We’ve gotten through September, and LSU has a bye week before taking on three tough October dates with Florida and Carolina on the road before returning home to face Georgia on the 25th. Let’s take a look at the one-month progress report grades for the Tigers...
Quarterback: B-
This is still a question mark since the play of Jarrett Lee and Andrew Hatch has been consistently inconsistent. But the Tigers get a jump in letter from C to B- with a great second half at Auburn.
No doubt Lee has more physical talent than Hatch, especially in the arm strength department, but Hatch brings nice mobility and seniority for a change of pace.
Running Backs: A
Two words: Charles Scott. Scott is the answer to the question of who would replace Jacob Hester in the backfield as the guy who gets the tough yards. Actually, Scott not only gets the tough short conversions—he also gets the long highlight runs and all yards in between.
He’s a large part of the big discrepancy in rushing yards between LSU and their opponents. LSU has outgained its opponents 884-363 this season.
Scott is averaging 133 yards per game and 7.5 yards per carry. That’s useful.
Wide Receivers and Tight Ends: C+
Maybe I’m a little too hard on the WRs. They’ve done their jobs and haven’t made too many mistakes, but at the same time they haven’t overwhelmed me either.
The guy carrying this group right now is Brandon LaFell. In most statistical categories, LaFell is doubling the stats of any other WR.
21 comments Last one added 8 months ago — Leave a Comment
John Clancy 9 months ago
Its not the WRs fault that they dont have a QB that can put the ball in the numbers throwing to them!
Most of the catches made have come because our WRs are just that talented on very poorly thrown balls.
And when Dickson has had the ball thrown to him he has come through. In the North Texas game he wasnt even looked at once.
Not to mention having to deal with the rotating QBs and not having a clear cut starter coming into the season gives them alittle extra credit.
I would say the C (eventhough it is a +) is extremely harsh and they should get graded on a curve so bump em up to a B+ even A- for taking it all in stride!
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Justin Goar 9 months ago
gotta leave room for improvement but they probably do deserve a curve.
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Roy LaFaver 9 months ago
I think most of the demerits can be erased if Lee continues to improve. No defense will do well if they spend too much time on the field. They were tired in the second half at Auburn, but some decent offense in the second half saved LSU from the mess that same offense created.
Scott has some of the best backs in the country behind him on the depth chart, so that probably helps his motivation. Boy, he's good, and he will be better when the opposition is not sure when he's coming.
The offensive line is going to look a lot better when there is a legitimate threat of a passing game, not that they don't already look good.
If we get decent leads on teams, the pass defense is going to be better. They will get better anyway as the season goes on, but forcing teams into playing catchup creates a situation where everybody can turn it loose on defense.
The Florida game is going to be a good barometer. We don't have to win that one, but we have to show a lot of improvement, and we must beat Alabama, Ole Miss and two out of three Florida/Georgia/South Carolina.
Even if the unthinkable happens and the Tigers don't win the SEC, they should be trained up well enough to stomp mud holes in some team come bowl season.
5 stars. Really well laid out article. Thanks.
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Justin Goar 9 months ago
thanks for the kind words roy. i agree with you on your comment.
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Tiger in Europe 9 months ago
This is honest grading and I think maybe even a bit on the high side. I would avoid a curve on the receivers. No reason for that. As a coach I expect the guys to run precise routes and be where the QB is supposed to be looking. Our line up is missing routes and not going into their secondary route fast enough, that does not equate to "just that talented."
Watch the games again.
Lee hit the receivers that made the route or the ones that made the transition.
On the timing routes he has had to hold off and force it because the receivers aren't there.
There is a big part for the QB though as well, and I will agree on some poorly thrown balls.
Lee needs to read the D better as he approaches the line, figure out his best spot, and scan the field a 10th of a second quicker to find that 10th of a second open receiver. (had the same problems with a new QB this year in the European league)
This is a combined scoring area if anything. Both halves of the pie are responsible.
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Justin Goar 9 months ago
lee is adjusting to the speed of an actual game. these things take time and i think he will get there. thansk for the comment.
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Colin Flosi 9 months ago
He's been called JoJo since he was a freshman in HS, he went to my school, He liked it a lot more than Brandon, just a note.
They need another WR to step up.
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Justin Goar 9 months ago
i'm a victim of my own subject/verb disagreement.
i was saying it wasn't a given for him to make the catch last year since he struggled with drops then. but i make it sound like he was nicknamed last year, that was not my intention. i got sloppy, sorry.
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Joel Harris 9 months ago
You guys are looking good! I'm looking forward to our meeting later in the year after a close one last go around. LSU / Bama is always a fistfight.
Roll Tide!
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Justin Goar 9 months ago
very true especially in tiger stadium. i hope both teams come in undefeated and at full strength but we both know that's a long way from now. a tough october awaits LSU.
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Danny Herron 9 months ago
B- for QB??????Do you watch the games. You have the talent at WR. QB would be more of a D maybe D-. If the QB would pick up just a little, like reading the D, you would be scoring a hell of a lot more. Running game so far is an A but would be an A+ if there was a passing threat.
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Justin Goar 9 months ago
i watch every play of every game, then on sunday i watch it again.
then sunday night i watch the les miles coaches show with all the highlights. then on monday i listen to the les miles press conference. then sometimes if there's nothing on, i watch the wednesday replay.
while QB play is sometimes inconsistent, overall it's about what most of us have expected. in fact, after the 1st half at Auburn jarrett lee has picked up confidence and looked better. there's no way we win at Auburn without the second half that he had.
the team is undefeated and except for mistakes that were attoned for, this group shouldn't get any lower than a C at worst. not quite sure where you get D or D- from.
do i think the QB position can play worse and hurt us, absolutely, but it hasn't so far and that's what i'm grading on, what's happened so far.
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Justin Goar 9 months ago
ok, how about this....it's a perceived strength until someone exploits it as a weakness?
heck i think will lose to fla b/c of the QB but it hasn't happened yet. i can only go by the 16 quarters of football i have seen so far. and that's what i am grading on.
the QB play has not hurt us in a game so far and without it in the 2nd half vs Auburn, LSU would not have won that game.
call it a C at worst but the 2nd half at AU alone merits a bump to a B- which is where i have them.
lee's TD to INt is 6 to 3, his efficiency rating is 146 and he's almost at 60% completion rate.
hatch has been less efficient but i think the writing is on the wall. but hatch is more mobile. hatch has 118 rushing yds in 3 games and a TD on the ground.
again, this grade may go down, they have a lot to learn but i'm basing it on these stats and 4 wins to no losses.
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Tim Pollock 9 months ago
So you're saying you DO watch the games?
Good stuff, as always, Justin.
Match-up with the Gators should be a great battle. Both teams need a win to get a leg up in the divisional races.
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Justin Goar 9 months ago
thanks.
yes when it comes to LSU, i'm a bit familiar.
dude asked if i watch the games????????? he's an irish fan, he probably watched the 1st half of the AU game and flipped the channel. i've seen every play of every game more than once.
guess i'm not used to being called out as much as you are. i have to get used to it i guess.
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Danny Herron 9 months ago
I watch as many games as anyone. Gotta have Ammo if you are going to argue. I still say that they are a D at QB....Running the ball well helps the QB lok a little better, Passing the ball helps out the running game. with that said, I don't think the passing has helped much. No one is scared of it. Mississippi state surely wasn't. I am not writing this to say LSU sucks, I am just saying that the QB play is their only glaring weakness. Most teams would be happy to only have one.
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Tiger in Europe 9 months ago
Danny, I will have to disagree. New to these boards so forgive me if I come off harsh. There are about 200 guys starting at colleges nationwide that wouldn't be on the Greek Flag Football roster at LSu, Aubrun, ND, Ohio, USC, Okla, etc.
As for no one is scared of it. You might want to start looking at some blogs, sports writers and coaches comments. Lot's of good comments about Lee's stepping up, and the worry it is putting them through when they LSU would be a barely pass offense.
No way is Lee a Top QB amongst the super stars, but he has "D" coordinators looking and planning, not to mention there is another young Tiger QB they are working out ways to defend. The more they have to work at stopping the LSU "O" the more chance of missing something.
The unknown factor can often have a larger affect than the known, and no body really knows what Lee is capable of beside the LSU staff.
Want proof. Take a look at Team Tebow.
As for talent at WR. Yes, it's there. But 3 of 5 routes have been off or blown completely, and they are too slow to adjust. Like I said, this is a shared pie. It takes two to make the completion.
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Danny Herron 8 months ago
Team Tebow looked pretty dame good last night. Team Lee didn't
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Tiger in Europe 9 months ago
Apologies -- fat fingers
"and the worry it is putting them through when they thought LSU would be a barely pass offense" is what I meant to type.
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Curtis 9 months ago
Justin,
Great post. Love it. However, I would have to keep the QB rating at a "C". Granted, Lee has come along and shown promise and I suspect that after getting this season under his belt, he will be even better in the years to come. And let's not forget Jefferson right behind him. Lee has a great arm but there are times when he "locks" onto one receiver and that will come back to bite him if he doesn't start looking off the secondary. The better teams in this league will eat him up for that. There's only so many mistakes a great offense and defense can overcome.
I have to say that I love the way Scott runs. I was chomping at the bit last year to see him more and as much as I like Williams, Scott is just a punishing runner.
Overall, I have to agree that they have the tools to make it to the SEC CG but they will need to limit the mistakes on offense and the defense will have to play lights out. Being the defending champs, that bullseye is pretty large on their backs. No doubt Les Miles will have these guys ready each and every week.
FEAR THE HAT!!! :)
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Justin Goar 9 months ago
thanks for the comment curtis,
i think the QB grade will go down in the month of october. hopefully it's just because of one loss and not two.
just about every freshman QB not named peyton manning locks on to WR's in their first year. jamarcus, mauck, davey, etc did it too.
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