Special Congratulations to Justin Goar-Blogger- who, thanks to his excellent writing, will be enjoying the BCS Championship Game in person.


“Party in the city where the heat is on…�

Al Pacino told me in “Any Given Sunday� that life is this game of inches. I usually get sick every year in November or December but this year I didn’t. I thought it was because I was taking better care of myself with having a new baby around not wanting to pass on a bug to the lil one. Constantly washing my hands or bathing them in Purel and avoiding sick people like they had the plague so to speak.

And you know what I managed to not get sick…well until Friday. But a quick call to the doctor for some five day antibiotics and hopefully I’m on the mend for Wednesday. Why Wednesday you ask??

Because that’s the day B/R sends me to Miami for the National Championship. I don’t feel so hot now but I will get better. I have to.

“Because on this team we fight for that inch.�

“We CLAW with our FINGERNAILS for that inch…�

My Pacino impression is probably not translating to the computer is it? Damn, cuz it’s good.

Before I go on, I want to thank all the guys at the Bleacher Report for putting on a remarkable contest. Secondly, I want to thank all that voted for me as well as all the other writers in the contest who put great articles out there for the college football community. It was also great to get to know Gray Ghost as a result of the contest, he is a awesome guy and a great writer. Lastly, I am humbled and honored to be a representative for B/R at this great sporting event.

So let’s get this thing rolling, shall we…

What does (insert your most hated team of choice here) and marijuana have in common? Or is it Cheerios?

Ah Bowl humor. I found out this year that having a newborn and the lack of social life that coincides with having a newborn, made for plenty of time for me to sit with my daughter and watch some college bowl games. I didn’t see them all, but I saw most.

Teams that made me look smart: Colorado State, Ole Miss, TCU, Cal, West Virginia, and Vanderbilt.

Teams that made me look stupid: Navy, Utah, Florida Atlantic, Virginia Tech, PAC Ten teams not named USC and Cal, and LSU (but I’ll take it).

My daughter was especially alert for the Holiday Bowl for some reason when I took the time to explain to her the sport of football and that not all college football teams have uniforms as scary as Oregon.

We also learned that if you’re going to complain about being left out of the title game or the BCS bowls that you better take care of business in your bowl game (looking at Bama and Texas Tech). Mizzou was robbed last year and they responded by blowing up Arkansas.

Texas can do their part tonight and take down Ohio State if they want to be in the argument. But you have to bring it in bowl season. One of the few (and I mean few) good reasons to keep the bowls around is that so many teams get to end their season on a high note. I think teams overlook this opportunity sometimes even if they end up in a supposed “disappointing bowl.�

LSU morale was at an all time (well recently anyway) low the weekend after Thanksgiving. Fast forward a month or so, fire the co-DC’s (errrrrr they found jobs elsewhere) hire a new DC and blowout a bowl opponent that was supposed to roll over you and LSU fans have the “wait till next year-itis� going on.

Whooo-hooo, when’s signing day!!!??

Lastly, we learned that bowl attendance this year pretty much sucked. I could see my daughter staring at the screen during many of the bowl games mesmerized by the solid colors of entire empty sections.

Who do we blame? The economy? The fact that there are maybe too many bowls?? The lack of intrigue? Is this the fans way of saying it's time for a playoff? Who knows. But I have no problem being enthralled in a game on a random Tuesday night in December for some reason. Even if only 25,000 people show up.

Not following ya…

I went to high school with a guy and a gal who ended up getting married. She went to Oklahoma, he went to Florida. I smell drama!

But I made the comment that I was going to the game and wondered if this LSU fan should be worried being surrounded my Oklahoma and Florida fans. The Oklahoma fan said, “As long as you don’t wear your LSU gear.�

You know I never thought about that. Not even for a second.

I don't even consider it an option not to wear my gear. That's just crazy. Plus, about 90% of my T-shirts are LSU and about 80% of my wardrobe is T-shirts. Naw, I'm gonna represent like Congress and just hope for the best. Anyone know the number for Chico's Bail Bonds?

Plus I figure I'll be surrounded by many fans wearing their own gear so I won't stick out that much. Sure, I'll get the occasional "Hey you're at the wrong bowl" or "I think you're a year late, dude" comments or other brilliant attempts of humor at my expense, but I can take it.

I kinda want to pull a Herbstreit and not make a prediction on the game. I'm aware I already have picked Florida to win a squeaker but let's face it, that's probably just because I'm an SEC homer and more familiar with the Gators. And No. 2 has a pretty good record in these games the last few years as well as the Heisman jinx on top of that.

I also have no rooting agenda. Even though I said I'm an SEC homer it doesn't mean I pull for SEC teams. I especially have a hard time pulling for the Gators. I've actually softened up on the Gators a bit. I've met so many great UF fans on this site that I now realize that not all Florida fans are like the orcs in Lord of the Rings. I've come a long way.

So not really caring who's going to win has made me even more excited if that makes any sense. Basically because my stomach won't turn on every play and I'll actually enjoy the ride.

I'm thinking the crowd will be about 70-30 Gators since it's in Miami but I could be wrong. The Buckeyes flooded the streets of New Orleans last year in impressive fashion.

I'll be able to check my B/R profile while in the MIA so feel free to send me a question or comment and I'll do my best to answer your question right on the spot or maybe in a mailbag format after I return. I'll also give you a taste of Miami when I get there and let you know the vibe. And of course when I get back give you my best account of what happened. The portions I can remember anyway.

Go Gators!

Boomer Sooner!

(Oh also, those of you who are familiar with Miami, I'm all ears on what to do.)

By Justin Goar- Blogger
They grow up so fast...
 
Ever since my daughter’s arrived, I’ve been forced to lie to you in the title of this column. This isn’t the “Weekly� Brain Seepage. It’s more like the “Bi-weekly� Brain Seepage or the “Whenever I Have Time, I’ll Get to It� Brain Seepage.
 
In fact, even though she’s only five weeks old, she uttered her first words over the weekend. They were:
 
“You know father, in my own unofficial college football poll I jumped Texas over Oklahoma weeks ago. That’s the great thing about the poll, Dad. I can vote for whoever I want every week. If I saw a potential cluster-F (don’t worry she said “F�, not the whole word) coming in the Big 12 South (I think she means the Big XII, she’s young), I would’ve realized that any voter with a college football soul should vote in the team that won in a head to head battle over the team that tries to run up the score for style points every week. Don’t the pollsters take into account what’s happened over the whole season?�
 
“That’s what the computers are for, honey,� I replied.
 
“Oh right, but haven’t the powers that be limited what the computers say in favor of the humans?� she asked while making spit bubbles.
 
“That’s true, sweetheart,� I said.
 
“Then it’s up to the humans to do what’s right since they can’t control what the computers do?� she asked while fixating her gaze on a nearby lamp.
 
“Well, I guess so,� I said.
 
“Then all these people complaining about the BCS could’ve actually done something about it with their vote? They could have jumped Texas over Oklahoma if they felt that the Longhorns deserved to be in the conference title game,� she stated while soiling herself.
 
“I guess they could have,� I agreed.
 
“But that would counteract their agenda of wanting a playoff if everything works out, right? So maybe voters are voting for what would cause the most chaos in order to cause controversy. Entropy benefits their cause,� she said while crossing her eyes.
 
“Where did you learn all these words? Is this that Baby Einstein?� I asked.
 
“Oh daddy, come on, even a baby can see what’s going on here,� she said while starting to cry.
 
“It’s time to change you, isn’t it?� I asked.
 
“It’s time to change something,� she said poignantly.
 
Out of the mouths of babes.
 
After a clean diaper, I asked her, “What about Texas Tech?�
 
She just rolled her eyes at me (for the first of probably many times, if her mother is any indication).
 
Pretty advanced for a baby with underdeveloped neck muscles and little to no trunk control, eh?
 
 
 
Better than Shreveport...
 
An actual text I received from a buddy (and LSU fanatic) last night:
 
“If you told me during halftime of the Troy game that we’d eventually end up in the Chick-fil-A Bowl, I would have taken it in a heartbeat...�
 
Agreed. But the price of going to such a bowl after a disappointing season is facing Paul Johnson’s option attack in Atlanta. You need a disciplined defense to halt such an attack. Uh-oh.
 
Has a team ever rushed for 700 yards in a game?
 
 
 
The battle lines are drawn...it really just comes down to which coach you hate less...
 
Whether or not you agree with the matchup, it’s going to be a great game indeed. What’s the over/under going to be on this game? 100? 110? 120?
 
Alabama did one of the better jobs of shutting down Florida since they’ve been on their post-Ole Miss streak. The Gators still put up 31.
 
Oklahoma has been scoring on people like a game of Xbox. It’s been ridiculous.
 
The Big 12 (oops, my bad—I mean the Big XII) and the SEC have been on a collision course all season. We knew the best from each conference would end up in Miami.

But if Florida wins the game, fans of the Longhorns and much of the nation will wonder what if...
 
For me, the game comes down to one thing: defense. Actually, opposing defenses.
 
Florida and Tim Tebow have gone up against 10 defenses in the Top 50 this year. Ten! That’s insane, and what’s even more insane is that they won nine of them. Three of them were in the Top 11 (Alabama, South Carolina, and Tennessee).
 
Want to take a guess how many times Oklahoma has gone up against a Top 50 defense?
 
Once.
 
TCU was the only one.
 
Florida is No. 9 in total defense. Oklahoma is No. 65.
 
Sure, add in your Big 12 (oops, my bad—I meant Big XII) arguments here about the league being offensive, and on top of that, the SEC being a defensive league in order to say that the stats don’t matter.
 
And they don’t really, but Florida has seen what some of the best defenses in the land can do, and they still keep trucking. Just some food for thought.
 
 
 
Next to American Idol, it’s a pretty big award...
 
I don’t have a vote for the Heisman, and I hardly really get caught up in the race. Woodson beating Manning way back when kind of turned me off to this whole voting thing, but for what it’s worth (which is nothing), my votes are below. I’ll try to make it sound official by messing with their names to make them sound more official:
 
1) Timothy Tebow
 
(I’m just trying that on. I don’t think it flies. I think I’ll go back to “Tim� or “Tim-ahhh!!!�)
 
I dislike Florida, I really do, but I like Tim Tebow. I can’t help it. Dude’s a player.
 
2) Samuel Bradford
 
I kind of like Samuel in this instance. I think if you went up to a typical 13-year-old kid knows nothing of sports and asked him who Samuel Bradford was, they’d say, “Didn’t he lose to Abraham Lincoln or something?" I weep for the future.
 
Of course, if I knew nothing of sports and you asked me who he was, I’d probably say, “Wasn’t he one of Dick Van Patten’s kids on Eight is Enough?�
 
3) Colton McCoy
 
Like I stated earlier in the season, Colt McCoy is one sweet name. In fact, if there was a Heisman for names, he’d win every year. If I didn’t know anything about sports (I apparently like this premise, and I’m sure some of you think it’s not a premise as much as a fact), and you wanted to sell me a gun (which I also know nothing about), and you said you wanna buy a “Colt McCoy,� I’d be like hell yeah, I do!
 
Then I’d buy some chaps, spurs, and a cowboy hat because I don’t own those things—not even recreational versions of those things, if you know what I mean.
 
Then I’d saunter around my backyard and shoot anything that moves with my sweet Colt McCoy handgun.
 
Oh, and a duster. I’d need a duster.
 
 
 
What about Sam Winters...can I vote for him?
 
OK, while I’m in the voting spirit, I’m trying to decide my coach of the year ballots. I’m trying to come up with one reason why I shouldn’t have Nick Saban as No. 1...
 
I’m waiting...
 
Maybe Joe Pa.
 
Maybe.
 
But Joe Pa’s unlikely season was derailed by Iowa. Saban’s perfect run was ended by a Heisman winner and the best team in the SEC (and maybe the country). Even the game itself was a testament to Saban’s coaching since most predicted the Gators would win big, and for most of the game, the Gators played Bama’s style of football.
 
Pete Carroll, Bob Stoops, Mack Brown, Urban Meyer, Gary Patterson, Chris Petersen, Brian Kelly, Mike Leach, Paul Johnson (who should take “coach at a new school� honors), Brady Hoke, Skip Holtz?
 
Nah, I gotta do what I gotta do. Bama was a year or so away. Saban made it happen early.
 
1) Nick Saban
 
2) Joe Paterno
 
3) Mike Leach
 
Honorable Mention: Paul Johnson
 
Maybe you can convince me otherwise.
 
 
 
Duck Duck Duck...Goose!!!
 
Oregon State. Tsk Tsk Tsk. I was pulling for you guys against the Ducks (and I like me some Ducks), and all you had to do was win and go to the Rose Bowl. The ROSE BOWL!
 
Mike Bellotti’s bunch put a whipping on the Beavers and knocked them all the way back to the Sun Bowl.
 
Now the Ducks get to go to sunny San Diego for the Holiday Bowl against the Oklahoma State Pokes, and the Beavers head to El Paso to take on Pittsburgh.
 
No offense to El Paso, but I’m thinking San Diego would’ve been the better trip. Beavers win the “biggest fall� award. The good news...�Da Quizz� is only a freshman.
 
 
 
Don’t you hate it when...?
 
I think we’re pretty much all agreed that there’s not many things worse than someone talking about their fantasy football league/team, especially if you’re not in the league with them. In spite of this, I’m going to do it right here.
 
At one point, I was 2-5 in my head to head league and looking forward to next season’s draft. Last year ended in heartbreak as I missed the four-team playoff by a tiebreaker in the final week. But then after the 2-5 start, the Colts started winning, so Peyton’s stats got better.
 
Michael Turner has been stellar all year, and my most problem spot all year (second running back) was filled in nicely by Chester Taylor in the past weeks. My WR combo of Andre and Calvin Johnson, along with Lee Evans, has also been solid, and the Ravens' D (thank you Ed Reed) is always consistent.
 
I won six of my last seven games, including taking down the league leader in the final week of the regular season. After the Saints and LSU this season, I was in need of some football karma.
 
So watch out for the Deep Snappers in the playoffs. Peyton has the Lions this weekend. The rest of the league is on notice—the Snap Attack is back.
 
Did I lose every single reader I had in this section? Probably so—it’s time to wrap up.
 
 
 
“The most wonderful time of the year...�
 
Coming soon for the fifth year now and first time on Bleacher Report, The Annual JWBS Bowl Picks Extravaganzpalooz-spectacularrrrrr!!!
 
After being undefeated for the first three years, I picked against my wife last year, and she beat me by a game. In order to avenge my loss to the fairer sex, I took on Bleacher Report’s Lisa Horne in her weekly picks one week.
 
I got destroyed. Badly. I’m still a bit sore from the beating I took. I get recurring headaches now, and my jaw clicks when I open my mouth too far.
 
But to put all that behind me and prove last year was a fluke, I’m taking on the wife again because she wants to defend her title, and she’d like something to do while on maternity leave.
 
My wife brings the insight of a person that watched only five hours of football this entire season.
 
She’s been pretty hard to live with over the past year, as I’ve heard such trash talk as:
 
“Are we going to do that bowl thingy again this year? I won last year, right? Or was it the year before? I don’t remember. How did I win?�
 
Boy, she’s just relentless, I tell ya.
 
See you next week.
 
Go Tigers!!!

Ed. Note.
Contrary to Popular belief, we are not dead, nor did we jump into the thanksgiving fryers. We will be back, as soon as it stops hurting.

by Justin Goar- Blogger

With college coaching casualties run amuck in 2008, it's widely believed that LSU will add its co-defensive coordinators (Doug Mallory and Bradley Dale Peveto) to the chopping block as well. LSU message boards are a buzz with many names to fill the upcoming vacancy. One of the most mentioned is former Tennessee Volunteer defensive coordinator John Chavis.

John Chavis was not retained by new head coach Lane Kiffin, who has sights set on his father Monte to coach the defense.
That leaves Chavis looking for a job and LSU having an opening.
When Nebraska hired Bo Pelini last year I got an email from a Nebraska fan wanting to pick my brain about Pelini since he was the defensive coordinator at LSU.

I think I wrote back more than what was expected and the Husker fan thanked me because the info that I gave was far better then what he was able to find on his own.
I was brutally honest on what I thought Pelini's  strengths and weaknesses were and more or less thought he was a great hire in Lincoln.
So with so much being said about Chavis here in Louisiana, I thought I'd turn the tables and ask someone who really knows his way around the Volunteer Nation about the possibility of John Chavis joining Les Miles' staff.

I turned to Bleacher Creature Will Shelton. To be as concise as possible about Will, I like his writing because he knows his stuff. He's one of those few writers that I will check out his new stuff as soon as I see it no matter the topic. Will is the founder of the Southeastern Sports Blog and a well respected writer here on Bleacher Report.
LSU fans want to hear what Vol fans have to say about Chavis. I pick Will's brain on Chavis and the goings on in Knoxville.

JG: As a Tennessee fan and writer, how do you feel about Chavis' tenure in Knoxville?
WS: Personally, I was and I remain a huge fan of John Chavis.  Tennessee defenses since his promotion to DC in 1995 have been in the top tier of the SEC almost every single season - his consistency to me is one of his greatest strengths.  There's a percentage of Tennessee fans who've voiced displeasure at what he's done over the last few years, but when you look at the numbers to me those concerns came more out of a general dissatisfaction with the program instead of specific issues with the defense - the Vols are 4th nationally in total defense right now with an offense that's ranked 116th in the same category.  With very few exceptions that can be attributed to inexperience and having to play Florida early in the season, I think John Chavis has been absolutely outstanding over the course of 14 seasons.
If you like numbers, in his tenure as UT's defensive coordinator the Vols gave up less than 300 yards per game (294 on average) and less than 20 points per game (18.8 on average).

JG: "Soft zone" is a dirty word in Baton Rouge, how would you characterize Chavis' "style of play" or scheme?
Is it at all dependent on personnel or opposing offenses for that week?
WS: It's funny, soft zone might be the biggest complaint about Chavis' style.
There was an NFL scout a few years back, and I can't remember his name, but in talking about Tennessee's defensive players he said "The Tennessee guys always have the run-hit philosophy:  they're fast, and when they get there they're in a bad mood."
Chavis has always employed a 4-3 defense that utilizes speed and athleticism.  When Tennessee was on top of the college football world in the late 90s, their defense was so tough to deal with because it combined these incredible athletes with an offense that allowed them to be super- aggressive and take chances; when Peyton Manning was your quarterback, you knew you could go full-tilt and gamble on defense and he had your back.  And they did.  All the Tennessee sack records that don't belong to Reggie White come from this era.
When Manning wasn't under center or the Vols didn't have an explosive offense, the defense could throttle back some but was still very capable of carrying the entire team - the Vols won the National Championship in 1998 with an inexperienced quarterback and the loss of Jamal Lewis because their defense put them on their shoulders the entire season.  That team established a mentality that Vol defenses have upheld, for the most part, ever since:  you will not drive 80 yards on us.  Whether by someone making a play (again, speed and athleticism) or by your quarterback making a bad decision against our coverage, you won't go 80 yards against us.  Long drives against Chavis defenses are few and far between.
Under Chavis, the Vols have put guys like Leonard Little, Shaun Ellis, Darwin Walker, Al Wilson, Deon Grant, John Henderson, Al Haynesworth, Gibril Wilson, Jason Allen, and now Jerod Mayo in the NFL as starters.
Chavis has always been more about players than scheme, but even in the last few years when Tennessee's talent level has decreased, he still finds ways to maximize what's out there.  Even if he doesn't have NFL athletes, he'll put the right guy in the right spot to make a play with alarming consistency.  And putting guys in the right position is why Eric Berry has seven interceptions this season on a team that's really not spectacular on the defensive front and doesn't pressure quarterbacks to make hurried throws.
Getting back to the "soft zone"—Tennessee defenses were typically aggressive under Chavis, except in third down situations.  The biggest complaint Vol fans would have about him is what some would call "Third and Chavis", where the Vols employed their "Mustang" package—three down linemen, two linebackers and six DBs—and trusted athleticism in the secondary to make a play instead of going after the quarterback.
Some of Tennessee's most heartbreaking 4th quarter losses can be attributed to the use of this package in late game situations—we helped make JaMarcus Russell the first pick in the draft using some of this package in 2006.
 
JG: I think JC used to coach from the sidelines but has since moved to the booth. Has this been a good move?
WS: Again, Chavis is so consistent I haven't noticed any difference whatsoever.  There's a great level of trust between Chavis and his defensive assistants (Dan Brooks, Steve Caldwell, Larry Slade) that helps him manage wherever he wanted to be on comedy.  Those assistants had also all been on staff much longer than most SEC schools keep guys around, which helped build that consistency.
 
JG: LSU's defensive discipline has dropped off this year not only with some brain lapses but also some lapses in the fundamentals mainly tackling. What's Chavis' coaching style individually with his players? Is he a hands on guy? An in your face guy? More of a guru? Has any of this changed with his move to the booth? Is he the kind of guy that commands respect from his players?
WS: Chavis is capable of being all of the above—he's very protective of his players, never ever threw them under the bus or called a guy out publicly.  He's also very hesitant with individual praise, so when he says something like "Eric Berry is the best defender in America", you know it's serious business with him.  The players respect The Chief from day one as far as I can tell - there have been issues with guys on the second team not working hard enough or being mature enough, but I think you find that problem to a degree anywhere.
Chavis just does what he does—during Fulmer's last week, when everybody kept asking him how he was going to respond or get emotional, he said he'd just finish the game, change clothes, and go home.  He's just business like with a reputation that precedes him, and he worked on a staff that was very family-oriented—he and Fulmer meshed really really well together.
I wouldn't call him a guru, but he's certainly capable of being hands on and in your face.
 
JG: Chavis has seemed to excel against pro style offenses in his career. With the advent of the spread offense especially in rival Florida (LSU plays Florida every year as well), how effective has Chavis been against the spread keeping in mind that most DC's in the country are working to gameplan against it effectively in recent years.
WS: The first two years Chavis saw the spread, the Vols crushed it—they gave up 16 points to the Gators in 2005 (and gave away 10 of those from special teams errors), and 21 in 2006.  Problem is, Florida won both those games.  But Chavis had the guys ready and put his athletes in the right spots.
Same thing happened this year—Florida won 30-6, but scored a touchdown on a punt return and got another three on a cheap turnover inside our own 30, and Chavis held the Florida offense that looks so ridiculously unstoppable right now to less than 250 yards.  We just never ever helped him out on offense against Meyer's Gators.
In 2007, Tennessee was so young on defense that Florida torched them for 59 (45 actually given up by the defense).  But an important quality to know about Chavis is that his defenses always, always get better during the course of the year.
Admittedly, Chavis is not the best in the world at the halftime adjustment - the Vols do what they do and if you can figure out a hole in it, or if you drastically change what you do, Chavis is either stubborn or something else and we never adjust.  Why did LSU beat Tennessee in the SEC Championship Game in 2001 when Rohan Davey and LaBrandon Toefield went out?  Because we didn't make any adjustment to Matt Mauck.  Why did UCLA beat us this year?  Because when Kevin Craft stopped throwing deep over the middle after his fourth interception and just went to the short dumps, we didn't make any adjustment.
But Chavis is one of the best I've ever seen, ever, at making a defense better from September to November.
In his first season, the Vols gave up 62 to Florida in September.  In January, they completely shut down Eddie George and Ohio State in the Citrus Bowl.  In '98, Donovan McNabb picked the Vols apart in the season opener.  Tennessee went on to win the National Championship on the strength of that same defense.
The same defense that got shredded by Florida and Cal in September '07 put the clamps on Georgia in October, shut down Darren McFadden and Felix Jones in November, and played LSU off its feet in the SEC Championship Game.
He's too stubborn to make a solid halftime adjustment.  But I promise you he'll adjust better Monday-Friday than anyone else.
And back to the question, the spread isn't what Chavis had the most trouble with - it's the power option.
Go back and watch the two bowl games against Nebraska, the 2001 Cotton Bowl against Kansas State, or a 2006 game against Air Force where the Vols had to stop a two point conversion to win 31-30.  The Power Option is undefeated against John Chavis.  Don't schedule Georgia Tech.  
 
JG: That's funny if LSU's bowl projection rumors are true. Ok, role play time: You're Phil Fulmer, I'm Les Miles. I'm calling you b/c we have our DC position open and we wanted to look at John Chavis to possibly fill it. Would Chavis be a good fit for LSU and how glowing would your recommendation be?
WS: I'd say Phillip Fulmer would give Chavis a five-star recommendation, and if Fulmer wanted to coach again right now (which I don't think he does, not this year anyway) he'd take Chavis with him in a nanosecond.  He'd also take the defensive assistants.
Letting Chavis recruit defensive players with Les Miles and the more talented state of Louisiana to pull from?  Oh, I'd like that very much.  The Vols had a history of going out and getting the best players and Chavis was a big part of that - on that list of NFL starters I used earlier, only Al Wilson and John Henderson were from the state of Tennessee—everyone else Chavis went out and got.  With a better talent pool to start from, I shudder to say it, but Chavis defenses could be even better.
Chavis is going to give you rock-solid defenses.  It's not a cute style and he's really boring at the podium.  But those kids are going to come to work for him every day and every single play, he's going to put them in the right spots, and let their natural talents do the rest.  If I was LSU I would love to have him, and as a Tennessee fan if this happens I'm glad we don't play you next year.  And I won't be glad when we do in 2010.
 

JG: Let's move to the Tennessee side of things. Were you in favor of Fulmer's "retirement" this year? How will he go down in Tennessee lore? Any chance you'll be attending games in Neyland-Fulmer Stadium one day?
WS: Fulmer would never go for Neyland-Fulmer Stadium, and under AD Mike Hamilton we've started naming everything else under the sun; when Peyton Manning only gets a street (which Fulmer already has) and the locker room named after him, you know we've been busy.

I was in favor of Fulmer, as early as the week after the Florida loss, announcing that 2009 would have been his last season.  You don't want your guy to go out at 5-7, but you can't stay as divided and frustrated as we were.  Hundreds of Alabama fans in season ticket holder seats sealed Fulmer's fate as much as the outcome of that game did.
I think this was just the move that had to be made—I hated it the day it happened, but watching him ride off on the shoulders of his offensive linemen was a good moment.  And now we've moved on because the new guy is already out there telling four star kids they're not for us.

He'll still go down in Tennessee lore as the guy who took us to the promised land. Almost none of the fans who follow the Vols today were old enough to be there in 1951 when we last won it all, so 1998 for almost all of us was the best moment of our sports lives.  And Fulmer (and Chavis) get all the credit for that.

I hope that Fulmer takes a year off and then comes back and says "You know what, I'd love that administrative position you offered me."  Not sure that's realistic, but I can't see that man wearing something other than our shade of orange.  And I'd love to have him as Lane Kiffin's psuedo-mentor.  But if I got what I wanted we wouldn't be 5-7 right now.

JG: You approved of the Kiffin hire in your latest article.
So far, it seems Kiffin has done a great job of assembling what's there so far of his staff. Kiffin has proved that he can recruit at USC but USC practically recruits itself. One knock I heard on Fulmer from Tenn fans was that recruiting had fallen off as of late under Fulmer.
Tennessee doesn't have the in state talent of some other SEC schools. Is Kiffin's biggest challenge going to be getting four and five-star out of state athletes to come to Knoxville? Or will it be something else?
WS: Kiffin's biggest challenge, I think, will be survival.

He's in a great position right now because Tennessee won't possibly face anything harder next season than we went through in 2008—even if we're 0-12, you won't have the emotional turmoil and divided fanbase over firing a guy who's given you 35 years of his life and a National Championship.  And the Tennessee offense was so atrocious this year - again, 116th in total yards—Kiffin could do better by accident.
But his name—and it's not his name, it's his father's name, it's the names of the NFL coaches he's worked with, Pete Carroll and the names of every USC player from the first half of this decade—the names have evaporated any shred of patience Vol fans might've had with a new coach.  Had it been Brian Kelly, we would've bought into a rebuilding process more.

With Kiffin, those faint beliefs that we're still a good football team right now will only be amplified.  And in an SEC that clearly throws coaches to the wolves and where you can go from the Georgia Dome to home for the holidays (and likewise, from 6-6 to No. 1), Kiffin will need to do something big early to survive.  When Mike Shula was at Alabama, I thought what he did in 2005 qualified as big.  I was wrong.

That starts with recruiting, yeah.  Tennessee had the 6th best class nationally (according to Rivals) before Fulmer's announcement; we've lost some kids and now it's down to 10th.  And Kiffin has already told a four-star QB commit that he doesn't fit our new system—and I love the honesty, it's just that when you look at how totally inept our quarterback play was all season in 2008, if we're telling a four star kid he doesn't work, I hope Kiffin's got something else up his sleeve.

He also needs to understand that "locking up the state" is great...but Knoxville is six hours away from Memphis and much closer to Atlanta, Cincinnati, Charlotte, and Louisville.  So getting the in-state kids is always good, but Tennessee's success has been built on recruiting not just the south, but nationally - some of our best players in the last ten years have come from west of the Mississippi.

Nonetheless, to his credit Kiffin said in the press conference that people say it's easy to recruit at USC, and it is...now.  When he started USC was 6-6 and coming off a loss to Utah in the Las Vegas Bowl.  They have the same facilities there now they had when OJ Simpson was playing (his quote).  He helped establish that culture, and he was the one who got them recruiting nationally (LenDale White, Mike Williams, etc.)

The SEC is a crowded field, and he's got his work cut out for him.  Bruce Pearl said when he came to Tennessee that new coaches need to win all the games they're supposed to, establish the culture early, and win some of the ones they're not supposed to.  That's a great model for Kiffin—win the non-conference, keep beating Kentucky and Vanderbilt and you've got six wins right there.  Get a big win early (and at this point UCLA would qualify next year) to establish that good things can happen.

And then just win a couple of those bigger SEC games—that was Fulmer's problem this year, he never beat anybody of enough merit to stop the snowball from rolling downhill.  If Kiffin can establish himself well enough to survive the first three years, I think he'll be fine.  And in those three years, if he recruits well the Vols can build the talent base back up so that we'll have more than six games that we should win.
 
JG: Which happens first: The Vols in a BCS Bowl game or the Vols in the Final Four?
WS: Yikes...good question.
The Final Four thing all depends on who we catch in the tournament.  Last season the Vols were as good as they've ever been, but the draw was a total nightmare - even if we'd gotten past Louisville, North Carolina would've been waiting.  But in Pearl's first two seasons, the Vols got spectacular draws and just failed to take advantage of them.

The SEC is screwy in football and while I think Florida and Alabama are safe in Atlanta again next year, if the rest of the conference falls off again an SEC team that went 10-2 in the next couple of years could have a shot at the BCS.  I'll roll the dice on a favorable draw and say the Final Four, cause I think Pearl and the Vols aren't going anywhere on the basketball court.  Kiffin could sneak in there at some point sooner than people think, but I need to see it first.
 
JG: Lastly, how deep do the Vols go in the NCAA tournament this March?
WS: Again, the draw.  This is a team that's playing four freshmen and a juco transfer heavy minutes—they're going to get better as the season progresses.  And they're already pretty good.  The SEC is down and the Vols are, in my estimation, clearly the best team in the conference right now.

It's hard to build in basketball when you're good because players leave early, and this will be the last year for Tyler Smith (who just got the first triple-double in program history last night)—so part of me wants to say they'd better go deep this year because they won't do it without him, but we're already doing it without Chris Lofton.
Everytime I underestimate Bruce Pearl I'm wrong—I thought there was no way the Vols would take Georgetown in the Old Spice Classic, and they won by a dozen.

I think winning the SEC will set the Vols up with nothing less than a 3 seed - I'm gonna say the Elite Eight simply because that's our current ceiling - we're 0-4 in program history in the Sweet 16.  I think this team can break that barrier...and depending on the draw and the shooting touch come March, who knows...

By Justin Goar-Blogger

Wasn’t that the show with Chris Elliot…?

Michigan coach Rich Rodriguez told Wolverine fans to “get a life� this week. Yeah Rich, that’s exactly what you want. The hundred grand worth of fans that show up in Ann Arbor on Saturdays taking leisure classes or gardening or volunteering at a soup kitchen instead of packing your stadium and cheering for your team.

I don’t know how things work in Michigan, but in Baton Rouge we put our lives on hold for football season. We schedule weddings, births (not always possible, trust me), and other events around LSU football Saturdays.

Several charities scramble to hold their fundraising events on bye weeks in order to get people to show up. And if an event has to happen on a game day, then the game is incorporated into the event, such as my daughter’s birthday parties for the next 18 years.

College football fans are some of the most dedicated fans in all of sports. Trust me Rich, you don’t want them to get a life. If they do, it’ll mean they’ve stopped caring, and that’ll mean you’ll have to “get a job.�

Now we’ll test the true power of this fully operational battle station...

With ESPN’s new deal with the SEC and with the BCS, look for:

- ESPN to finally push the SEC! Just think, such a move last year might’ve caused every single person on the ESPN Pre-game set to pick LSU instead of Ohio State before last year’s BCS Championship, instead of the other way around.

No one remembers that, do they? Everyone picked against Ohio State at ESPN. Everyone—Lee, Chris, Kirk, Desmond, Mark, Lou, guest commentators, interns, the sound guy, the camera man, runners, the teleprompter guy...!

- South Carolina to become Dr. Lou’s main talking point instead of Notre Dame.

- Fox analyst Charles Davis will jump to ESPN. This isn’t really a joke. He’s not horrible—for some reason I like him, and since Fox’s main network hosts about seven whole games a year, why not?

- Everyone at the worldwide leader to all of a sudden be OK with this BCS format instead of a playoff system. Which will prompt ESPN to hire the senior Jim Mora: “Playoffs!!!???? Don’t talk about playoffs!!! Are you kidding me, playoffs???!!�

- Everyone else in the nation to hate the SEC even more. Don’t hate...appreciate. Maybe the BCS championship could just be the SEC championship game. I’m just kidding.

-Oh crap, does this mean LSU will have to play Mississippi State right after “GameDay� with Pam Ward announcing?! Please God, NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!

Get Excited, It’s Magnolia Bowl time!!!

What, you haven’t heard of the Magnolia Bowl?? Why, it’s been played 96 times since 1894. It’s the new name for the LSU-Ole Miss game. These two rivals hate each other and always seem to hook up late in the season. LSU and Ole Miss have taken turns spoiling each other’s seasons since the two schools started playing football.

This might not be a well-known rivalry across the nation, but the two fanbases are well aware of the history of hatred between the two schools. But since the game has lost some of the intensity through the years (mainly after those years ending in '50s or '60s), the game now has a new name.

The “Magnolia Bowl� was a joint creation by both schools' student governments in order to rejuvenate the rivalry. There will also be a traveling trophy awarded to the winner every year.

That now makes three rivalry games that LSU fans couldn’t care less about:

1) The Tiger Rag: the LSU-Tulane game

2) The Battle for the Golden Boot: the LSU-Arkansas game

3) The Magnolia Bowl: the LSU-Ole Miss game.

Be on the lookout for other fabricated rivalries in the future, like the Battle for the Platinum Overalls: the LSU-Mississippi State game.

Real rivalries don’t always need a name and a trophy. LSU fans are well aware the pest that Ole Miss has been to them in recent years, and it would make the Rebels’ season to beat LSU just about every year. No need to try and dress this thing up.

Other fun facts for this weekend:

LSU will try for win No. 700 of its program’s history against Ole Miss. Only 11 other programs have won that many games.

This will be the first time since 1997 that Ole Miss has played at Tiger Stadium during the day.

Why does that sound familiar to LSU fans?? Because it was the week after LSU upset No. 1 Florida 28-21. LSU came out and followed up Gerry DiNardo’s biggest win with a crippling loss, 36-21.

LSU’s win over Troy marked the 11th time in four seasons the Tigers have come back in the fourth quarter to win under Les Miles.

The month of November has been very good to LSU. The Tigers are 20 for their last 22 in November games.

Houston Nutt’s last visit to Tiger Stadium was a win when his Arkansas Razorbacks beat LSU in a 50-48 triple OT thriller last season.

Prediction? Pain

I didn’t like the intensity exhibited by the team in last week’s game, and the coaches did a poor job of preparing the players.

Maybe it was a one-week brain fart, and in light of it the Tigers will come out more focused this week, but inconsistency still runs amuck in the offense and defense in Baton Rouge. Ole Miss is not a pushover, and even when they are, they’ll play the Tigers tough. It’s just the nature of the rivalry lately.

When it comes down to it, I like Ole Miss’s offense to put up more points than LSU’s offense. It’s plain and simple, and a pretty disappointing senior day for the Tigers.

Ole Miss 34, LSU 28

by Justin Goar- Blogger

The biggest comeback in LSU history.

That’s what LSU’s 40-31 victory over Troy was Saturday night. After trailing 31-3 deep in the third quarter, the Tigers flipped the switch and Troy fell apart.

So if you’re savoring this win, I’m happy for you, but don’t let the result blind you.

LSU should never have gotten behind by four TDs in the first place. The fact that LSU won this game is a testament to LSU’s players and coaches for not quitting, but you should feel more negative feelings about this game than positive ones.

The biggest problem is LSU is not improving as the season progresses (see: Florida).

That’s the red flag.

This game turned into a runaway kid. You know, the kid that gets angry with his parents and decides to run away from home. After hours of being missing the parents are worried sick, but in the end, the kid gets found and the parents are so happy to see their little darling they don’t punish him, because in the end he wound up being safe.

Ground that kid for life!!! He still needs to learn his lesson. If no lesson was learned in this game, then next time there'll be no comeback.

This game brought on some other points...

1) The “agent of change�

When trying to decide what I was going to write about this week while it seemed LSU was going to drop a laugher, I thought that this game in the long run wouldn’t be a bad thing since it would probably mean the end of the dual defensive coordinator experiment.

I thought this game would force Les Miles’ hand to scrap the Doug Mallory and Bradley Dale Peveto arrangement at DC. Les is known as being loyal to his players and coaches, and I thought it would take a glaring trespass to remove these two guys.

Losing to Troy would be glaring. But after being torched by Troy’s spread for 31 points (err, make that 24—Jarrett Lee gave the other seven), the defense looked abysmal. No pressure, no coverage, no intensity, and they looked confused.

The defensive backs constantly played with too much cushion. I understand that comes from a coaching staff that doesn’t trust its DBs, but change it up every once in a while, will ya?

Troy dinked and dunked its way to 200 yards passing in the first half. LSU was picked apart like a Thanksgiving turkey.

If Les Miles, whose background is offense, wants to succeed, he’ll need a strong defensive coordinator. He used to have one in Bo Pelini. Miles thought by establishing Mallory and Peveto as the co-DCs and promoting from within he would be able to establish continuity in the defense, as well as stay loyal to his coaches.

The problem is, it’s not working out, and the shaky play of Jarrett Lee is overshadowing the real problem—the defense.

Losing this game would have insured that Miles would’ve made a change at DC. Now with what’s considered “good� defensive performances against Alabama and the ability to shut down Troy in the latter parts of Saturday’s game, this may keep these two guys in the same spots next year.

That’s not a good thing.

2) The offense

So many want to say it’s Offensive Coordinator Gary Crowton’s fault for putting Jarrett Lee in tough situations, but it’s not always the case. The main gripe is that we don’t run the ball enough, but those that watched the game knew that Charles Scott was getting stopped over and over again. No one seems to remember that for some reason.

Troy did exactly what you should do against LSU: Stack the box and make the QB beat you. Neither Lee nor true freshman Jordan Jefferson was able to do that until the waning moments of the third, where a dual effort by both QBs ended a drive in the end zone. From there, the defense stiffened and the two units fed off each other.

3) Jarrett Lee

You can heap as much praise as you want to on the kid for the comeback, and it’s well deserved, but he dug that hole in the ground that created the mountain he and the rest of the team had to climb.

Lee has spotted six out of the last seven teams he’s faced seven points each. He spotted Georgia 14.

The fact that LSU has only managed three losses (all to teams currently in the top 10) while basically starting each game with a -7 spot is incredible.

The simple fact is that Lee is young, inexperienced, still making mistakes, and is the victim of some bad luck as well.

What fans are worried about, though, is Lee’s lack of improvement through the year. Lee will never suffer for arm strength but has trouble with his progressions and reads. He sometimes forces balls he shouldn’t be forcing.

Little simple missteps that should be avoided through repetition are finding their way into his game week after week. So the question becomes: How much time does Lee need?

Is it too much to expect him to become more efficient as the season goes on, or does he need a whole year or two under his belt before he can pay dividends?

I’m not saying he needs to come along right now, but other than second halves against Auburn and Troy, little improvement has been shown. But again, he is a freshman.

4) The fans

OK, first off I can write anything critical I want to about Lee within reason. I can say he does things wrong mentally or mechanically and not be off base because this is still football we’re talking about, and those mistakes are happening in front of our faces.

I would never question his heart or his will to succeed even if they were in question because honestly, I don’t know the guy. (Not that either of those attributes are in question anyhow.)

I don’t know the time he puts in every week working to become better. But I do see where he makes mistakes on the football field and can comment on that.

But fans, c’mon, you can’t boo the guy. I don’t care how much you pay for your seat, you just can’t boo him.

Every week it gets worse.

Some disguise their actions by saying, “I wasn’t booing him, I was booing the coaching staff.�

How about not booing at all? Is that too crazy?

If you want to show discontent, don’t renew your season tickets or call in to Les Miles’ radio show and ask him a question. But the booing of Lee needs to stop. Period. He is trying his best, and after Saturday night, I don’t think there’s any question that he is our best option at the position right now, so deal with it.

Next issue...

If Tiger Stadium holds 92,000-plus, then about 60,000 people headed for the exits around halftime.

I know the weather had a lot to do with that. People down here don’t like the cold, and many go to games with wives and kids, which makes it difficult if you’re outvoted on staying and watching a team playing like garbage while suffering through a windy 30-degree wind chill debacle. Not to mention sitting through homecoming halftime, which lasts like 40 minutes.

So there were many strikes already working against the fans on this night.

And let’s be honest, this kind of thing happens all over the nation so don’t get too worked up about what other people (like ESPN) are saying about you.

Do I really care that so many fans left early?

For some reason I don’t. I’d rather someone leave early than boo. LSU basketball coach John Brady got fired when people refused to come to games. The fans’ message was finally sent and received.

While Les Miles praised the fans who did stay (and my hat's off to them as well), maybe the louder message was sent to Miles by those who left. That the first 30 and the ensuing 14 minutes of so-called football LSU put together was uninspiring, unwatchable, and unacceptable.

Since the game was only televised locally through pay per view, it took a real fan to stay in a seat or tuned to the radio after three quarters of such a horrid performance.

I was one of those pay per view guys who sat through the whole thing in the comfort of my living room. But I really wanted to watch the whole thing to see if the Tigers could put forth an effort at some point. Of course, they finally did, but the outcome of this game shouldn’t overshadow deficiencies that nine times out of 10 lose that game against an inferior opponent.

So in a way, I think it’s OK to leave, but another part of me dislikes the direction some of the fans are taking these days.

This fan base has become too spoiled in recent years, and it showed Saturday night. In my own very humble opinion, this is what happens when you price your regular fans out of the stadium and you get the richer fans who look at this as more of a social event or a chance to wine and dine clients, rather than the one of a kind football experience that it is—or at least it used to be.

The Athletic Department would tell you that it’s the cost of doing business if you want to be an elite program.

The fans responded by saying the price of your cost of doing business is only 30,000 fans in seats after halftime if your elite program lays an egg against a team like Troy.

It works both ways.

Could the fans have been better? Yes.

Could the players and coaches have done better? Yes.

Let’s wipe the slate clean and focus on the Rebels, because they’ll be exponentially more trouble than the Troy Trojans.

LSU avoided disaster last week—can they do the same against Ole Miss?

If they don’t, here’s one fan who wouldn’t be surprised.

I’m back...
 
How dare I neglect you all to help my newborn daughter along in the first two weeks of her life??!! How selfish! It won’t happen again.
 
Or maybe it will. I don’t know. I forgot what free time looks like.
 
Lil' Samantha says “Go Tigers!!�
 
Actually she doesn’t say anything yet, but I write “Alabama,� “Auburn,� “Florida,� and “Ole Miss� on every diaper, and you should see how she treats those.

Expectations
 
Just about every year since 2004, I have to have a little state of the union in the preseason with LSU fans regarding expectations.
 
They can be poison for a program. Nick Saban recognized it when he was here with the infamous “chicken little� syndrome.
 
Most Tiger fans knew with having to replace so many starters that LSU would suffer some tough losses this year. The general consensus was about three losses—where the Tigers sit now.
 
Those three losses were to the No. 1 team in overtime and two lopsided losses to the No. 3 team and No. 12 team in the nation. The No. 12 team lost to the No. 1 and No. 3 teams as well.
 
So with a few days to digest the tough loss to Alabama, LSU fans are coming around to the fact that they can finish 9-3. But just like preseason expectations, they best not count their chickens.
 
LSU will play Troy this weekend in a game that was postponed due to Hurricane Gustav.
 
Despite playing in the Sun Belt, Troy is a team that can surprise you.
 
Nationally, Troy is ranked in the top 20 in several important offensive categories. Also, the Trojans are No. 8 in the country in sacks, No. 4 in tackles for a loss, and No. 5 in interceptions.
 
Interceptions???
 
LSU fans are a little too familiar with those this year, especially the Pick Six variety.
 
After Troy, the Tigers take on Ole Miss, which gives LSU fits recently, especially in Tiger Stadium. Ole Miss beat the Florida Gators earlier in the season in the Swamp, and Alabama (and Wake Forest too) barely escaped the upset versus the Rebels.
 
Then LSU ends the regular season by going to Little Rock and taking on Arkansas, which won’t be as easy as most think either.
 
All that before the postseason. If the SEC champ goes to Miami and the loser of the SEC CG goes to New Orleans for the Sugar, then look for the Tigers to end up somewhere like the Cotton Bowl and taking on the odd man out in the Texas Tech-Oklahoma-Texas BCS Derby.
 
Any one of those three teams would spell trouble for the Tigers in Dallas.
 
So Tiger fans, please don’t assume the rest of the season is a cakewalk, and please don’t expect to win the bowl, even after winning the last three bowls.
 
Besides a dominant performance by Texas in ’02 and a Hail Mary by Iowa in ’04, the Tigers have won every bowl they’ve played in since 2000.
 
This year may prove to be a little tougher, and LSU fans must accept that. But with the current No. 2-ranked 2009 recruiting class according to ESPN, I wouldn’t consider the 2008 W-L record as the beginning of a trend, no matter how many people that may disappoint.
 
On the same track, I urge you to check out an article by newcomer Kevin Strickland about expectations, Nick Saban, and Alabama. He brings up great points.

Tide is high...
 
No way Alabama drops a game to Mississippi State or Auburn before they face Florida. There’s just absolutely no way. It just won’t happen. If I were a betting man, I’d wager just about everything I own on the fact that Bama will be undefeated going into Atlanta.
 
Even though Croom usually has his guys psyched up to face his alma mater, the Bulldogs won’t sniff a lead against Alabama because they can’t score. I mean, barring some kind of unlikely offensive explosion and a massive letdown in play because of a hard-fought, emotional win in Baton Rouge last week, this is a virtual lock for the Tide.
 
And after the meltdown at Auburn this year, it looks like the streak will finally be broken. I’m sure the Tide fans know how important this game will be in getting to the National Championship, and I’m sure they won’t go in with the foregone conclusion that they’ll destroy Auburn and will look ahead to the Gators, so the fans won’t mentally be into the game as much as usual. That would never happen.
 
So two easy wins for the Tide as they cruise into Atlanta to face the Gators for a right to play for the National Championship. But for the next two weeks, nothing to see here, just the Tide cakewalking to Atlanta and then Miami. Nothing, and I mean nothing, could ever possibly stand in their way now. I’d wish them luck, but they would never need it in two games they could sleepwalk through and still win.
 
I’m naming what I just wrote as “passive aggressive voodoo.� RTR.

Guns up b!#&*^$...
 
I’m not quite sure why, but I kind of like Texas Tech. I can’t really explain it. I’ve been friendly towards UT through the years (mainly because of my aversion to the Aggies), and I’m not the biggest Oklahoma fan you would find. But as I look down the list for potential NC contenders, the Red Raiders are a team I want to see in Miami for these reasons three.
 
1) Offense, Offense, Offense!!!
 
Don’t get me wrong—I think defense wins championships. But all this crazy offense and point scoring is the exciting mistress to my happily married defensively dominating SEC way of life.
 
2) Mike Leach
 
I think he should have his own reality show. The stuff that comes out of this guy’s mouth is Gary Busey-esque. Yet he’ll be a sought after coach in the offseason. But given what he’s done in the conference/division he’s doing it in and getting quality players to commit to four years in West Texas, the dude deserves the run he’s getting.
 
3) The underdog/feel-good story
 
With the loss of Penn State and Joe Pa trying to go out on top as a potential movie-like storyline, TTU could be a Cinderella story, especially when looking down the list of all the titans residing in the Big 12 (oops, my bad, I meant the Big XII) this year.
 
Then, there’s the rest of this list.
 
USC—do we really want to see them in this game? Florida and Alabama? I know I’m supposed to cheer for the SEC, but why would I wish a crystal ball for teams that recruit in the same circles as my team? No thanks!
 
Who else is there?
 
I would love to see Texas Tech get a National Championship. What better way to recognize the fact that parity is here to stay (somewhat) in college football. Go Red Raiders!!!

“It seems like you left the stem off the apple�
 
I’ll leave you this week on personal note. Words fail me as I try to describe the feeling of being a first time dad. I can, however, offer you a quick story...
 
My daughter was born the morning of Nov. 1, and my wife went into labor around 11:00 p.m. Halloween night. So besides a 30-minute “resting my eyes� session around 4 a.m., I had little sleep, and with all the action that occurred that day, I never had a chance to eat until the early evening that Saturday.
 
With family keeping the baby company and the wife resting, I was told to go get something to eat. With the excitement finally dying down, my appetite agreed.
 
As I walked down to the cafeteria by myself, I thought about how beautiful my little daughter was as she slept peacefully after a tough day on the move.
 
Then I thought back to how my friends and I would joke that I should have a boy, but I probably wouldn’t. I never had a brother growing up and always wanted one, and I’d honestly be lying if I was saying I wasn’t slightly pulling for a boy, being a sports nut and all.
 
All of that disappeared, however, the first time I laid my eyes on my daughter.
 
As I got to my table with my food I started to eat, and the guy at the table across from me gave me a look of recognition as if he knew today was a special day for me.
 
“First child?� he asked.
 
“Yeah, a little girl,� I replied.
 
“Looks like someone got it right,� he smiled.
 
“What do you mean?� I wondered.
 
“My wife had our third boy last night.�
 
“Wow, three kids, how old are you?� I asked, not realizing that the question may be inappropriate.
 
“I know I look young, but I’m 30. It's because I'm short.�
 
Trying to change the subject back, I say, “So three boys, huh?�
 
“Yeah, no girls yet. I’m dying for a little girl. Maybe next time.�
 
“We could trade,� I joked. “My wife is tired, she might not know the difference.�
 
And on that joke we playfully ended our brief interaction as he started to take his tray from his table. Or so I thought.
 
As he passed me, he stopped and said, “I just have to ask, how tall are you?�
 
“Six four,� I answered.
 
“Man, that’s tall, she was probably a big girl, eh?�
 
“Yep,� I nodded.
 
“Well, I guess it makes sense with you being a big guy...� he thought out loud.
 
Then he said something that was probably so innocuous to him, but I think I’ll remember it and this story for the rest of my life.
 
“Little boys don’t need daddies that big,� he stated as he was walking away.
 
“No, I guess they don’t,� I thought to myself.
 
Until next time...Go Tigers!!!
 

Well, what would you suggest then???

LSU fans should’ve known how Saturday’s game against the Georgia Bulldogs was going to turn out. LSU’s live mascot “Mike VI� refused to get in his transport to be taken to the stadium to make his usual pre-game appearance. Thus, he never showed because, let’s face it, are you gonna make a 700-pound tiger do something he doesn’t want to do?

Word is, this happens every once in a while, and Mike’s handlers are never going to make him do anything by force. As Georgia Dawg suggested, maybe he was scared of Georgia’s live mascot, UGA?

Nah. In fact, let’s schedule a play date for the two mascots, seeing as how the play date for the two teams didn’t really work out for me.

I think the real reason is that the game was way too early, but that’s just my opinion.

What really grinds my gears...

No one is trying to discredit Florida’s National Championship in ’06 by saying that Urban Meyer won with Ron Zook’s players. Yet everyone seems to think LSU coasted to a National Championship last year due to someone else’s recruiting. Apparently, I could’ve coached these guys to a Championship. Who knew?

To add to that fact, LSU’s 2003 National Championship was discredited in a sense by USC’s claim to the AP National Championship.

Every time we win something, someone tries to take it away from us. That kind of thing could give a fanbase a complex.

Now since Alabama is undefeated and because LSU has dropped two games, we get to read articles about how LSU is crumbling with Miles at the helm. All hail Saban!

But if you look at LSU’s schedule since 2000 (Saban’s first year), you see a commonality in the ebb and flow of the win-loss records year by year.

LSU’s record since 2000

2000 8-4

2001 10-3

2002 8-5

2003 13-1

2004 9-3

2005 11-2

2006 11-2

2007 12-2

With the exception of 2006, even-year schedules tend to be down years for LSU compared with their odd counterparts. Scheduling has a lot to do with this, but it’s become a fact of life.

But since 2000, LSU has NEVER won the SEC West in an even year. NEVER.

Maybe fans were spoiled in ’06 when Miles got the team to the Sugar Bowl and an 11-2 record in an even year, and then a conference championship and national championship the following season. Although Saban had more even years than Miles has had so far, Saban never lost less than three games in even years, something Miles may do this year but hasn’t yet.

When Saban did struggle, it was because he had inexperience at QB and in the defensive secondary. Sound familiar?

All this stuff about “Miles winning with Saban’s players� and now the purple and gold retort of “Saban is winning with Shula’s players� is childish and ignorant, and it needs to stop.

Some writers take great pleasure in trying to bait reactions from opposing fanbases (and I’m not talking about a certain respected writer’s one-time foray into the Gator art of smack).

Lisa Horne did a great article on trolls a while back. Well, guess what? They don’t just appear on message boards.

I don’t know about you, but I didn’t have to pass a screening process to get on B/R. Neither do these guys. Take everything you read with a grain of salt. The fair, rational, intelligent fans know who speaks the truth and who is just out there to flame other fans under the guise of being a writer.

I’m not saying no one should ever write with the intent of eliciting a reaction. Most writers want reader reaction, especially if the author has given us something to mentally chew on. Heck, some successful columnists and radio hosts make an entire career out of getting under your skin.

Why?

Because we keep taking the bait.

But most intelligent readers can tell by a writer’s tone and demeanor in their work exactly the kind of person they are dealing with. I would think most could tell the difference between a writer with a valid opinion (that may in fact differ from yours) over one who tries to build their read and comment count by venomous yellow journalism.

I mean, I might come up with some pretty outlandish stuff sometimes, but at least those of you that know me know how to take what I say.

And another thing, Tiger and Tide fans: Remember that no arguments will be won in 2008. If you really feel the need to duke it out, let’s meet back here in a few years, say 2011, and we’ll let the smack fly then.

Alabama fans need to enjoy their run this season, and LSU fans should focus on their team trying to finish strong.

And both should look forward to what will hopefully be a great match up on Nov. 8 in Baton Rouge.

It’s possible to do this in a civil way, LSU and Bama fans, I promise.

I’m about to be a dad—don’t make me come back there!

Or you know what, just go nuts on each other. Who cares. What am I...your mother?

(The preceding was directed to the small number of LSU and Bama fans who act this way and is not representative of the majority of fans...I think.)


It’s in the numbers...

4----No. of TD passes Tennessee quarterback Nick Stephens has this season.

4----No. of TD passes LSU quarterback Jarrett Lee has to opposing teams this season.

19----No. of interceptions SMU QB Bo Levi Mitchell has thrown this season, seven more than the two players tied for second.

23----No. of times Bo Levi Mitchell has been sacked this season, second only to Arkansas’ Casey Dick (24).

5----No. of SMU offensive linemen that owe Bo Levi Mitchell a round at the bar.

1----University of Louisiana-Lafayette’s rank among all FBS schools in rushing yards.

118----UCLA’s rank among all FBS schools in rushing yards. Only SMU and San Diego State were worse.

887,739----No. of LSU fans that cringe whenever University of Louisiana-Lafayette is referred to as “Louisiana.� Don’t be in that number. Call them Ooooh Lah Lah. They love that.

6 ----No. of times the confederacy, a confederate general, civil war jokes, or saying “we� when talking about the South in the Civil War was mentioned by Georgia fans in the first hour I spent with them this past Saturday. (I really liked them though, but “Hello culture shock!!�)

 

I’m no expert...

Through my years of college football fandom, I fancied myself a good prognosticator. Then a couple of years ago I got the idea to pick against my wife for the college bowl season. I did this the first year and won, and it got such a good response (mostly for my wife’s less than football knowledgeable girly system of picking) that I brought it back for a second season.

So we did it a second season for last year’s bowl games, and lo and behold, the wife beat me by one game. My pride hurt a little, but that faded away as her apathy for the game didn’t really lead her to rub it in my face—which kind of made it worse, like she just picked names off a page and then flipped back to her What Not to Wear marathon.

To avenge my loss to the fairer sex, I agreed to pick against Lisa Horne in her effort to beat down all the fellas from the B/R college football community. Then I absolutely embarrassed myself against the spread, going three for 10. Which is good in baseball, right?

So why should you listen to my picks? Well, because like a gambler after a series of bad beats, I’m due. But due to swearing off picking against women until bowl season and the fact that my dog had trouble fitting me into her schedule, I’m going to start picking against inanimate objects.

I mean, what good is a dartboard if you can’t blindfold yourself and throw sharp objects at it? Don’t worry—this time I'm going to do it sober.

I simply assigned even or odd to a team for each game and blindly chucked a dart at the board. So just two 911 calls and a container of caulk later, I bring to you this week’s picks: Me vs. Dartboard.

It’s time to bring the rain…


Auburn +6.5 at Ole Miss

Auburn is on life support, and Ole Miss has a chance to position themselves for a better bowl.

Justin says: Ole Miss 22-20

Dartboard says: Auburn +6.5

Pitt +4.5 at Notre Dame

I think the Irish are finding their groove. Are they going to be able to tackle LeSean McCoy though?

Justin says: Notre Dame 28-21

Dartboard says: Notre Dame

Tennessee +5.5 at South Carolina

The Gamecocks’ D makes the difference in Columbia.

Justin says: South Carolina 20-13

Dartboard says: South Carolina

Nebraska +22 at Oklahoma

Maybe one day Bo Pelini will have his boys ready enough to make this rivalry a great one again. But this won’t be that day.

Justin says: Oklahoma 44, Nebraska 20

Dartboard says: Nebraska

Florida State +2.5 at Georgia Tech

This is a statement game for both teams. Which team will make more noise?

Justin says: Florida State 26, GT 23

Dartboard says: Georgia Tech

Florida at Georgia +6

Hope the Dawgs didn’t get too high after last week’s win over LSU. Tim Tebow promised me he’d play harder than anyone else in the country. I think Knowshon could give Timmy a run for his money. Still, I like the Gators in this one.

Justin says: Florida 41-31

Dartboard says: Florida -6

Texas at Texas Tech +4

Not only do the Red Raiders get a chance to spoil a rival’s season, they also get a chance to make their own claim to play in Miami. Everything tells me to take the Horns (mainly defense), but I’m not going to.

Justin says: Texas Tech 45, Texas 41

Dartboard says: Texas -4

(Touché dartboard, well played.)

 

Speaking of gambling with our future...

Well, while most of you are choosing who our next president will be this coming Tuesday, my wife and I will hopefully be welcoming our first child to this world.

We decided to be surprised when it came to finding out the sex of the baby, and this has led to some wagering amongst friends.

So why stop with friends?

Feel free guess the sex. Heck, you can even suggest a name if you like. The wife ruled out “Mike the Tiger Goar� for a boy or “Valley� as in “Death Valley� for a girl, so I am out of ideas.

I’m planning on getting a lot less sleep and trying to perfect the art of changing the diaper in true calf roping or NASCAR pit crew time, so you may not hear from me for a little while. But I’m also taking off from work for a while, so who knows. Nevertheless, I’ll be back and hopefully with more life experience the next time we meet.

Until then...Go Tigers!!!

By Justin Goar, Blogger

If I’ve ever done anything in my writing, it’s try to provide the fan’s side of things (especially with LSU) without getting too up or too down after a game.

I try to be a bit more positive than most, attempting to be the voice of reason while showing some perspective.

Fans have a short memory. They don’t remember how Matt Mauck (who won a NC in ’03) struggled as an underclassman, or how JaMarcus Russell (eventual NFL No. 1 pick) made crucial mistakes before he started to blossom.

We don’t live in that kind of world now in college football. When you are a championship team, there exists no world where players get a chance to develop their talents. It’s win and win right now. Fans get spoiled. LSU fans are (for the most part) spoiled.

They have short memories.

Now is the point where you would think I remind fans how short their memories actually are and defend the LSU program. But instead, give me a little time to agree with those purple and gold crazies.

What they’re worried about

The QB Situation

If Miles says he’s thinking about getting true freshman Jordan Jefferson some more time, then something is definitely wrong. Be glad that Miles is aware of it. Be glad that both Jefferson and Jarrett Lee get some experience this year, and be happy two outstanding QB recruits are headed to Baton Rouge next year.

LSU’s two losses are to two preseason Top Five teams quarterbacked by Tim Tebow and Matthew Stafford. Last time I checked, both were pretty good QBs.

This isn’t a panic situation, but it’s not good either. Honestly, though, it’s what was expected. Jarrett Lee has shown some upside by tossing 15 TD passes. He has shown some inexperience in that four of those 15 were to opposing teams.

In fact, Lee’s three picks against Georgia totaled 17 points for the Dawgs. The game was decided by 14 points.

Lee’s not going through his progressions, and I think that stems from the game moving too fast for him and his nerves getting the best of him. He rarely looks to more than one receiver on a play, and the Bulldogs game-planned for this and executed well.

This isn’t the bad thing though. LSU’s success in the recent past has been sustained because of the defense’s ability to bail the offense out when they make mistakes.

What they should be worried about

The Defense

There were some key losses from the defense after last season. Three of four in the secondary were new starters this season. Both OLBs are new, and there are a couple of new starters on the DL.

Yet most Tiger fans thought this wouldn’t be a problem. But it is.

It’s compounded by another problem: the new defensive coordinators.

When a DC leaves, usually the defensive players have to adjust to a new scheme. When Miles promoted Doug Mallory and Bradley Dale Peveto (the secondary and linebackers coach respectively) to co-DCs, his thought process was to provide continuance and consistency in the scheme.

Overall, not a whole lot has changed scheme-wise, so production should be similar (with a small expected drop-off), even with newer players, but it has not been. The drop-off has been astounding.

The Bayou Bengals are getting destroyed in big plays this year.

LSU is ninth in total defense and 11th in the SEC in scoring defense.

There’s also a stat that both offense and defense contribute to: turnover margin. The Tigers are ninth in the SEC.

Basically LSU has been put in the position of trying to outscore teams while using a freshman QB. In the SEC, that’s not going to happen.

Especially when you look at the fact that the Tigers are dead last in red zone defense, it’s a miracle the Tigers are where they are. Fans should maybe rejoice that the Tigers only have two losses in this situation so far.

I don’t usually suggest the drastic, but it’s time to maybe admit that Les’ decision to promote Mallory and Peveto was a poor one. The great thing about it is that both are position coaches and both could just be returned to their position coach duties for next season. That is, unless pride gets in the way and sours things.

But yes, I’m suggesting a change after just one season. While I expected a drop-off, I did not expect one this drastic. LSU has never in its history given up 50+ points twice in one season. Never.

We’re seven games into the season now. Blown coverages are fine once a game, but not as often as they occur now. Players are out of position and confused. The linebackers and secondary are struggling, and the defensive line looks as if they are overrated. I blame the DCs.

Miles is hands-on with his offense but a little less with the D. He needs a strong coach on the defensive side in order to make things run well. The current situation is not the answer.

Or maybe I’m the one who’s spoiled now?

What they should stop worrying about

Offensive Coordinator Gary Crowton

LSU is second in the SEC in total offense and third in the SEC in scoring offense. LSU is second in sacks allowed, so you know his line plays well. The offense is the reason LSU is still ranked in the Top 25 and not looking at a .500 season.

I’m willing to make a bet that Gary Crowton knows more about offense and his own offense than anyone reading this sentence (author included). We should just leave it at that.

If the running game is working, you cannot run on every single down. Eventually it will be stopped. The key to any offense is balance. That’s a game plan Crowton tries to install every week. If you were content with the Saban/Fisher days of trying to get a lead and then sitting on it, then maybe you should follow another team.

Crowton is nails, I promise you. What his team does on the field is beyond his control. Turnovers can kill any offense, and you’d have to think that if LSU didn’t have the turnover ratio they have, they’d be even better.

This offense put up 500 yards and 38 points against Georgia, who statistically has one of the better defenses in the SEC. In fact, LSU rushed for 188 yards against the top-ranked rush defense in the conference.

The offense is averaging 412 yards per game to this point even with the mistakes.

If Gary Crowton is your main area of concern, I urge to find a new avenue of discontent. Quite simply, he’s the best assistant coach LSU has ever had.

He’s better than Bo Pelini, he’s better than Jimbo Fisher, and he’s better than Will Muschamp (that D was Saban’s).

Don’t worry about Crowton. He’s not the problem.

What they’ll never have to worry about

Giving up

Say what you want about Miles, but his teams don’t quit (unless you count offensive players trying to tackle the guy who just made the interception).

Put in countless come from behind situations, LSU never seems like they’re out of a game, even when they are. They make other teams nervous with the lead.

Give Les a bit of credit. Even when this team has swords against their throats, they never say die. I like that in a coach and a team.

I had to give you some kind of positive in all this.

Want some more positives??? (Sure you do!!!)

- LSU is beating the teams they are supposed to beat this season. Coming into the season, most wouldn’t have thought that the Tigers would take Florida in the Swamp or the preseason No. 2-ranked Bulldogs. It’ll be interesting to see the line on the Alabama game.

- If LSU loses to Bama and wins the rest of their games, that makes them 9-3. With a bowl win, they have a chance to have their fourth straight season with at least 10 wins. There are many teams across this nation that would strangle you with a piece of wet spaghetti if you turned your nose up at that. A 9-3 record in a supposed off year in a tough conference—I’d take it and run.

- LSU currently has the No. 3-ranked recruiting class coming in for 2009 and still has a few more spots to fill.

Just something to think about.

By Justin Goar- Blogger

O-H-......Oh no!!

If you’re a Buckeye hater (which I’m not, but I know they have many), you have to be thinking, “Just when I think I’m out, they pull me back in.�

You want Ohio State football to drop off the map and the title picture—and it totally could’ve happened had they lost in East Lansing. But they quietly destroyed the Spartans, and now they get a home game against the Fighting Joe Pa’s that, if they win, puts them right back in the title hunt. They have a healthy Beanie Wells and seem to have found their quarterback.

If Tressel and company get this win, give them some credit. They’ll have to go to Northwestern the following week and then play a revenge game against the Illini on the road before coming home to host a hapless Michigan team. None of these are gimmes, but the toughest test ahead for the Bucks is this Saturday at the Horseshoe.

Pass it, and things are looking up in Columbus.


Wasn’t that guy Bubba on “1st and Ten�?

My favorite commercial this past weekend was the Miller High Life Commercial. You know the series of ones where the delivery guy comes in and confiscates beer from snooty people not living by the “guidelines of the High Life.�

Well, in this one the delivery guy stops by a corporate skybox at a baseball game and no one is watching the game, so he takes the beer—I would guess in order to give it to the homeless or something.

Which brings up the question...what kind of corporation has Miller High Life as their beer of choice in their skybox???

Is the economy really THAT bad?!?!

I’m pretty sure that Miller’s skybox doesn’t have Miller High Life in it.

“We're gonna be getting rid of these people here... First, Mr. Samir Naga... Naga... Naga... Not gonna work here anymore, anyway.�

Mark me down as severely intrigued when it comes to the head coaching vacancy at Clemson after they 86’ed Tommy Bowden. With two potential candidates at SEC schools now (Vandy’s Bobby Johnson and Auburn’s Tommy Tuberville), as well as speculation that former Nick Saban, Tuberville, and now Texas DC Will Muschamp is also in the mix, I think this could make for some good rumor fodder for a long time.

Buffalo Wild Wings referees strike again...

Two of the better plays in the South Carolina/LSU game were made by the umpire. I think he had some flashbacks to his Polk High days. Actually, he played linebacker at Kentucky.

Check this out.

Some Carolina fans argued that this changed the game, but actually a few plays later, Spur-Dog and his boys scored on a fourth and goal play right before the half where it seemed the ball never broke the plane.

I’d take six points over an open field tackle any day.

Add that to the same umpire running a pick on an LSU linebacker on Carolina’s only other TD, and this guy should get the “player of the game� award.

Someone get me a helmet, quickly!

Les Miles joked in his Monday press conference that the umpire wasn’t following proper technique. Miles joked, “We teach our guys to wrap up.�

Best sign I saw on ESPN GameDay...

“Chase Daniel has a fupa.�

I chuckle every time I think of it.


You know what really grinds my gears...

Am I jaded? Can I not appreciate the fact that college football is more popular than ever? And that people with varying knowledge levels watch the game together sometimes?

My wife lovingly puts up with my college football addiction, and she tolerates football but doesn’t really like it, so to speak. When she doesn’t know something, she asks questions, and these questions are taken by me as an interest by her wanting to know more about my hobby. I think it’s sweet and answer her question, no matter how basic it is.

But there is nothing worse than watching football with someone who thinks they know what they are talking about but in actuality have no clue.

These people are usually the loudest in the room or in your section if you’re at the game.

It always pains me to hear someone calling out a WR on a drop when the QB puts it two feet behind him. Or a tailback who gets blasted in the backfield because someone missed a block but Lombardi over here is calling out the running back. This also happens to a QB when he gets .5 seconds to throw before getting mauled, and then you hear...

“C’mon (insert QB’s name here), get rid of the ball!!! What are you doing??!!!! You gotta be smarter than that!!!�

My sentiments exactly. You gotta be smarter than that.

See, these players had to excel in high school and work hard on and off the field. They had to come to college to compete with very talented guys to win a role on the team. Then after all that hard work and sacrifice, they finally get their shot on the field, and they have to listen to some moron whose football IQ happens to mirror his shoe size tell them how to play the game.

They work hard to get where they are, but all you have to do to criticize them is pay for a ticket or flip on the television.

That’s not really fair.

These same fans think football should operate like a game of Xbox. Like, let’s say your team is a three-and-a-half point favorite and they win by twice that margin, but there’s Mr. Loudmouth lamenting the fact that his team didn’t win by four touchdowns.

There should be fan tryouts or something or maybe a written test. Unless you show that you can be trusted to not say something stupid or falsely lay the blame where it doesn’t belong during a game, you have to be quiet and let the grown-ups talk.

In football terms, you get to ride the pine. You can still watch the game, but you no longer are an active participant in it. Let’s face it, you can’t be trusted, and all you do is pollute the air with your lack of knowledge. So you’ll have to be muzzled.

The majority of LSU fans know their football, but it never fails when at the game, I sit in front of the loudest guy in the stadium who fills the air with his football ignorance. I usually say nothing.

But let’s change that. From now on, when someone says something stupid, let’s vow to correct them. You’re doing them a favor in the long run, and most reasonable fans will thank you for doing so. This is not recommended if everyone in your section is an idiot.

We must stop the proliferation of football idiocy. Heck, this guy could be teaching his children his ways, and then my kids will grow up and have to go to games and listen to his kids spew misdirected venom.

It’s a vicious cycle. But we can break it. In the next game you watch with someone who knows less than they let on, point out that they are wrong, won’t you? You could be doing the college football world a great service.

This has been a public service announcement furnished by the “Coalition for better fans.�

And another thing...

I know that song “Kerkraft 400� by Zombie Nation is popular in places like Penn State and such (I actually like PSU btw and respect the "White Out"). In a way I expect that, because up north you get more of a pro sports environment.

But in the beginning of the season I remember thinking, “no self respecting SEC team would have this soccer stuff blaring in their stadium.�

Then a week later I heard it at Florida (for the Miami game I think).

Then this past weekend, I heard it at South Carolina for the LSU game.

I just shook my head.

How awful. When did college football games become no better than NBA TV timeouts???

I know canned music is going to happen nowadays (LSU plays piped-in music leading up to kickoff before the band gets seated again), but a song from a German techno band?? Is that really what the kids are listening to these days????

I weep for the future.

Maybe I’m getting too old.

I swear this has never happened to me before…
This isn’t a mystery people. It happens all the time yet we make a big deal about it. It’s called playing down to your opponent. Florida did it to Arkansas, Alabama did it with Kentucky, it affected Penn State at Purdue, and Kansas let it happen against Iowa State.
 
It’s not a reason to get overly worried. You need to worry when it happens and your team is on the losing end. (Cough*Auburn*Cough) That’s a bad thing, but in this “every week counts� world of college football getting the win is all that matters.
 
Florida is going to put up a much better effort when they play Georgia. Alabama won’t play like they did against Tulane in the Iron Bowl.
 
What you should be focusing on is whether or not your team wins the big important games. There’s a handful of those coming up this weekend with Texas/OU, LSU/Florida, Penn State/Wisconsin, etc.
 
For example, I’m much more impressed with Alabama destroying Clemson and UGA than I am unimpressed with them sleepwalking through Kentucky and Tulane.
 
Too much importance is placed on how a team wins against inferior competition. Good teams have bad weeks and vice versa. I know it seems to be over in a flash for the fans but for the players the college football season is long and grueling and it takes some major focus and mental grit to play a high level every single week.
 
Sometimes bad weeks can help your team better prepare and make them aware of what to work on for the next week. Also, it can lull an opposing team into a false sense of security about their chances and possibly force them to play at a lower level.
 
It seems to me that those that follow college football are too reactionary these days. Do I sound like an old man complaining?
 
Predicting champions in September, counting teams out in early October, and jumping teams around the Top 25 like it’s the stock market is just a little too crazy for my tastes.
 
Am I the only one who thinks this is a recent trend?
 
Get off my lawn!!!!
 
 
It’s nice to be back to normal…
After one week of being berated for losing to Oregon State, the USC Trojans beat Oregon like a rented mule and they’re back to being the greatest team ever. Thanks, my delicate system wasn’t ready to exist in a world where USC isn’t lauded every week.
 
My favorite part of this game though was after Joe Mcknight muffed a punt in the early going, there were some boos among the crowd. I don’t remember who was calling the game but the exchange went something like this:
 
Play by Play guy: “There are NFL type expectations among this crowd.�
Color analyst: “That’s because they’re an NFL type crowd.�
 
I don’t think that was a compliment.
 
And whoever it was covered quickly by saying “What a recruiting advantage Pete Carroll has here to be able to prepare guys for what the NFL is going to be like.�
 
Think that comment came from him or from the headset?
 
Can someone get Kenny Chesney a booster seat…?
Ok, c’mon admit it. If you were like me you were thinking that Vandy has made a nice showing this year but Auburn’s going to wipe the floor with them. It looked that way in the early going but then Auburn decided to stop playing football and the ‘Dores kept it close and gutted it out.
Auburn’s offense is bad, I can’t say much more. The fans want to blame Tony Franklin but I think it’s their talent in the quarterback position (or lack thereof).
 
That game had LSU fans thinking two things:
1) Awesome, Auburn lost!
2) LSU’s win over AU doesn’t seem that special now.
 
Of course, another thought that may have crossed your mind is whether or not Vanderbilt is actually that good. It basically comes down to the fact that they are an opportunistic team that took advantage of Auburn’s punch less offense and won the game the same way they have all season, ugly. But whatever, a win is a win especially when this year is shaping up to be another crazy one.
 
But honestly I think this game was more of a statement of where Auburn is and not Vanderbilt. If the Commodores can get a win against either Georgia or Florida then I’ll be on board.
 
But you have to give Vandy head coach Bobby Johnson credit, as I’m sure his phone will be ringing off the hook with offers by season’s end.
 
My favorite ESPN Gameday Signs from Vanderbilt…
 
1) “At VU, we use three fingers.� (So does Arizona State by the way)
 
2) “The Geeks Shall Inherit the Turf� (Musberger messed this up at the end of the game trying to repeat it).
 
3) “Philip Fulmer ate my other sign� (maybe not original but chuckle worthy nonetheless)
 
4) “4-0. It’s not just our GPA anymore.�
 
And this one time at band camp…
I guess “American Pie� was right on the money here.
 
Wisconsin’s band has been put on probation because of misconduct including hazing rituals and sexualized behavior. I kind of feel bad though. You know the band kids in your world when you were growing up. The jocks picked on them the fratty pack looked down upon them and now they act like those two groups and they get into trouble for it.
 
I don’t think it’s fair though. I don’t know the whole story but I’d be willing to say that not all 300 members of the band were behaving badly.
 
Why punish the whole band? Why not just do what they do on a team and suspend the guilty parties? Sure “On Wisconsin� might not sound as grand when the entire wind section is absent because they like to shave heads and dance around naked but you know the reputation those crazy ass party monster clarinet players have to uphold. They’re straight from the Woodwind section yo, it’s a double dub thing, you wouldn’t understand.
 
Higher or lower…
This week the National Debt calculator has run out of room. I’m not joking.
 
So this week we play higher or lower than the National Debt. These should all be lower, but by how much?
 
# of times Verne Lundquist and Gary Danielson drool over and audibly express their man-crushes for Tim Tebow this Saturday night.
 
# of attempts by LSU fans to Cloak and Dagger their way into finding out Tebow’s cell phone number this year.
 
# of LSU fans that quit such a venture in favor of getting schnockered.
 
# in ounces of projectile saliva collected from a ten foot radius of Lou Holtz this season on the ESPN set.
 
# of pounds in mayonnaise that Mark Mangino consumes in celebration of victories this season. Or defeats.
 
 
 
What’s in a name…?
 
Did I read that right? Is Southern Miss’s kicker named Britt Barefoot? Was Johnny Mistletoe or Peter Thundershoe taken? That’s like an Xbox “create-a-player� name. That’s like having a golden boy quarterback from Texas and naming him “Colt McCoy.�
 
Wait….oops.
 
That’s even more impressive when you can get regional with it or make a name correspond to something within the school like Notre Dame’s WR Golden Tate. Why not just change his last name to “Domer�?
 
Seriously, if my wife and I have a son next month, we’re gonna name him Remy Threauxdeep so he can play QB for LSU.
 
(I’m kind of unsure of my execution of that last joke, is there a more Cajun sounding first name than Remy?? Should I have gone with Pierre or something? Or should I just name him “Tiger�?
Man, I’m having a Sage Rosenfels type day, or should I’ve said a “Kimbo Slice� type day? I’m going to stop typing now)
 
Why don’t you comment with a “create a player� name of your own. Give me the player’s name, position, and school. For example, if I were to create an Alabama QB, I’d name him Fratboyhaircut Hatfield or something like that. (Ok, it’s definitely more like a Sage Rosenfels type day now).
 
See you next week!

By Justin Goar, Blogger

If this is the Tiger Bowl, then what’s with the eagle?...

For me, the first time it happened was in 1997. I was in the student section in Tiger Stadium. Auburn got up 14-0 before LSU came back with two scores to tie it up mainly from the running of Cecil Collins.

It was a back and forth slugfest that went down to the wire and had the Auburn Tigers finish on top 31-28. As I sat in my seat when the clock hit triple zeroes, I actually put my frustration aside for a few moments and marveled at the fact that I saw just an incredible football game. It was awful to swallow that loss, but the game couldn’t have been more entertaining. It makes you respect the game. It makes you respect your opponent and it made me respect the LSU-Auburn series. Eleven years later, little has changed and this game continues to be a gift that keeps giving to the world of college football.

Whether you’re an indifferent fan in some other part of the country or say a Bama fan that wanted both teams to lose, you have to respect the show these two teams put on when they play each other.

It’s mega physical without being dirty (except for maybe one infamous play from last year). That goes a long way in my book. You had LSU players popping pads and helmets on defense and I don’t think I need to illustrate the way Auburn hits outside of looking at the play that left LSU QB Andrew Hatch seeing stars like he’s on the red carpet.

But there was never any pushing or shoving and not too much jawing (outside the normal amount these days). With that in mind, between the whistles these guys still hit each other like the other side owes them money.

Cut out all the drama of recent years, the earthquakes, the magic, the fire, the cigars, and for sixty football minutes these guys put on a show.

I would hope that some Auburn fans had the same moment of appreciation for this series on Saturday that I had in ’97 in the face of a frustrating loss. But I know it’s easier said than done.

Before watching the game with my buddy Scott, I was pacing nervously, we both were. And I thought out loud, how cool it would be to not care, for a college football game to not matter this much?

There are people all over this country who don’t care about this game. They’re at work or on a date or hanging with their family or watching “Three’s Company� re-runs on TV Land.

The point is, their heart rate doesn’t hinge on every play, every bounce, and every turn of the game. They won’t go to bed heartbroken because they lost or on Cloud Nine because they won. Their mood for the rest of the week at work or at home won’t depend on the outcome of a three hour contest played by college kids. Why do I do this to myself???!!!


Then after LSU kneeled it out to end the game the four of us went outside for that conversation which if you replaced the words, you could have believed in our demeanor that we’d just robbed a bank without getting caught or escaped a bus crash with our lives.
As we hurriedly spit out the night’s cliffhangers and second guessed decisions made, I stopped for a moment and thought out loud again…

“Oh yeah, this is why we do this. This feeling right here and right now is why we care.�

I’ve been on the good side and the bad side of this rivalry through the years and I’ve suffered through heartbreaking losses to many other teams besides Auburn over the years. As bad as losing is, it makes winning that much better.

It’s the yin and yang. You can’t know true happiness without knowing true despair and vice versa. It proves we’re alive. LSU and Auburn fans won’t have to check for a pulse anytime soon.

Whether it’s the agonizing torture of a loss or the internal high of a great win, the fans of this Tiger Bowl definitely know we’re alive.

My hat’s off to the orange and blue and the purple and gold for leaving it all out on the field Saturday night. Also, to the fans on both sides who make this game what it is every year. It’s great to be an LSU Tiger. It’s great to be an Auburn Tiger. It’s great to be a fan.


“We’re also well above average…�

There’s a mantra I use via text message with my friends that I send out when things look their darkest during game. It was originally used last year in joking, as if to mock the very thought of LSU actually making a comeback in a game.

“We’re a second half team.�

The phrase was born last year during the Florida game. It returned for the Auburn game last season and was legitimized against Alabama.

The last three times I used it was when the Tigers were struggling with Tennessee in the first half of the SEC Championship game, going down 10-0 to Ohio State, and recently going down 14-3 at Auburn this past weekend.

Say what you want about Les Miles, but his teams do not quit. They’re the bad guy in the 80’s scary movie. Michael Myers, Jason Voorhies, Freddy Krueger. Don’t they ever just die???

Auburn had to be thinking that right around the time LSU recovered the onsides kick. They thought about it when we completed the halfback pass. They thought about it when Charles Scott got stopped behind the line only to burst through for a big run on the following play along with countless other “Great Scott� runs. They thought about it when LSU answered their late score with not a game winning field goal, but a touchdown. This time LSU left more than one second on the clock.

And most of all this was personified in Tiger defensive end Raheem Alem whose personal foul with under a minute was just about the last thing LSU needed in order to quell a comeback. Then, Raheem Alem came back on the next play and turned Jordan Hare into Elm Street, Haddonfield, and Crystal Lake all rolled into one. His fifteen yard penalty was followed by a fifteen yard sack and put Auburn in a 2nd and 25 hole from which they would not escape.

If Alem did it in two plays, Jarrett Lee took an entire half to redeem a horrible mistake. Lee took a snap and tried to take advantage of Auburn not having all their players set by swinging the ball to Keiland Williams in the flat. After starting 0 for 5, Lee completed his first pass to a lineman wearing blue who took it for a score.

In a game where every bit of real estate was precious and every point at a premium, a 14-3 deficit on the road seemed too much to overcome especially when starter Andrew Hatch went down in the third quarter with a good case of “you got knocked the #$%* out� syndrome.

But we all saw what Lee did in the second half. I was halfway through a text I started but never finished that said…

“Who is this quarterback?? Are there two #12’s?�

That’s when Keiland Williams took a pitch and played quarterback for a down. LSU would go up 17-14.

Lee continued to play like a different person in the second half against one of the better defenses in the SEC and it didn’t hurt to have the juggernaut knows as Charles Scott opening up the pass game.

That’s what did it, you know? That’s why this sequel ended like the original did last year. Last year, Flynn and the coaches saw something they could exploit. It wasn’t a crazy call it just took too long to set up at the line. Flynn made a perfect throw and Byrd made a great catch and that was history.

This year was eerily like last year. Last year the score was 24-23. A field goal would’ve won it. LSU got the touchdown. This year same thing with LSU down by one 21-20 and were within field goal range for kicker Colt David. With a little over a minute left, most of us would think to run Charles Scott three times up the middle and kick the field goal. It’s what I would have done. But then again, maybe there’s good reason I don’t coach this team.

With a 1st and 10, everyone and their mom expected a run from Charles Scott including Auburn. But offensive coordinator Gary Crowton and Les Miles play to win and look for favorable situations. Instead of handing off, Jarrett Lee dropped back and threw his best ball all night. It was a down and away out route that only Jo Jo Lafell could’ve gotten. #1 did and brought it to the house.

So another Les Miles gamble pays off, but I’ll ask this question for the hundredth time. If gambles work out in your favor 90% of the time, is it still a gamble?

Les Miles doesn’t play his cards, he plays his opposition. He exploits favorable opportunities when his opponents show tendencies.

In this case, the call wasn’t the gamble, believing in a redshirt freshman quarterback to execute the call was.

But hey there Mr. Blue Chip recruit, you want to come play for a coach that believes in his players??? You can come do that in Baton Rouge.

Crazy calls or not, it doesn’t take a football genius to see what coaching staff made the better adjustments at halftime.

LSU has some weak spots that need to be worked on, but all in all, even in games they should probably lose like Florida and Georgia, it would be wise never to assume the bad guy is dead. After all, we’re a second half team.

Stop trying to bring me down…

I wouldn’t start making reservations in Atlanta and Miami just yet Tiger fans. This team has a bunch of things to get straight but the good definitely outweighs the bad at this point and time. One thing that if consistent will always keep LSU in a game is their running game.

The offensive line looked like beasts and it doesn’t hurt to have a fullback like Quinn Johnson opening holes and solid blocking from TE Richard Dickson. With Charles Scott continuing to rack up the yards especially on first down, it puts a defense on its heels.

Enter Jarrett Lee in the second half who began to throw on first down and then the offense really got clicking. LSU gained 257 yards on 31 first down plays for the game. That’s an 8.3 yard average and Miles and Co. will take that every time.

Add in a defense that gets pressure rushing just four and are smothering against the run and you’ve got some headaches for the opposition. LSU has some holes in its coverage and that was to be expected with inexperienced corners and Danny McCray and Chad Jones struggling with coverage at the nickel back position. Good QB’s (read Tebow and Stafford) should be more effective in making the Tigers pay for mistakes.

I was right about…

Two things:

1) Trindon Holliday’s hands. I said he’d fumble punt returns in crucial situations this year. I didn’t want to be right so soon in the season, and twice on top of that. Miles insists Holliday will still return punts. I’d keep him in on kickoffs though.

2) Chris Hawkins is the best corner on the team. This isn’t even a close race at the present time.


I was wrong about…

Two things:

1) Demetrius Byrd being the featured receiver when the season started. Lee likes Brandon “Jo Jo� Lafell and he likes him a lot.

2) Richard Murphy being the go to guy in the backfield when the season started. It’s quite obvious to everyone that #32 Charles Scott is the man.

Moo U blues…

I’m sorry to say that while I’m a pessimist at heart, I am never worried when we play Mississippi State. For some reason, LSU has their number every single time they tangle. The Bulldogs are 1-3 this year with losses to La. Tech, Auburn, and Georgia Tech. The reason why MSU was good in the 90’s was because of their lines. And that advantage has faded away for State. Add in the fact that it’s a night game in Tiger Stadium and I don’t like the Bulldogs’ chances.

LSU should be able to run the ball. If they can’t, and MSU forces LSU to become one dimensional, then that might give State a chance. But I look for LSU’s O-line to be dominant again and Scott should have another 100 yard day. That’s bad news for the Bulldogs who need every advantage they can get in Baton Rouge. LSU slows down a bit because of a hangover from the AU win, but don’t expect an upset this week.

LSU 35 Miss. St. 10

By Justin Goar, Blogger

The great thing about the Internet is that it allows anyone with differing opinions to get together and voice them to the world. The bad thing about the Internet is that it allows anyone with differing opinions to get together and voice them to the world.

To think that a single fan, most under the guise of anonymity, can express his or her most heartfelt sentiments about their beloved team and post their loving thoughts for the entire world to see just gives you that “Rudy sacked the quarterback in his only play even though that didn’t happen in real life� kind of feeling.

Thought-provoking, point-counterpoint football discussion makes me proud to be an American. But sometimes there are thoughtless drive-by posts that seem to just be cheap shots for the sake of being negative. I think the kids today are calling these net characters “trolls.�

But there’s a big difference between trolls and those actual fans that are just a bit quick to hit the panic button. There seems to be a wave of negativity sweeping the message boards this week. I noticed it with my LSU Tigers.

The catastrophe syndrome. Chicken littles. Call it what you want, it’s out there, man.

What I have for you today is unedited (save for language and some grammar and spelling) statements made from actual fans regarding their own team. All posts are in italics.

We start off with LSU:
“With bad QB play and DB play to go along with USC and Oklahoma blowing their teams out, I feel just down today.�

Pretty harmless, right? Not much venom to it and it only seems a little strange because the poster is mentioning a game in which their team won 41-3.

But then we have...
“If we go 6-6, do we still get invited to a bowl game? I hope so.�

Whoa?! 6-6? The defending national champions? I think most sane fans expect a drop-off, but I think this is a little too panicky.

What about...
“Can't wait till next week when we get our a***s handed to us, you guys are just pure HOMERS!�

And there we are. The lines have been drawn. You’re either way too negative or you’re a homer.

Well, put me down as someone who thinks there is a rational middle ground. I’m someone who thinks that a fan can point out the bad parts of a game or season and still be optimistic that those things will change.

Nevertheless, those supposed “homers� on this particular LSU message board coined a term for those Tiger fans whose perpetual perception of reality is glass half empty.

“Nega-tigers.� Cute, huh?

“Homers� tend to be labeled as such because of the ardent defense of their team and coaches no matter what’s going on around it. While “nega-tigers� are quick to push the panic button, homers don’t have a panic button. It’s the lack of middle ground that has these two groups at odds.

So now we have one side attacking the players and perceived lack of talent at a position, and the other side attacking those attackers and dismissing their opinions as invalid because of their negativity. But what if the criticism is valid?

College football is a passionate sport fueled by passionate fans. Some of these things are said in the heat of the moment. Is it possible to be able to criticize my team without being called a “nega-tiger�? We’ll come back to this in a second.

But first, with doomsday on the horizon and an ever-important meeting with Auburn on the road this week, you must think the purple and gold Tigers have the market cornered on negativity.

Think again.

Enter Auburn fans. I found this next post on an Auburn message board in a thread about whether to boo or not to boo their own team this weekend against LSU...
“If the offense tanks again I think we’ll be past the time for booing. It’ll be time for the rotten tomatoes.�

Then some of the discussion turned to the QB play and the new offensive coordinator Tony Franklin. I mention Franklin because he gets paid, unlike college kids.
“Maybe if we didn't have Brandon Cox Jr. as our only QB we wouldn't go three and out.�

Different post, this time about the OC:
“More excuses. You need a script in order to tell you that inside the five-yard line, to line up in the jumbo package and punch the ball in for a TD??? Maybe we should start calling him Teflon Tony...�

Welcome to Auburn, Mr. Franklin—don’t unpack.

The good thing is for the most part this is the fringe. It’s like the guy 10 rows behind me in Tiger Stadium who apparently didn’t need to pass a football IQ test to obtain season tickets and whose football knowledge is inversely proportionate to the volume in which he verbally displays it.
LSU fans are well aware that a national championship may not be in reach this year. Auburn fans need to understand that implementing a new offensive system with a new quarterback is a work in progress. Most fans get this.

One thing’s for sure: I wouldn’t want to see the message boards of the losing set of nega-tigers this weekend.

Football doomsayers don’t just reside in Auburn and Baton Rouge.
“Hate to say it but we are horrible. Worst Michigan team I have ever seen in 30 years of being a fan. Are we better than ANY Big Ten team? I will suffer faithfully with our team and hope for better days, but am fully expecting a 10th or 11th finish in the Big Ten.�

And from our friends in Tempe:
“...But when you can't even get a first down on offense at home 'cause you're afraid to open up your playbook! Give me a break! We need to delete National Rankings and BCS from our vocabulary for a couple years! And it's somewhat ironic that our seasoned, experienced coaching staff would let this happen to them. Seriously, what's wrong with our OC? I don't know the guy's history like some others on this board, but who's calling the predictable three and four-yard running plays up the middle when we need seven or eight? This is the worst I've felt since the USC game last year.�

I think the biggest problem on message boards is anonymity. Everything you read from me here has my name on it. The line should be drawn on the way we criticize.

Anonymity gives us this cloak of invisibility to attack without knowing who it’s coming from. So those attacks can be either vicious or without merit. It’s the main factor as to why message board banter and information is so easily dismissed sometimes.

Let’s come back to whether or not it’s possible to criticize a team without being branded a negative fan.

If I were to blast the LSU quarterbacks for staring down receivers (which is a popular knock right now), it matters how I say it and how I back it up. It also helps to have a little football perspective and not be so reactionary.

When that thought crosses my mind, a rational thought response would be:
“Well, JaMarcus Russell, Matt Mauck, and Rohan Davey all did similar things in their early starts.�

That would be an even keel approach.

A “nega-tiger� talks in absolutes and might say something like:
“Well that’s it, we’re ****ed for the season. If they look bad now, I’m sure they’ll look the same as the season progresses. Mark my words, this is the downfall of LSU football as we know it!!!�

On top of this, you have trolls who cheap shot and run. Negative fans care about their team, but their defense mechanism is to attack now to later avoid the pain of their self-fulfilling prophecy. Trolls just look to spew venom and are probably much happier when their team’s hopes are in the toilet. Misery begets misery.

Now, most message boards have moderators who try to toe the line between allowing frustrated fans to vent and removing inappropriate content that doesn’t contribute to the spirit of the site.

On that note, we head to Columbus for some examples of posts that will get you banned from a certain Buckeye fan site:
“The boys must have been chugging a big case of Choka Cola again. I can’t take this [censored] anymore.�

I want to add that I do not condone calling out any college player so I’m going to delete the player’s name:
“Why are we keeping up this charade? He just isn't good. Zero poise. Zero talent. Zero smart.
"He's an embarrassment to this team.�

And a final parting shot from Buckeye country...
“It's time for (player name deleted) and Tressel to go.�

Now I’m not saying you can’t point out your team’s weak points. One must keep in mind that we are talking about college kids who are not professional athletes.

And despite warnings from just about everyone involved with their team, many players visit the message boards, and some players must find it hard not to take to heart what is said by some guy typing in his underwear while eating Fig Newtons by the sleeve.

I try to temper my opinions with a dash of reality, but deep down I’m just a guy who wants what’s best for his team. If I see a problem, I’m going to say something about it, but hopefully not in a disrespectful way, and try to find the positives and ways the team can improve in the meantime.

I wouldn’t consider myself a homer or a “nega-tiger.� I’m a pessimist at heart. I believe the coin will come up tails a half second after I call heads. But deep down, I still believe in the purity of the flip.

That comes from being a Saints fan since age six.

When it comes down to it, the Internet is a lot like life. There are a lot of stupid people and a lot of angry people in this world. And sometimes there are stupid angry people. A good fan knows to avoid this group as much as possible.

Lastly, don’t take every statement from every person seriously, whether they’re a troll, a homer, or a “nega-tiger.�

by:  Carey Montz

 

The 2008 LSU defense looks to rebound from its worst performance statistically since 2001.  No easy task considering what LSU has to replace in 2008.  Gone from last year's national champions is All-American defensive tackle Glenn Dorsey, safety Craig Steltz, linebackers Ali Highsmith and Luke Sanders, and cornerbacks Chevis Jackson and Jonathon Zenon.

Plenty of Tiger fans, including myself, was willing to help Bo Pelini pack his bags for Nebraska midway through the 2007 season.  But, what us spoiled LSU fans seemed to forget was that the 2007 defense suffered some major losses on the D-line that affected the team's play throughout the season.

First, let's start with Charles Alexander, who missed basically the entire season due to injury.  Then, there's Ricky Jean-Francois (RJF), who was suspended the entire regular season due to academic problems.  RJF would play in the SEC and BCS Title games and make a huge impact.  Oh, and let us not forget that Dorsey played much of the second half of the season hurt due to a bad back and bad knee.

The injuries, combined with what I felt was Pelini's inability to adapt to different personnel, was what hurt the defense last season. 

All that said, the season ended with LSU raising the crystal ball.  Okay, so let's move on to 2008.

No doubt that Dorsey leaves the biggest void on defense, but ironically, I think LSU's defensive line will be every bit as good as last season, if not better.  How can that be, you ask?

Well, as I stated above, Charles Alexander was out for the year.  RJF did not play until the final two games of the year.  And, Bo Pelini will not be roaming the LSU sidelines thinking about whom he is going to add to his coaching staff at Nebraska.

Okay, I joke about the last sentence.

In 2008, the defensive line will once again be LSU's strong point.  Tyson Jackson, a potential 1st round pick, comes back at right defensive end.  Kirston Pittman, who was granted a 6th year of eligibility, will start at left defensive end.  Prior to 2007, Pittman spent much of 2005 and 2006 on the bench with injuries.  When healthy, he has been a solid performer at the defensive end position for the Tigers.

Alexander and RJF will start at the defensive tackle positions.  Both men had strong 2006 campaigns serving as backups, and look to make a huge impact for LSU in 2008.

Behind this starting four is a number of able bodied backups, some of them are guys who saw a fair amount of playing time in 2007, the others are highly touted recruits vying for playing time in 2008. 

The depth on the defensive line is awesome.  I am not trying to speak like a homer, but it is the absolute truth.  One thing that Pelini did well was rotate a number of guys in and out, giving everyone good experience against quality competition.  The key backups who figure to get the most playing time are defensive tackles, Marlon Favorite and Al Woods, and defensive ends Tremaine Johnson and Rahim Alem.

Senior Mike (middle) linebacker Darry Beckwith looks to rebound from a subpar junior season to lead the LSU line-backing core.  Beckwith, along with Pittman, are the returning leaders at tackles for LSU.  Beckwith had 65 tackles a year ago, 6.5 for losses.

Perry Riley and Kelvin Sheppard will replace graduating seniors Ali Highsmith and Luke Sanders at the Buck and Will (outside) linebacker positions.  Sheppard is probably most known for being confused for former LSU QB Ryan Perrilloux.  The two shared jersey number 11 last year.  It confused many announcers as well as many LSU fans, often posing the question, "Why is Ryan Perrilloux playing special teams?"  Luckily, this season, we need not worry about that.

Riley and Sheppard both have to improve their game in 2008.  With the injuries accrued along the defensive line in 2007, the line backing core struggled at times.  If LSU looks to repeat as SEC, or even perhaps BCS champions, this is an area where improvement is extremely necessary.

The one area where the biggest questions arise for the 2008 LSU defense is the secondary. 

The only returning starter in the secondary is Curtis Taylor.  However, the talent is rich, but unproven among the rest.  Backing up Taylor will be Harry Coleman, who had a solid game against Ohio State.

Getting the start at strong safety will be sophomore Chad Jones.  Jones follows in the mold of a Laron Landry hard-hitting safety type.  Danny McCray will back up Jones.  McCray needs to improve in pass coverage to get valuable playing time.

Cornerback will be the crapshoot.  Jackson and Zenon were very good cover corners.  Unfortunately, the guys backing them up in 2007 were not. 

Looking to fill the void at corner is redshirt freshman Phelon Jones and true freshman Patrick Johnson.  Johnson was perhaps LSU’s most highly touted recruit back in February.

Overall, there are some question marks for the 2008 defense.  However, I do think the Tigers can improve in 2008. 

A healthy defensive line will go a long way in determining how good this defense can be.  And although LSU    lost some keys guys in the secondary, it think they too can be better, most notably at the safety position.  No disrespect to Craig Steltz, who was tremendous for LSU, but at times, was a liability in pass coverage.  I think better athletes at the safety positions will help the freshmen corners transition into their starting roles.

But if this team is to improve from last season, it most look no further than its most glaring statistic.  LSU ranked 101^st in red zone scoring defense last year, something that is absolutely unheard of at LSU. 

This defensive unit will be called upon this season to make some key plays, especially with the inexperience at the quarterback position.  It will be no small order, but this LSU defense must be up to the task for LSU to have the huge success that is expected of them.

by:  Carey Montz

Despite the loss of Ryan Perrilloux, the 2008 LSU offense will not be all that dissimilar from what it was in 2007. While Perrilloux was the only quarterback with any real experience (Andrew Hatch did see some mop-up duty a time or two last season), the rest of the offense is loaded with experience and talent at every other position.

Coming off of a national championship year is never easy—just ask the 2004 LSU football team. Doing so with little, to no experience at quarterback is even tougher. Again, cite the 2004 squad.

Andrew Hatch, the Harvard transfer, enters his junior year with the only in-game experience the quarterback position can boast of.

Jarrett Lee, the highly-touted recruit from Texas, enters his redshirt freshman year ready to compete for the starting job.

The positive thing is that both Hatch and Lee have the same amount of experience in offensive coordinator Gary Crowton's system. The other positive is that Perrilloux had the same amount of experience.

It remains to be seen whether Hatch or Lee, or both for that matter, will excel in Crowton's offense. However, one thing is certain—the skill players surrounding these guys are not without experience, or talent for that matter.

As much as I don't want to, I would be remiss not to mention the cliche that rings true with so many new quarterbacks. You know the one. All Hatch or Lee has to do is manage the game and not make mistakes.

I would not say it if it wasn't true. Granted, LSU's road schedule is tough, and at some point one of these guys will have to make a play somewhere. But for the most part, managing the game will be the main priority.

Who gets the start to open the season? Hatch would be the easy choice, but Lee will get every opportunity to become the starting quarterback once practice starts in August.

Either way, I expect both guys to rotate in and out of games, much like Matt Flynn and Perrilloux did a year ago.

I spoke of the other skill positions that look to aid in the maturing process of both of these young quarterbacks. Where LSU lacks in experience at quarterback, they more than make up for it at just about every other offensive position on the field.

To start, look no further than the guys who will be lining up in the backfield. The LSU rushing attack netted 3,000 yards rushing for the season in 2007, and all but one of the guys responsible returns in 2008. LSU will have to replace Jacob Hester, but the guys returning are more than capable.

Keiland Williams is LSU's leading returning rusher, having rushed for 513 yards and six TDs in 2007. Williams is a power rusher with a slashing-type mentality. He looks to round the corner more than take it up the gut, but when he gets the corner, watch out, because his speed is lights out.

A perfect contrast to Williams is Charles Scott. Scott is a straight-ahead runner who no doubt will be looked upon to pick up the tough yards that Hester did so many times last season. Both Scott and Williams showed versatility as well, combining for 21 receptions and three TDs a year ago.

The two guys who complement the guys listed above are Richard Murphy and Trindon Holliday. 

Murphy is perhaps LSU's most versatile running back. He can run between the tackles, split out as a wide receiver, and catch the ball out of the backfield. His talent did not go unnoticed in 2007, as he was used more and more as the year progressed. 

Holliday is not your prototypical running back. Standing at only 5'5'' and weighing in at 159 pounds, Holliday will be used primarily in end arounds and reverse plays. Expect a trick play or two with him as well, like the well known "hidden Holliday trick."

LSU's wide-receiving corps will once again be among the best in the SEC. While running the ball figures to be LSU's main focal point for 2008, this group of receivers will be ready to make plays when called upon.

Demetrius Byrd and Brandon LaFell combined for nearly 1,300 yards, 85 receptions, and 11 TDs in 2007. Terrance Toliver had a solid freshman campaign in 2007, hauling in three TDs and averaging 25 yards per catch. He and Byrd will look to make big plays down the field, while LaFell will be looked upon to make the tough catches over the middle.

A perfect safety valve for both Hatch and Lee will undoubtedly be TE Richard Dickson. LSU's best-known secret is no more, especially after his performance in the BCS National Championship Game.

However, with the speed on the ends, Dickson should still be able to find some very favorable matchups over the middle of the field in 2008.

Rounding up my look at the 2008 LSU offense is the men in the trenches. LT Ciron Black and LG Herman Johnson may be the fiercest left side LSU has seen in quite some time. Black has been a starter since his freshman season and should be a preseason All-America candidate. 

Brett Helms returns at center in 2008. His experience, leadership, and toughness will be key this season. Rounding up the right side of the offensive line is RG Lyle Hitt and RT Joseph Barksdale. Together these five guys look to pace another solid rushing attack and protect the two young, inexperienced quarterbacks.

The 2007 LSU offense was good. It was Gary Crowton's first year. The 2008 version could possibly be better. It won't be easy. But, as an LSU fan, it should be a fun year to watch on the offensive side of the ball.

Join me next time (whenever that may be) for a look at the 2008 LSU defense.

 

by:  Carey Montz

 

 

About this time every year, avid football fans across the country begin to yearn for the start of college football season.  With that comes another year of tailgating in the south.  The best tailgating in all the land hails in the south.

I posted this article a year ago, but in this dead sports time, I feel it needs to be revisited.

So, here we geaux again.  The Geaux Show in collaboration with Team KATT Tailgating has comprised a list of 10 must haves if you want to be considered a serious tailgater...

 

A TEAM KATT GUIDE TO A SUCCESSFUL TAILGATING SEASON

While the true die-hard college football fan is ready for the start of another football season as soon as the final whistle blows, the average college football enthusiast typically starts to fiend for college football about this time of the summer. 

Both the true die-hard and average fan wish college football was played year round, but most are intelligent enough to realize that football needs a break from time to time as well.  That being said, these same people start to get antsy and begin correlating their fall schedules in order to prepare for the start of football season, more importantly the tailgating season. 

This antsiness (made up word) primarily coincides with the beginning of summer.  We all find ways to cope with the football off-season. There are the NBA guys, us NASCAR guys, and the baseball purists (you know, those guys who don't mind watching a mid-summer's three game set between the Royals and Orioles). 

However, once summer is in full swing, we all become the little kid in the back of his parent's Suburban on a long vacation trip.  That little kid can remain quiet and find ways to occupy himself for much of the travel time, but once he can see the light at the end of the tunnel, he forgets about all things that kept him occupied for the other four hours and 23 minutes. 

So, what do we do to occupy ourselves for the other 45 minutes?  The married men are always given chores to do, but nothing that can truly divert our attention away from the soon to be football season. 

The single guy, other than the occasional one night fling, doesn't have the luxury, or curse depending on how you look at, of having that special someone giving him chores to occupy his time. 

Regardless, all men must find ways to get us through what are the dog days of summer.  So, after this long intro into what I feel will be a very productive meeting, I have compiled a list of 10 things that are essential for your football tailgate.  Thanks to me, I have filled your two months of waiting by providing a list of must haves which are guaranteed to make your tailgate spectacular.  Ensuring that all items on this list are in their upright and locked positions will make these next two months fly by.  Enjoy!!!

10.) Necessary Transportation. The rest of this list is basically irrelevant if your tailgate doesn't have the necessary logistics.  Chances are someone in your group either has a truck or an SUV.  If no one in your circle has either of these, stop reading this article.  Or, go out and buy yourself a truck, then continue reading.  Ideally, having two or more utility vehicles will do, but in reality, if you have at least one utility ride to handle the big stuff, you should be all right.

9.) Arrive Early. Tailgating is almost a national pastime in some parts of the country during the fall.  The lackadaisical tailgater may think its no big deal to arrive at his tailgate around lunchtime.  However, this simply does not apply to those truly serious about being a successful tailgater. 

You must always plan out with your friends what is the best time to arrive for tailgating.  There are certain criteria to consider as well.  Always consider the opponent.  If it is a big time SEC game, chances are people are going to arrive early.  If it is opening weekend, it doesn't matter who the opponent is, people have waited since November to tailgate once again, thus arriving early is key.  If it is midseason, and LSU is playing Middle Tennessee, arriving about an hour or so later than usual is sufficient.

8.) A Good Location. It is important to every tailgate to find a good location where much fun can be had.  You don't want to pick the wrong spot and be stuck tailgating next to a bunch of squares.  Also, you have to think about the intangibles. 

 

First, you want to set up a tailgate somewhere so that your vehicle will remain in the same zip code.  Next, always think about where your closest restrooms are located.  Lastly, you must pick out a spot where there is lots of action.  Having others around only makes tailgating that much more fun.

 

7.) Furniture and Appliances (chairs, tables, ice chests, radio, tv, etc). When you get to your tailgate spot, you gotta have a place to sit.  Investing in chairs and the like is a smart move.  Having tables to put food on is always a good thing.  Of course, you are going to need ice chests to keep the beer good and cold.  Lastly, you must have some form of medium. 

 

Also, you must think about what you will use to power said medium.  An inverter that can plug into a vehicle is good.  And you can always invest in a small generator.  Remember, you must have something for the generator to keep the noise and fumes down to a minimum.  Or spend the extra money for one of those quiet generators.

 

6.) EZ-UP Tents. This is essential to making any tailgate a success.  And not any old tent will do.  You have to go with the EZ-UP Tents.  Too many times over the years my friends and I have watched and laughed in amazement at people who show up to tailgate with either a screened in camping style tent or one of those tents that are in hundreds of pieces.  The EZ-UP is the only way to go.  If you don't already have one, or if your tent resembles a jigsaw puzzle, do yourself a favor and spend a few extra dollars on the aforementioned EZ-UP Tent.  And no, the folks at EZ-UP are not paying me.

 

5.) JJ Clancy. Some of you might be asking yourself what is a JJ Clancy?  Well, JJ can be anyone.  More specifically, JJ is the one friend that no tailgate can do without.  His entertainment quality is second to none.  He is the one guy who is ready to drop anything, regardless of importance, at the drop of a hat if it means tailgating success. 

 

He promises he will take care of the entertainment (television, ice chest radio, Direct TV, etc) but never has the proper equipment so that these amenities can be enjoyed (battery for said radio, and subscription service for the Direct TV).  He provides outlandish ideas without thinking how much money it might cost.  But from that enthusiasm, misguided as it might be, comes commitment.  If you tell him to be there at 6:00am to help set up, he is there. 

 

4.) Good Food and Good Beer. If you are going to take all the necessary steps so far, it would not be complete without a good food menu.  In my opinion, you are not serious about tailgating if you go out there with the idea that you will just grab a bite to eat from the student union.  That is designed for the folks who get out there at 2:00 in the afternoon and need to pass some time before heading to the stadium. 

 

That is just not good enough. 

 

A solid food menu only makes your tailgate more special.  And live on the edge a little.  Don't bring your little grill every week and cook some frozen hamburgers and hot dogs.  Keep the menu diverse.  There are plenty of things that are easy to prepare that don't require plenty of labor.  A good example of how to make your menu diverse is to base it around a central theme of your choice.  It makes it more fun.

 

Let's face it, we can compile another list of 10 reasons why beer is important at any tailgate.  Others might prefer to bring mixed drinks and such, but it doesn't get any simpler than beer.  Also, once you have arrived and your beer is iced down and you are ready to sit and relax, be sure to designate someone as your personal beer bitch. 

 

Finding someone gullible is the key.  The beer bitch is usually gullible and doesn't arrive at the tailgate as early as the others.  Also, he is the guy who comes with his beer, and then asks if he can bum room in someone's ice chest.  This has beer bitch written all over it.  Remember it.

 

3.) Recreational Activities - If you are following these steps to the tee, you must bring along some type of recreational activity.  If you have a good location with plenty of open room, you have to have a football.  It is considered illegal in some states to tailgate without a football.  Another thing to consider is holey board. 

 

When the beer starts to flow and people start to arrive, the holey board games get very intense.  Also, if you tailgate at the parade grounds at LSU and you get out there early, a pitching wedge and a nine iron along with about half a dozen golf balls is a good idea.  Practice your short game while waiting for the slackers to arrive.  If you are a sit down tailgater, a deck of cards is always a good idea.

 

2.) Good Friends - No doubt that a good time can be had at a tailgate with just a core group of friends.  But don't be afraid to let some of your friends invite some of their friends, no matter how much they mooch off of your food and beer.  As far as tailgating is concerned, we believe the more the merrier.  If the mooching continues after a while, then it is okay to kick their ass, but do it politely.  Then, politely tell them that if they want to join in on the fun, it is time to contribute. 

 

I got away from why I had this so high on the list.  You being there with all of your closest friends celebrating one common thing is a high like no other.  It's not like going to a party in college where everyone has their own separate agenda.  Everyone at a tailgate is there for the same reason.  It's a daylong event culminating with a football game at night.

 

1.)  Dedication - Everything listed above is irrelevant if you don't have No.1.  If you are going to tailgate seriously, certain sacrifices will have to be made.  For those of you responsible for hauling much of the equipment, you must accept the fact that your vehicle will smell like ass for the entire fall season and part of the winter. 

 

If you are going to tailgate with friends, make sure you tailgate with those friends who are as truly dedicated and psychotic as you.  This may hurt other friends’ feelings who want to arrive a bit later.  That is their problem.  If they want to arrive later and go somewhere else, oh well.  If they want to arrive later and join you, welcome them with open arms.  Also, be smart about your dedication. 

 

Budget for your tailgate.  Think about what needs to be done and start planning in the springtime. 

 

There you have it.  10 things that are essential to making any tailgate a success.  Please keep in mind that I am aware that there are other necessities, but I felt these were the most important.  Now, that I have laid the groundwork, go out there and do me proud.

WE ARE THE CHAMPIONS!

Another recruiting season is in the books, and the National Champion Tigers finished with yet another top 10 class. LSU returns 6 starters on offense and 5 starters on defense; however, LSU fills those holes with players who have significant playing time under their belt. The biggest question for the 2008 LSU football team will be at the defensive back position; and did Les Miles do a great job in bringing in some top guys to replace seniors Chevis Jackson and Jonathon Zenon. Miles and staff signed six defensive backs for the '08 class, the biggest recruit being #1 DB Patrick Johnson from Pompano Beach, FL. Look for Johnson to see the field early in his career at LSU.

LSU should be stacked at the receiver position for a while. Gary Crowton and company did a great job by signing five receivers: DeAngelo Benton, Chris Tolliver, Jhryn Taylor, Tim Molton, and Deangelo Peterson. I expect all except Benton to redshirt for the 2008 season.

Les Miles, being a former offensive lineman at Michigan back in his day, knows his stuff when it comes to the big men. LSU had somewhat of a surprise on signing day when Florida native Greg Shaw (6'5 270) sent in his LOI to the Tigers.

In what was a "down year" in Louisiana as to top recruits in the nation, Les Miles held strong to his duties and received commitments from all of the Louisiana players he offered. Keeping the talent in-state is huge in becoming a top program in college football.

Biggest Impact in '08: WR DeAngelo Benton (6'3 210). DeAngelo committed to the Tigers in '07, but failed to qualify. Benton kept his word and is ready to come to Baton Rouge in 2008. Similar to Demetrius Byrd, who also was a JUCO transfer, DeAnglo should come in and have an immediate impact.

My sleeper: DE/TE Chase Clement (6'5 240 lbs). Chase is a great athlete, he provides a big target at the tight end position, but also has the speed at 4.6 to rush the passer at the defensive end. I believe Chase has the size and speed to be a very successful defensive end in the SEC.

-Jeff Hathorn, Special to The Geaux Show

With one slot remaining on its 2008 football schedule, reigning national champion LSU is working with ESPN to arrange a home-and-home series with an opponent from a BCS conference.

Verge Ausberry, LSU's senior associate athletic director who handles football scheduling, said the school hopes to announce a deal by the end of next week. The first game of the series will be played in Tiger Stadium this fall.

"We're ready to make it happen," Ausberry said Monday. "We just need the other team to make the deal."

Ausberry said he wants to schedule a game in the near future in Houston, possibly at Reliant Stadium. Houston is home to a large LSU alumni base and is a fertile recruiting area for the Tigers.
"We're trying to get somebody in the Houston area," Ausberry said, "maybe a two-for-one (series). That would be very attractive to us."

The word on the street is that LSU has dropped North Texas (Aug. 30 opponent) and are now needing two teams to complete the schedule for 2008.

*Patrick Fisher, our Senior kicker, was doing a video blog throughout the BCS preparations for LSUSports.net. It's a great look behind the scenes.

*Speaking of behind the scenes, LSUSports.net also has a great set of locker room and on-field pictures up now.

*Be sure to catch Les Miles' interview on The Best Damn Sports Show earlier this week.

I have to hand it to the LSU Board of Sup's. They know when it's the right time to sneak a ticket increase by. Listen up, TAF members.

* Tickets go up $5 to $50 for SEC/VT-type opponents and $45 for other games

*$2.50 of the $5 increase goes to the new band hall construction costs

*Speaking of the band, they will move to the north endzone next year, but will still be in the student section. Public seating in the north endzone will not be affected

* Tradition Fund required donation rates raise as follows:

Sideline seats between the 20's: up $150 each year to $950 in 2010
Sideline seats- endzone: $50 less than above
Bowl seats-endzones: up $35 a year to $210 in 2010
Tiger Terrace seats: up $150 a year to $950/$900 in 2010
Upper Deck chair backs: up $50 a year to $500/$400 in 2010
Upper Deck bench backs: up to $225 in 2010

All of these plans will be proposed and probably approved at the next Board of Sup's meeting on the 17th.


More details here: LSUSports.net

*The BCS trophy will be on tour this weekend at the following locations:

Friday, Jan. 11
All-Star Chevy
11377 Airline Highway
225-298-8000
3 – 6 p.m.

Saturday, Jan. 12
Verizon Wireless
7089 Siegen Lane
225-293-1061
11 a.m. – 2 p.m.

Brian Harris Chevrolet
15015 Florida Blvd.
225-272-6500
4 – 7 p.m.

Sunday, Jan. 13
Verizon Wireless
3544 Veterans Blvd.
Metairie, La.
504-455-0228
1 – 4 p.m.


*There will be a ceremony at Tiger Stadium on January 19th, presumably to raise a new championship flag and show off the other championship trophies the tigers have won this year. A time has not been set.

*In case you didn't record it, Fox 44 will re-air the BCS Champ game this Sunday at noon.

Another Fantastic Season.

Today is a great day, Great set of big photos here: Tigerforums.com

Best of luck to the Tigers today. It is not often that we get an opportunity to witness an LSU National Championship game. I suggest you savor the moment. Take off work at noon, find a sports bar wherever you are, and wear your purple and gold proudly today. Because tomorrow, NO ONE WILL BE OUR EQUAL!!!

GEAUX TIGERS!!

P.S. would ya look what the cat drug into media day:

Less than 4 hours after watching 4 journalists i used to respect all unanimously decide that Les was still going to Michigan , Michigan announced Rich Rodriguez, alum and coach of WVU, will be coaching the wolverines next season. Now ESPN can finally stop covering Herbie's rear end and start preparing for bowl season.

THREE DAY'S TILL THE POINSETTIA BOWL!

Les Miles made good on his words from Saturday, signing a contract extension which lasts through the 2012 season.

Details of the contract were not released.  But we do know that Miles received a raise to $2.8million/year with the SEC Championship Game win.  Should LSU win the National Championship, Miles is gauranteed to a salary equivalent to the top paid coaches in college football.  This would figure to be between $3.2-$3.5million annually.

Over the next week Glenn Dorsey will be crossing the country on his World Tour of defensive dominance. The tour started last night when he accepted the 2007 Bronko Nagurski Award in Charlotte, N.C. Dorsey now heads to Houston on Wednesday for the Lombardi Award, to Orlando on Thursday for the Outland and Bednarik awards, and LA on Sunday for the Lott Trophy.

If I was Mizzou, I'd be pissed. And WTF is going on with the Orange bowl? Oh yeah, WERE GOING TO DA SHIP!!!! Our professional analysis to follow in a few days

Look, I'm all for giving back and helping raise funds for those still in need around our great state, but these things are atrocious! I mean the patch is ok and the white helmets look decent, but whats with that half-assed "maybe-maybe-not" stripe on the shoulder. It looks like someone used a template of our purple jersey and forgot to completely erase the stripes. And white pants? Ugh. There is a reason the saints stopped wearing the all-whites. Why didn't we just go all out and wear the gold jerseys? What's worse, Nike is only donating a dollar for every jersey sold. It's almost as bad as those two-tones they talked florida into wearing last? year.

more pics (not for the faint of heart) here

by: Carey Montz

 

The scoreboard read LSU 45 MSU 0.  At face value, it appeared to be a typical LSU vs. MSU type score.  For the third time since 2001, LSU shut out MSU.  The difference was this time, LSU did so in less than spectacular fashion.  It took about a half for the LSU offense to get into rythym, but once they did, it wall over but the crying for Moo U.

Defensively, LSU didn't appear to skip a beat from last season, forcing seven turnovers, which the offense converted into 38 points.  Craig Steltz led the defensive attack for the Tigers, intecepting three Michael Henig passes.  Up front, Glenn Dorsey led the charge, proving that he will be a force to be reckoned with all season long.  LSU was able to get consistent pressure all night rushing only the front four on the defensive line, which allowed the secondary to blanket State's receivers all night long.

The obvious conern is definitely the play of the offensive line.  Matt Flynn did not have much time to throw, and rarely was LSU in any kind of rythym on offense.  However, it seemed that when LSU wanted to, it could move the ball at will, as evidenced by the opening possession of the second half.  All in all, it was a very tuned down version of the LSU offense.

Now for the spin.  I don't know about other LSU fans, but I tend to always look for a silver lining in every game LSU plays, win or lose.  On Thursday night, I truly believe that MSU could not have played any better defensively than what they did in the first half against LSU.  They played inspired football on the defensive side of the ball for a half, and much of the third quarter.  Secondly, as I stated before, the LSU offensive gameplan was very basic Thursday night.  And lastly, it was the opening game of the season on the road against an SEC opponent, all be it against MSU.  I've seen LSU play better in opening games, and I have seen them play worse.  And moreover, no matter how it happened, we beat a conference opponent on the road very easily.

So now there are plenty of people making assumptions and/or predictions about this LSU team and whether or not the Tigers will be in the BCS picure at the end of the season.  Had our defense struggled at times last night as well, I would say there could be a reason to be skeptical.  However, this defense is lights out and will continue to be throughout the season.  They will continue to put this offense in excellent situations, and this offense will also gel as the season progresses.

All this being said, there is still plenty of room for improvement heading into week 2 against the Hokies of Virginia Tech.  I like having the two extra days to prep for the Hokies, and I like the fact that kickoff is at 8:15.  The stadium will be electric on Saturday with plenty of storylines to feed the fire.  I can't wait!!!

GEAUX TIGERS!!!!

The Geaux Show, your original LSU podcast, will be educating LSU fans worldwide with its inaugural preseason special.  The show taping will be Saturday, August 18th, from Studio Starvin Marvin.  And as can be expected with the cast and crew of The Geaux Show, this preseason show promises to be a little different.  We will be discussing everything relevant to the upcoming football season and promise to answer any questions received from now until the show taping on Saturday. 

Be sure to check your IPods early next week for the show's release.  The upcoming season promises to be an exciting one, and The Geaux Show will be there to cover every bit of it, starting Saturday. 

Don't forget that we will be streaming live from Team KATT tailgating headquarters for all seven home games, which is located on the parade grounds directly across from the front steps of the LSU Student Union.  So, if you plan on tailgating this season, be sure to stop by and say hello.

From LSUSports.net:

LSU running back Alley Broussard has decided to leave the Tiger football team, he announced on Tuesday.

Broussard, a senior from Lafayette, said he will remain in school at LSU, where he is scheduled to graduate in December.

“My heart was no longer in it,� Broussard said. “I’m scheduled to graduate in December so I want to use the fall semester to dedicate my time towards getting my degree.

“I enjoyed my four years as part of the LSU football team and I wish my teammates success in 2007.�

LSU coach Les Miles thanked Broussard for his service to the Tiger football team.

“We understand Alley’s decision and we’ll support him as he continues to pursue his college degree. We wish him success in his future endeavors and thank him for the time that he spent with our program.�

In four years with the Tigers, Broussard played in 35 games, starting eight times. He finished his career with 1,537 yards rushing and 18 touchdowns. Broussard, who missed all of the 2005 season with a knee injury, returned to action last year, rushing for 281 yards and four touchdowns on 74 carries.

Sad news on this Memorial Day. Marquise Hill, former Tiger DE and current NFL Patriot, died in a jet ski accident yesterday on Lake Ponchartrain. Marquise and his female companion, who was rescued near the site of the accident, were not wearing life vests. His body was recovered a quarter-mile away from the scene, but has not been positively identified by the family yet.

Marquise was a starter on the 2003 National Championship team. He had great 3-year career at LSU with 108 tackles, including 17 for losses and 10 sacks including one for 8-yards in the National Championship game. He left LSU after his Junior year and was drafted 64th overall by the Patriots.

Marquise Hill LSU Stat Page

There wasn't too much to report on from the second day of the NFL Draft, as it was a slow day for LSU players being taken.  In fact, the only other LSU player drafted over the weekend was Chase Pittman by the Cleveland Browns in the seventh round.  Pittman, I guess you can say, serves as the final piece to the 2007 Cleveland Browns' draft puzzle, a puzzle some experts are touting as the best draft this year.

Also, as expected, several other LSU players signed free agent rookie contracts today.  Seven more players in all will be in NFL camps come July.  Here is a quick rundown of the seven players who signed free agent contracts today:

Justin Vincent - Atlanta; Daniel Francis - Washington; Peter Dyakowski - New Orleans; Jesse Daniels - Carolina; Chris Jackson - Buffalo; Ryan Willis - St. Louis; and Brian Johnson - Arizona

The Saints used the second day to add depth to their roster at some key positions.  The most noteworthy selection came when the Saints traded up in the 4th round to select running back Antonio Pittman from Ohio St.  Pittman is a guy who will be competing for that third running back position with Aaron Stecker.  At 5'10'' 207lbs., I see Pittman as a guy who can come in spell either Bush or McAllister and be used in certain 3rd down situations and on special teams. 

Overall, it was great weekend to be an LSU Tiger fan.  For the first time in its history, LSU had 4 guys selected in the first round.  The SEC proved its dominance once again with nearly half the first round selections used to draft SEC players.  The Saints had a good weekend.  They filled the void left by Joe Horn and added more depth to the cornerback position as well.  Mickey Loomis and Sean Payton have pushed all the right buttons to this point, and I am not about to criticize anything they have done.  Job well done overall by the Saints. 

The 1st day of the NFL Draft is nearing completion, and it was a great day for LSU, having four former players get drafted in the 1st round on Saturday.

Not surprising to anyone, JaMarcus Russell was selected first overall by Oakland, joining Billy Cannon as the only other LSU Tiger football player to be selected first overall in the NFL Draft.  Russell joins Cannon, Shaquille O'neal, Ben McDonald, and Semoine Augustus as the only five players in LSU history to be selected first overall in each of their respective sports.

Joining Russell as first round selections were Laron Landry, Dwayne Bowe, Craig Davis.  The only surprise in that group is Davis.  Most, including myself, in my draft preview had him slotted as second round pick.  That being said, I don't think it was a reach for San Diego to select him.  Landry was taken by the Washington Redskins 6th overall, which off the top of my head, is the first time that has happenend in LSU's history....having two players taken in the top 10 I mean.  Bowe was selected 23rd overall by Kansas City, and Davis was the 30th pick by the Chargers.  Congrats to the Tigers who have been selected and good luck to the Tigers who await a phone call tomorrow.

As far the Saints, the team stuck to their guns by taking who they felt was the best player available.  Robert Meacham, WR, Tennessee, was taken by the Saints with the 27th pick.  The additions at CB during the offseason was reason enough to go WR in the first round, especially with the loss of Joe Horn.  The Saints traded their second round pick away to the Detriot Lions for an early third round pick and a fifth round pick.  The difference between their second round pick and third round pick was only 8 positions, so not a bad move to pick a late round pick.

It is my favorite time of spring.  No, I am not talking about the Red Sox sweeping the Yankees over the weekend, although I think that is outstanding based on the fact that the Sox are my second favorite MLB team behind Houston, and the Yankees rank right up there with Notre Dame, Tulane, and pretty much every NBA team as my most hated sports teams.  I am talking about the NFL Draft.  With the exception of LSU spring practice and the start of Mariner's spring softball, the NFL Draft is what I look forward to the most in the month of April.  You have to give it up to the NFL.  Only they can sell a product such as its draft and have people, such as myself, so riveted as to what it going to happen that we literally waste an entire weekend sitting on our cans at the risk of getting blasted by our wives for not helping around the house.

While I look forward to NFL Draft weekend every year, more importantly, I pay special attention as to where LSU players entered in the draft will end up.  If that is not enough reason to sit on my can and waste away an entire weekend, there is the prospect that JaMarcus Russell will be the #1 overall selection on Saturday.  Wait, there's more.  Laron Landry is slated to go in the top 10, and Dwayne Bowe could be a mid-first rounder.

So, in order to hopefully enlighten all of you Geaux Show fans as to what is going to happen in this year's NFL Draft as it pertains to LSU, I give you my LSU NFL Draft Preview.

JAMARCUS RUSSELL:

Unless you are Amish, you know that Russell has been talked about as being the first player taken by the Oakland Raiders pretty much since he lit Brady Quinn and the Notre Dame Fighting Irish up for 332 yards and 3 total TD'S in the Sugar Bowl back on January 3rd.  I have stated on more than one occassion that I do not want this to happen.  I hate the Raiders.  I hate the way Al Davis runs the organization.  I don't want Russell to go there and immediately get thrown to the wolves because that is exactly what is going to happen.  Who's gonna start ahead of him?  Josh Flippin' Booty?  Andrew Walter?  He got beat out at the begining of the season by Aaron Brooks.  Nevertheless, Russell even being considered as a possible #1 overall selection is fantastic.  It is fantastic for he and his family, LSU fans across the board, and for the university. 

What do I think is going to happen?  Well, unless the Raaaaaiiiddeeeerss make a play for a QB between now and Saturday, they will take Russell.  Speculation is that Al Davis is salivating more and more over Calvin Johnson.  But having all of those receivers does you no good if you only have Booty and/or Walter throwing them the ball.

Prediction:  This is wishful thinking, but what the hell.  The Raiders strike a deal with the Lions for Josh McCown, select Calvin Johnson #1, and the Browns swap places with the Lions and select Jamarcus Russell.

LARON LANDRY:

Behind Gaines Adams, DE from Clemson, Landry is the most sought after defensive player in this year's draft.  Landry started every game in his career at LSU and could have been a first round selection in last year's NFL Draft.  He was decribed by one college football publication at the beginning of the 2006 college football season as an NFL player in a college uniform.  There are two places where Landry is likely to go: Minnesota or Atlanta, who pick 7th and 8th respectively.  The only way Minnesota doesn't take Landry is if either Adrian Peterson falls to the Vikings at #7, or if they trade up to get Peterson.

Prediction:  I think Adrian Peterson could fall to Minnesota in the seventh slot.  The only other team that would take Peterson ahead of Minnesota would be Cleveland.  But based on my prediction about JaMarcus, that would not fly.  Therefore, I think the Falcons select Landry with the 8th overall pick.

DWAYNE BOWE:

Bowe is another LSU Tiger whose stock has risen as a result of NFL Pro Day workouts.  Bowe does not have the numbers that some of the other top receivers in the draft have, but his physical attributes and his peformance at the Senior Bowl practices and continuing at LSU's pro day's have him slotted to go somewhere in the middle of the first round up from a late first round pick as originally thought.

Prediction:  Bowe's fate depends on how some of the teams picking in the mid first round who need a WR rate him.  Bowe is sort of clumped together with Robert Meacham from Tennessee, and, for some reason, Ted Ginn Jr.  It's a toss-up as to who gets drafted first out of these three.  But, for purposes of this report, I like Bowe to end up in Tennessee in a Titans uniform come Saturday.

CRAIG DAVIS:

I stated above that Bowe didn't have the types of numbers that some of the other top WR's had.  Craig Davis is one reason why.  Davis, or as I always referred to him, Mr. Conistent, does all the little things that doesn't show up on stat sheets.  For example, Davis isn't going to be the guy whose 40 time jumps out at you.  But Davis only helped himself more in the draft when he started handling returns for LSU midway through the 2006 season.  His ability to successfully handle returns for LSU only solidfies Davis as 1st day draft selection.

Prediction:  Craig Davis will likely be taken somewhere in the second round, probably early to mid second round to be exact.  Perfect scenario would be Davis falling to the Saints at pick 58, but that is not likely to happen.  The Dolphins at pick 40 is a possibility, or the Falcons could nab their second LSU player with pick 39 or 44.

OTHER TIGERS OF INTEREST:

I believe Davis will round out the LSU players who will be taken on the first day.  The only other real possibility is Chase Pittman.  Pittman has good size and speed and could go in the third round.  Jesse Daniels endured an injury plagued last two seasons at LSU, but he could still be a second day pick somwhere in the 5th or 6th round.  Justin Vincent, despite all his hardships since his freshman season, could be another Tiger taken late on the second day.  Vincent still has great versatility.  He can run the ball, catch the ball, and is great at picking up blitzes.  If he ever regains his work ethic, he could be a very servicable third down back in the NFL.  Daniel Francis, Chris Jackson, Peter Dyakowski, and Brian Johnson will all most certainly earn themselves a free agent rookie contract.  Of those 4, the only two I see possibly being selected late are Daniel Francis and Brian Johnson.

 

This is a difficult story for me to post. The picture on the right is of Zhamal Thomas, one of the 3 LSU players who was arrested last week and subsequently dismissed from the team last Thursday. I say it is difficult because Zhamal was a guy I knew in high school in New Iberia. He was an extremely strong guy in high school, leading the schools' weightlifting team as a sophmore. I was excited during the '06 signing day to hear his name called, grateful that someone made it to the big time from NISH's dismal football team. Ever since I started this site, I hoped that one day I'd be able to post a pic of him taking down some defensive player during a game, just like he did so many times at NISH. As it stands, I hope he and the other former Tigers can clean up their act and land on their feet somewhere.

The LSU Spring Game is Saturday (Tix free in advance, $5 at the door) and this year they are introducing a new format to the game that I hope does well.Former LSU standouts Joseph Addai and Anthony McFarland, members of the Indianapolis Colts Super Bowl Championship team this year, will serve as guest coaches for one team, while Kevin Faulk and Jarvis Green, both 3-time Super Bowl Championships, will serve on the coaching staff for the other team. It's nice to see the alums come back to campus and help bring out the fans.

....The Tigers had a second scrimmage on Friday. The team focused on 1st and 10, 3rd and short, and 2 minute drill situations. Miles said he was impressed with both QB's performance and with RB Charles Scott, who led all rushers with 67 yards.....

.....Ivan Miasel over at ESPN.com ran a great feature this week on how Flynn is adjusting to his new leadership role after standing in Russles shadow for the last few years. Flynn is at peace with the idea that he played behind the guy who is the odds-on favorite to be the first pick in the NFL draft next month. "I cannot sit here and say, 'Man, I should have been playing. I'm so much better than him.'" Flynn said, a grin playing across his face. "I can't say that."....

....LSU's Pro Day was wednesday, and much attention was paid to comments by ESPN's Todd McShay who said it was the greatest workout by a QB he's ever seen. Statistics from the workout can be found here....

Seems every off-season, SEC football players have a way of getting into trouble. This year is no exception. The 1st victim is SC QB Stephen Garcia, who was arrested twice in recent weeks for damaging a professor's car with a key and with drunkenness and failing to stop for a police officer. SC has suspended him for the semester and he will not play in their spring game.

SEC Football Arrest Counter (07-08 season): 2

Source ESPN.com

From LSUSports.net:

"BATON ROUGE - LSU junior quarterback JaMarcus Russell will skip his senior season with the Tigers and make himself eligible for this year's NFL Draft. Russell announced his decision Wednesday at a press conference on the LSU campus. "

"Russell leaves LSU as one of the most prolific quarterbacks in school history as he guided the Tigers to a 25-4 overall mark as a starter. Russell is the only quarterback in school history to lead the Tigers to back-to-back 10 win seasons. Russell started in 10 wins for the Tigers in 2005 and followed that by starting in all 11 victories for LSU in 2006. "

We'll miss you, JR.

Wanna see it again? Yeah me too. The full, unedited version of the game, with all the postgame ceremonies is now available on iTunes for just $2.99

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The LSU community got what they wanted on Sunday night:  A trip to BCS bowl game.  However, it is not the game Tiger fans had anticpated going to.  For the past week, LSU AD Skip Bertman and head coach Les Miles have campaigned for LSU getting a shot to play in the Rose Bowl.  After UCLA's stunning victory over USC on Saturday, and Florida's win against Arkansas in the SEC Championship Game, LSU will have to wait until another time for the chance to play in the "Grandaddy of them all."

LSU is set to face off against Notre Dame in the Sugar Bowl, LSU's third appearance in the game since 2001.  The game will be played January 3 at 7:00 pm.  The Tigers finished the season strong, winning six in a row en route to a 10-2 record.  The Irish boast the same record, but its two losses have been by a combined 46 points.

The announcement that Florida jumped Michigan and will play Ohio State for the national championship is a bit unexpected.  Early reports indicated that the Gators would have to win the game by a very wide margin to have a chance to jump to #2 in the BCS.  But Florida's strength of schedule, and the rematch factor played into the Gators' favor.

Personally, I am a bit dissappointed that we will not get the chance to play in the Rose Bowl against USC.  However, I am extemely happy that a one loss team from the SEC will get a chance to play for the national title.  Michigan is a great football team.  Florida went through the toughest conference, played the toughest schedule, and will play the Buckeyes every bit as tough as Michigan did in their annual matchup.

Other BCS games:

Rose Bowl: USC vs. Michigan

Fiesta Bowl: Boise State vs. Oklahoma

Orange Bowl: Louisville vs. Wake Forest

Check back to the geauxshow.com for more breakdowns of LSU vs. Notre Dame, as well as the other bowl games.  Also, look for a new Geaux Show Podcast this week as myself, Pat, and Cody will analyze the BCS selection process. 

Former Geaux Show host Casey Gisclair has a great article in todays Reveille about the emotions of the players and Coach Miles after the game.
 
LINK

There are a few signs out there to let you know November is here.  Leaves are starting to turn orange and brown, politicians are seen pretty regularly on television letting voters know what their opponent hasn't done instead of letting voters know what he/she can do for them, and LSU - Alabama are set to face each other in a key SEC matchup.

LSU, coming off what is unquestionably the biggest win to this point of the season, plays host to the Alabama Crimson Tide Saturday night in Tiger Stadium.  The game will be televised on ESPN.  Kickoff is set for 6:45.

To use an old coaching adage, Alabama is now LSU's biggest game of the season.  The victory in Knoxville, while important, does not mean anything if we cannot take care of business Saturday against the Crimson Tide.  The good news for LSU is that the Tigers match up very favorably with Bama and barring any costly turnovers should emerge victorious once again in Tiger Stadium.

Both teams come into Saturday's matchup with two entirely different back stories.  I have already eluded to LSU's win against Tennessee on Saturday.  The Crimson Tide is coming off one of its worst losses in recent memory, losing in Tuscaloosa to Mississippi State.  To make matters worse for the Tide, they haven't won on the road yet this season, a feat LSU accomplished this past Saturday.  So to say it is impossible for Alabama to win Saturday would be an understatement.

It would be, in my opinion, irrelevant to throw out statistic after statistic while trying to break this game down.  I think most would agree that LSU is the better team on paper.  Even Alabama's defense, which has been very good at times this season, cannot measure up to what LSU has been able to defensively.

More importantly, I am looking to see how LSU responds at home after getting a much needed win on the road.  In the past, LSU has been known for being a very good team in the month of November.  In fact, if memory serves me correctly, Alabama was the last team to beat LSU in the month of November back in 2002, shutting us out 31-0.  It was the last time Bama beat LSU, as LSU has owned this series recently winning 5 of the last 6.

Also, given the fact that Bama lost a game they shouldn't have, I am somewhat concerned about LSU getting complacent.  This is where our coaching staff and leaders on the team need to step up.  Alabama has played teams tough on the road this season.  Florida pulled away late against them, while Tennesee beat them by a field goal. 

The key to this game is quite simple.  Get an early lead.  Alabama's style of play doesn't translate to being able to come from behind.  Add to that equation a defense who typically does not give up the big play.  I know we have a solid streak of winning the coin toss and deferring, but I wouldn't mind us taking the opening kickoff and marching right down Bama's throat for a touchdown.  Also, we cannot turn the ball over.  We haven't done this that much at home, and we can't start doing it this weekend.  Bama is a vulnerable team right now and giving them any glimmer of hope could complicate things quite easily.

 

Does everyone recall how the Mario Brothers music used to get faster and faster as time was running out on a certain level?  LSU's chances of going to Atlanta are quite similar.  Okay, bad analogy, but I think my point has been made, all be it quite unconventionally.

LSU can get as many breaks as it wants for the remainder of the season as it relates to its chances of representing the SEC West in Atlanta the first weekend of December.  However, none of it will amount to crap if LSU cannot go into Knoxville, a place that has been rather unkind to the Tigers throughout the years, and defeat the 8th ranked Tennessee Volunteers on Saturday.

Defensively, I think the gameplan is quite simple.  Force Erik Ainge to make plays.  By that I mean we need to pressure him constantly with a consistent pass rush from our defensive line.  Ainge will be hobbled by an ankle injury suffered last week against the Cocks, and I think it is important that LSU test his mobility early and often.  Getting pressure on him without the benefit of using blitz packages only helps LSU as it will allow for less one on one opportunities downfield.  I like the idea of our safeties roaming around freely just waiting for an opportunity to put a hit on a WR to break up a potential completion.  Also, with the Vols leading rusher, Lamarcus Coker, out with an injury, it is imperative that LSU force UT to become one dimensional offensively.

Offensively, LSU should throw as many looks at UT as they have.  We have an abundance of talent on that offense, and we should use every bit of it.  If the conventional running game is not gaining us yards, then we need to do some things that will help offset what UT wants to do defensively, which, if they have looked at game film, will be keying on our passing game.  The first half against Fresno St. was not a pretty one.  However, we ran the ball as effectively as I have seen in a 1st half a game this season.  Things opened up in the second half offensively.  If UT has to worry about Holliday, Doucet, and Broussard in the backfield, our passing attack will open up. 

Since the disaster that was the Florida game, LSU's return game has made strides, primarily in the punt return game.  A calm has come upon me while watching Buster Davis return punts over the past few weeks.  To make things even better, it looks like he has been returning kicks his whole life.  If you need proof, you only need to go back to the Fresno game and Davis' 77 yard punt return for a TD.  If LSU is going to beat UT, it needs not to have special teams breakdowns.  The crazy punt formation still scares me.  Hopefully, this was worked on during the bye week.  We cannot afford any type of special teams breakdowns that will either give UT a touchdown, or give UT excellent field position.

Lastly, and I cannot stress this enough, in game adjustments will be vital.  LSU has lost two tough games on the road to tough competition.  Partly because of a lack in game adjustments.  For purposes of this week, success will be defined on if LSU is able to make the key adjustments necessary to beat the Vols in Knoxville.  As far as predictions, the 2nd edition of Big Wee's Tackle Football Picks will be posted sometime between now and Friday afternoon. 

GEAUX TIGERS!!!

It never rains in Tiger Stadium....not during a game at least.  For a solid hour before LSU was set to take on Fresno St. on Saturday night, the heavens opened and delayed yet another home game.  This time, however, it was only for four minutes.  Once the lightning had stopped and skies cleared (sort of) LSU was set to take the field against the 1-5 Bulldogs.

LSU opened the game much like it had in its other 5 contests in Baton Rouge by scoring early.  It took LSU only 5 plays before scoring its first touchdown, when freshmean Trindon Holliday took a pitch from JaMarcus Russel and sprinted 38 yards on the right side for a touchdown.  Holliday has been no stranger to running the football this season, but Saturday was the first time he lined up in the tailback position during a game.  Holliday's other runs were on end arounds.

LSU then forced a punt on Fresno's next position.  Craig Davis, called in for double duty last week against Kentucky as a punt returner after LSU's misfortunes against Florida, received the punt at his own 23, got some key blocks, made some key moves, then took it to paydirt for a 14-0 Tigers lead.  It was commonplace for LSU fans to see its team jump out to an early lead.  However, other than a field goal, it would be all the scoring LSU would provide in the first half.

The offensive woes conitinued on LSU's first possession of the 2nd half.  Fresno then went on its most impressive drive of the night beating the LSU blitz with roll out passes and middle screens.  Fresno was able to move into the redzone and threatened to cut LSU's lead to 7 before key stops on 2nd and 3rd by Ali Highsmith and Chevis Jackson. 

LSU would then score on its next three possessions.  The first of which was a 21 yard touchdown run by what looked to be a rejuvenated Alley Broussard.  Internet rumors early in the week had Broussard quitting the team and wanting to transfer due to a lack of playing time.  But Broussard looked like the Alley of old running over defenders and finishing with a team high 67 yards on only five carries.  Russel would get on track as well completing all eight of his passes thrown in the second half, including two touchdown passes to Dwayne Bowe for 58 yards and to Craig Davis for 31 yards.  The latter would come on a 4th and 1 and virtually iced the game for the Tigers. 

LSU would turn it up a notch defensively as well after the surrendering the early 2nd half field goal and would finish the game allowing only 211 yards of offense and not giving up a touchdown in a game for the fourth time this season.  The Tigers have a bye week before traveling to Knoxville on November 4th to take on Tennessee before a national television audience on CBS.  It will be the third top 10 team the Tigers have faced on the road this season.

With nearly 66% of the regular season complete, I, Carey Montz, of sound, body, and mind feel it is my duty to give you, Geaux Show fans, an in depth analysis of the LSU football season to this point.  I will take a look at the highs and lows, what has worked and what hasn't, and basically give my opinion on where I think this season is headed, and where this football team is headed in the future with Les Miles as the head coach.

I feel it necessary to talk about the lows at first because if I talk about the highs last, it will give all of you that warm and fuzzy feeling inside, which is what I am shooting for.  I haven't had a chance to poll LSU fans, but I am sure most of them would say that the lack of a running game has been the biggest disappointment thus far.  To a man, the rushing attack is just not there.  The offensive line is not blowing anyone off of the line of scrimmage and the backs aren't hitting the holes with any type of purpose.  I think one of the problems is that we are very predictable when we run the football.  When in the I formation, 75% of the time, the fullback goes in motion to where the ball is being run.  The good thing is that in the past couple of weeks, we have seen different wrinkles to aid the running attack.  Early Doucet taking snaps from center, and end arounds to Trindon Holliday are two things that stand out.  Another thing that I would like to see us do more is hand the ball off out of shotgun.  We did this in our lone TD drive against Florida and averaged about 5 yards a carry with it.  The best coaches adapt to their talent.  It appears that Coach Miles is beginning to do that.

Next up, special teams.  I don't want to say that this single handedly cost LSU the game against Florida, but the miscues on special teams were devastating.  We saw this early in the season with the muffed punts and hoped LSU would get it out of their system by the time we played the Auburns and Floridas of the world.  Well, two special teams fumbles led to 16 points, when you take into consideration the safety kick after Doucet's fumble.  Again, remember warm and fuzzy.  Craig Davis returned punts against Kentucky and did a very nice job.  I think this is a definite step in the right direction.

The last low I will speak on is unfortunately about the coaching.  If LSU is to be a title contender, both SEC and National, this coaching staff has to be able to make in game adjustments in big spots.  Auburn spent the entire first half trying to pass to set up the run with Kenny Irons.  When that didn't work, what did Tubby do?  He went back to his bread and butter and scored 7 points, all he would need to beat LSU.  Against Florida, LSU looked unprepared from the start.  You would think with Arkansas giving LSU some hope with a win at Auburn, it would light a fire.  It did not.  Obviously, LSU can blow out the teams in which they are supposed to, but look very unprepared in the big games, which, needless to say, is where you have to be the most prepared.

The highs:  DEFENSE (stomp, stomp) DEFENSE (stomp, stomp) DEFENSE....I think you get the idea.  When you can go on the road against what is perhaps one of the best running backs and offensive lines in the nation and yield only 7 points, something is clicking.  Bo Pelini and his defense have come a long way since that Arizona State game last season.  LSU is on the brink of becoming D-Line University.  Each year, the guys on the d-line seem to get stronger and faster.  Losing Kyle Williams and Claude Wroten has not hampered this group at all.  The thing I like the most about the defense is the amount of substituting we do.  This ensures that whoever steps in as new starters next season will have had some big game experience.  The amount of pleasant surprises on this defense is tremendous: Darry Beckwith, Jonathon Zenon, Ricky Jean-Francois to name a few. 

And not everything on the offense is bad.  Jacob Hester has been the one bright spot in a rushing attack that has struggled.  Charles Scott has had a few moments, but for the most part, Hester has been the one making the big plays, running and catching the football.  JaMarcus Russel, while he did struggle at Florida, has played very good football to this point in the season.  He was the only offense we had at Auburn and has been lights out his last two games in Tiger Stadium.  He has been helped by an outstanding receiving core who have become the playmakers this season everyone had hoped they would be.

Now, here is my take on the rest of the season.  LSU is 5-2.  Most LSU fans would admit that winning games at Auburn, Florida, and Tennessee would be flat out impossible.  This team, while talented, is just not seasoned enough at this point.  We have Fresno State this weekend and then a bye week before we travel to Knoxville to take on UT.  We need to win at UT.  Obvious reasons being an outside shot at the SEC West crown and a New Year's Day bowl.  More importantly, I have to see that the coaches can come up with a gameplan and motivate this team good enough to win in a tough spot on the road.  We are too talented a team.  Our defense is stellar and always give us a chance to win.  It is time for our offense to step up in the big spot.  Bama and Ole Miss will be tough, but if LSU comes in to Tiger Stadium with the right mindet, those two teams should not present to big of a challenge.  Arkansas is better than anyone could have predicted.  They are no cake walk normally, and will be a huge challenge at the end of the season, no matter what the stakes are at that point.

As far the future.  I am not ready to write Les Miles off.  Many a people on unnamed message boards are.  Hell, that is what those boards are there for.  The man is 17-4 to this point and has proven he can win in a big spot.  Losing to top 5 teams on the road is nothing to sneeze at.  I think the reason we get so frustrated as fans is that we want this team to succeed.  So, I ask this question to the same fans who call Miles another Gerry Dinardo: Do you not think that this coaching staff and the players want to win just as bad?  Bottom line is sometimes breaks don't always go LSU's way.  Last season they did in most spots.  This year, the law of averages caught up with this, which can only mean one thing.  UT is going down in Knoxville on November 4th.  GEAUX TIGERS!!!!

Notes:

We will again be podcasting live from TEAM KATT tailgating headquarters on Saturday.  The link will be posted before we start, which should be around 10:00 am.  Come stop by and say hi.  Pat, Cody, and I will be there in full force once again.  We'll make you famous.  We are located on the parade grounds directly across from the front steps of the union.  Also, if anyone is interested in participating in our holey board tournament, you are more than welcome.  Just to give you fair warning:  You will probably lose to Pat and I anyway.

 

      Sorry Geaux Show website fans, I have been "out of pocket" for the last couple of weeks and have not been able to provide you with the "in depth" analysis you all deserve.  However, with the heart of the SEC schedule bearing down on us, it is time put all of the unimportant stuff aside *cough*cough*work* and focus on the task at hand.  With that, yours truly, Carey Montz, a.k.a. Big Wee, will breakdown this high powered SEC match-up between two of the best teams in the nation.  Now, all you have to check the website tomorrow morning, as I am getting this preview in a little later than I originally planned.  Here we go!

            As we are approaching the halfway point of the college football season, it isn't too difficult to decipher what LSU needs to do to win this game on the road against 5th ranked Florida.  The Tigers have struggled to run the ball at times this season and having to go against the top ranked rushing defense in the SEC doesn't exactly help out this particular situation.  In order to matriculate (Hank Stram reference) the ball down the field, LSU will need its passing game to be clicking on all cylinders in order to set up the run.  Also, we need to be a little less predictable than we were against Auburn in our offensive play calling.  Now, we threw the ball 37 times versus 20 runs in that game, but a majority of those running plays were on 1st and 2nd down consecutively, which means we were in 3rd and long all day against Auburn.  And as good as our passing game was that day, this offense cannot spend all day in 3rd and long situations if they want to defeat Florida on the road.  Expect LSU to go vertical early and often against a sometimes gambling Gator secondary.  I trust that Florida will blitz JaMarcus Russell, so it is vital that our pass protection be as sharp as it was against Auburn.  It is in this area that I am most confident.  I feel Russell will have time to throw the football.

            Defensively, the game plan is simple: Neutralize Chris Leak and Tim Tebow.  What I mean by this is that we cannot allow either QB to make plays with his feet.  Last year, LSU did an outstanding job of keeping Leak in the pocket and putting a hit on him every chance they got.  I expect more of the same on Saturday, and if our defensive line can get pressure consistently on Leak, I think we can force him to make a mistake or two.  Leak does have 4 INTS in 5 games this season.  When Tebow is in the game, there is about a 95% chance that he is taking the snap from the shotgun and running a draw play of some kind.  Florida has had some success with this thus far this season, but the Gators haven't seen the team speed the likes of the LSU Tigers.  With star running back Deshaun (sp?) Wynn out of this game with an injury, it is absolutely imperative that we not let Leak and Tebow beat us with their legs.

            Final analysis:  LSU has more game breakers than Florida, in my opinion.  I feel that if this offense can score 20 points, we will win the game.  There were opportunities to put up at least two TD's against Auburn; we just failed to convert on those chances.  I look for this LSU team to rebound nicely from their last road game and make enough plays on offense to win the game.

This is part three of a three part series I will do in breaking down the LSU - AU game in Auburn at Jordan-Hare Stadium in Auburn Alabama.

Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, LSU fans of all ages: You've read about the breakdowns of both sides of the ball by yours truly. Hopefully, it made some football sense to all of you. Certainly, there are other keys to this game, but I wanted to focus on the primary ones that I think will decide the outcome. In my last part of this series, I will look at the intangibles each team brings to the table and how they may or may not work in each of their favor.

For Auburn, it is quite simple. They are at home. Tubby is 6-1 against his last seven top 10 opponents. And the home team has won every game since Auburn beat LSU at Tiger Stadium back in 1999.

For LSU, there is the "flying under the radar" factor. A majority of the "experts" are picking against LSU. To contradict the home field advantage factor, Les Miles and co. was 4-0 on the road in the SEC last season. And to add to the "radar" factor, all LSU players have been hearing since last season's victory against Auburn was how they were lucky that AU missed five field goals, and that the defense gave up too many yards on the ground. In other words, the defense (as if it needed more motivation) will be playing with a chip on their shoulder.

No doubt this will be a dogfight. A good old fashioned SEC contest. Both teams play great defense. Auburn has the strong running game, while LSU has the stronger passing game. Now would be a good time for LSU's running game to become more consistent. Ball control is the name of the game. Not only does it wear down Auburn's defense, it neutralizes Kenny Irons by keeping him off the field. If Auburn has trouble running the ball, they will have a difficult time putting points on the board. The AU offensive line versus our front seven is the pivotal match-up. I think the improvement of our linebackers from this year to last year will be the key and the reason I am picking the Tigers to win in Auburn and move one step closer to an SEC and possible national championship.

This is part two of a three part series I will do in breaking down the LSU - AU game in Auburn at Jordan-Hare Stadium in Auburn Alabama.

Despite beating Auburn 20-17 in Baton Rouge last season, there is a dirty taste left in some of the players' mouths, specifically on the defensive side of the ball.  LSU's defense was among the nation's best a year ago, ranking in the top 10 nationally in just about every major category.  However, Kenny Irons, Auburn's stud running back had something to say to that, as he ran up and down the Tiger Stadium field last year to the tune of 218 yards.  The players who still remain on that defense vow to not let that happen again this season.

Games like these are won in the trenches.  Yes, it is an old cliche', but it could not ring more true when LSU faces off against Auburn this weekend.  While Auburn may stack the box defensively to try to force JaMarcus Russell to make plays, LSU will gear up and stack the box to contain and/or shut down Kenny Irons.  Auburns' offensive line versus LSU's front 7, or possibly 8, is no doubt the key match-up of the weekend.

Irons has rushed for over 250 yards in two games, but he hasn�t faced a defense the caliber of LSU's yet.  The same can be said for LSU, who has not faced a running back the caliber of Kenny Irons.  So, how does LSU go about stopping Irons?  The responsibility lies with the entire defense, of course.  But, it will be our linebackers' ability to shoot the gaps and cut off any running lanes Irons will try to find, something LSU didn't do particularly well last season against Auburn.  The 2006 line-backing core at LSU certainly packs a meaner punch than the 2005 group.  Surely, they will be tested on Saturday.

I give a very slight edge to Auburn in this match-up.  Irons is a proven back.  He showed it last season, and I see no reason why he wouldn't be just as good this season.  Expect Auburn to try to establish the run early, and, if successful, open it up later with some play action.  Will this be enough to carry Auburn to victory?  Tune in for part three to find out.

This is part one of a three part series I will do in breaking down the LSU vs AU game at Auburn at Jordan-Hare Stadium in Auburn, Alabama.

In it's first two games, the LSU offense has shown an ability to be able to score from just about anywhere on the field.  However, these easy scoring opportunities will surely be put to the test when 6th ranked LSU travels to Auburn in what I feel is the premier match-up of the college football weekend.  On the other end of the spectrum, the 3rd ranked War Eagles/Tigers/Plainsmen have not seen an offense the caliber of LSU's yet this season.

While LSU has rushed for 401 yards in two games, the rushing attack has gotten off to a slow start in both contests.  No doubt Auburn will stack the box early and force JaMarcus Russell to beat them.  The bad news for Auburn is that Russell has shown early on this season that he can do just that.  All be it against to sub par opponents, Russell has shown great command of this offense and looks to be in sync with his wide receivers.  I feel we have only seen a glimpse of what this LSU offense can do when it utilizes every one of its weapons.  Expect Jimbo Fisher to open up his playbook early and take advantage of the lack of depth at linebacker due to the suspensions of two key starters at that position.  If LSU can gain chunks of yards with the downfield passing game and use Jacob Hester in that passing attack, I feel that with a steady rotation at running back, we can wear down this Auburn defense.

More on the defensive side of the ball for Auburn: Will Muschamp brings that brand of defense LSU played under Nick Saban to Auburn now.  LSU will have to prepare for lots of blitzing and disguised coverages in the secondary.  With the exception of most of the offensive line, most of this offense had practiced against that defense two years ago and before that.  The x's and o's match-up between Fisher and Muschamp will surely be a joy to watch on Saturday.

Advantage - LSU - based on the fact this LSU offense has weapons all over the field.  AU, as I stated earlier, will be missing two starting linebackers.  AU will blitz Russell.  His ability to audible and look for the hot receiver will be key.  Jacob Hester will again play a vital role in the LSU passing attack.

Coming off of a solid performance in week 1 against an overmatched UL-Lafayette team, the LSU football Tigers look to improve to 2-0 against a more formidable opponent in the Arizona Wildcats(1-0).  LSU last faced off against Arizona in 2003, winning convincingly 59-13 in Tucson.  Many a Tiger fan is hoping that a convincing win over Arizona will once again serve as a building block for another national championship.

Head coach Mike Stoops, now entering his third year as head coach of the Wildcats, is looking to improve on back to back 3-8 seasons.  Stoops and the Wildcats started the 2006 football season on a good note, defeating BYU 16-13 on a last second field goal by Nick Folk.  However, they will most definitely have their work cut out for them in week 2 as they travel to Baton Rouge to face off against the 8th ranked LSU Tigers.

Offensively, LSU matches up very well against Zona.  The Wildcats gave up nearly 300 yards passing against BYU last week.  So look for LSU to air it out early and often, much like it did last week against ULL.  JaMarcus Russell was the star for the Tigers, throwing for 253 yards and 3 touchdowns in roughly 3 quarters of work.  A bigger problem for the Wildcats:  who to focus their coverage on.  Russell threw 3 touchdowns to three different receivers, Dwayne Bowe, Early Doucet, and Brandon Lafell.  LSU's running game made strides bit by bit in the game against the Ragin Cajuns.  I expect to see more of the same this weekend.  Look for LSU to mix it up in the running game using all of their running weapons.  Like last week, it is unlikely that any LSU runningback will carry the ball more than 10 times.

Turning to the defensive side of the ball, expect to see LSU return to its normal 4-3 alignment.  Against the Cajuns, LSU ran variations of what was mostly a 3-3-5 alignment to offset ULL's spread formation.  The game also served as a "practice session" for other teams LSU will face in the future who run the spread offense (Florida).  There was some concern as to the number of yards ULL ran for last week against LSU, particularly up the middle.  LSU spent most of the night with only 6 men in the box.  You, I, and a couple of others could have run for a few yards playing against only three down linemen.  Overall, LSU's defense was impressive, allowing just over 170 yards of offense against the Cajuns.  Arizona gained a meager 268 yards of offense against a less than spectacular BYU defense.

The one thing LSU needs to show major improvement on from last week is the return game.  LSU muffed two punts, one of which set up ULL's only points of the game. 

My overall synopsis:  The only thing that can keep LSU from running away from this game is looking ahead to next week's matchup against Auburn.  Other than that, I look for LSU to build upon what we saw last week.  I expect to see better run blocking early on.  I also expect Jimbo to open up his playbook just a little more than last week, although that was the most open I have seen LSU's offensive playbook in week 1 in a long time.  Russell appears to have a better command of the offense than he did a year ago.  This is very imortant heading into a rigirous SEC schedule.

LSU enters this week's game against Arizona having won its last 8 contest against Pac-10 opponents.  LSU last lost to a Pac-10 opponent in 1979.  The team:  USC.

Predictions:  Based on what you read, I think you may know which way I am leaning, but if you want a score, tune in to the Geaux Show, live from TEAM KATT headquarters, on Saturday morning.

 

And so it begins...The first of the big two NCAA D-1A polls has been released. Here is the USA Today Coaches' Poll.

1. Ohio State
2. Texas
3. Notre Dame (tie)
   
4. USC (tie)
5. OU
6. Auburn
7. WVU
8. Florida
9. LSU
10. Florida St.
11. Miami (Fl)

Ohio State is a shocker at #1, and I expect Texas to beat them for part 2 of their home-and-home in Austin. It is obvious to me that all the ND homers are coming out of the woodwork this year, and you can expect them to be rated even higher in the Harris Poll. OU is only on this list because the votes were taken before Rhett Bomar was kicked off the team. As for the 3 SEC teams, Auburn is a good pick for #6, but I don't think Florida is better than us. One last point of interest, Florida St. and da U play each other in the first game of the season.

Don't agree? Post your analasis in the comments below.

Many Tiger fans consider the Sept. 16th matchup with Auburn to be the first true test of LSU this year. Thanks to some irresponsible players, that game just got a little easier. On Wednesday Auburn suspended Tray Blackmon and Kevin Sears, to linebackers who were expected to start this season, both of whom had been arrested on alcohol-related charges. Combine this with the loss of linebackers Travis Williams and Antarrious Williams, who were second and third on the team in tackles respectively, and you can expect to see LSU have a big running game in the SEC opener.

Read this story on ESPN.com

Why is it that no one remembers to factor in summer rain when doing construction at LSU? In an interview with The Reveille on Tuesday, Operation and Project Development Director Eddie Nunez said that although all major construction at Tiger Stadium will be done by Saturday, many interior and cosmetic finishes will still be worked on during the season. The reson for the delay? You guessed it, the afternoon rain is slowing them down. Now I don't work in construction, but as long as I can remember it rains almost every afternoon in southern LA, and if I were in construction, i'd make sure that I planned for that.

In better news, the new turf at Tiger Stadium saw its first game last weekend, the annual LA High School All-Star Game. Director of Athletic Facilities and Grounds Ronnie Haliburton said that although the field held up well, many of the seams still havent completely grown in. He was  positive that the field will be ready for the ULL game.

The LSU football team held their annual Spring Scrimmage yesterday. I’m sure a lot of people were not aware since the basketball team was playing in April, something that rarely happens for LSU basketball.

JaMarcus Russell was not able to play. Russell is still having problems with his injury from the SEC Championship Game.

Head Coach Les Miles had this to say about the quarterbacks:

"Both quarterbacks got equal reps all spring, and I think it’s easy to see that there’s real potential in the guys who played today," said Miles. "I think you’re going to have to wait until the fall to figure out exactly how it’s going to go. We don’t really know how healthy JaMarcus is going to be and when his health returns fully."

Dwayne Bowe had a huge game. Bowe finished the day with 7 receptions for 136 yards and 3 scores. Bowe is setting himself up for an outstanding year.

Final Statistics

Passing
Player Att. Comp. Yards TD Int.
Matt Flynn 26 12 167 2 0
Ryan Perrilloux 26 11 145 1 0

Rushing
Player Att. Yards TD Long
Jacob Hester 10 48 0 18
Antonio Robinson 11 70 0 34

Receiving
Player Rec. Yards TD Long
Dwayne Bowe 7 126 3 35
Early Doucet 5 55 0 13
Carlos Rachel 3 35 0 16
Keith Zinger 2 16 0 11
Andrew Wright 1 31 0 31
Brandon LaFell 1 30 0 30

Defensive Leaders
Player
Darry Beckwith 8 tackles, 1 TFL, 1 sack
Jacob Cutrera 5 tackles
Ali Highsmith 4 tackles, 1 TFL, 1 sack
Tyson Jackson 4 tackles, 1 TFL
Ryan Willis 3 tackles, 1 TFL, 1 sack
Glenn Dorsey 3 tackles, 1 TFL

Punts
Player
Patrick Fisher 4 att., 155 yards, 38.8 avg., 50 long, 1 inside the 5-yard line
Brady Dalfrey 3 att., 170 yards, 56.7 avg., 70 long, 1 inside the 5-yard line

Spring Football Awards

Alvin Roy Fourth Quarter Award
Peter Dyakowski
Shawn Jordan
Ali Highsmith
Daniel Francis
Tyson Jackson
Herman Johnson
Alonzo Manuel
Craig Steltz
Luke Sanders
Justin Vincent
Steven Korte
Jacob Cutrera
LaRon Landry
Tremaine Johnson

Eric Andolsek Leadership Award
Jacob Hester
Matt Flynn
Brian Johnson

Mike Miley Leadership Award
Jonathan Zenon
Ali Highsmith
Chevis Jackson

Toby Caston Performance Award
Jonathan Zenon
Ryan Willis

Ralph Norwood Performance Award
Matt Flynn
Jacob Hester

Most Improved Award
Darry Beckwith
Ciron Black
Brett Helms
R.J. Jackson
Brandon LaFell
Ricky Jean Francois
Quinn Johnson
Ryan Perrilloux
Jason Spadoni
Craig Steltz

Jimmy Taylor Award
Glenn Dorsey
Dwayne Bowe