Virginia Tech in 2002.

So my suggestion is to give Miles a break. He’s won at Arizona State, and at Alabama and has the opportunity to beat UT and the Hogs away from Tiger Stadium this season. While at Oklahoma State he won games at Oklahoma, at Texas A&M and at UCLA. A little patience and perspective will go a long way.

Check back next week for the Tennessee preview and other random foolishness.

Back from the Dead...

“Lazarus is dead, and for your sake I am glad I was not there, so that you may believe. But let us go to him”…On his arrival, Jesus found that Lazarus had been in the tomb for four days…Jesus, once more deeply moved, came to the tomb. It was a cave with a stone laid across the entrance. “Take away the stone,” he said. “But Lord,” said Martha, the sister of the dead man, “by this time there is a bad odor, for he has been there four days”…Jesus called in a loud voice, “Lazarus, come out!” The dead man came out, his hands wrapped with strips of cloth around his face. Jesus said to them, “Take off the grave clothes and let him go.”

Gospel of John 11:14-44


Bet you didn’t know that the “L” in John L. Smith stands for “Lazarus” did you?

Now I’ve never seen a coach actually get fired. I’m talking about the conversation which includes the phrase, “we’re going in a new direction” or “we need a fresh start” or simply, “clean out your office, you’re fired.” I am sure these things happen in the privacy of the athletic director’s office or some other such secluded place. But I have seen plenty of games that ended with the final thought, “that dude just got fired.”

I couldn’t help but draw that conclusion as Northwestern went up on Michigan State 38-3 with 9:54 left in the third quarter. “Poor John L, he’s so fired.” Just has Lazarus laid in the tomb for four days, the Spartans looked dead for four weeks losing to Notre Shame, Illinois, Michigan and Ohio State. And just like a decaying body, Michigan State stunk of the foulest football odors.

But just like Lazarus, Smith rose from the dead and spurred the suddenly Mighty Spartans to 38 straight points and the biggest comeback in the history of Division-I football. Would you expect anything less from Michigan State football?

What have we learned by this dramatic reversal of fortune?

1. The Good Book is as important as ever; and

2. John L“azarus” Smith has been resurrected from certain termination, at least until next week.

Paper Tigers

Paper Tiger: (noun) One that is seemingly dangerous and powerful but is in fact timid and weak.

-The American Heritage Dictionary

LSU imploded in the Swamp Saturday losing to Florida 23-10. The Tigers killed themselves with five turnovers, a missed FG, a blocked punt and a fumble, which resulted in a safety. Even with all the miscues, the Tigers had the ball on the Florida 20 with a little over three minutes left after blocking a Florida punt. But on first down, Russell threw behind Bowe and suffered his third interception of the game.

Fairly or unfairly, QB’s are judged by their performances in the big games, and this season, Russell has come up lacking in two road losses to Auburn and Florida. While his completion percentage (58%) and yardage (494) are solid, the three INT’s and one TD leave fans wishing for more.

A big reason for Russell’s road struggles start with the lack of a running game. LSU has rushed for a grand total of 132 yards on 48 attempts versus Auburn and Florida. Overall, LSU is ranked 60th in the nation in rushing. The other problem is Russell’s decision making. I would love to sit in the upcoming film sessions because I’ve got to believe Jimbo had a laundry list of poor reads by Russell. As a fourth year player I had hoped Russell would be further along in his development. But he continues to be a work in progress. And poor performances in big games will beg the question, what if Matt Flynn was selected the starter back in August? I don’t know if he would have beaten Auburn or Florida, but LSU wouldn’t be any worse than 4-2. I am not suggesting a change, but the question is worth asking.

Special teams were a disaster. Jackson muffed a punt in the first quarter that led to Florida’s first TD. Then LSU proceeded to fumble the opening kickoff of the second half which led to a safety. LSU then had a punt blocked and missed a FG. Chris Jackson pinned a punt on the one only to have it called back for illegal procedure. His next kick went out of bounds near the 30. Special teams are not LSU’s strong suit as evidenced by the Tigers being ranked 104th in the country in KO returns and 82nd in punt returns. I think it may be time for Trindon Holliday to be given another chance returning punts. With the great returners LSU has had in the past, Eddie Kennison, Kevin Faulk, Dom Davis and Skyler Green, I can’t believe LSU can’t do better at the position.

Danny McCray may end up having a great career at LSU, but his first visit to the Swamp was brutal. #44 is a true freshman safety from Houston, Texas and was rated with 3 stars by rivals.com. The injury to Daniel Francis forced him into the game and he struggled. On Tebow’s second TD pass, the receiver was McCray’s man. As McCray looked in the backfield, Louis Murphy ran right past him and was WIDE open. On LSU’s blocked punt, McCray allowed a Florida rusher to get past him to the inside resulting in a blocked punt. Hopefully better days are ahead for this guy.

I actually liked the play calling in the game. Jimbo had a few nice wrinkles with direct snaps to Doucet and hand-offs from the shotgun. The receivers did a nice job catching the ball and Jacob Hester continues to be a reliable workhorse and ended the game with 14 touches for 68 total yards. Some will say Miles and his staff were out coached, but I disagree. Jackson’s fumble gave Florida seven points. Russell then fumbled at the Florida one which gave away seven points. With three minutes left in the half, Russell throws his first pick of the game on first down when he had open receivers underneath. Florida converts that turnover into seven points. Then to open the second half, Doucet fumbles the kickoff, boom…a safety and the score becomes 16-7. McCray gets beat for the final TD and Florida ends up with 23 points. No, this one is on the players. I am waiting to see a clip of Saban’s famous “Brook trout” tirade.

Finally, I must address the officiating.

1. Tim Tebow’s “jump pass” should have been called back. At least two if not three of the Florida offensive linemen were in the endzone when the pass was made, thus a penalty for illegal man down field. This was an easy call and the refs totally blew it.

2. A few plays earlier, LSU was flagged for “a blow to the head” on Leak. The LSU D-linemen didn’t even get close to Leak’s helmet. Phantom call.

3. Before LSU’s fumble on the one, the refs killed LSU with bogus calls. First they flagged the Tigers for holding downfield as Davis scored. Horrible call.

4. Then Hester scored but refs ruled him down at the one. Replay CLEARLY shows the ball across the line when his elbow hits. Bad call…where the hell is the replay?

5. Craig Davis is called out on a great catch in the second half. No review. Turns out upon watching the tape, he was in.

6. The refs missed a bad personal foul facemask on Ray McDonald. See photo here.

I don’t know if these calls changed the ultimate outcome of the game, but they were killers and came at crucial moments. As a side note, I believe this was the same crew that did the LSU v. Auburn game. I don’t think it is a conspiracy; I think they just suck.

The Tigers get the Wildcats in Tiger Stadium next. Kentucky will be the best team to visit Baton Rouge but I expect another solid beating by the home team. Although the chances are slim, LSU can still win the West, win the SEC and play in the Sugar Bowl. Don’t forget about 2001. LSU started out 4-3 and went on a six game winning streak to finish the season. With Auburn losing and the Hogs still on LSU’s schedule, anything can happen.

LSU 38 – Kentucky 7

Over by Halftime

A game like this Saturday’s doesn’t really tell us anything. Tulane was completely overmatched from the get go and the only question was how many would the Tigers lay on the Greenies.

A few observations:

* I like Charles Scott running the ball. He’s now LSU's leading rusher for the season and I think he needs to start next week.

* I found it very interesting that LSU came out pass heavy after trying to pound the ball early in weeks 1-3. It worked as JaMarcus lit up the Greenies going 5 for 6 with a TD in the first drive.

* The defense is fantastic. We will see how the season unfolds but they may be better than last year’s squad. (check out the LSU stats)

* Former LSU TE Brian Kinchen is now on the radio and had some very interesting comments. I heard these second hand but I think they are probably accurate and very telling. Kinchen spoke with Jimbo Fisher during the week and by reading between the lines drew the conclusion that the staff is leery of placing too much responsibility on Russell in big games. I think that is accurate given the conservative play calling in the Auburn game. Also, given Russell’s inconsistency in the past and his questionable decision making, simplifying the offense makes sense. The other interesting part of Kinchen’s radio comments focused on the pressure Miles is under. Not just to win, but to win “the right way.” No one would have complained had the Tigers beat Auburn 10-7, but in games versus inferior opponents, Miles feels pressure to win big. This may explain starters playing heavily even in games that are out of hand. Again, I got this second hand, but it does make sense. I think until he is able to really put his stamp on the program, the scrutiny will continue.

LSU has another inferior opponent next week in Mississippi State. MSU is ranked 111th in total offense and 111th in scoring offense. We all know how good the LSU defense is. The Tigers have outscored the Bulldogs 202-26 over the last five years and have won 13 of the last 14 contests. Make it 14 of the last 15.

LSU 45 – MSU 3

Good...Bad "Chokers R Us" Edition

Games like this make me thank God I am not a Spartans fan.

- Terry Foster (Detroit News)

Good…Weak Forest pounded Ole Piss in Oxford and is now 4-0. The Deacons plays I-AA Liberty next week for the chance to go 5-0 for the first time in 19 years.

Bad…Whoever made the decision to fire David Cutcliffe at Ole Piss needs to get fired himself. The Rebs are just plain awful.

Good…After getting smacked by USC, the Hogs have won three in a row.

Bad…Bama. Missed 3 FG’s and an XP to lose in overtime 24-23.

Good…Georgia is still undefeated.

Bad…The Dawgs nearly lost to a terrible Colorado team in Athens. Richt better get that offense in gear before playing UT and the Gators.

Good…NC State and Washington. Huge wins for both teams.

Bad…Boston College and UCLA. Just when you think these teams are ready to move into the upper echelon, they go on the road and poop in their pants.

Good…The old College Gameday.

Bad…The new College Gameday. Too long, too bloated, too much fluff. I don’t even watch any more.

Good…Senior quarterbacks.

Bad…Stupid fans hyping true freshman QB’s. I hear this crap every season about how stud freshman (insert name here) may get the starting gig. If you have a true freshman starting at QB, you are in for a frustrating season. Playing QB is the toughest job on the field. To go from high school to immediately staring at a major division I program is just too big a leap for most guys. Mustain (Arkansas), Williams (Illinois) and Stafford (Georgia) combined to go 24-of-70 (34 percent), 334 yards (111 per game), 2 TD and 6 INT this Saturday.

The Best…The Slow Work Week. We’ve all had them and we must say thank-ya when they come along.

The Worst…The Choke Job, starring The Less than Mighty Michigan State Spartans. MSU gave up 19 points in the last 9 minutes of the 4th quarter to go down at home 37-40 to Notre Shame. JL Smith may have lost his job and the team with that debacle. Along those same lines, I must admit, I was wrong about Smith. I was convinced he would do well at MSU and maybe contend for a few Big Ten titles. But I realize that the Spartans need a maniacal hard ass in the mold of Nick Saban. It almost seems ingrained in the Spartan psyche that good fortune comes with a catch. Loss of focus is expected and blown games are the norm. Michigan State can compete, but it will take a special guy to run the show.

House of Horrors

Since the inception of divisional play, LSU is 2-6 when playing at Auburn. The Tigers have dropped the last 4 dating back to 2000. In those four games, the Tigers are averaging 9 points a contest. Most of the losses have been of the gut wrenching type.

1992: LSU rallies from a deep deficit on the arm of Jamie Howard to take a 28-27 lead. Curley plays prevent defense and Auburn moves down the field and kicks a 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

2000: Rudy Johnson pounds on LSU. AU 34 – LSU 17

2002: Auburn dominates LSU as Marcus Randall struggles. AU 31 – LSU 7

2004: Classic game decided by a missed XP and a bogus 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 25 years of watching football. AU 10 – LSU 9

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 in an absolutely TERRIBLE call. AU 7 – LSU 3.

Observations of the game:

* The defense is outstanding. Irons was bottled up for most of the day as Auburn was held to 182 total yard. LSU was hurt by the injury to Zenon. Daniel Francis came in and was immediately targeted by Cox.

* JaMarcus Russell played well, but made some poor decisions down the stretch. With 45 seconds left, Russell was sacked as he rolled out the pocket as the play broke down. He could have easily thrown the ball away yet he was caught from behind. He cost LSU at least 15-20 seconds by getting needlessly sacked. He connected with Bowe two plays later getting LSU to the Auburn 19 with 14 seconds left. On the next play LSU was lined up wrong and had to take a 5 yard penalty. Finally Russell throws only down to the 5 on the last play of the game.

* Dwayne Bowe is having the type of season all LSU fans had hoped for. He’s got 11 catches this season and is averaging 19 yards a reception.

* LSU really struggled to run the ball. Auburn pushed the LSU O-line into the backfield numerous times Saturday.

* Play calling was very suspect on the second to last drive. LSU ran the ball four times that drive for a grand total of four yards. LSU was first and 10 at the Auburn 33 then ran up the middle twice after being stuffed all day. Dumb. More generally, the play calling was fairly conservative the entire game, no misdirection, no trick plays, no reverses and not a lot of deep balls.

* Officiating sucked. Every close call went against LSU and the refs clearly blew the late pass interference call.

* This is a damn good LSU team. Auburn was at home and just slightly better on Saturday.

LSU fans should take heart, LSU is going to win a number of games this season.

Next week the Tigers return home to face a Tulane team coming off a big win at Mississippi State. A game like this will test Miles’ coaching and motivational abilities. The players will probably be a bit down, so Miles needs to make sure they move on mentally. I look for LSU to start slow but turn it on late in the second quarter and eventually romp.

LSU 45 – Tulane 3

View From the Captain's Chair

Just a few random thoughts after watching 12 hours of college football:

* Hail to the Victors!! (part I) Michigan put a beat down on the completely over-hyped Irish. All the slurping about ND’s defense can finally come to an end. Plus Brady Quinn’s Heisman chances just went in the crapper. I’ll look for all those apology columns from the media idiots praising the Shamer’s “great” defense.

* Hail to the Victors!! (part II) Lloyd Carr can now tell everyone to kiss his hairy bung. Just when you are ready to write him off, he rallies the Big Blue Mafia for a fantastic win.

* The Criminoles offense is putrid. How did I think this team was going to do anything this season?

* Larry Coker is going to be fired. Get Butch Davis on that speed dial.

* In an interesting twist, Rutgers coach Greg Schiano probably would have gotten Coker’s job at the “U” had he not left for New Jersey at the end of the 2000 season. Now, Schiano is 3-0 and Rutgers may have their best team in decades.

* Speaking of fired, Chuck Amato will probably get run form NC State.

* Auburn is really good. There is no reason the Tigers can’t finish 12-0.

* Mississippi State and Ole Piss are TERRIBLE!!! The Bulldogs just lost AT HOME to Tulane and Ole Piss has looked awful the last two weeks.

* Spurrier is really having a tough time. The Gamecocks barely survived I-AA Wofford. I think the job is turning out to be a lot more difficult than he expected.

* Oklahoma’s Adrian Peterson is a stud.

* Georgia has gone 8 quarters without giving up a point.

* Huge win for John L. Smith and the Mighty Spartans. Next on tap is ND at home. There is no reason why the Spartans can’t win this game.

* Texas A&M nearly lost to Army late Saturday night. The Black Knights were down four points inside the Aggie five with only seconds to go. But A&M stuffed Army as the clock ran out.

* Fat Fulmer lost another one to Florida. Who’s your daddy?

* Any fan of the Star Wars movies will remember Billy D. Williams portrayal of the smuggler/entrepreneur Lando Calrissian. As fate would have it, just a few weeks ago a Baton Rouge native by the name of Lando Calrissian Bennett pulled an armed robbery on a garbage man. I haven’t heard any of attempts by Han-Solo and Chewbacca to bust Lando out of the Parish Prison, but I will keep you, my loyal readers, posted.

The Jacob Hester Show

If you will recall, last week I had to question how Jacob Hester gets so many touches. I am starting to get an idea that the coaches really like his versatility. Furthermore, by involving him in the game to such a large extent, 6 catches and 8 rushes for 96 total yards, LSU will force other teams to game plan for him. I can’t argue with his productivity, almost 7 yards every time he touched the ball. Jimbo Fisher has done a wonderful job of game planning in LSU’s biggest match-ups the last seven years, that includes using games like this to give future opponents new wrinkles to prepare for later in the season. Look at it this way, Hester is a poor man’s Domanick Davis; let’s hope he continues to develop.

A few other observations about the game:

* How stupid was it for Arizona to stomp on the eye of the Tiger in pre-game warm-ups? As if LSU didn’t need more motivation. Mike Stoops downplayed the incident, blaming it on the media, but don’t believe it. He’s been running his mouth all week and all that chatter is only clever if you can back it up.

* LSU’s defensive line devoured Arizona’s O-line. Willie Tuitama was running for his life all night and was picked off twice.

* Inside the numbers: Click here for all the stats on LSU.

*JaMarcus Russell has been fantastic thus far. He is #3 in the nation in passing efficiency and has been very productive averaging 12.1 yards per attempt. Compare that with Tuitama who is averaging 4.2 yards an attempt.

*While LSU is still turning over the ball too much with 5 TO in two games, the defense has really stepped up picking off 5 passes already this season. In 2005, the Tigers made 10 picks the entire year.

* For LSU to have another 10+ win season, Alley Broussard must continue to produce. He makes plays Vincent can’t and runs with authority. Case in point, late in the first quarter he took a pitch to the right and was hit behind the line. He shrugged off the tackle and got a first down. No way Vincent makes that play. Exhibit two, in the second quarter, Broussard takes a hand-off up the middle, hurdles over a tackler and scoots into the endzone. Great stuff.

* Special teams were solid. David is now 12 for 12 on PAT’s and even knocked home a short FG.

* Trindon Holiday looked good. The speedy little guy will be making plays for the Tigers the next four years.

Seeing the results of the last two weeks, I am more convinced than ever that the winner of next week’s LSU v. Auburn game will win the SEC West. Ole Miss and MSU are pitiful, Arkansas has a true freshman QB and Alabama struggled to beat Hawaii and Vandy.

With the game at Auburn, LSU faces an extremely hostile crowd. Anyone who has been there knows how loud it gets. Plus Auburn will be hungry after last year’s thriller. Before the season I gave LSU little chance to win this game, but what I have seen so far gives me reasons to be optimistic.

*JaMarcus Russell has really come into his own. He’s been on the road and won big games for LSU. He is not going to wilt under pressure.

*LSU’s D-Line has been better than expected. I know ULL and Zona are mediocre teams at best, but the Tigers have been getting a good pass rush and are backed up by the best(?) secondary in the nation.

*Special teams. So far, so good.

The question remains though, can the young guys on that defensive line get pressure on Auburn’s Brandon Cox and shut down Kenny Irons who ran all over LSU last season for 218 yards.

The home team is 6-0 in this series dating back to 2000. While the 2000-2003 games were decided by an average of 19.5 points, the last two have been decided by a total of 4 points. Both games were decided by special teams which I think will play a big part on Saturday. I think JaMarcus will come up big and the defense will make enough plays for LSU to get out of Auburn with a win.

LSU 24 – Auburn 20

Who is running this place?

First off I want to thank you, my loyal readers, for following the Hit Parade. Without you, this site would be pointless. So thanks for reading, and I hope I can keep delivering as the season goes along.

Usually I confine myself to talking about LSU football, but every now and again I have to blast on some topic of interest. I can’t help but comment on two coaching decisions that are a bit mind boggling to me.

#1. During the pre-season, Arizona State coach Dirk Koetter named senior Sam Keller as starter then 48 hours later reversed field and named Rudy Carpenter, a sophomore, the starter. Keller then transferred to Nebraska and will have one year of eligibility left.

#2. Arkansas opens against USC with junior signal caller Robert Johnson under center. Johnson struggles and is replaced by “super freshman” Mitch Mustain. Mustain comes into the game with less than 10 minutes left with the score 44-7 and leads the Hogs to a TD and is suddenly named the starter for the following week.

All I can gather from these decisions is that Koetter and Nutt are desperate and unsure of the direction of their teams. Koetter has ALL SPRING AND FALL PRACTICE TO PICK A STARTER and goes with the logical and smart choice only to let the players convince him to change his mind. WHO IS THE BOSS HERE? WHO IS CALLING THE SHOTS? ASU then struggled in week one versus I-AA Northern Arizona and red flags are going off all over the place. If ASU falls flat this season, Koetter should be fired for the simple reason that he HAS LOST CONFIDENCE IN HIS ABILTY TO MAKE CRITICAL DECISIONS FOR THE PROGRAM.

As for Nutt, how do you go all pre-season with Johnson as the #1 then bail on him after he struggles against one of the best defenses in the nation? Did Nutt have SO LITTLE CONFIDENCE IN JOHNSON THAT HE WAS READY TO PULL THE PLUG AT THE FIRST SIGN OF ADVERSITY? If so, why not name Mustain the starter early on and let him get the reps during two-a-days? The move smacks of desperation. The Hogs are in a lot more trouble than I thought. There is NO WAY a true freshman comes into the SEC and leads his team to the top of the division.

Don’t be surprised if both coaches are fired at the end of the season.

A Pleasant Night in Tiger Stadium

On a warm and breezy night in Tiger Stadium, LSU got off on the right foot and handled ULL 45-3. After a slow start, the Tigers picked up the tempo and went to the air to put away the Ragin’ Cajuns.

Here are a few observations from the game:

*LSU has got to figure out the running back situation. I don’t know what the coaches have seen in practice, but I was unimpressed with Vincent and Hester.

*Vincent was never as good as the hype he gained from the 2003 season. That offensive line was dominant and he road their coattails. In retrospect, he has turned out to be the weakest back among Joe Addai (1st round pick of the Colts), Broussard and Barrington Edwards (who transferred to UNC). He’s not as quick as he was his freshman year and his reconstructed knee and fumbling problems are obviously affecting him.

*For some reason, which I cannot grasp, the coaches love Jacob Hester. Don’t get me wrong, he is a good, smart player who works hard, but you can’t tell me he is more talented than the young guys, Williams, Scott and Jackson at the running back position. He’s a solid fullback but that is it. During the game I had to ask out loud, “who is he blowing to get all these touches?”

*Broussard looked good. He ran with a purpose and no hesitancy. If his knee can hold up he should gradually get more carries each game. Charles Scott and Keiland Williams both looked good albeit in garbage time. The coaching staff needs to figure this out to have any chance against Auburn two weeks from now.

*Jamarcus looked very good. He is #2 in the nation in passing efficiency and was deadly with deep passes. With the running game looking sluggish, Russell will need to make big throws to move opposing safeties back. If the coaching staff is open minded, they could use the pass to set up the run and throw in some screens and draws until the offensive line becomes more cohesive.

*The defense looked good for having so many new faces. ULL will be at the top of their league and the Tigers did well shutting down their passing game.

*The kicking game was up and down. I’ll never complain about 6 for 6 on XP’s or 1 for 1 on FG’s, but the punt return situation needs to be worked out. Two fumbles, one by Jackson and one by Holiday need to be eliminated.

*Overall I think LSU fans should be really pleased by the game. Russell was sharp, the receivers looked good, the secondary was solid and lots of new guys got to play, even the QB of the future Ryan Perrilloux.

*LSU plays Arizona this coming Saturday. The Wildcats won an unimpressive game at home in week 1 over BYU, 16-13. Arizona’s starting QB, Willie Tuitama is a true sophomore starting in his seventh game, his third on the road. Under Mike Stoops, Arizona has struggled to score points and this game will probably be no different. If the Tigers are focused and not looking forward to Auburn, they should win the game by a few touchdowns.

LSU 28 – Arizona 10

Good...Bad

Good…Texas and Ohio State looked very good. Admittedly, both were at home playing weaker opponents, but they came out and dominated in week 1.

Bad…Notre Shame. Spin this any way you want, the Domers barely survived a team that was ranked 103rd last year in scoring offense. Reggie Ball (Georgia Tech QB) is a four year starter with a completion percentage of less than 50%. Notre Shame needed a couple of dubious officiating calls to get out of there alive. But the media will continue to slurp.

Good…The three man team of Musburger, Davie and Herbstreit did a very nice job with the Georgia Tech v. Notre Shame game.

Bad…Why is Lou Holtz on TV? First off he is a shameless homer for Arkansas, Notre Shame and South Carolina, three places he coached. On top of that he is wrinkled up old dude with a slight lisp. This qualifies you to be on the #1 college football studio show?

Good…Big 10 went 11-0 on Saturday.

Bad…Michigan and Michigan State looked weak against seeming inferior opponents. Have UM and MSU ever both fired their coaches in the same season?

Good…The Contenders: Everyone except Cal.

Bad…Poser Material: Cal – The Bears were down 35-0 at one point.

Good…USC and John David Booty. The Trojans laid 50 on the Hogs. Nutt better get his guys focused on the rest of the season or he’ll be running a lawn cutting service with JL Smith and Lloyd Carr this spring.

Bad…Me. I dogged on Booty last week and he came to play. Looks like LSU got the short end of the Booty stick.

Good…Tennessee and Georgia looked good in week 1. Maybe people will lay off Fat Fulmer for a week or two.

Bad…Florida. I know the Gators won, but that game was very tight for the first 40 minutes. Urban Meyer may end up being an Urban Myth.

Good…TV shows are back on! Prison Break, Nip/Tuck, and Lost are must see TV at the Traylor household.

Bad…I don’t have HBO. If I did, I would be able to watch THE BEST SHOW ON TV – Deadwood. Believe the hype.

Good…Erin Andrews. #1 college sideline reporter this season.

Bad…Dude sideline reporters. What the hell is the point?

Good…Mikey Henderson (PR Georgia) returned a punt for a TD on his second return of the game.

Bad…Mikey Henderson. Returned his first punt for an apparent TD before showboating and fumbling the ball thru the endzone. Jackass!

Good…More football yet to come with the “U” and the “Criminoles” on Monday Night.

Bad…This game has been a bit of a stinker the last few years.

Finally...

Off Season Random Musings

* This year’s race for the title should be fascinating. There are no obvious choices for the title game as there have been in the past. Remember, USC and Texas started the 2005 season 1 and 2 and finished that way. In 2004, USC and Oklahoma debuted at number 1 and 2 in the polls and played for the Crystal Football.

* Since the inception of the BCS, at least one of the two top teams in the initial Coaches Poll has been in the Championship Game. So Ohio State and Texas would seem to have a leg up, if you believe in streaks.

* I like Ohio State and Florida State to play in the Championship game. Ohio State is loaded on offense and the defense will develop quickly. The Noles lost their focus last season once they secured the birth in the ACC Title game and went on a three game skid to end the regular season. As for the Orange Bowl, you knew once it went to kicks, FSU was going to lose.

* These are re-treds from last year but still true:

I am sick of T.O. Go blow out a knee or something and let ESPN move on.

The number of games on TV is staggering. I’ll have four going at once and it still won’t be enough.

* I like the fact that LSU has stayed off the police blotter when a number of other schools have had off the field issues.

* Blue Moon and Hoegaarden are damn good beers.

* The media is going to get lock jaw this season from smoking Notre Shame’s pole all season.

* I think Notre Shame’s Brady Quinn will win the Heisman. All he needs to do is win 9 games. The media will be smoking his pole too much to notice that Adrian Peterson and Troy Smith are more deserving. Lots of pole smoking by the media this season.

* I think LSU will go 9-3 and end up in the Liberty Bowl.

* I like Auburn to beat Georgia in Atlanta for the SEC Title.

* As long as John David Booty starts for USC, the Trojans have no chance of winning the Pac-10 or appearing in the BCS Title game.

* ESPN’s Kirk Herbstriet loves “the U.” He loved them last year and he’s on the bandwagon again picking them to play in the BCS Championship.

* Is Beano Cook dead? (As a side note, did you know his real name is Carroll Hoff Cook?)

* Go to Buffalo Wild Wings. You’ll like it.

* I will be busy this fall dealing with a-holes. (A-hole #1, A-hole #2, A-hole #3)

* Check out a big win for yours truly. 1-0 at the Louisiana Supreme Court.

2006 SEC East

Most of the media is picking the Gators to win the SEC East for the first time since 2000. It’s not going to happen. I like Georgia to repeat as champs of the East. Right now, Mark Richt is the best coach in the SEC. Not small praise when you consider that Spurrier and Fulmer have won national championships, Tuberville has coached a 13-0 Auburn team and Miles led LSU to the SEC title game in his debut season, and oh yeah, that Urban Meyer guy too.

Georgia has to replace a number of starters, but they are deep and experienced. Ten of the starters on defense are juniors and seniors. Nine of the starters on offense are juniors and seniors as well. Most importantly, three seniors start on the O-line and two on the D-line. The Bulldogs’ special teams are the best in the conference with PK Brandon Coutu and P Gordon Ely-Kelso. The real question will be whether QB Joe Tereshinski can manage the game and keep the offense moving. Georgia lost three games last season by a total of nine points. I think the Dawgs will surprise this season.

Florida will win a bunch of games this season, but I don’t expect an appearance in the SEC Title game. There are way too many questions about the offensive line. Plus I have my doubts about Leak’s ability to fully exploit the spread system. RB is a huge question as well. The schedule is tough as Florida plays Alabama, LSU and at Auburn in a brutal three game stretch. The Gators were 1-3 on the road last season and will be tested in Knoxville early in the season. The defense is nasty and returns three starters on the D-line. Florida will be in every game this season because of the defense, but the inexperience on the offensive line will give Meyer fits.

Tennessee will not lose six games this season, but they won’t compete for the East crown either. Bringing back David Cutcliffe as the offensive coordinator was a great move by Fulmer. The offense will be better as QB Ainge will be “the guy.” Potential problems exist along both lines as only one starter returns on the O-line and one starter returns for the defensive front seven.

Can you believe that a Steve Spurrier team finished ranked 100th in the country in total offense? While the South Carolina will put up more points this season, they will also give up more. The Gamecocks must replace seven starters on defense and five on offense. This year USC will struggle to get bowl eligible, but next season, look out.

There is not much to say about Vanderbilt and Kentucky. The Commodores made a great run last year, but Jay Cutler is gone and there is no way that team gets better without him. Rich Brooks has been a disaster at Kentucky going 9-25 overall and 4-20 in the SEC the past three seasons. (Those four wins were over MSU twice and Vandy twice.) I look for Brooks to get run at the end of the season as the Cats will end up with only three or four wins.


Prowler’s Predictions

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

2006 SEC West

Any discussion of the SEC West must begin with the Auburn Tigers. Auburn starts five seniors and four juniors on the offensive line and defensive line combined. Kenny Irons is the best RB in the conference and their schedule is definitely favorable. The Tigers play LSU, Arkansas, Florida and Georgia in Jordan-Hare Stadium. (As a side note, the home team in the AU v. UGA series is only 3-10 since 1992.) Having been to Auburn three times, I can assure you it gets as loud as Tiger Stadium (I know, that statement is heresy in the eyes of most LSU fans) and is rough on opposing teams. Auburn’s games at South Carolina and at Alabama could be difficult, but remember, the Plainsmen beat those two by a combined score of 76-25 last season.

LSU will contend for the West but a difficult road schedule may keep these Tigers from repeating. LSU faces Auburn, Tennessee, Florida and Arkansas on the road. The Tigers are breaking in a number of new guys on the offensive and defensive lines and running back is still a question mark. No one doubts that LSU is one of the most talented teams in the country, but over the past few campaigns, even numbered years haven’t brought SEC West titles. The importance of the LSU v. Auburn game can’t be understated; in four of the last five years, the winner of this game has represented the SEC West in Atlanta.

Arkansas is a bit of a wild card in 2006. The Hogs return 19 starters on offense and defense. Unfortunately for Houston Nutt, Arkansas’ biggest offensive threat, Darren McFadden, broke his toe in a bar fight this summer. The schedule is favorable as the Razorbacks miss Georgia and Florida from the East and get LSU, Tennessee and Alabama at home. Nutt is a good coach and has been rebuilding the last two years. Don’t be surprised if Arkansas somehow sneaks its way to Atlanta.

Alabama won’t win 10 games again this season, but 8-4 is definitely possible. The Tide must replace 7 starters on defense and QB Brodie Croyle on offense. Alabama is experienced across the board, but I wonder if the prior probationary sanctions have created a lack of depth. The schedule is about as brutal as LSU’s; the Crimson Tide play at Arkansas, at Florida, at Tennessee and at LSU. Shula is 0-3 against Auburn and really needs to win the Iron Bowl this season. It’s hard to believe, but Bama hasn’t been to the SEC Championship since 1999.

Ole Miss and MSU will again battle for the SEC West cellar. MSU hasn’t been bowling since 2000 and Ole Miss regressed in Ed Orgeron’s first season. Last season, MSU ranked 113th in scoring offense, Ole Miss 115th. I give MSU a slight nod because the Bulldogs return the entire D-line and four of five starters on the O-line. Plus, as bad as the Bulldogs were, they throttled Ole Miss 35-14 in last season’s Egg Bowl.


Prowler’s Predictions

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

25 years ago...

On October 23, 1982, I was baptized into the fanatical southern religion of LSU football. I remember it vividly. Former Tiger great Jerry Stovall stalked the sidelines as Alan Risher threw two touchdown passes to Eric Martin leading LSU to a 14-6 win over South Carolina.

But that probably isn’t what sticks out in my mind the most.

In a telling sign of things to come for anyone who knows me, my dad had to pull off I-10 so I could go pee. We get off at Airline highway and pull on the side of the road. (Ironically, 23 years later, not 100 yards from that spot, a wacko named Corey Smiley would dump his ex-girlfriend’s clothes he had stolen in a burglary, but I digress.) Of course my dad is hurrying and pressuring me so I can’t even go, and as it turns out, back in ’82 there was no entrance ramp to continue west on I-10. So we hauled ass down Airline (reminding you that I still had to pee) and barely made it for the start of the game. Needless to say, my dad was pissed.

We literally walked thru a portal in the upper deck as Juan Betanzos kicked off. The site of a fully packed Tiger Stadium, an LSU record crowd at the time, was awe inspiring to my nine year old eyes. Surely this is how a plebian of ancient Rome felt on his initial entrance to the Coliseum. I was hooked from that day forward.

Thus 25 years ago I began my journey with the LSU Fighting Tigers. Here is looking forward to 25 more great years.

Check back soon as I will post my thoughts on the 2006 SEC race, the national picture and the off season Good...Bad.

Dismantling the “U”

Without rehashing the game, here are a few final thoughts:

*The QB race is on. I know LSU went 10-2 with Russell at the helm, but you have got to wonder what this team would have looked like with Matt Flynn behind center all season. Russell has yet to play a complete 60 minutes like Flynn did in the Peach Bowl. Flynn was crisp, his decision making was on target and he didn’t have the negatives plays which CONSTANTLY plagued Russell. Having a healthy Addai was a big boost to Flynn, but took command of the game and didn’t let LSU fall into an offensive funk which is a trademark of Russell.

*The Tigers intensity and focus confirmed my thoughts about the Georgia game. LSU was just flat out of gas against the Dawgs. A reinvigorated Tiger team showed what they could do with a little rest.

*I think Miles and Jimbo got a few folks off their backs. It is amazing how a little execution by the players can make that happen.

*I heard that the Miami players were really running their mouths during pre-game warm ups and after kickoff. So I have no problem with running it up on them and calling a few fake kicks. Act like a jerk and get treated by one.

*How fitting was it that a few Miami players ran into the LSU tunnel looking for a fight and got knocked out…literally.

*LSU is positioning itself among the elite of college football. LSU has won 59 games in the last six years, is 2-0 in BCS Bowls and is 4-2 in bowl games over that period, has won 2 SEC Titles and 1 National Title. This is arguably the best resume in the SEC over that same period.

*Fans better prepare themselves for an 8-3 season next year. This team was very, very good. But LSU loses 3 starters off the D-Line and 3 off the O-Line. With trips to Knoxville, Auburn and Gainesville on the slate, fans need to be patient and more importantly, realistic.

Good…Bad: SEC Championship Edition

Good…LSU fans are the #1 tailgaters in the nation. I know I am biased and my experiences are limited to campuses and schools in the south, but had you seen the party outside the Georgia Dome you would understand my thoughts. It was wild and crazy as the music blared and girls simultaneously funneled from a purple and gold keg specially mounted to a 6 foot stand. The Georgia fans I stayed with for the weekend were amazed…and impressed.

Bad…One particular young lady won our “trashy freak” award. Wearing an LSU t-shirt and Ohio State hat, I can only describe her as dirty-nasty-drinking-machine. On the flip side, many of the fellas there seemed quite enamored with her.

Good…Georgia fans. We stayed with some great folks in Thomaston, Georgia on Thursday and Friday and tailgated with them on Saturday. You couldn’t find a nicer person than Chris “Big Chic” Smith who was our host for the weekend.

Bad…Chic BBQ’d these great ribs at the game and I probably should have eaten a few more.

Good…The rain held out before the game.

Bad…It was COLD out there!! That is not tailgating weather!

Good…We had pretty good seats to view the game in the LSU section.

Bad…The idiots around us. Exhibit #1: the guy on our left looked TERRIBLE. Barely conscious and head in hands, he didn’t look very good. Sure enough, he puked right there at his feet 2 minutes into the game. NASTY!! His buddy hauled him off and we didn’t see those dudes again. Exhibit #2: Sitting right next to me was a moronic, drunken buffoon of an LSU fan. He was a 6’3, 250 pound tub of goo. He almost fell into the seats in front of him crushing one guy. The upside of the crappy game was the LSU section started clearing out so I could move to safer ground.

Good…Props to Bobby Bowden and the Noles. Huge win over Frank Beamer.

Bad…Va Tech. Weren’t you guys favored by double digits?

Good…The media and BCS got what they wanted, USC versus Texas. Let the Hype Machine begin.

Bad…The “big” regular season finales for these teams ended with a combined score of 136-22. The 70-3 beat down of Colorado was flat out embarrassing. I love the Championship games, but the Big 12 has got to step it up.

The BEST…As ambassadors of LSU football, Grant and I were able to spread the goodwill of Tiger fans to a number of folks in Georgia. The games are more fun when you can make friends on the other side, and continue to be friends after the game is over.

The WORST…Driving all the way to Atlanta and watch LSU play like Dawg S---!! The trip was great up until the game. We were so pissed we hopped in the car and drove back right after the game, finally getting into Baton Rouge at 5 am Sunday morning. I’ve got bad mojo in Georgia, the last two road trips into the state have been losses at the hands of the Bulldogs. The only saving grace was the 1996 Peach Bowl win over Clemson.

At Least we Won the Tailgate

The downside of a conference championship is that one team goes home on a big down note after a highly successful season. This season, after winning 10 games and garnering a #3 ranking in the polls, LSU fell on its face in the biggest game of the season. LSU was dominated on offense, defense and special teams.

To a small extent, Georgia out coached LSU, but the biggest failure was in execution. Georgia’s first two scores were directly due to failures in the Tiger secondary and great throws by Shockley. The blocked punt probably falls on Jackson. As the Georgia outside blocker moved in, Jackson had 2 choices, either call a timeout or throw to the uncovered gunner. Instead he tries to punt and gets blocked. This is simply a failure to quickly and correctly make the correct decision based on what the opposition is doing.

Offensively, the Tigers flat out stunk. For all the progress he has made, JaMarcus has a long way to go to be the quarterback able to bring LSU another championship. This is not meant to be a criticism of Russell, only an acknowledgement that without a strong running game, he can’t carry the Tigers offensively, at least not yet.

What happened?

1. All of LSU’s old bugaboos reared their heads: turnovers, penalties and missed opportunities on big plays.

2. LSU’s offensive line was average at best all season. These guys never really jelled and were never dominant. This put more and more pressure on Russell to try and make plays in long distance situations. LSU struggled to run the ball and it only got worse as the season progressed. Which leads us to…

3. LSU started its 4th string RB in the SEC Title game. I assume Addai and Vincent were nicked up thus explaining the extensive playing time given to Carey.

4. The Tigers just ran out of gas. After all the early season turmoil and the rescheduling of two games, the Tigers were running on fumes. LSU was playing its 11th straight week and it showed against a VERY talented and well coached team.

5. Georgia was just better that day. It happens, despite all your preparation and practice, the other team just rises to the occasion and plays better than you. And finally…

6. Of the 11 SEC Champs since 1995, over half were led by senior QB’s (Wuerffel in ‘96, Manning in ‘97, Martin in ‘98, Davey in ’01, Campbell in ’04 and Shockley in ‘05). The trend is toward success for upper class QB’s in the title game and that held true Saturday as Georgia’s 5th year Sr. D.J. Shockley brought home a Championship.


I am sure a lot of folks will be pointing fingers at coaches and players about this poor showing. Fans need to accept the fact that it happens. Don’t forget that in 2003, the Tigers beat Georgia in the SEC Championship in a similar way. That was an excellent Georgia team that just ran into a Tiger team marching toward a national championship. Let’s be grateful for 10 wins and look forward to what year two has in store.

The Nasty Boys are Back

With LSU’s thrilling OT victory over Alabama, the Tigers took control of the SEC West, and the defense led the way. The Tide had the upper hand in the first half as they scored 10 points and had 207 yards of offense. But the second half was an entirely different story. The Tigers held the Tide to only 24 yards before the final pass in regulation which went for 40. LSU sacked Croyle 5 times and harassed him constantly. Alabama had 6 drives in the second half; four of those were 3 and outs netting a total of 13 yards. For the 5th game in a row the Tigers did not create a turnover, yet held another opponent to 17 points or less. LSU’s defensive line may be the best in all of college football.

JaMarcus Russell played extremely well for the Tigers. He finished 16 for 30 with 229 yards a 1 TD. He did not turn the ball over once. In his short career, Russell has been balls out when the Tigers need him. Versus Oregon State, Iowa, Arizona State, Florida, and Auburn, Russell has orchestrated 4th quarter scores to put LSU in the lead. He is the guy you want to have the ball with the game on the line. Despite inconsistent play which is a hallmark for young quarterbacks, Russell in clutch in crunch time. Everyone else will just have to wait their turn to get under center.

It was nice to see Justin Vincent play well against Alabama. With Addai injured, Vincent is LSU’s #1 back for the foreseeable future. His numbers weren’t great, but he made plays when LSU needed him and he held on to the ball which was refreshing to say the least. The receiving corps is finally flourishing after struggling at times during the season. Dwayne Bowe is becoming the big game receiver we have been waiting for and there are no better hands on the team than Craig Davis.

The coaching staff also deserves big props. After struggling in the first half, the Tigers came out roaring in the second. LSU is getting a reputation for being very tough late in tight games. Pelini should get a big high five as well. After giving up 61 points in LSU’s first two games, the Tigers have given up 63 points in their last seven. Some may still be skeptical of Miles and even Jimbo Fisher, but the results can’t be argued with. In Saban’s 5 years in Baton Rouge, only once did he start a season 8-1; and he never defeated Alabama, Auburn and Florida in the same season.

The Tigers take on a weak Ole Miss team in Oxford this weekend. Look for the Rebels to keep it close for a half, but LSU will turn it on and win going away.

LSU 27 – Ole Miss 13

Good...Bad: Spur Dog Style

Good…Steve Spurrier. Without many great players, Spur Dog is one Georgia loss away from playing in the SEC Championship game. WOW!

Bad…Fat Fullmer, Urban Myth and Mark Richt are in trouble now that the ball coach is in town.

Good…Auburn comes up huge in a great game winning 31-30 at Georgia.

Bad…The Dawgs. Two losses in a row make a victory versus UK a must.

Good...Jill Arrington.

Bad...Where have you gone?

Good…The Big Eleven picture is clearer. PSU wins and they take home the hardware. Otherwise it will come down to the Suckeyes and Michigan.

Bad…Upstarts Wisconsin and Northwestern are close but not in the same league as the big boys.

Good…JoePa still kicking butt.

Bad…Bowden and the Criminoles keep slipping.

Good…The Golden Goofers are on their way to a nice finish and good bowl game.

Bad…The Less than Mighty Spartans. Talk about taking the term tailspin to a new level.

Good…Pac-10 football. UCLA 28- ASU 28…at the half.

Bad…The Sun Devils aren’t doing LSU and favors with the computers.

Good…The Contenders: USC and Texas

Bad…Poser Material: Alabama

Good…Saban is making some serious jack.

Bad…at 3-6 with the Dolphins, he can’t be having more fun than this time last year.

Good…“The First Crusade” by Thomas Asbridge. You should read and broaden your horizons.

Bad…More people have been killed in the name of “God”…

The Best…Going into someone else’s house and punking them out.

The Worst…The T.O. saga…‘nuff said.

Tune Ups for Tide

Big blowouts usually don’t leave much to talk about and last Saturday’s blasting of North Texas and this weekend’s shut out of Appalachian State are no exceptions. The Tigers handled business and came away with resounding wins. LSU basically slept walked thru this Saturday’s game but a shut out is always nice and the Tigers moved on with out any injuries to the big showdown with Alabama.

All you are going to hear about this week is Alabama's defense. The Tide is #1 in the nation in scoring defense, #7 in rushing defense, #4 in passing defense and #3 in total defense. This is very impressive to say the least.

However, the numbers are misleading for the simple fact that Alabama hasn’t played anyone with an offense of note. The average scoring offense ranking of the Tide’s nine opponents is 86th. Of the Tide 9 opponents, 5 are ranked 103rd or worse in scoring offense. (Remember, there are only 117 teams in division I-A football.) The combined record of Alabama’s opponents is a paltry 32-41. (.438 winning percentage)

This is not to say that Alabama is not very good on defense. Rather, the Crimson Tide have yet to be tested by an offense as talented as LSU’s. After struggling early, JaMarcus Russell has settled down as of late. He has only one interception in his last 3 games and 4 TD’s over that same period. LSU has been battle tested playing ASU on the road and UT, Florida and Auburn at home. Outside of the Gators, Bama has played no one with any offensive firepower.

While the Tide’s defense has been solid, the offense has been putrid since losing Tyrone Prothro. Since losing the gamebreaking wideout in the Florida game, Alabama is averaging 12 points a game in SEC clashes. In those three games, the Tide has scored ONE offensive TD, and that was against lowly Ole Miss. While maybe not as dominating defensively as Bama, the Tigers have done very well this season. LSU ranks #16 against the run, #5 in pass efficiency defense, #12 in total defense, #6 in scoring defense and #3 in net punting.

Special teams and field position will be critical to this low scoring game. If the Tigers can make just a few plays on offense and hold on to the ball, LSU should win by at least a touchdown. The Tide just can’t score and that won’t change against LSU.

Tigers 20 – Tide 10.

Good...Bad

Good…Northwestern. Bowl bound again after a thrilling 4th quarter comeback against the Hawkeyes.

Bad…Iowa. I couldn’t have been happier as the Hawkeyes gave up 2 TD’s in the final 2 minutes of the game losing a heartbreaker.

Good…Purdue gets its first Big 11 win of the season.

Bad…The Less than Mighty Spartans have fallen apart since back to back loses to UM and OSU.

Good…THE U. Miami went into Blacksburg and destroyed a darn good Hokie team.

Bad…Virginia Tech’s Rose bowl hopes go down the toilet. I was sick of hearing about how great Marcus Vick was so this is actually a good thing.

Good…The Contenders: USC, Texas, and Alabama.

Bad…Poser Material. Va Tech and UCLA.

Good…Spur Dog. Over the last two weeks the Gamecocks have beaten both UT and the Hogs on the road.

Bad…Fulmer and Nutt need to update the resume.

Good…Arizona. Stoops needed a signature win and got one.

Bad…UCLA. How do you go 8-0 then not show up and get blown out by a team with a 2-6 record.

Good…Rock Chalk Jayhawk. Kansas beats Nebraska for the first time since the Johnson administration.

Bad…The Cornholers are getting what they deserved. After winning 9 games in 2003, Frank Solich was run off and replaced with this guy? The AD and Callahan better start updating their resumes as well.

Good…Freedom of Speech.

Bad…The left just doesn’t get it. The liberals in the country are all about being open minded except if you disagree with them. Then your ideas and beliefs are either uninformed, ignorant or hateful. The current foolishness on LSU’s campus is another example of the intolerance of the left. Many see this as a black versus white issue. In a sense it is, but in a much larger sense it is the left’s thought police on patrol in our universities.

The Best…After all the distractions and trauma the Tigers have experienced, LSU is poised to take firm control of the SEC West and a trip to Atlanta.

The Worst…Regret…regret…regret.

Thriller!!

Is there a series in the country right now more exciting than LSU-Auburn? The Bengal Tigers won an absolute thriller in overtime Saturday night 20-17 in front of a packed house. The game was highlighted by great defense, big plays and poor field goal kicking. The Tigers are now 5-1 overall and 3-1 in the SEC.

I thought this was a great defensive struggle and generally well played game. Even though Auburn’s Kenny Irons ran wild, (27 carries for 218 yards and 1 TD) the LSU defense generally kept Auburn in check. LSU forced Auburn to settle for 5 FG attempts during regulation. Timely sacks and big stops near the red zone kept Auburn out of the endzone. Bo Pelini took a ton of heat early in the season, but he’s earned his paycheck through 6 games. Pelini’s 3rd down call in overtime was masterful. A number of times during the game, Auburn had hit the inside slant route when LSU blitzed. In the overtime, Pelini zone blitzed and had Ryan Willis drop into coverage in the slant area. Sure enough, Cox went to the well and the pass was batted away by Willis and nearly intercepted. The failed conversion forced Tuberville to kick the FG which doinked of the left upright. Game over. Pelini deserves big props for getting LSU into the right call at a critical point in the game.

The offense was much more efficient than it has been and could have sealed the game away on several occasions if the receivers had not dropped so many passes. I am sure every one was very pleased with the ball security LSU exhibited Saturday night. For the first time all season, the Tigers did not commit a turnover in a game. Addai again broke the 100 yard mark and Russell, while struggling at times, made good decisions all night. The problem was critical dropped passes. Dwayne Bowe, who has a habit of dropping at least one pass a game, dropped an easy TD in the fourth quarter. Had he made that play, LSU would have gone up by 11 with about 12 minutes left in the game. In a game so tightly contested, points were at a premium. David then missed the field goal and LSU went from being up 11 to only up 4, giving a much needed boost to Auburn. The Plainsmen then marched down the field and scored on a beautiful 4th down pass to go up 17-14. In overtime, Doucet drops another easy TD forcing LSU to settle for a field goal. These were two ordinary catches that LSU failed to make and nearly cost the Tigers the game. The drop by Bowe essentially became a turnover as LSU came out with no points from the drive.

JaMarcus Russell played a solid game. His numbers don’t show it, but he made great decisions all night. He didn’t commit a turnover and came up big when LSU needed him. He wasn’t sacked by Auburn and scrambled a few times to pick up key yards. A number of his throws were off the mark, but other times he was brilliant. The long throw to Craig Davis after LSU had gone down 10 –7 was one of the biggest plays of the game. Russell rolled left as the pocket broke down and just flicked the ball off his back foot 41 yards perfectly to Davis. Later in the game as LSU trailed 14 –17, Russell moved to his right as the play broke down and hit Bowe for a 31 yard gain. As I have said throughout this season, Russell is a work in progress, but he has an uncanny knack of making great plays in the most critical situations.

The roller coaster ride slows down the next two weeks as the Tigers play North Texas and Appalachian State. While LSU can’t look ahead in these games, the Tigers should be able to dominate these opponents. Let your heart rest easy for a few weeks as the showdown with Alabama will settle the chase for the Western Division Title and a trip to Atlanta.

Good...Bad

Good…Northwestern. The wildcats are this close to being undefeated in the Big 11 after putting a whooping on the Spartans.

Bad…another year, another coach, another group of players, same ole Michigan State. Let’s see if they can collect themselves and make a bowl game.

Good…Drew Olsen (QB, UCLA), Michael Robinson (QB, PSU), Brady Quinn (QB, Notre Shame), Bret Basanez (QB, NW) and Brad Smith (QB, Mizz) all blew up this weekend.

Bad…where is the defense? Yeah Cornholers, I’m talking to you.

Good…The Contenders: USC, Texas, VaTech, Georgia, Alabama and UCLA.

Bad…Poser Material. Texas Tech

Good…Michigan. Just win baby.

Bad…Iowa. Pooped in their pants and ended a 22 game home winning streak.

Good…Tennessee held Bama to 2 field goals.

Bad…and lost 6-3. Alabama better find some offense because 6 points is not going to get it versus LSU and Auburn.

Good…Corso picked LSU to win.

Bad…Herbstreit did not.

Good…Penn State scored 56 points this weekend…in the 1st half.

Bad…After a surprising start, The Zookers have fallen apart losing 5 in a row.

Good…Winning the Heisman.

Bad…The Heisman is the single most over hyped individual award in this country. To listen to the media, it is bigger than an Oscar, bigger than a Grammy; it’s even bigger than the Nobel Peace Prize.

The Best…Justice is served. If you will recall, last season, Auburn beat LSU 10-9 with the assistance of an extra, extra point. After tying the game up 9-9, Auburn’s John Vaughn missed the extra point. LSU’s Ronnie Prude was flagged for landing on the pile or some such nonsense and Auburn was allowed to kick again. This time Vaughn made it and LSU went on to lose 10-9. So how fitting was it that Vaughn missed 5 FG’s on Saturday night? The football gods giveth…

The Worst…Tom Benson. What a piece of s---. I’m no big Saints fan, but stealing the team in New Orleans’ moment of crisis is a slap in the face of all the loyal fans that have watched the crappy product Benson has put out since he bought the organization.

One final thought...

Redemption

Anyone who has read this blog over the years knows that every now and again I stray from strictly talking about football. While I enjoy writing about the Tigers, talking about the challenges of real life provides a catharsis to me. As each season passes I can’t help but draw parallels between the two.

This season has been an up and down affair, permanently marked by the hurricanes which have caused havoc in our lives and in the LSU program. Nothing has been normal, in our daily lives or on the field for the Tigers. After winning a wild game in the desert, LSU comes home and blows a 21 point lead in losing to Tennessee. While the Tigers will never get that game back, this weekend’s hard fought win gives LSU a satisfying form of redemption.

Redemption is one of the mysteries and joys of life and football. Who hasn’t made an error in their own life and looked for the opportunity to redeem themselves? Everyday we are given the opportunity to correct past mistakes. We can be better than we were the day before. We can become wiser, more disciplined and more dedicated to doing things the right way each day. As with LSU’s loss to the Volunteers, we can never undo the past. But we can atone for our shortcomings, and thus ultimately triumph over past mistakes that follow us like a dark cloud.

One of the beauties of football is the constant opportunities for redemption. Every new play gives each player an opportunity to make up for a missed tackle, a dropped pass or a block in the back that just cost his team a touchdown. On a larger scale, each game gives a team the opportunity to redeem itself for a past poor performance.

LSU did just that this weekend, overcoming 11 penalties and 5 turnovers against the Gators. These players believe in themselves and thus believe in the idea of redemption. How often do we see players hang their heads as the momentum of a game shifts away to the opposite sideline? As opposed to believing that the next play may hold redemption, they have resigned themselves to the finality of past errors. As if past mistakes, blown coverages, fumbles and holding penalties have created a final judgment on the outcome of the contest.

The 2005 Tigers may be plagued by penalties and turnovers, but their belief in each other, the coaches and the idea of redemption have delivered a 4-1 record and a clearer path to Atlanta.