SOAPBOX: Random Thoughts

Darrington Sentimore and Barkevious Mingo

Alabama commitment Sentimore helped lead the Destrehan Wildcats to their second consecutive LHSAA 5A state championship last night, winning the MVP in the process. I listened to part of the game on WWL, and Sentimore was ALL OVER THE PLACE! Dominant is a word that fits. LSU has not yet given Sentimore an offer.

Barkevious Mingo, who LSU has offered, was on the losing side of that game. I heard his name a few times as well, but he was nowhere near as dominant as Sentimore was.

The question is: will LSU finally offer Sentimore a scholarship? With defensive linemen being a clear need in this class, the lack of an LSU offer points clearly to some kind of off-field issues with Sentimore - grades or something else.

I think if LSU offers, Sentimore drops Bama like a hot rock.

Miles and some of his coaches were at the Superdome last night, I'm told. After an MVP performance, if Sentimore does not garner an offer, then clearly his off-field issues are pretty significant and maybe he won't really be playing for Alabama either come the fall.

Defensive Coordinator

Apparently, there are no changes to the football coaching staff on the immediate horizon. While I'm as frustrated as any LSU fan, I get it (I think). First of all, I don't think Coach Miles will be "firing" anyone. That much is pretty clear. He's likely going to shuffle some coaches, and I think there's every indication that two coaches (Peveto and Lane) may be getting offers to move up to "better" coaching jobs in the near future. Secondly, I think Miles has a hiring in mind, but it's likely that coach isn't done with their season, either. So Miles is waiting that out as well. Third, there's the recruiting effort going on right now. Specifically, Coach Peveto is a good recruiter so Miles has him on the road and solidifying some great recruits for the Tigers. Fourth, there's the Ga Tech game on New Year's Eve. If the staff can stay in place and focused, then LSU has a reasonable chance of a good showing against a very powerful Ga Tech running game. A new DC with a new scheme and only two weeks to put it in place would probably be a bowl disaster.

So, I'm keeping the faith and remaining patiently hopeful. One thing is certain - if LSU doesn't make any changes to the co-DC fiasco from last year, Miles is risking his standing with the LSU faithful, probably including the more influential boosters. Which is why I'm almost positive there's change a-comin.

Football Recruiting

LSU will likely sign the best football recruiting class in school history this February. There's also a chance that it will be the best football recruiting class in the country. And that's saying something considering LSU's recruiting success in recent years, and the quality of the recruiting classes at USC, Texas, and Ohio State.

It's possible that LSU could sign as many as 8 five-star athletes. The Tigers already have three committed (QB Shepard, DB Jackson, and DL Davenport). Five-stars Loston (safety) and DeBose (WR) are probable LSU commits, which brings the total to 5. Reuben Randle - the #1 recruit in the nation according to Rivals, is a real possibility as well, which would be 6. Michael Ford, the state's leading RB and a current LSU commit, could very well get a fifth star, bringing the total to 7. Finally, DeAngelo Benton, a WR commit from last year that could not make the grades to join the team, has apparently completed the required school work. If Benton joins the squad, then he'll likely do so as a five star, and that's 8.

Probable? No. Possible? Absolutely. And this doesn't count some other February surprises, like stealing McFarland from Texas/OU, or landing LB Jelani Jenkins or DT William Campbell. None of these are strong possibilities. But none of them are committed anywhere yet, either. And success in recruiting has a way of breeding further success.

But maybe the biggest positive for this recruiting class is that, below all the stellar prospects, there are some guys who just might be severely underrated and will surprise big time once at LSU. The poster child for this expectation is Morris Claiborne, a 2-star athlete (QB in high school) whose video is very, very impressive. The kid plays at a small school and just didn't make the recruiting services' radar. Another LSU recruit who has the ability to surprise is 3-star QB Chris Garrett from Tupelo, MS. He had a great senior season, has a powerful arm and is a great pro-style QB. A lot will depend on Crowton's schemes at LSU and the way the team uses Russell Shepard in the future.

Bottom line: if you haven't read up on this recruiting class, you should. It's going to be fun to watch them progress. Rivals and Scout offer some free access to news and message boards. ESPN's recruiting site is completely free, but not as good as the first two in my opinion. If I had to pick a site, I'd pick Scout simply because, although Rivals site has a better layout, Scout's writing staff seems to be a step ahead most of the time.

Basketball Crushes Grambling

Trent Johnson's Tigers are still undefeated this year after demolishing Grambling 87-41. Granted, the Tigers haven't really played anyone yet. But a 46-point win is impressive nonetheless. Now, consider that the leading LSU scorer was Marcus Thornton with only 18 points. And ten LSU players had 13 minutes or more of playing time, none over 22 minutes. The bench performed very, very well. And obviously Coach Johnson's emphasis on defense is paying dividends. Next up Nicholls State, then Texas A&M on the road. We'll see, we'll see.

Non-Soapbox Acknowledgement of Ass-Kicking

Sorry folks. This past 3 months has been a bit busy in my real life.

Ole Miss pwn3d LSU. Really, is there much more to say? It wasn't even close. With or without Jarrett Lee. Regardless of penalties, and turnovers, and anything else.

Ole Miss is a better football TEAM than LSU.

Now. Let's also get a bit real, here. LSU is not a 3-4 SEC TEAM. We have a 3-4 SEC quarterback situation. We're a 5-2 SEC team, considering how unimpressive our defense has been. But with reasonable quarterback play, we beat Ole Miss and Bama no problem.

But does any of that matter at all? Of course not.

Ole Miss and Bama beat LSU in Tiger Stadium. Enough said.

Is Bama the #1 team in the nation? Of course not. Florida will settle that in Atlanta. It's not even close. But it would be foolish to short change the transition in Bama football and the resurgence of that program.

Is Florida the #1 team in the nation? I can't imagine anyone else who will beat them.

As far as the Arkansas game, I honestly could not care less at this point. I'm going to watch, and I'm going to root for my Tigers. But nothing will surpass the disappointment of last Saturday night. So a bowl is a bowl at this point. I'm already looking forward to the Spring Game.

And baseball season.

Most Valuable Seniors: Just for Fun

Lifted from a post of mine on TigerForums. Just for fun, I've taken a stab at who I think the most valuable seniors are this year in terms of how much they'll be missed next year.

1. Brett Helms, C (leadership, experience, talent)
2. Colt David, PK (consistency, reliability)
3. Herman Johnson, OG (experience, size, talent)
4. Quinn Johnson, FB (blocking, replacement?)
5. Darry Beckwith, LB (experience, speed, replacement?)
6. Tyson Jackson, DE (experience)
7. Kirston Pittman, DE (experience)
8. Marlon Favorite, DT (experience)
9. Curtis Taylor, S (experience, hitting)
10. Ryan Miller, OL (experience, depth)

Notes: OL over DL because I think the DL has more experienced backups based on the rotation (Nevis, Alem, Woods, etc.). D Byrd left off because I just don't think we're going to miss him next year. He had the potential, but it didn't materialize with our QB issues. And I have a feeling Toliver and Chris Mitchell and some of the new guys (Dixon, etc) will fill his spot adequately. Curtis Taylor would be higher but I honestly think Chad Jones and Danny McCray are ready to step up, plus some of the new guys look very good as well. QJ is up there because, unless they move Theriot or play the new freshman commit Allen, I'm not sure we have a true FB left on scholarship. Ridley looks like a TB to me. Beckwith has been disappointing. I expected to rank him higher. In truth, the entire defense has left me a bit p!ssy. Guess it shows. I didn't even rank Tremaine Johnson. Alexander was hurt and too limited. I think had he been luckier with his health, he would've been an amazing DL. Brady Dalfrey? Too inconsistent. Had a few good games, though.

THEN...

I looked at who will be the most valuable seniors NEXT year in terms of needing to contribute for LSU to compete for a championship.

1. Rahim Alem, DE - pass rush, for Pete's sake - PLEASE!
2. Brandon LaFell, WR - needs an all-SEC year
3. Charles Scott, RB - leadership, ball security, tough yards
4. McCray/Hawkins/Coleman, DB - lead the young talent
5. RJF, DT - needs to dominate the middle lane like Dorsey
6. Cutrera/Riley, LB - one of them needs a great year
7. Hitt and Black, OL - cover/tutor Hebert and new LG
8. Richard Dickson, TE - just keep being solid

Notes: Alem showed signs of promise this year. If he can get some LB help, I think he can be all-SEC as a pass rusher. Better than T. Jackson. Lafell and Scott seem obvious. 4 and 6 are copouts - but this is our biggest issue next year and the lynchpin to a run at the Top again. No defense, no championships. 7 and 8 seem obvious as well.

Ole Miss @ LSU: Pick 'em

Odds makers have this one as LSU by between 3.5 to 4.5.

That means, minus the homefield advantage, this game is a toss-up in their eyes. They don't make a living getting that kind of thing wrong. If I were a betting man, I'd sit this one out.

But I don't need some Vegas numbers guy to tell me this game has all the potential to be a nail-biter. Here's all you need to know: LSU is a talent-rich team struggling with young QBs and an underperforming defense; Ole Miss is at the apogee of the Orgeron recruiting classes and has a good (if slightly nutty - pun intended) coach and all the confidence in the world.

This game is NOT going to be boring. This I would place money on. In Kirston Pittman's 6-year LSU football career, the scores have been 17-14 (LSU), 27-24 (LSU), 40-7 (LSU), 23-20 OT (LSU), and 41-24 (LSU). Of the two lopsided wins, the first was thanks to an absolutely dominant LSU defense, and the second was a bit closer than the score thanks to - in contrast - a floundering LSU defense that gave up 466 yards of offense but made big turnovers happen when they needed them.

I'd do a detailed matchup comparison for this game, but it's fruitless (and I'm - ahem - busy). Both teams, honestly, are talented enough everywhere on the field (and unpredictable enough as well) to beat the other team.

Here's what I will say.

Jevan Sneed > Jarrett Lee
Ole Miss O-Line = LSU D-Line
LSU O-Line > Ole Miss D-Line
Everyone's Special teams >> LSU Special Teams (minus Colt David)
LSU Playmakers > Ole Miss Playmakers (just barely, and maybe homerish)

Key matchup? On both sides, the QB versus the second level defense. Whoever wins that, wins the game.

Doesn't make you feel very confident, does it? Well, here's some things to hope for.

Jarrett Lee is (hopefully) exiting the darkness and entering the light. After the hell that was the first 38 minutes of the Troy game, he and the coaches now know that he's got the talent and the gonads to come right back from stupid mistakes to cram it down the defense's throats. Lord knows he's got the talent around him to help him do it.

LSU has yet to put a complete football game together this season - not even close. This may (hopefully) be that game.

The emotion will (hopefully) be on LSU's side. Particularly on defense, there are a lot of seniors playing their last game in Tiger Stadium. They'll be looking to exit the stage having handed Ole Miss an ass kicking. And the fans are going to start drinkin' Friday night for this one. So you know they'll be fired up.

O-line is healthy. D-line is healthy. Hell, everyone but Hatch is healthy. Hopefully, that will pay huge dividends in the fourth quarter again.

LSU is (hopefully) positioned for the Cotton Bowl and the team won't want to lose that opportunity for something on the 2008 side of New Years Day.

The seniors have (hopefully) had enough of losing, thank you very much, for one season. No one on this team - not even Kirston Pittman - has lost more than 3 games in a season as a Tiger. Pretty cool.

So, be hopeful. Odds are this is going to be a close one. I say Vegas is right and the home field advantage carries the day.

SOAPBOX: Resurrection Edition

I'm not dead - just busy. It's been a busy month. Thanks to Joshua for single-handedly keeping the blog living and breathing. I'm not sure I'm back in full swing, but I'm back at least a little. We shall see.

LSU 40, Troy 31: A win is a win is a win.

Seriously? LSU struggled to beat Troy? Again? Just like in 2004?

Yep.

Why LSU Struggled to Win

Coaching. Les Miles himself started his post-game press conference saying he was to blame for the way the game started. He said the coaches hand-cuffed the offense in a failed effort to reduce the chances that Lee would do exactly what he ended up doing anyway. So Troy knew they were going to run a lot and put 9 in the box. Troy, on the other hand, had an outstanding gameplan to negate LSU's personnel overmatch and play to their own capabilities. LSU's coaches were playing, at least initially, not to lose and Troy's coaches were playing to win. When the offense opened up and the defense stopped being so predictable with blitzes, the game changed. Of course, that's when Troy stopped playing near-perfect football. Which also helped.

QB. Jarrett Lee was atrocious in the first half. Jordan Jefferson wasn't much better. On the other side of the field, Troy's QB (Levi Brown) played amazing football for a half. Where Lee and Jefferson were unpoised, threw poor pass after poor pass, and failed to instill any confidence in their teammates, Brown played like he's destined for NFL success. He threaded the needle time after time, throwing extremely quickly. He didn't miss many of him many, many throws (72). In fact, I'd guess that half of his incompletions were dropped-balls by his receivers. LSU QBs were victims of drops as well. Just not as many.

Emotion. Troy had it, LSU had to find it. Troy entered the game knowing they had a chance to upset a struggling LSU team fresh from elimination from any SEC title hopes. LSU, clearly, had not yet embraced it's new season post Alabama by kickoff. The Tigers were flat. Troy is not an SEC caliber football team. But they are far too good and too well coached to be taken lightly. I don't know that LSU actually took them lightly on purpose. But the first half was emotionally flat.

Why LSU Won

Jarrett Lee. LSU's young QB is the poster-child of this season. Talented but inconsistent. And a bit of a head case. But the key is: he's talented. Maybe just as important - Lee has guts. The booing alone after bad throws could have ruined the kid for the rest of the season. But he pulled himself up by his jock-strap in second half after it became clear that Jordan Jefferson was doing fine but not good enough to lead a comeback. Lee put his SEVENTH pick six behind him and started looking more like Matt Flynn than - well - himself (early vintage).


Let's get this clear. Without Jarrett Lee making a personal comeback, LSU does not make a team comeback. Jarrett Lee, after struggling, won the game for LSU.

Defense. LSU's defense took far too long to wake up and adjust to the Troy passing game. But adjust they did. Even in the first half, Troy started having difficulty moving the football. In fact, if Lee doesn't throw the pick-six late in the second quarter, I think the game was close to turning around right there - all on the shoulders of the LSU defense.

LSU had decent pressure on the QB most of the game, and the yardage after catch for the Trojans was fairly low - because LSU was playing good defense. The problem in the first half was that Troy's QB was having an amazing game throwing the football. When he proved to be fallible, LSU's defense started stopping him.

Without LSU's defense sticking with it and playing strong the entire game, Jarrett Lee does not get the chance to lead the comeback.

Other observations for the future.

Big Man Depth Chart. LSU QBs had a lot of time to throw last night. And the offensive line does not rotate personnel often. With the departure of Helms and Johnson, critical jack-of-all-trades Miller, and maybe even Ciron Black, the O-line will be a huge point of interest next season. There's a lot of talent in the backups, and LSU has recruited well this year on the O-line, but all that talent has very little experience. Although the D-line rotates more than the O-line, the same concern applies. Jackson, Favorite, Alexander, Pittman, Tremaine Johnson - are all gone. Drake Nevis has seen some time, as have Pep Levingston and Al Woods. And Ricky Jean-Francois will likely be back next year after what so far has been a disappointing season for him. The D-line is in better shape in terms of experience. But the depth that has made them formidable in the past may not be there next year with so many underclassmen behind the returning experience. Again - we'll see.

Defensive Backfield. Chad Jones was all over the field last night, and may have finally had a chance to showcase in public why the coaches talk about him in reverent tones in press interviews. Patrick Peterson, Phelon Jones, Karnell Hatcher, and Brandon Taylor are all young backs getting a lot of playing time and holding their own. Even though LSU's pass defense suffered this year, I'm feeling a very, very stingy LSU defensive backfield in the making for a long time. Add Craig Loston at safety after this year's recruiting class. Awesome.

Rest of the season.

Difficult. Ole Miss beat Florida and spanked UL-Monroe on Saturday, a team that beat Troy 31-30. Ole Miss is going to require LSU to play some strong football. A slow start next week could be insurmountable against Ole Miss. Then Arkansas will be looking to play it's bowl game on national TV the day after Thanksgiving. Arkansas is struggling, but they remain dangerous, with a competent coach.

I think LSU ends the season 9-3, heads to a New Year's Day bowl, and gets a chance to ice the season with a sweet victory against a great non-conference opponent. Nothing in the road ahead will be easy. But it will be fun to watch.

GAMEDAY! Here's My Preview...

LSU's Offense vs. Georgia's Defense

The Bulldogs are tough against the run and relatively porous against the pass. Georgia is tops in the SEC in run defense, allowing only 62 yards per game. That's - not a lot. LSU needs to run the football to open up the passing game for Lee. And LSU has the backs to do it. Charles Scott and Keiland Williams provide a potent rotation, along with Murphy and Holliday. By the second half, LSU's running game should still be relatively fresh, where the UGA defense will hopefully have tired a bit. Florida took the running game away by jumping to a huge early lead. If Georgia takes the running game away by force, the end result could be a long afternoon for Tiger fans.

Because, although Georgia isn't great in pass defense, LSU has some challenges throwing the football. Sure, on paper, LSU has the fourth best passing efficiency in the SEC. And Lee has, in places, been very good. But he's also thrown 7 picks, two for TDs. And the LSU receivers have dropped enough important passes to cause me to wonder about the validity of LSU's passing threat. One positive note in all of this is that LSU has not allowed a lot of sacks this year. If Lee can get enough time, and the receivers can hang onto the football, then the passing game might neutralize Georgia's stout run defense.

Advantage: Even

LSU's Defense vs. Georgia's Offense

Knowshon Moreno is a great offensive weapon. To paraphrase Les Miles during a couple of interviews this week, he's going to get some yardage today. He's elusive, fast, and can catch. And Georgia has a very good fullback who has NFL scouts looking intently at him. LSU has been inconsistent against the run this year, but has the potential to be stingy in the middle. Teams have, however, had some success taking advantage of over-pursuit around the ends. If LSU is able to keep Moreno under control, Georgia's offense will be significantly less effective. But certainly not anemic.

Matthew Stafford is the best QB LSU's defense will face during the regular season. Although not having the kind of dominant year that some expected (ala Colt McCoy at Texas), Stafford is a three year starter with a cannon for an arm and all the measurables that pro scouts look for. He's got a 10/5 TD/Int ratio, which is pretty good, and completes over 60% of his passes. He leads the conference in passing yards per game and is second only to Tebow in QB efficiency rating. Stafford has AJ Green to throw to, a tall and speedy freshman who leads the SEC in reception yards per game. Massaquoi is also still around and will draw some attention from the Tiger secondary. LSU has been vulnerable to the pass all year long, giving up an average of nearly 200 yards per game. LSU will need to disrupt Stafford in the pocket and put him on his back enough to keep him off his game. If the line can get four or five sacks in this game, and another eight hurries or so, then LSU's pass defense should be able to step up to the challenge. If Stafford has time to throw, it will be a long afternoon.

Advantage: Georgia

Special Teams

Although Brad Dalfrey has a reasonable punting average (43 ypp), his performance against South Carolina was scary at times. He'll have to do better this week. Because Georgia is frighteningly good and deep at punt returning. Georgia has the 4 of the top 10 punt returners in the SEC, with Prince Miller leading the pack (44.7 yard average on 3 returns). Altogether, Miller, Reshad Jones, Asher Allen, and Knowshon Moreno have averaged 24 yards per return. LSU's Trindon Holliday, the second leading punt returner in the SEC, averages 23 yards. There's absolutely no reason to punt the ball to any of Georgia's return men. If Dalfrey can manage it, he should angle for the sidelines every time.

The rest of the special teams play seems even.

Advantage: Georgia

Other Factors

LSU just doesn't lose much in Baton Rouge on a Saturday. In years past, day games were considered a hex at LSU. While noone really likes a day game (tailgating reasons, mostly), the hex has long been lifted. LSU is something like 10-2 in day home games lately. The last defeat LSU suffered at home on a Saturday was almost 30 games ago, to Florida I believe. So home field advantage is very real in Tiger Stadium.

LSU has had its share of penalties this year, but nothing compared to Georgia. The Bulldogs are by far the most penalized team in the SEC, with 10 flags for 80+ yards per game.

And, while LSU has it's share of dings and bruises, Georgia is suffering mightily right now with a lot of injuries and some players playing hurt.

Advantage: LSU

KEYS TO THE GAME

1. UGA is going to send the house against Lee and make him throw under pressure. Crowton's gameplan and the OL have to set Lee up with good, quick options so he can avoid throwing another pick-6. Lee needs to have a solid game. Not great. Just solid with no pick-6.

2. LSU needs to score >21 points. I don't think LSU's defense will be able to stifle Moreno, Stafford, Green and company. LSU needs to win the time of possession war and score in each quarter.

3. No UGA punt returns for TD. Quick scores by UGA will be tough to make up.

4. LSU needs to play with far fewer errors (turnovers, penalties, dropped passes) than in previous games. This is the week to put it all together.

WRAP UP

LSU O vs. Georgia D: Toss up
LSU D vs. Georgia O: Georgia
Special Teams: Georgia
Other Stuff: LSU

My Call: The Vegas boyz have this one as LSU by 1, with a 40.5 over/under. What that really says is, they think Georgia is the better team, but Tiger Stadium is a tough place to visit. My Wrap Up agrees.

LSU 27, UGA 24 (Because, afterall, I'm a purple and gold homer.)

SOAPBOX: PWN3D

Domination.

LSU was in the game for about the first 5 minutes of the third quarter. Outside of those 5 minutes, it wasn't even close.

Lee threw two interceptions, one for a touchdown. Percy Harvin and the other Florida speedsters had a veritable field day. McCray got burned again. Charles Scott was held to 35 yards on the ground.

But those things are simply symptoms of the real cause of the one-sided ass-whooping last night. Domination at the line of scrimmage. LSU is supposed to have great talent on both the offensive and defensive lines. Either that was exposed last night as an overstatement, or Florida has more and greater talent. Because LSU's big men were owned. All night.

I just don't have a lot to say about this. The Tigers didn't get outcoached. They were outplayed - at every position for almost every play. I think it was Gary Danielson, in the pregame show, that said the key to the game would be eleven 1-on-1 matchups. Definitely was the case. Florida won the 1-on-1 games. And scorched LSU.

There was another facet to last night's tragedy that bothers me.

Despite getting man-handled the entire game, some of LSU's defensive players were trash-talking and chest thumping after hits late in the second half. When your team is doing the owning, then a certain amount of trash-talk helps keep the momentum going. When your team is getting owned, the trash-talk just looks self-centered and unfocused.

Tough pill to swallow this morning. But it's a long season and there are seven more games in a row. South Carolina on the road is next.

TIGERS WIN UGLY BUT EASY - 34 - 24: Quick Look

Most importantly - GET WELL, DAD! Hope you're feeling much better!

Overall: LSU did not play particularly well tonight but was in complete control of this game from the moment Pegues was tackled on that kickoff return. It was an ugly easy win. Which is still a win. And there's a lot of stuff that points to more great things this season.

Positives.

1. Survival skills. The Tigers had multiple opportunities to implode tonight after poorly timed penalties or turnovers. They didn't implode. They took their licks and came back swinging.
2. Jarrett Lee. Although he had some scary moments tonight, he played very well and is looking more and more confident.
3. Receivers. Lee threw some nice passes, but he also benefited from some nice grabs by Lafell and Dickson. Lafell continues to look studly.
4. Charles Scott. 140 yards and a 5+ ypc average. Four 100 yard games in a row. Yeah, baby.
5. Only five penalties, and one of them was total BS.

Negatives.

1. Turnovers. We gave two and got zero. That won't work against UF, UGA and Bama.
2. Pass coverage. LBs and safeties had a bad night. Croom and his staff had their number.
3. Punt return team is still not comfortable.
4. Depth at RB? I wonder. We tend to assume we have a stable of great backs because of how we used them last year. But I wonder if KW or RM or any of the others can step up and replace CS if necessary.

Ugly easy win. The game was never really close after LSU scored it's first TD.

PREDICTION: Mississippi State

As I sit and marvel at the spectacle of Oregon State making USC sweat, it's tough to devote a ton of thought to this game. Not because I'm glued to the Oregon State game. I'm not. In fact, other than the possibility of LSU rising in the polls, I really don't care all that much about USC. The bullshit that flies back and forth between Baton Rouge and Los Angeles is, to me, a bunch of silliness. Really. Who give a shit if they claim a non-BCS championship? If Phil Steele crowned his own national champ this year and it was different than the BCS team, would you care? Exactly. The AP poll is interesting but irrelevant.

See. Tough to focus on Mississippi State. I just don't think this game is going to be close at all.

Anyway. Don't fear. Les Miles and the Tigers won't have a focus problem. Florida is two weeks away, after a Bye week. Miles has already said he's throwing out the MSU/Georgia Tech film. He's focusing on what MSU was able to do against Auburn, particularly on defense. So, I don't think focus will be an issue.

But let's be serious. LSU owns Mississippi State. In every sense of the word. Last year's 45-0 waxing was not an unusual result for this series in recent years. LSU has consistently outscored MSU by large margins. And, if I have my stats right, the Tigers have won 16 of the last 17 contests.

This year's Croomdogs are not playing like last year's variety. The defense still has it's moments. But they're just moments. Dixon is still a good runningback. Pegues is still a good return man and decent DB. But that's about it.

Keys to the game:

1. LSU's defensive line will own MSU's offensive line. Early. And often.

2. LSU's defensive backs will have to fix some of the coverage mistakes to avoid giving gifts to an otherwise poor MSU passing attack.

3. LSU's punt team and kickoff team will have to find a way to keep Pegues contained. He's pretty good.

4. LSU's RBs and OL need to establish the running game early to take the pressure off of Lee early. Give him a quarter to establish his confidence.

5. Jarrett Lee needs to play a relatively error-free game. TD>Ints. >55% completions. >200 yards passing. He does that and LSU will roll.

Concerns:

A. Injuries. Knock on wood, LSU is pretty unscathed right now. Hatch is probably still recovering a bit, and Beckwith is still out. But otherwise, LSU is good. They need to stay that way. Because after the Bye week, the Tigers have Florida and South Carolina on the road, followed by Georgia at home.

B. LSU QB. Jarrett Lee needs a good, solid game. If Lee struggles, MSU has a good enough defense to stack the box and make the running game much more difficult. And LSU needs to put Miss State away, and early. Because Jordan Jefferson needs some quality PT before Florida, just in case.

Prediction: LSU 24-0 at halftime, and LSU 49-0 final score.

Oh, Go Ahead. Watch it Again!

AUBURN PREDICTION: Quickie

LSU will win this game with far more ease than many folks are thinking.

Here's why.

1. Auburn's offense is bad. It won't get that much better in a week.

2. LSU's offense is good and hasn't been let out of it's cage yet. That changes on Saturday.

3. Andrew Hatch is a better QB than he's getting credit for. I predict he suprises some folks.

4. LSU's defense is great, and deep, and the young DBs are playing better than expected (at least by me). As long as we don't lose many more LBs...

5. Auburn's defense is not as deep as LSU's and our offense will wear them down in the fourth quarter.

Stuff I'm worried about.

1. Quarterback play. If I'm wrong about Hatch, then it's a toss up. I could easily be wrong.

2. Special teams, particularly punting. If this is a defensive struggle, our punting game could very well be the weak link that breaks the chain.

PREDICTION:

Close game at halftime, LSU by 14 or more at game's end. LSU 24, Auburn 10.

FRIDAY SOAPBOX?: "I'm Busy" Edition...

Life has intruded. I'm late. Sorry.

OK I attended my first LSU game in Oh-My-Gawd-am-I-really-that-old years. My Dad has season tickets and he invited my daughter and I to the North Texas game. Her first ever, my first in the last two decades - almost.

Anyway.

Some impressions.

Gustav did a number on Baton Rouge and many people in Tiger Stadium were enjoying electricity that they didn't have at their own homes. Amazing.

Amazingly, even though Ike hit west of Louisiana, the storm surge for Ike was WORSE than Gustav in many parts of Louisiana. I found it amazing that places that had no water in Gustav had big water from a storm that missed them by hundreds of miles. Mother Nature - she is a bitch.

Anyway...again...

Speaking of bitches. North Texas. Yes. A true bitch slap game if I ever saw one. Of course, the score was pedestrian in Oklahoma or USC or Florida terms. But considering that LSU basically stopped playing football and started scrimmaging in the early third quarter, it was a great outcome.

Watching the game, I was worried about the defense mostly. It seemed to me, in live action, that the defensive line couldn't get a grip on the QB. But after watching the replay, nothing could be further from the truth.

LSU's defensive surge was within a fingernail of the NTU QB (Vizza - he's good enough to deserve a mention here) on countless plays. But he dumped the ball. Everytime. And he was accurate enough to complete a LOT of those passes under duress.

But let's cut to the chase here. North Texas is not worth talking about.

QB. Andrew Hatch looked better than Lee. Not by much. But in very important ways. Even though he threw the only interception of the game, he was much more poised in his performance. Lee is a diamond in the rough in my opinion. But this year is the rough. And if he's not careful, Jefferson may catch him. I just have a feeling about JJ. He looks to me like a guy waiting for stardom.

RB. Charlie - fuckin' -Scott. If the coaches had played him as the feature back, he'd have - in my estimate - about 400 yards rushing in two games. Murphy looked good as well. And KW is talented enough to hang around, but I am sensing a lack of finish in him that will doom his LSU career. Early? Yes. But you know what I'm talkin' about.

WR. We are rockin' here and just waiting for AH or JL to start chuckin' the rock This has to be the most frustrated unit on the team right now. Because they are good and gettin' gooderer. I'm told Byrd's injury is minor, which is good, but it wouldn't kill us. We're fine here.

OL. Awesome. Period. Dot.

DL. Awesome. Period. Dot. I misjudged it in live action, but WOW on replay. The DL had a great surge into the NTU backfield. Had Vizza not been such a crafty and creative QB, they'd have gotten to him about 10 times.

LB. Ouch. Losing Beckwith for any time at all is a big loss. He's a leader, he's really fast, he's really mean. But I gotta tell ya' - Jacob Cutrera came to play! He looked very good. What is left to the imagination is wheter Cutrera is as good as Beckwith against tough competition. Sheppard and Riley are very, very good as well.

DB. I'm waiting to see the drawdown, but I just haven't seen it yet. You'd think that, having lost two corners and a safety, LSU's DBs would be vulnerable. So far - not so much. Auburn may or may not test that. But I'll say this - they look mean, and nasty, and very good. Patrick Peterson plays with an attitude that I L-O-V-E ....respect.....

Special Teams. Kickoffs - great coverage, shitty kicks. Punts - great coverage, shitty punts. Kickoff returns - too few to comment on. Punt returns - TRINDON FUCKING HOLLIDAY! I think we may see him run three or more back this year. All he needs is a crease.

SUNDAY SOAPBOX: Gustav Edition

Godspeed to everyone on the road right now, running away from Gustav. It seems trivial to spend time assessing a football game at a time like this. But, since I can't do anything else, and it may provide a few minutes distraction to some folks, I'll press. Hope you're all safe and your property escapes major damage.

KEYS TO THE GAME

As it turns out, I think I was mostly dead on in my pregame post.

1. Ball Control. The Tigers put the game away by both scoring quickly in most cases and sustaining longish drives. Overall, LSU had a decent edge in time of possession in the first half (16:16 compared to 13:44) and slight edge in the second half (15:32 compared to 14:28). Part of the reason the time of possession was fairly close is that LSU scored quickly on most drives, with the longest drive of 82 yards only taking 2:50. But the Tigers also came out flat in the second half and, along with frequent substitutions of young players, that aided App State in stopping a few drives and sustaining one or two of their own. The Mountaineers had one drive of 60 yards, fueled mostly by a 44 yard 3rd quarter TD reception in broken coverage. App State had some other promising drives going, but defensive pressure forced some throwing/catching errors that killed them.

2. Pressure outside, discipline inside. Armanti Edwards tried but could not get around the corner. The ends and LBs were really outstanding keeping him contained. And we all know how the front four played - pretty much lights out. The Mountaineers had about 60 yards rushing, and a large portion of that was on a couple of broken plays. LSU would have had about 6 or 7 sacks if Edwards weren't as good as he is. He had an average of about 2-3 seconds to throw, and made some very nice escapes under extreme pressure. He and the other two QBs were on their backs a lot after throws. Clearly, this was a key to LSU's domination of the game.

3. Emotion. In no way did LSU take App State lightly. I thought the defense played with a lot of emotion the entire game. The crowd really got the team going in first half. By the second half, the vast majority of the stadium was headed home to prepare for Gustav's arrival. The change in atmosphere, particularly when LSU was on offense, was palpable. But the bottom line is that LSU respected App State's capability and played tough the entire game.

4. Fatigue. LSU played a dizzying number of players in this game. Six or seven true freshman saw significant playing time, especially on special teams. LSU's running back situation is very, very good. The DLine looks interchangeable two deep. And the OLine was fantastic all day, even when the second team was in the game. Like last year, I think LSU will be able to rotate some key relief into the game and stay fresher than most of their opponents. I wouldn't want to have to consider blocking LSU's defensive line knowing the Tigers have 8 massive players that all could start almost anywhere in the country.

OBSERVATIONS

QB. I thought both quarterbacks played pretty well considering their complete lack of gametime experience. If forced to pick one, I'd say Hatch had the better day by just a little bit. But overall, I am optimistic about both of these quarterbacks.

I've watched the game a few times now. The conventional wisdom on some fan sites seems to be that Hatch has an arm strength problem. He certainly doesn't have a howitzer. But his arm isn't nearly as weak as some folks seem to think. If you watch the replay and count yardage, Hatch made some long throws with decent zip on the ball. Two particular throws well over 20 yards, both to Byrd, were overthrown because of incidental contact on the route. A third throw of about 45 yards (from the line of scrimmage) was on azimuth but just about 3 yards underthrown and broken up by the defender. I'd say that 45 yarder is the limit of Hatch's range. But clearly, Hatch can keep the secondary honest with accuracy out to 25 yards from the line of scrimmage. This should alleviate anyone's fears that teams can stack the box on Hatch - they'll get owned if they do. Lafell and Byrd are both very good after the catch and can turn a 25 yard strike into a much bigger gain - especially Byrd.

The other piece of conventional wisdom I'm reading is that Hatch made better decisions than Lee. True, Lee threw one interception and almost threw at least one more. But Hatch made two horrible throws into coverage as well and was lucky not to have one of them picked off. I don't think Lee was significantly worse than Hatch in decision making. I do, however, think Hatch was more comfortable and had better vision of the field. Makes sense. He's at least been there a time or two before. Lee has not.

I think the biggest difference between the two quarterbacks in this game was Hatch's mobility. He's quick and is able to capitalize on defensive containment breakdowns with speed and agility. I think Lee is fairly mobile as well, but we didn't get to see this in yesterday's game. I don't think Lee is as comfortable on the run as Hatch is.

So, I'd have to say that Hatch - based on his vision of the field and mobility - has the upper hand right now. Clearly the coaching staff thinks this is the case based on playing time alone in this game.

However, I would like to see both QBs get significant time against Troy. In fact, if I were king I would not play Jordan Jefferson at all until North Texas. Troy is going to be a decent opponent and another good workout for both Lee and Hatch. I would let these two share time, hone their skills, compete some more, and get rid of any residual jitters. Jefferson will likely get a series or two late against North Texas and that will be enough. By that time, JJ should feel more comfortable with the offensive schemes and have some Tiger Stadium stink on him.

My prediction at this point is that Hatch will get the Auburn start. I'd be surprised if Lee progresses fast enough to overtake him before South Carolina.

But I do think, eventually, Lee threatens to win the starting job. He showed flashes of the strong arm and quick delivery that could make him an outstanding QB for LSU.

Keiland Williams. I spent a lot of time rewatching all of the running plays. And I'm dumbfounded. Compared to Scott, Murphy and Ridley, Keiland Williams' runs looked like he was in practice. He didn't finish a single run I watched and went down very, very easily. I saw one half-hearted shoulder hit to a defender. Otherwise, he gave up the ghost at the first serious defensive threat, or accepted running out of bounds, instead of getting every yard he could get. In my opinion, Williams cost LSU two first downs inside the redzone because he just didn't want to deliver a hit and drive for the yardage.

In contrast, Charles Scott and Stevan Ridley looked a lot like Jacob Hester all day long. And even the tall and lighter Richard Murphy ran like every inch counted. Murphy delivered at least two good shots to App State defenders.

I think Williams will shine in a game or two simply because the LSU OLine is dominant this year, and he will eventually find a huge hole to sprint through. But more times than not, Williams' apparent hesitation in the face of taking a hit will keep him from breaking through smaller gaps. So he'll remain more of an option threat, which is a shame. Because Big Herm and Ciron are going to open up some huge holes for the other backs who don't mind mixing it up with the big boys.

Punting. If LSU is to compete for the SEC title, then the punting game has to get significantly better. Right now, it's just atrocious.

Freshmen. The Tigers played a lot of true freshmen in the game, but the two that absolutely stuck out were Patrick Peterson at cornerback and Ryan Baker on the kickoff team. Peterson held his own, broke up two passes - both of which he had a chance at an interception - and played with a lot of intensity and poise. He's going to live up to his hype. No doubt in my mind.

Ryan Baker was a wrecking ball on kickoffs. He had a hand in every kickoff tackle except one, and that one came back for a decent return for the Mountaineers. Look for #22 on special teams - he's going to be awesome. Can't wait to see him in the LB rotation as well.

WRAPUP

App State is a good football team. How good? Impossible to tell. Outside of giving them the credit of their recent domination in the FCS division, there's just nothing to compare them to at this point. But one thing is clear - LSU handled the FCS national champs with absolute ease. Had LSU decided to forego wholesale rotation in the late third and entire fourth quarters, LSU would have scored 60 points and probably held the Mountaineers to 10. But what LSU did was far more important. By concentrating on building quality depth, LSU is creating breathing room and flexibility heading into an always tough SEC conference schedule.

Kudos to the coaches and players for a great performance in trying conditions.

Stay safe, everyone. My thoughts are with you.

Tigers Win: 41-13

I'll have more detailed stuff in the Sunday Soapbox, but here's my initial breakdown.

OFFENSE

Charles Scott had a fantastic day and Keiland Williams did not. I wish I had seen more of Richard Murphy, and Stevan Ridley caught my attention - he looks good.

The QB situation is still unresolved, to be generous. Overall, I liked Hatch's play better than Lee's, and not just because Lee threw the interception. Hatch was more poised and didn't stare his receivers down as much as Lee. Some folks seem disturbed by Hatch's arm strength - and certainly he doesn't have a cannon. But I think this topic is being oversold a bit. Hatch can hit receivers out at 20-25 yards with enough authority to keep the secondary honest. That's all LSU will need.

Brandon LaFell and Demetrius Byrd were great, as expected. Next week, watch them block. These fellas are complete receivers.

The OL was phenomenal - allowed one sack and opened huge holes. If the Tigers had elected to run between the tackles more, Scott could've had 250 yards on the day.

Richard Dickson is going to be an LSU fan favorite this year.

DEFENSE

The DLine had a decent day, allowed only 60 yards rushing or so. Considering how elusive App State's backfield can be, that's a really good result. Only 3 sacks, though. But, again, Edwards is a bitch to tackle - I don't imagine he'll be sacked much this year by anyone.

LB play seemed very good to me, but the corners and safeties had some communication breakdowns that resulted in big plays for the Mountaineers. Expect this to get fixed very quickly. Patrick Peterson made his debut and was noticeable.

SPECIAL TEAMS

Punt returns were much better, with Chad Jones actually getting some yardage on two of his attempts. He bobbled one just a little, but otherwise was great. LSU was perfect on FG and extra points.

Otherwise, special teams were a little scary. Kickoff coverage was good (Ryan Baker made himself known), but the kicks themselves were very short. Punting continues to be just as heinous as it was in the Spring Game. Dalfrey was inconsistent and actually had a 14 yarder.

There are a lot of young guys on special teams, but if the punting game doesn't improve, LSU will lose a game because of it. You can take that to the bank.

OVERALL

Solid first game. Absolutely dominant in the first half, flat and struggling with tons of reserves playing in the second half. Nothing to worry about. If the Tigers stay healthy and Hatch protects the ball and can throw 20-25 yard strikes, then LSU will be better than most pundits think.

I'm pleased about everything but the punting team. Horrid.

App State: Is the Past Prologue?

OK. I'm now going to stop calling them "Appy State". I've been executing this little passive aggressive verbal/written joust on purpose ever since I found out that it sorta tweaks some of their more passionate fans. I've had my childish fun - mostly on message boards with some great, if not slightly dorky, Mountaineer fans.

Anyway. Tuesday night, while riding my stationary bike, I watched the 2005 App State @ LSU game. Yes, I pedaled for that long. Fortunately, without TV timeouts, the game went relatively quick.

No, I don't for a moment think I can predict this Saturday's performance based on a game played three years ago. But, there are some interesting points of convergence that can provide insight.

LSU won the game 24-0. But they only led 14-0 in the fourth quarter, and the box score was surprisingly even at that point. At the end of the game, LSU outplayed the Mountaineers, but not by as much as you might expect the #6 BCS team to outplay an FCS opponent.

My Observations of the Mountaineers.

Excellence. These folks aren't anyone's bitches. They stood toe-toe with a very good 2005 LSU football team. And kept coming at them.

App State continues to be a program that believes in itself and knows how to win. They are a dynasty inside their division. More than USC. More than Ohio State. More than LSU.

They've won 3 consecutive national championships and are favored to win a fourth. They dominate their conference and division All-Star team listings.

In many ways, football is a game of technique and strategy. App State is close to being equal to LSU on this front in my opinion.

When App State did the math in the 3rd quarter and realized they were not going to threaten to win the game, they took out their first team BEFORE the Tigers did. They knew they needed them healthy for conference play. That is a program focused on the prize - the one that counts.

GREAT Skill Players. They won't be big. But they will be dangerous. And talented. In 2005, App State's QB Richie Williams was a skinny, shifty kid with a decent arm, great downfield vision, and a knack for turning a near-sack into a seventeen yard gain. The Mountaineers spread out LSU's defense and then created big gains through misdirection and exploiting any seams that opened up. At the end of the day, Williams ran for 80 yards by himself, and the Mountaineers outrushed the Tigers 176 to 163.

This year, a new QB (Armanti Edwards) is even more dangerous. He had a ridiculous Tebowesque year in 2007 with 1960 yards passing, 1588 yards rushing, and 38 TDs. He was 67% on his throws with only 7 interceptions. AND HE MISSED FOUR GAMES!

And he's not alone. One of his favorite targets will be #6 CoCo Hillary, who also plays QB as a backup to Edwards. Plus, the Mountaineers are deep at RB, including a transfer from Virginia Tech (Devin Radford).

This is a dangerous offense that will require LSU to avoid over pursuit. If the Tigers don't stay in their lanes, they could find themselves chasing Edwards around the field all afternoon long.

My Observations of LSU.

Motivation. LSU looked very flat in 2005. Joe Addai was ailing, and Jamarcus Russell was inconsistent. The defense looked good at times, but there was no "fire". In fact, the entire team looked tired and disinterested. There was no Glenn Dorsey waving his arms to get the endzone maniacs going. There was no Herman Johnson racing into the endzone to chest-bump a Trindon Holliday. Frankly, the game looked more like work than play. And the crowd seemed more interested in getting back to their tailgate parties. Granted, it was the "Katrina" year - there was a different feel to everything in 2005, including football games.

LSU won't have that problem this Saturday. Since App State walked out of Ann Arbor with Michigan's scalp, there is no team in the country that is overlooking any FCS division team anywhere. Nobody wants to be this year's version of Michigan.

LSU will treat App State as if they were a BCS subdivision opponent. Player and coaches' interviews repeat this mantra over and over. If it's true, then the Tigers won't be flat and App State may just walk into a buzz saw in Tiger Stadium.

Uncertainty at QB. In 2005, Jamarcus Russell was not the #1 draft pick that he was a year and change later. He played well, but was inconsistent and, in spots, threw some bad passes. And the coaching staff clearly wanted no part of a wide-open game plan, choosing to run the ball and throw screens all day, with very few attempts to go vertical. Some of this was constrained by a very poor field condition. But not all of it.

The result was a very predictable gameplan that allowed App State to take risks with their skill players on defense and, in many cases, "stack the box". LSU should have been able to score on every possession based on the very clear imbalance of talent and size on the field. But they couldn't because of what looked like a very conservative gameplan. So the score was so close after three quarters that App State was a big play away from making a contest of it. And they had big play assets at their disposal.

Of course, we all understand the uncertainty at QB this year. But if LSU plays so conservatively that App State can take reasonable risks with their defensive backs and stop the run, then this game may look very similar to 2005. A turnover here and a caught ball there and App State is tied in the 4th quarter in 2005. That's unacceptable in 2008.

I'm hoping for a progressively aggressive gameplan that takes advantage of LSU's receiving height (Lafell and Tolliver) and TE (Dickson). If LSU just crams the ball down App State's gullet, the Mountaineers will find a way to keep the Tigers out of the end zone.

Free the QBs to play the game. That's what I'm hoping for. Take some risk.

MISTAKES. LSU did not turn the ball over at all in the 2005 App State game. That's a great stat, made impressive by the poor field conditions at the time. And the Tigers were only penalized twice in the entire game.

That will be an important goal again this year because App State is a team that can capitalize on a mistake and quickly shift the momentum of the game with one big play.

Keys to the Game.

1. Ball Control. LSU needs long drives or quick scores to put this game away early. If Armanti Edwards and the Mountaineer offense have the football in their hands, LSU is at risk.

2. Pressure outside, discipline inside. Edwards is the kind of runner that instantly turns a broken play into a huge gain. It's going to take disciplined team play on defense to keep Edwards from cutting back across the field for big yardage.

3. Emotion. The Tigers seem to be respecting this team. That bodes well. Not only will respect keep them from underestimating the Mountaineers, but it will keep the Tigers emotions high. The football team and the stadium feed off each other. When the stadium is roaring, the players are pumped. And when the players are jumping around, the stadium responds. If LSU plays with emotion and aggressiveness, their talent and size will quickly overwhelm App State.

4. Fatigue. LSU's great strength has been depth at key positions like RB and DL. App State doesn't have as much depth. If LSU can rotate quality depth throughout the ball game and across the field, WITHOUT CONFUSION OR MISTAKES, then the Tigers will make easy work of App State.

YouTubage: Hype It Up!

Turn your work speakers down a little, or plug the earphones in. Some of the lyrics aren't exactly safe for work. But this ought to get your blood pumpin' a bit.

I can hardly stand the wait!

What "They" Are Sayin'...

Here's a quick rollup of some of what's being said about LSU on the internets...

Pete Fiutak, Fox Sports

Let's start with some bullshit to get the juices flowing:

"As college football historians look back on all the national champions, the nuts and bolts of the 2007 season might get lost in the shuffle and the translation. LSU didn't win the national title; it survived the season."

Oh, sure. Exactly! Enroute to the national title that they "didn't win", LSU beat more post-season Top 15 teams than anyone else in the country; embarrassed the ACC champs (VA Tech); crushed the Big Ten champs (Ohio State); beat the Heisman Trophy winner; beat Tommy Tuberville and a very good Auburn team; and were a razor's edge from going undefeated. But, hey - they didn't actually WIN it. They were "survivors." Ask Ohio State if watching LSU play it's backups in the BCS championship game was a sign of survival.

Sigh...

I acknowledge they were fortunate to get the shot. Honestly, who picked Oregon and West Virginia to lose those games? Nobody, that's who. But, c'mon. Everyone knows luck is where preparation meets opportunity.

LSU was lucky to be in a position to win the national title - how's that for a compromise.

To be fair, it's a good article with some great position-by-position summaries. Once he gets past his poorly hidden "BCS sucks ass" angst.

________________________________

Eighth Annual Herbie Awards, Kirk Herbstreit, ESPN

Lots of LSU love in this version. Herbie may be a Buckeye homer, but he's a Baton Rouge believer.

Tigers on the list:

"WR Demetrius Byrd, LG Herman Johnson, TE Richard Dickson, DE Tyson Jackson, DT Ricky Jean-Francois, Safety Chad Jones, RB Keiland Williams, LSU Student Section, Baton Rouge restaurant Ruffino's. "

Tigers he missed:

"OT Ciron Black, WR Brandon LaFell, Freshman CB Patrick Peterson, and the rest of the first two DL teams."

Overall, though. Nice job, Herbie.

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SI Preseason All-American Team

"LG Herman Johnson."

Ok. Good call. But I think you left out his buddy, LT Ciron Black. And you might wanna check out the LSU defensive line. Just sayin'.

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Expert College Football Handicapper Alex Smart, Touthouse.com

"2008 will be a success if… the youngsters in the secondary can step in and keep the LSU defense dominant. The offense is going to be very vanilla with no experience at the quarterback position, so HC Les Miles is going to lean on his defense to win games. Johnson, Eugene, and Jones will have the weight of the world on their shoulders from the outset of the season, and will be tested against the spread attacks of Florida and Auburn in their two biggest games of the season. "

Well, I guess if I was handicapping, I'd say something similar - lots of running game, big defensive year, etc.

But Mr. Smart(ypants) takes two big steps: he predicts Patrick Peterson (formerly Johnson) will start at CB and he doesn't seem to think Georgia is a big enough game to mention...

Picks LSU to go 9-3 and finish second in the SEC West.

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Sporting News Preseason Bowl Predictions


"LSU vs. Wisconsin in the Capitol One Bowl."

The interesting thing is that they pick Georgia to make it to the BCS Championship game and Florida to get the "at large" bid to the Sugar. But Auburn gets the Chick-fil-A Bowl? So they're picking LSU to play Georgia in Atlanta for the SEC, and lose (ostensibly AGAIN).

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OK, you know I had to go there. Here's what Mr. Dildeaux has said recently:

"In fact, if you’re lucky enough to see the Tigers practice or scrimmage for longer than five minutes these days, you may feel like you’re at a baseball game. Keep your eyes out for foul passes. A couple of media members had to dodge errant tosses recently."

What a jackass. All media reports point to solid performances by all three QBs. Except Mr. Sunshine.

"Hatch, Lee and Jordan could all one day be legitimate major college starting quarterbacks — just not today and probably not this season."

Uh - newsflash, Mr. Teletype. One of them most certainly will be starting for a "major college" very soon. Dork.

"Lee could eventually be the answer. He now is on the level of Matt Flynn, but Flynn was not ready when he was a redshirt freshman."

Which is Mr. Contradickshun? Is he "now...on the level of Matt Flynn?" Or not?

As Charles Barkley would certainly say, "Glenn Geelboo is a turble writer. Just turble."

If you must worry...

Stop Worrying About This...

The QB situation at LSU has been the focal point of offseason concern and debate for this year's team. Makes sense. Matt Flynn graduates. Perrilloux gets kicked off the team and leaves a Hahvahd JV player, a redshirt freshman, and a high school graduate to fight it out. Lots to talk about there, no doubt. Even ESPN got in on the opinionating recently with this little gem from Pat Forde, who is in my opinion a damned good college football journalist - most of the time...

With a good August, the touted true freshman quarterback
[Jordan Jefferson] could wind up at the controls of a low-risk offense
by week No. 3 against North Texas. Redshirt freshman Jarrett
Lee and Harvard transfer Andrew Hatch are not the answer.

Uh...what? It's not so much the respect he tosses to Jordan Jefferson that is remarkable. It's the disrespect to Lee and Hatch that amazes. Unless I missed something, Lee has played exactly ZERO college football (just like Jefferson), is a 4-star recruit (just like Jefferson), and has had a very good summer and fall (just like Jefferson). Unlike Jefferson, Lee has a year of practice and a Spring Game under Crowton and Miles. As does Hatch. Jefferson, not so much.

The point is: NO. BODY. KNOWS.

CAIN'T KNOW! NO WAY, NO HOW.

It's too damned early, folks.

Here's why you QB worriers should stop. All three QBs are doing fine. Their practice video is good. The practice reports by the media read good. And Coach Miles has had a lot of praise for the three. In fact, he's said very little negative about any of them.

So, while there's no reason to get overconfident - afterall, this is the SE-goddamned-C. Neither should we freak out. We have been given zero reason to be chewing fingernails down to the knuckle at this point. But...

If You Must Worry, Try This...

LSU's linebackers and cornerbacks. Everyone who follows this team knows that Jackson, Zenon, Highsmith, and Sanders left a big sucking sound at the McClendon practice facility as they "used up their eligibility." The defense is insanely deep on the front four, and should be plenty strong at safety (pun intended), but what about linebacker and corner?

There's talent aplenty there in both spots. But the performances of some of "the replacements" have met mixed reviews. Just for instance, Jacob Cutrera (LB) and Jai Eugene (CB) both saw action last year and both disappointed. Particularly Eugene, who admitted he was unprepared for the Kentucky game and got owned.

At linebacker, Darry Beckwith and Cutrera are both working in and out of injuries. Perry Riley has some injuries in his past as well. Shomari Clemons shows potential but can he keep his talented ass out of trouble with the coaches? And Kellen Theriot, who is a true freshman and a beast, is working on an injury now as well. About the most solid healthy player so far is Kelvin Sheppard, and thank Gawd for that! Freshmen Kyle Prater and Ryan Baker are there as well, but indications so far point to a redshirt season for both athletes. All the above injuries are minor. But as a body of work so far, the LBs seem a bit questionable at best.

Then there's the cornerbacks. As stated earlier, there are some returning underclassmen with playing time, specifically Jai Eugene and Chris Hawkins. Behind them are true freshman phenom Patrick Peterson and Ron Brooks. After that, it's Phelon Jones and Brandon Taylor. All of these gents are capable of stepping up, physically. The question is, are they capable mentally? Cornerback is a bitch. Solid corners lock down pass routes and give defensive linemen a chance to sack the QB. Weak corners instantly make an otherwise good defense very, very vulnerable. And the problem at corner for LSU is that both of them will be new, and there's noone to step in that has shown they can handle it. Chances are, we'll find one really good cornerback in that crop of talent. Question is, will we find two?

But, Wait - Why Worry At All?

I've got five words that should at least partially alleviate all worry.

Appalachian State Troy North Texas.

From a strength of schedule standpoint, LSU's opening schedule is a bit embarrassing.

From the standpoint of answering questions, I'm not sure we could have ordered a better lineup. Not only do we play a couple of respectable lower tier schools that can test different parts of the team (Appy State and Troy), but LSU has a chance to make mistakes, decide who starts, and still go 3-0 heading into the SEC hell game that is Auburn away.

What's more, there has to be a better chance of avoiding major injuries (and resting up the walking wounded) playing these schools than we had last year. Va Tech was a brutal game, and Miss St was no walk in the park either.

So.

Stop worrying so damned much. But if you must worry, worry about the defense.

Crowton will find the right QB and this offense will be better than the one we had last year. And that, my friends, is saying something.

Thirty and one days till

Domanick Davis remains one of my favorite Tiger running backs. He always fell forwards and it took more than one tackler to bring him down. I was always impressed by that. Effort like that is what helped win our 2001 SEC crown. I love Tigers like Davis.

Mountaineers on the Internets

“...we have a good shot at putting up some points,” (QB Armanti) Edwards said. “In certain formations, they always play certain defenses.”

Apparently, North Carolina has discovered scouting film...

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He also said this: "We're looking forward to this one, because they know we are coming. They are practicing for us, and they don't have no excuses if they lose."

Unlike the remainder of the Mountaineer schedule, during which they employ surprise tactics, showing up to opponents' stadiums unannounced and unleashing their hill-country terror on the unsuspecting enemy team...

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Their band, "North Carolina's Band of Distinction," is making the trip. (Yawn). Sorry. That was rude. Afterall, they are apparently 300 strong (80 are making the trip) when they play in front of their 20,000 home fans.

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Are you getting worried now? Stressed? Think maybe LSU might be looking past them to, um, Troy?

Go here to get, like, mello and stuff? Cool pics, though.

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Perhaps some fans are a bit delusional: "our defensive line will be stacked, good crew of returners coming back, our LB corp will be as good as alot of the SEC teams you may see, our db's are young but they are all very fast and atheletic we have I think 2 returning in that area."

By "alot", perhaps he means Vanderbilt's walkons? I'm not sure...

But I am impressed that Appy State avoids the common pitfall of choosing slothful and spastic defensive backs...

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But then back to Earth: "Let's keep in mind our young secondary will playing their first game of the season v. LSU. I know they are athletic and have great potential but that amounts to nothing until they actually perform. I think there are some big shoes to fill on both sides of the ball and I am not as confident that all those called upon to step it up are going to be right off the bat as good as those they replaced.

I believe our 3 NCs have blinded us to the reality of replacing folks who have been the mainstay of this team the last several years."

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Can you tell I'll be scoffing for the next 31 days? Yep, yep.