Bleacher Report - Articles by Brian Bertrand

LSU Flying Under The Radar, Right Were They Want To Be

Brian Bertrand — Sat, 05 Sep 2009 11:29:43 -0400

FROM 2008 to 2009 - FROM BAD VIBES TO GOOD VIBES AT SEASONS START

Oh, how the Tigers 2008 season was difficult for the LSU Tiger fanbase down on the Bayous. Heading into the 2008 season, many a Tiger fans had ample reason to scratch their head and have anxiety.

On offense, despite a loaded roster in 10 of 11 offensive positions, expected 5-star QB Ryan Perriloux was finally dismissed from the team, leaving the Tigers with 3 practically untested QB's on the offensive side of the ball. This was problematic for the 2008 season. Only at the end of the season, and a few moments along the 2008 trek, did LSU fans get to see the LSU offense live up to their huge potential.

On defense, this LSU fan, and most, were scratching their heads so hard they physically lost hair. After losing Muschamp a few years back after the 2004 season, and then Pelini as ace Defensive Coordinator after the 2007 season, and possessing 2 out of the last 5 BCS National Championship Trophies -predominantly due to the fierce LSU brand of defense - Coach Miles decided to conduct an experiment. He decided to give 2 assistant coaches (and not so good ones at that) the helm as Co-Defensive Coordinators. These two gentlemen proceeded to take an incredibly talented defensive roster and relegate them to a confused, undisciplined and tremendously under-performing defensive unit.

LSU giving up 50+ points to SEC rivals? WHAT?

Fast forward to Spring 2009........

RESTORING THE LSU DEFENSIVE BRAND

For every bit of rightful anxiety everyone had going into the 2008 season, the exact opposite vibes are warranted coming into 2009.

Miles lured "Chief" John Chavis, an SEC veteran Defensive Coordinator who is known for discipline and getting his players to give him their best. He is also to be credited for nurturing a ton of LB's into the NFL.

Add to this his formidible defensive credentials at Tennessee in the SEC, in fact for the last dozen or so years, and the fact that Chief has faced LSU yearly-foes Alabama and Florida each and every year, and that adds to the relevance of his ability to lead LSU to the best preparation for those key games - and the season overall.

Add to Chief, Coach Cooper (from South Carolina) to coach the incredibly deep and talented LSU defensive backfield. Oh, and by the way, what Chavis has been to putting LB's into the NFL, Cooper has been in his college career for DB's. And LSU has arguably the best group of DB's, talent and depth-wise, in the history of those practicing on the Ponderosa, and playing in Tiger Stadium.

What if you could also boast the luring of Chicago Bears Defensive Line coach to help re-instate what LSU fans have come to call "D-Line-U"? I'll take that.

Finally, throw in a tremedously fast and talented defensive roster (FAR more than he has had to work with at Tennessee in the last few years), and Chief and his staff are sitting in a great position to make everyone completely forget the 2008 defensive debacle.

The LSU Brand of fierce, fast and blitzing defense will be much more akin to the staunch 2003 and 2007 defensive units than last years travesty. Take that to the bank.

Indeed, any media person making any reference whatsoever to the 2008 debacle is absolutely clueless - or are just trying to be provacative to get ratings, or to make a story.

As for the talent, Chad Jones, Patrick Peterson and Craig Loston are virtually certain 1st round (or at least 2nd round) NFL players down the road, and will anchor the LSU defensive backfield for 2009. Expect Loston to get on the field and earn significant playing time really soon. And keep your eyes open for Brandon Taylor, hard-hitting Ron Brooks, and Sophomore Karnell Hatcher, not to speak of returning SR CB Chris Hawkins (although this Tiger fan has his concerns over his inconsistency). Wow, is that a ton of talent. Oh yeah, Janzen who? (Lake Charles, La DB lost to Tenn in recruiting battle to "Bull Red Ogre" - hoown hoown hoown, LOL)

With the move of hard-hitting and highly instinctive DB Sr Harry Coleman to LB, combined with Sr Perry Riley and Sr Jacob Cutrera, Chief has significant talent and experience to work with. Look for hard-hitting Ryan Baker to make the most of his time on the field also. That kid can flat out play and watch his hits on special teams!

As for restoring "D-Line-U", Sr's Charles Alexander and Rahem Alem are strong and fast, and are joined by behemoth in Sr Al Woods to give Coach Haley his share of chances to do so. Drake Nevis will be a main stay also, and expect Sam Montgomery, Chancey Aghayere and Josh Downs to see their share of the field.

Remember the fast and furious FLA DE's against OSU in the 2006 NC Game? That is the kind of speed, grit and physicality LSU will bring to the table in 2009 on defense.

MAXIMIZING THE AMAZING TALENT ON OFFENSE

Everyone wants to talk about the QB position when discussing the offensive unit, and rightfully so...

But I want to draw your attention to the other 10 positions first

Starting with the RB corp.

Can you imagine having 3 experienced and talented Seniors healthy and ready to go for you as an SEC team? What if these 3 players were Sr Charles "the Truck" Scott, former "Lousiana Mr Football", who had himself quite the year in 2008, and turned down a likely 1st or 2nd round NFL selection to return for his Sr campaign. There is too much love for the Triplets of College football (McCoy, Tebow, Bradford) to mention Heisman for Scott. But, equally a reason why Charles will struggle to get mentioned, is the amount of talent in the LSU backfield and offense overall, and only 1 ball to go around for "Wizard" Gary Crowton.

Additionally, Keiland Williams has emerged into the Pro-caliber RB everyone thought he was when LSU and USC fought to obtain the 5-star RB a few years ago. Just ask VaTech and other teams what "Mr Calf Muscles" himself can do to your defense (the hurdling TD run against VaTech was amazing - and you should see those calj muscles in person - OMG)

Now, how about throwing in the fastest player in college football in Sr Trindon Holiday. "Mighty Mouse" is as electric as they come, and LSU fans want so bad to get him and incoming QB/WR/RB Russel Shepard in the backfield at the same time..Ew, baby!

Speaking of Shepard, this elequently-speaking, good-hearted, electrically-fast and elusive player and natural leader from Houston has some saying he is a blend of Tim Tebow and Percy Harvin. That is a tall order, no question, but once you see this guy play, and see him interviewed, you will quickly see what folks are talking about.

At the receiver position, Brandon LaFell - who has the quintessential NFL receiver physique/size and speed - bypassed the NFL to return to the wide receiver corp for his Sr campaign. Former 5-star receiver. JoJo is the bomb.com, that is for sure.

Terrance Toliver out of Hempstead, Tx, has the potential to make good on his comparison to the smooth-running, fast and elusive Jerry Rice and Randy Moss. I know, I know, that is a probably a bit much, but watch him as the season unfolds and see if this comparison has any merit in your own estimation before, discounting the comparison. As a Jr, who indeed also wears #80, he will start, and finally have his chance to show what he is capable of.

Now, we come to incoming Phenom Rueben Randle. WOW, WOW, WOW. Think Bama's Julio Jones on this one.

As for TE, Richard Dickson is one helluva TE, and the Sr brings athleticism and lots of spirit and leadership to the team.

As for the Offensive Line, this is mostly a good situation, but there is one area to keep an eye on - Center. Former New Orleans Saint Bobby Hebert's son "T-Bob" appears to be in the mix as a redshirt Freshman, along with his redshirt freshman team mate Patrick Longeron, so this all-important area is an area for a bit of potential concern. The talent is certainly in place with these two, but a freshman leading the Oline is a valid concern.

The LG position is also an area with 2 Sophomores fighting it out, and replacing Herman Johnson is a tall order, pun clearly intended (Johnson was 6' 7"). These 2 dudes are very strong and talented though. Can they do what Ciron Black did as a Sophomore when he manned the 2007 national championship Offensive line? It''ll surely be an area to watch closely.

Otherwise, LSU has the good-hearted citizen and fierce competitor Sr Ciron Black, also turning down a certain 1st or 2nd round NFL selection, to return as a Sr to lead the LSU offensive line.

Jr RT Joe Barksdale and Sr Lyle Hit also add stong experience, so you have 3 players with plenty of experience and seniority to help the OLine gel and become an strength. Add in second year starter Joe Barksdale, and this will go a long way in off-setting the talented, but young, center position, as 4 out of 5 Oline starters have significant experience for the 2009 season.

All in all, the schedule should set up very nicely to allow the Offensive line to be a strength as the season rolls into the key October and November schedule.

But, everyone knows you are only as good as your field marshall.

It is funny to listen to the national media claiming LSU has such a huge question mark at QB, and justifying LSU's #11 rating due to this, while ignoring the same for Alabama and USC and ranking them much higher. Whatever...money is involved in the media hype and "prognostication" on that one...without a doubt

Jordan Jefferson certainly is somewhat of a question mark with only starting 2 games under his belt, and Jarrett Lee had a problematic freshman campaign......

But they were freshmen, for Pete's sake !!

Look for these two Sophomores to combine like Matt Flynn and Ryan Perilloux did in 2007. LSU will need both of them as the season unfolds. Throw in Russell Shepard for some "WildTiger" play under the direction of the Wizard Gary Crowton, and LSU will be vastly improved over the 2008 campaign at QB.

With a vastly improved defensive team, look for the LSU offense to have much better field position, so that adds to offsetting the pressure at QB also.

To win the SEC and National Championship, you don't need a super star QB, you need a QB who can avoid mistakes and manage the game, and maximize the talent around them...Witness Matt Mauck in 2003 and Matt Flynn in 2007 (note: although the frequently-injured Matt Flynn did not showcase his best in 2007, he had some strong moments, and he is doing quite well as the Green Bay QB #2, beating out the much higher drafted Brian Brohm for that spot).

Jordan Jefferson showed a lot of composure, pocket presence, scrambling and accurate passing as LSU dismantled the favorite GaTech in post-season bowl play in ATL.

That is a lot to build on, both experience-wise and confidence wise.

He'll need all of it for 2009.

And while certainly warranted, don't be the one counting out the arm of Jarrett Lee. He has an NFL arm and quick release as good as most currently in the NFL, and he has 3 full seasons in front of him to rise to his potential after a tough freshman campaign. Don't write this dude off.

Note: This Tiger fan actually thinks the best long-term QB in purple and gold will be Freshman Chris Garrett. However, he may have to go the Matt Flynn route and exhibit a lot of patience before he gets his chance.

OVERALL PROJECTION

The talent is amazing.

The Hat, Coach Les Miles, knows how to get his team game-ready, and when he has great Offensive and Defensive Coordinators, as he does this year, he is one of the best at getting out of their way and empowering them to work their magic.

Speaking of magic, Gary "Wizard" Crowton has the absolute best grouping of talent to work with since arriving in Baton Rouge 3 seasons ago.

Remember that VaTech game on Saturday night in Death Valley when the #1 ranked VaTech defensive team called him a monster in loosing to LSU 48-7? Look for this type of description to be used several times in the 2009 campaign.

Charles the "Truck" Scott, Keiland "Mr Calf Muscles" Williams, Trindon "Mighty Mouse" Holiday, Brandon "JoJo" LaFell, Terrance Toliver, Russel Shepard, Jordan Jefferson, Jarrett Lee, Richard Dickson, Rueben Randle.

There is an amazing amount of Offensive WOW power right there! Best ever of any LSU team? An argument could be made for that.

And don't forget my personal favorite, Steven Ridley. If he can get on the field, he will remind a lot of folks of another #34 from the 90's...LSU fans know exactly who I am talking about in that former controversial and amazing talent. Trust me on this one.

On defense, if they stay injury-free, I would be shocked if at least 3, and as many as 6 of the DB's on the LSU roster are not playing on Sundays in the NFL in the next 4-6 years. That is how talented the backfield is for Coach Cooper, who is one of the best at getting kids into NFL secondaries. I'm a bit excited about this one, as DB's are essential in contending for SEC championships.

Indeed, the talent is in place.

Indeed, the defense will be vastly improved,

Indeed, the offense will score a ton of points.

Indeed there are a minimum of 3 (Scott, Black, LaFell) Sr leaders, who passed on a 1st or 2nd round draft selection, to provide leadership to the 2009 squad. Add in TE Dickson and a the 3 Sr starting LB's to that leadership formula also

Indeed, Coach Les "The Hat" Miles will have these Tigers fired up

Indeed, any media person projecting the 2009 season based on the vastly different Defense and QB situation, is ...Well, indeed clueless (or agenda-filled).

The early season sets up well as the Tigers prepare for the gauntlet, first on 10/3 at UGA "between the hedges", and then the next weekend when the winners of 4 out of the last 6 BCS Trophies, as well as Hiesman winner Tim Tebow, square off on national tv on Saturday night in Death Valley on 10/10 in what might be a major determining factor in whether LSU and FLA will be able to claim 5 of the last 7 BCS national Championship trophies next January in Pasadena.

Will Tim Tebow cry in joy, or defeat, as he did exiting the battle field in 2007 in Baton Rouge? Time will tell..

Look for LSU to be on the very short list in 2009 of National Title Contenders.

Fear Chief and the restored and storming LSU D.

LSU will roar back onto the scene in 2009.

Fear the amazing offensive talent.

Fear the Sr-laden leadership.

Fear the Tigers in 2009!

Fear the Hat.

GEAUX TIGERS !!!

The Texas-LSU CWS Truth: Get Real About

Brian Bertrand — Sun, 21 Jun 2009 00:01:50 -0400

The Texas-LSU truth - get real about it

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LSU is as hot as it gets, winning 13 consecutive games, displaying pitching typical of national championship contenders, showing amazing defensive gems game after game, possessing a steady and classy leader in Mainieri, and an average of about 11 runs per game against the best programs in the nation while displaying consistent scoring with power, along with average.

Throw in the fact that Omaha roots for LSU more than any other program, due to the fact that an abundance of Tiger fans have been consistently a part of June in Omaha since the late 80s (whether the Tigers were in the field of eight, or not), not to mention that Cajuns and Purple-n-Gold cladded types are there in spades this year.

Is there anything at all missing from that formula? You would be hard-pressed to wish for more as a fan of LSU. Perhaps Beyonce and Heidi Klum sporting the purple and gold in the stands?

As for Texas, ESPN rightfully points out that the Longhorns sport one of the most notable programs over the long-term and recent timeframes, so they are no strangers to the CWS, and have a stout six national titles to thier credit. This year's Horn team possesses the ingredient most desire for a title run—dominant starting pitching. The Texas defense has been pretty stout along the path also (save a bit of an issue against ASU), so be assured that this is not a weakness opponents should expect to show up in the best-of-three series that begins Monday night.

The bats for Texas came alive against a more-than-formidable 16-game Ariz State pitcher Friday night, somewhat squelching concerns of Horns fans about a lack of hitting prowess, so the only potential issue of Horn fans may have gone by the wayside just in time for the championship series. The two dramatic home runs in the bottom of the ninth inning against ASU surely got the attention of any Tiger fan thinking that the Texas bats cannot get the job done. Throw in just that, a "get it done" attitude—drama kings if you will—and the overall capability displayed over the last two weeks, and the Horns are hitting the cylinders needed to take the series.

If you have watched the three games each team has played to get to this point, you will see LSU coasting to easy victories with nary a challenge along the way, including a quick two-game disposal of a very strong Rice team prior to arrival at Omaha.

The ESPN broadcast team leaves no doubt as to who they think should win the title this year, and a betting person putting money on the Horns would be doing so in some part based on emotional and tribal affiliation, or based on a hunch, moreso than based on the Vegas line. That hunch, however, would not be something to shy away from if you are from the Orangeblood nation, as the guts and grits of this Texas team are legendary in and of themself. Throw in Coach Augie Garrido, who has the best Omaha resume among active college coaches, and a bet on Texas certainly has its share of merit.

Omaha is the real winner, as LSU and Texas are providing fan support at a level that is unmatched in college baseball. The LSU nation has made Omaha its June home, whether the Tigers are there or not, and the Orangebloods have a savvy and staunch fanbase that is highly admirable to say the least.

So, who is going to win? Let's put it this way. Anyone saying anything definitive about this series, one way or the other, is putting forth a laughable assertion. Orangebloods and Bayou Bengals alike have every rationale reason to justify their chances. Indeed, all should get real about it and recognize that both teams have ample chances of taking it all home in 2009.

As for me, if I had to put down some cash in Vegas, I would have more than my allegiance as a basis for doing so (I am, after all, a Tiger fan through-and-through). As such, I would predict the Tigers to take it all because there is no logical reason not to, and plenty of emotional reasons to do so. That being said, I know that Coach Augie and the Horns will show up with plenty in the tank, lots of get 'er done guts, and could easily take it from my beloved Tigers

Prediction: Tigers get to form the championship dogpile, and bring home the CWS championship trophy to Baton Rouge, but not until being forced to do so in Game Three on Wednesday night, in what should be a series for the CWS ages. Geaux Tigers!

The Rueben Randle Era at LSU: Is He Really a "Game Changer"?

Brian Bertrand — Wed, 04 Feb 2009 23:22:45 -0500

LSU has had its share of strong wide receivers in the modern era. Names like Eric Martin, Michael Clayton, and of course, Biletnikoff Award winner Josh Reed are strong names to throw around in such discussions. Sign me up for any of these three—10 out of 10 times.

And of course, recent players like Dwayne Bowe, Craig Davis, and Early Doucet have fared quite well for themselves and are all on current NFL rosters. Throw in current returners JoJo LaFell (Sr), who possesses the prototypical NFL form and body, and former five-star Junior Terrance Toliver, and the returning receiver corps is anything but lacking.

So what is all the fuss about today's signing of Rueben Randle? Is he a "game changer" in a different way than the others? Is he really THAT good?

Well, when you draw comparisons to NFL receivers Randy Moss and Terrell Owens, yet have the humility and grace of Andre Johnson, that makes for a bit of excitement for the team that is successful in catching such a projected phenom.

"Throw in" amazing versatility—like a 55-catch 1000+ receiving year as a junior and conversion to QB for a senior campaign in which he rushed for over 600 yards and passed for nearly 2500 yards and 20 TD's—and you quickly realize just how special Rueben really is as a football player.

At last, one who is generally considered to be in the top three nationally in 'best after catch", "best athlete," and "best hands" categories, gives even more right to such expectations.

So, as Randle arrives next summer in Baton Rouge with JoJo and Terrance, and a host of talented receivers, it is hard to say if he will be able to smoothly transition BACK to the receiver spot and have the impact that LSU followers are expecting. But, if his performance at the All-American game is any indication, his conversion is going pretty dang good.

So lets assess his impact in 2009 at LSU.

On the one hand, Randle could have a very similar freshman campaign to that of Alabama's Julio Jones. As Randle comes out of HS with at least as good of credentials in the recruiter rating services, he surely possesses similar attributes.

On the other hand, won't he have a hard time competing for passes when JoJo is returning to LSU for his Senior year to enhance his draft status? Indeed, JoJo will likely get the majority of balls in 2009.

Now, considering Terrance Toliver and TE Richard Dickson along with three big-time senior RB's, Rueben had better not expect the level of action Julio received at Bama, where there was considerably less competition for the ball. Yet, this very consideration should open up single coverage most of the year; and Rueben is likely to be the winner of such one-on-one battles with six-foot DB's.

Additionally, it is a good bet that Coach Miles made a commitment to Rueben and his father to get his share of the Gary Crowton play-calls in 2009. Otherwise, this humble, but highly confident freak-of-nature would be on the receiving end of passes from a certain 2008 Heisman trophy winner in Norman, instead of from Jordan Jefferson or Jarrett Lee down on the Bayou. With such a commitment and the double teaming that JoJo will draw, things could bode quite well for the 6' 3" receiving phenom in 2009.

Indeed, the buzz for Rueben on the LSU campus is rightfully high.

In the end, he may in-fact be a "game changer" in more than one game during the 2009 season.

But, we'll all have to wait for the season to unfold before proclaiming Rueben as the other kind of "game changer"—you know, the kind that proves him worthy of the Moss, Owens, and Johnson comparison instead of Martin, Reed, and Clayton.

Suggestion: Don't be the guy betting against Mr. Randle. If you do, let me in on the action.

Bama Hysteria: Is Bama Really Back ?

Brian Bertrand — Thu, 15 Jan 2009 23:15:30 -0500

An astute SEC observer cannot help but notice a prominent trend about BAMA. Year-in and year-out, BAMA has an easy first 2/3rds of the season (even lucked out last year when the supposedly tough opener against Clemson turned out to be a laugher), aiding BAMA to work their way high in the rankings with out any "victories of merit".

This schedule trend, coupled with the historical brand of BAMA football, combine to leave the college football world wondering at the 2/3rds point: Is this year's BAMA team for real, or will it once again be proven not to be.

Over the last five or 10 years, we have seen this played out many times.

But then, the last 1/3 of the season hits, and we find out what BAMA is really made of. Games against rivals Tennessee, LSU and Auburn aid the nation to determine - Is this a legit BAMA, or some of what we have seen so many times?

Coach Saban's first season (2007) at BAMA was not so great, inclusive of a loss to UL-Monroe of all teams. Not even the biggest BAMA homer was delusional enough to claim BAMA was back after that humiliation. Of course, everyone was quick to throw the blame for the poor season on the previous coach's lack of talent. Coach Shula is the problem - Yeah, thats the ticket...

Then 2008 rolls around...

The year starts out amazingly well with the No. 1 recruiting class in the nation. No doubt the class was star-studded, inclusive of major stud Julio Jones, and that gets the BAMA nation back in the saddle claiming louder than even that "BAMA is back!" (Never mind the fact that most teams signed 22-25 players while Saban signed 32...nonetheless, it was a great class).

Next, BAMA storms out of the gate for the first 2/3rds of the season. Only this time, BAMA beats highly-ranked Clemson and humbles supposed national champ contender UGA. As such, heading into the annual Tennessee battle in late October, BAMA is 7-0!

Surely this time BAMA is back without any question at all - right?

Most bought it hook-line-and-sinker. But not everyone did...Those who have seen this play out so many times sat back and said, OK, now let's see if it is real.

In 2008, things seem to really line up in BAMA's favor, so no one is expressing any real doubt at this point of the season. Saban has a tough defense, and a strong offense based on mistake-free Sr QB play, and a strong O-line and running game. Sound familiar?

Next BAMA takes out rival Tennessee 29-9 on the road in Knoxville. Again, more evidence that BAMA is back. Even though most know Tenn is way down, a rival win is a rival win. Especially on the road. Hard to argue with that.

After a laugher against Arkansas State, Saban is set to go to Baton Rouge for a tussle on the Bayou. At this point, most realize that this is not the LSU that teams have seen before. Nonetheless, the road venue and the return of Saban to the Bayou once again justify the narrow escape of an OT win, so once again..."BAMA is back!"

Then, after another easy game against Mississippi State at home, it is time to play arch-rival Auburn. Again, this is viewed as a big test due to the rivalry, so when BAMA pulls this off, folks are rightfully armed with evidence that...yes, you guessed it..."BAMA is back!"

So, in this 2008 scenario, BAMA has not only walked thru the first 2/3rds of the season unscathed, it has navigated the traditionally-daunting last 1/3rd of the season unscathed also.

Alas, BAMA is undefeated and ranked No. 1 in the country. Sure, Tennessee, LSU and Auburn are shadows of their traditional selves in this 2008 season, but everyone ignores that fact altogether. Never mind that BAMA struggled to beat a pretty bad LSU team in this year. It could all be talked away because..."BAMA is back!"

...And then we all know what happened thereafter. Florida and the Utes of Utah are left to do the job normally done by one or more of either Tenn, LSU and/or Auburn over the last seven or eight seasons. The Tide then comes back to earth, and hard.

Yet, many houndstoothers are still hollering loud and proud that the 2008 season proves that..."BAMA is back!"

So the question in 2009 is: "Is BAMA back?"

To the good (from a BAMA perspective), Coach Saban is a process-driven coach, who as a true "football conservative", believes in old school football that is based on 1) strong defense and 2) A strong, steady run-based offense that avoids mistakes and keeps games winnable. His process is a proven formula, so that bodes well for the BAMA nation.

Throw in Saban's recruiting know-how and charisma, and this makes his teams highly likely to be in the top 10 year-in and year-out on the recruiting front. This certainly leads one to conclude that..."BAMA is back!"

So what does a non-BAMA fan objectively say about whether BAMA is back or not?

Truthfully speaking, the answer is very possibly...yes.

However, before everyone in BAMA Nation gets their expectations too high, let's examine 2009.

First, Saban will haul in another strong recruiting class. Thus the program and process-driven Saban machine is building momentum.

Now, let's examine the schedule to see if the trends of the past will repeat once again.

The first thing one needs to notice is that the first 2/3rds of the season include a scary VaTech team and a vastly improved Ole Miss team. One could point to the Clemson and UGA games and say, no problem..."BAMA is back!"

However, an astute observer will realize that unlike the fortune of 2008, BAMA will be breaking in a new QB, not a 10-year Senior, and will be missing one helluva offensive lineman in Andre Smith and RB in Coffee.

As such, it will take a lot of "positive BAMA spirit" (labeled delusion by non-BAMA SEC fans) to repeat such a start.

Then comes that traditional tough last 1/3 stretch. And more questions than certainties come to mind. Will Lane Kiffin have Tenn ready for the trip to Bryant-Denny? How about the traditionally powerful Miles-led LSU team?

How about Auburn? Is there any chance at all of Auburn returning to a tough opponent after the meltdown in 2008?

Truth of the matter, out of the three, LSU appears to be the only team postured to bounce back from the meltdown seasons of BAMA's three biggest rivals in Tenn, LSU and Auburn at the end of the 2009 schedule.

So will folks be able to say "BAMA is back" in 2009?

The odds are against this happening...BUT with Julio Jones, Trent Richardson (assuming he honors his commitment) and a strong Saban-esque defense, a smart person had better assume it is possible that they are indeed back.

Sure, the QB and O-line are a big question marks. Sure, BAMA will likely face a tougher schedule in 2009 than in 2008 (even though at the beginning of 2008 it might not have appeared that way). And sure, teams will be gunning for revenge.

So, once again, is BAMA back?

No one knows for sure. What we do know is that Tenn, LSU and Auburn will never all suck in the same season as they did in 2008, so the last 1/3rd of the BAMA schedule will be tougher in the upcoming years.

What we do know is that they are certainly on the right track from a process and recruiting standpoint.

So is BAMA back? Another thing that is certain is that BAMA Nation will resoundingly say - YES!...and another certainty is that rival fans at Tenn, LSU and Auburn will call them nothing but delusional.

Love them or hate them, you gotta love the SEC!

Bring on 2009 !!!

Top Reasons To Fear LSU and The Hat in 2009

Brian Bertrand — Sat, 10 Jan 2009 17:25:40 -0500

It is once again time to FEAR THE HAT - Those who have lost their FEAR for Les Miles and LSU had better re-think their limbic (emotional seat of the mind) and pre-fontal (executive thinking seat) functions carefully. LSU was not ranked in the top 25 to end the 2008 season (which shows how human polls are just as flawed as computer polls given GT's higher ranking than LSU's after LSU humiliated them in their home city of ATL), but folks had better realize that the massive star field that lined up in the wrong way in 2008 is phasing back in alignment for the good for 2009 - and in a BIG way.

Why is LSU looking so good in 2009?

1) LB Coaching LSU will FINALLY have a REAL LB coach. LB play is UBER-important in modern CFB. Chavis has put as many LB's in the league as any team in the country while at Tenn. Not since Will Muschamp graced the campus has adequate LB coaching been part of the LSU defense.

2) "No CO" (No Co Defensive Coordinators) - Two inferior position coaches combined as co-defensive coordinators to produce an inferior, confused and undisciplined defense for LSU in 2008. New DC "Chief" Chavis is a discipline guy who is highly organized, and has over a decade of SEC DC experience. The bonus is that Chavis's former Tenn teams have common annual opponents with LSU in BAMA and Florida, so he knows how to prepare for these 2 traditionally-contending teams. Look for Chavis to overhaul the 2008 defensive scheme and to extract the maximum from the great LSU defensive talent base. As such, the LSU defensive brand will return with a vengeance in 2009. In addition, new Dline coach Brick Haley, the former DLine coach of the Chicago Bears, has far more talent returning to work with than folks realize, even with the loss of Francois and Jackson. "Rahem Alem and the team" will be fiercely fast and physical next year, so don't fool yourself if you expect a drop off.

3) New DB Coach Cooper - Cooper is the best DB coach in the SEC (stolen from S Car last week) and possibly the country. He has put a pipeline of DB's into the Pros, and is projected to have four "5-star" players to work with in the LSU defensive backfield on the Ponderosa at LSU - Chad Jones, Patrick Peterson, Janzen Jackson, Craig Loston. Of course, Loston and Jackson are only verbal committments at this point, but even if LSU loses 1 (Tenn may hire Janzen's father, and if so, speculation is that he may change his committment to follow his father to Knoxville), the defensive backfield is hardly lacking in stellar talent. Throw in the hard-hitting senior Harry Coleman, and the potential is amazing.

4) Senior RB's Charles Scott, Keiland Williams and Trindon Holiday are joined by incoming star Michael Ford {EDIT:Dexter Pratt de-committed}. Junior Richard Murphy might very well have something to say about playing time also (and don't forget about Steve Ridley, the former star of the state of Mississippi, who is a potential combination of LSU RB legends Jacob Hester and Cecil "the Deisel" Collins. It might be a stretch to label this hybrid FB/TB so highly, so lets call it only a gut feel at this stage).

5) QB Play of Jordan Jefferson (JJ) - JJ had an insanely awesome TD-INT ratio while posting a 15-0 state championship run in the big leagues of Lousiana HS football. He has good leadership skills, and has compiled two pretty good performances during his true freshman year at LSU to take into '09 - so LSU is in WAY better shape heading into 2009 than heading into 2008 at the QB spot. JJ shows good field vision, composure, mobility and ball-protection skills/ability thus far. Much-maligned Sophomore Jarrett Lee has the potential to shine if he gets the call - that is if Lee can shake the demons from his poor freshman performance. He showed brilliance along the way in the midst of his issue-filled freshman campaign.

6) Recruiting - The number 1 recruiting class in the country (at this point and likely on signing day). Using Rivals.com as a basis, Miles has actually been superior to Saban in his tenure at LSU in comparison to what Saban brought in while in BR. YES, this is true, and that is one heck of an accomplishment considering what Saban did. Miles actually has a higher average star accumulation than Saban in a similar amount of time.

7) Russell Shepard - The incoming freshman is similar to Percy Harvin athletically, and similar to Tim Tebow in his character. He is also very well-spoken and appears to have NATURAL leader skills. In addition to having one of the fastest first-steps & initial burst/accelerations in college football, Shepard is as un-selfish as they come. Shep is a great recruiter in his own right. Look for Shep to play the role of alternative to Jefferson for LSU (like Tebow did for Leak at QB in '06), combined with a bit of slot receiver and/or RB play such as Percy Harvin in '08 at UF. What a catch LSU has in this young man!

8) Rueben Randle ? (assuming the #1 recruit in the nation ends up, as expected, on the Bayou in his home state) - It is certainly not a given that he will end up on the bayou, but if he does....wow....this guy has been compared to Randy Moss in skills, but seems humble and physical much like Andre Johnson of the Houston Texans. Randle could very well have the impact at LSU that Julio Jones did at BAMA .

9) Ciron Black and the Offensive Line - Ciron's facebook status says he is coming back, and that provides great continuity and talent to ensure the LSU O-Line is retained as one of the best in the SEC and nation.

10) Pro-Caliber Recieving Corp - LaFell and Toliver are both returning, and they both will likely be playing on Sunday one day. LaFell is a beast that is the epitome of what an NFL receiver should look like. Terrance Toliver, the former 5-star receiver out of Hempstead, Tx, has emerged as one of JJ's favorite receivers, and could emerge in '09 at the level that matches his 5-star pedigree. The soon-to-be Junior is finally being used in a manner which will give him a chance to live up to the hype, and he certainly has the raw skills to give it a go. If LSU is lucky and gets Rueben Randle, then WOW, WOW, WOW!

11) TE Richard Dickson - Dickson is the best TE in the league. He is back for his senior year, and makes for a very tough match for LB's, and JJ also seems to connect VERY well with him. Tyler Edwards will be a RS freshman, so it is speculative to say that he will be very Dickson-esque this year, but he certainly seems similarly talented. If he is what folks think, that would be a heckuva TE pair.

12) BAMA and Florida are losing major components no matter what they tell you. Percy Harvin is a BIG difference maker, and he is a goner. Tebow is ticking around, but replacing Harvin's field vision and instincts are not just a matter of plugging in another 4.3 speedster. This will REALLY affect UF. However, Florida is loaded on defense and has many playmakers on offense, so they will be very strong again - but losing Harvin is anything but trivial, so don't fall for trivialization of Percy's departure. As for BAMA, 20th year Senior QB Parker (LOL) provided a stable and predominantly mistake-free style of QB which is typical of SEC championship contenders. BAMA will throw an inexperienced and young QB into the mix next year, and everyone should expect whoever gets that spot to struggle in moving the BAMA offense in 2009. Loosing Andre Smith and Coffee are big impacts, but can be offset some if the Tide can lure in Trent Richardson and with freak Olineman Fluker.

13) Status of Competition - Traditional powers Auburn and Tennessee (not on LSU schedule) have new coaches onboard, and have depleted talent bases, so they are less of a threat than otherwise. Ole Miss is the team to keep an eye on due to the recruiting by Coach Orgeron and the solid coaching of Coach Nutt; but LSU will be really up for the Rebels when they visit Oxford. And Arkansas, that fricken ugly boot will return to BR next year.

14) UGA talent losses - The visit to UGA-land in early October is still going to be very tough, but a Moreno-less and Stafford-less UGA will make this trip far more win-able.

15) The 2009 schedule - The first few games are very manageable, so unless Miss St or Vandy pull a big surprise upset, LSU has a good chance of HOSTING National Champion Florida on 10/10/09 with an unblemished record. By then, Jordan Jefferson will have good experience under his belt, and the offense should be gellin'. The trip to UGA the week before the UF game is anything but a given, even with the loss of Stafford and Moreno, but their departure makes the UGA trip far more manageable. The LSU gets 2 weeks to prepare for hosting a re-building Auburn team before the home-stretch games against Ole Miss, Alabama and Arkansas. The schedule sets up about as good as can be expected.

16) The Hat himself - Coach Miles - Miles understands how to get his team game-ready and motivated. What you saw from Miles in 2005, 2006 and 2007 is more indicative of his coaching effectiveness than what you saw in 2008. This is because the 2008 campaign put up a terrible defensive/coaching performance, and had a struggling freshman QB at the helm. When Miles has strong Offensive and Defensive Coordinators running his team, he is at his best. Now that Chavis is onboard, he will combine with OC Gary Crowton to develop the overall team in the mold of the 2007 team. Miles is a great recruiter of players and coaches, and he is building the best combination once again - so FEAR THE HAT and LSU once again in 2009 !

post script on Russell Shepard worth reading:

http://blog.nola.com/lsusports/2009/01/lsus_russell_shepard_entering.html

WHAT COULD BE !: 2008 College Playoff Scenario

Brian Bertrand — Sun, 07 Dec 2008 14:47:56 -0500

For the last several years, many avid college football fans have been wanting a football playoff for the FBS. Meanwhile a system has been available for implementation via www.collegefootballsolution.com

If this system were in place in 2008, all teams in the BCS top-10 would be in the field, including the teams with the most meritable claim to being the best in the land, including all the short-list teams with zero or 1-loss seasons -> OU, Florida, Texas, Penn State, Utah, USC, Alabama, Texas Tech and Boise State.

One down side is that some teams that do not have such a claim are in the field, but that is a small downside since the intent it to make sure all that have a legit claim are IN the playoff.

Note: Since the Big East, Pac-10 and Big-10 do not have conference championships, the solution provided for the 16-team "qualification/championship" round is speculative as follows, and would result in a New Years Day-anchored 8-team playoff option:

FL vs BAMA in SEC Championship—playing winner of—Texas vs Boise State (play-in No. 1 vs play-in No. 4)—WInners play in Sugar Bowl

VaTech vs BC in ACC Champiohship—playing winner of—Cin vs Pitt in Big East Championship—Winners play in Orange Bowl

Sugar Bowl vs. Orange Bowl winner to play for East Div Championship spot in BCS Final

Penn State vs Ohio State in Big-10 Championship—playing winner of- USC vs Oregon - Winners play in Rose Bowl

OU vs Mizzou in Big-12 Championship—playing winner of—Utah vs Texas Tech (play-in No. 2 vs play-in No. 3) - Winners play in Fiesta Bowl

Rose Bowl vs Fiesta Bowl winner to play for West Div Championship spot in BCS Final

BCS East plays BCS West in National Championship game

What would be the result?

1) The BCS rankings could be used as-is

2) The BCS sponsorships and contracts could be used in-tact (or with small adjustments)

3) The traditions of college football (Rose Bowl etc..) would be preserved in-tact

4) All parties would have superior financial arrangements

5) Only 4 teams out of 119 would have to play beyond Jan 1st in semi and final rounds (limits interference with predominant student athletes schedules within the FBS)

6) All teams with a legit argument to claim "they are the best" would be in the field

7) The "compelling regular season" we just witnessed would be equally compelling, preserving the elimination component of college football that many like

8) There are plenty of good times/dates preserved for the other
non-BCS bowls to be conducted (not really much different than now)

9) Logistics/Scheduling: Gives players/coaches/fans advanced notification of the
venues/locations/dates of their potential games, and also allows enough time between games for logistics/travel/planning.

10) Prevents conflict with NFL playoff dates/times (and associated
network broadcasting conflicts)

11) Preserves 14 week season window to conduct a 12-game season for the 119 teams (important since football aids funds non-football sports on campus's)

12) All FBS teams would have an opportunity, given a schedule of sufficient difficulty, to earn entry into the playoff.

13) The fans, players and coaches get what they overwhelmingly want - a playoff!

Please help spread the word and ask for implementation www.collegefootballsolution.com

This can be done !

- "Bayou Bert"

ps. I realize that there is a current rule that requires that a conference has 12 teams before a conference championship is implemented. A change in rule could be made to accomodate since this rule seems very arbitrary. Another alternative is to limit conferences would do not meet this requirement to 1 spot ( or possibly 2) in the field.

pss. I am funding this website with ZERO attempt to gain financially. I simply want what fanatics of college football want - a playoff !

Can a College Football Playoff System Really Work?

Brian Bertrand — Thu, 06 Nov 2008 13:20:47 -0500

IT IS OUR TIME...We, the paying customers and true enthusiasts of the game of college football, deserve what we overwhelmingly want... A PLAYOFF FOR COLLEGE FOOTBALL

Over a five-year period leading up to December 2006, dozens of constraints, preferences, and considerations were collected by a) discussing the topic with hundreds of fellow college football enthusiasts, b) listening to radio and TV discussions on proposals and c) researching the rationale and factors that where part of the decision process that gave us the current BCS system.

As a result, www.collegefootballsolution.com was developed to aid in discussing and soliciting further inputs on the matter, with intent to advance the dialogue in support of a potential playoff.

There are many ways to skin this cat, so I realize that folks have dozens of ways to implement a playoff.

The things that I think are fundamental, whether we like it or not, are the preservation of the major traditions of college football, keeping the BCS ranking system as-is (it is refined very well for selection of 6-10 teams, just not enough for selection of only two teams), the retention of the current conference championship games for the SEC, Big-12 and ACC, and the retention of the BCS sponsorship arrangements and contractual agreements.

These are some of the fundamental ingredients, but there are others.

An opinion evolved that the first step in marrying the traditions with the BCS was to start with the traditional New Year's Day events, namely the Rose Bowl, Sugar Bowl, etc....Indeed, the current BCS system retains aspects of this already. It can be further compliant with this tradition.

As such, the system proposed retains the Big 10 v. Pac 10 in the Rose Bowl, the SEC in the Sugar Bowl, the Big 12 in the Fiesta Bowl and the ACC in the Orange Bowl.

From that framework, an eight-team field can be developed. Also from that framework, the eight-team field MUST began on New Year's or New Year's Eve to keep things synchronized.

The semi-finals and finals therefore will occur post New Year's Day, however ONLY four TEAMS must do so out of the 120 FBS teams competing for the championship.

What was deemed "non-starters," or "insufficiently practical" solution ingredients?

First, a truly-seeded basketball style playoff was deemed a non-starter. Part of the reason is that the Rose Bowl tradition will not be workable in such a system, and additionally a truly-seeded tourney is problematic with respect to venues and due to fan- and-team based logistical considerations (among other reasons).

Secondly, a "PLUS-ONE" system was deemed as insufficient progress towards creating a universally acceptable solution.

What would have happened in 2004, 2005 or 2007? Would we have had a more clear champion or not? That is debatable, so I respect those who feel that this would represent sufficient progress.

There are several years when this system would not have been sufficient to refine the short list of candidates, and others when it would have been sufficient. On balance, the fans would still be left un-necessarily frustrated too many years.

Also, in any given year, there tends to be 4-8 teams that have CREDIBLE cases to being the best in the country, so the "PLUS-ONE" plan does not appear to be a good solution. Some will disagree. If so, I defer to recent national media public opinionpoll, which showed decisive favor for an eight-team playoff over a "PLUS-ONE" style approach.

Thirdly, inclusion of all 11 conference champions into the solution was deemed not a viable solution for logistical reasons, and since history shows that the lower conference teams are highly unlikely to be competitive with the top-tier teams (they could, however vie for anywhere from 1-4 "play-In" games in the system being proposed). Additionally, the BCS championship games are not going away due to their money-making capability, so the introduction of the 11 champions required unworkable changes to the existing framework and/or requires true-seeding, which has already been addressed.

As such I do wish to ensure that 1 or more (theoretically as many as 4) of the stronger non-BCS teams, such as a Boise State a couple of years ago, a TCU a few years back and possibly others, have an entry pathway into the tourney. As long as it is on merit, not theory. The proposal creates a play-in option the same weekend as the conference championships, so all 120 teams can have an opportunity to prove they are the best if they a) schedule a difficult enough of teams and b) put up an impressive record against such competition.

Wouldn't that be awesome if all 120 teams had a merit based entry possibility into the big game? Low likelihood - yes. But at least it would have a finite possibility, whereas that is not the case now. In any given year, a Central Michigan or Louisiana-Monroe waltzes into venues such as Michigan Stadium or Tiger Stadium, giving them an opportunity to make their case. Thus, the proposal chosen provides these teams sufficient opportunity to prove they are the best in the land. These teams need to schedule and execute!

As far as making the regular season less important, that just does not make sens to me, because teams will still need to win all or most of their games to be in a posture to make the championship field - just as they do now! That aspect is retained completely in this solution, so no worries there. This argument simply is not an issue with this proposal.

Neither are the BCS contracts an issue with this proposal, since the BCS formulation and participants can be equally worked into the framework for the proposed plan, and more money would result for all without question. I have no doubt that is the case.

The solution that results is shown in the www.collegefootballsolution.com, so please review it and advocate it !

I think you will find it logistically-satisfactory and would work EVERY year to give us a true national champion.

I could write forever on this. Instead, I request that you all 1) review the solution and 2) spread the website to as many as you can!

Thank you all.

Brian

The Winning SEC Formula: Stable QB + Strong DB's = SEC Champ

Brian Bertrand — Mon, 03 Nov 2008 14:36:09 -0500

Winning Formula: In order to be competitive in the SEC, you have to have some pretty good talent in an all-around way to make the list as one of the truly "competitive" SEC teams in any given year. However, as an SEC fan, I have always said that in order to move from the competing status to the SEC contender level, two particular things are required.

First, you must have a quarterback who does not beat his own team. A "game manager" who makes those around him better and whose individual stats are less likely to be notable or award-winning, in and of themselves.

Secondly, you need a well-coached and disciplined defensive backfield, particularly two pretty good cornerbacks. As an LSU fan, I reiterated this right before the 2003 season and again before the 2007 season.

Matt Mauck, Travis Daniels, and Corey Webster had these bases covered in 2003 and Matt Flynn (when healthy), Chevis Jackson, and Jonathon Zenon did so in 2007. LSU got a bit more than an SEC championship out of that formula because it also had an awesome defensive line and especially good skill players.

There are exceptions as there are in anything in life, but these are the two specific attributes that are particularly essential.

If you look at the history of the SEC, you will see this pattern hold up more times than not. Sure, a front four, safeties, offensive lines, and offensive skill talent is needed, but these are usually in place for the "competitive" teams that are truly in the hunt for an SEC title.

LSU has all of these in place in 2008, but lacks the two primary differentiators. Thus a season without much chance of contending.

SEC 2008: Alabama and Florida have the closest to this formula this year. Georgia seemed to also be on this short list, but is now out of the equation. As such, Bama and Florida are most likely to meet in the SEC championship, and thus will also produce the 2008 SEC champion.............Proving the formula once again

LSU Defensive Issues: Scheming, Coaching, Player Selection, Player Execution?

Brian Bertrand — Sun, 02 Nov 2008 09:46:45 -0500

The LSU nation seems to be blaming the LSU defensive struggles among one of four potential sources: poor scheming for the modern SEC/powerhouse/national offenses, poor execution by young players, poor practices and game time adjustments, or is it poor player personnel assignments?

The truth is that it is some of all of these, and the LSU nation and the LSU coaching staff must react accordingly in order to right the ship. But, does Coach Miles agree that it is all of the four, or is he thinking it is all attributed to primarily just player youth?

Anyone who has paid reasonable attention during the Miles regime has noticed that Miles is fiercely loyal to players he admires, players with seniority, and to his coaching staff.

As such, we should no more expect Miles to "dog" his personally-selected coaching staff, than we would to expect Miles to give us accurate information on the injury status of players. And no one in their right mind believes a word Miles says when it relates to whether a player is injured or not.

Miles, in true poker player style, believes in holding information of such things close to the vest, and that makes some sense.

As such, does Miles really believe that the schemes and Co-Defensive coordinators are solid, and that the entire blame goes to the young, inexperienced defensive players failing to execute these "good schemes"?

All of his public statements certainly lead one to thinking that he believes that the predominant, if not entire blame, goes to the young players and their lack of execution... Or, is Miles just being the loyal man that he is?

Is Miles just choosing to back his personally-selected coaching staff until the end of the year because he sees no real benefit of attempting an in-season scheme or coaching change? Only Miles knows the answer to this question.

In the mean time, most LSU followers know that the blame is at least in part due to Co-Defensive coordinators Doug Mallory and Brad Paveto. And since LSU fans are free to say what they truly feel, which Miles may or may not be doing, they also believe that the scheme being employed, which is far too reminisent to the failed style employed during a dark period of LSU football history, is a big part of the issue.

The bulletin boards are on fire with many an opinion on this matter, and the far majority feel that the Co-defensive coordinators are the primary reason why the defense, which is replete with four and five-star athletes, are the reason why LSU is preforming poorly.

In the mean time, Coach Miles continues the same mantra in predictable fashion. The linebackers continue to look totally lost on the field as they miss their gap assignments, and especially against the pass.

The nickel and dime defensive backs are showing little to no progress, and certain players seem to be assigned to cover players they are just out-matched against.

The offense is certainly not at its best either, but they are certainly putting up sufficient points to win every game played, even with the struggling QB play.

The LSU nation has lost significant confidence in the defensive scheme and coaching. Coach Miles, in his typical loyal fashion, is more likely to assign blame on the young players than to his friends/coaches.

A Tiger fan is left to wonder whether Coach is playing politics, or whether he sees the same issues, but fails to see any benefit to expressing such in public.

The stretch of the season will be interesting to see unfold.

I hope Coach is right. I fear he is not. Either way, we’re all strapped in for the stretch and ready to root on the Tigers whether he is right or wrong, and whether the results are favorable or not.

Geaux Tigers!

What Will Be Jarrett's “Lee-Way” in LSU's Matchup Against Georgia?

Brian Bertrand — Tue, 21 Oct 2008 16:46:19 -0400

Lee the legend

Anyone who follows college recruiting closely, particularly LSU fans, knows about the legendary video of Jarrett Lee narrated by famous broadcaster Pat Summerall. The video, shot prior to Jarrett's senior year at Brenham HS in Texas, shows an amazing talent throwing dart after dart into a set of nets as his father coaches him through his routine.

That video is all that is needed by any sane person to know that Jarrett has all the physical tools, notably a rocket arm and an amazingly quick release, needed to excel at the major college football level.

As witness to his talent are recent CBS and ESPN broadcaster comparisons of his similarity in throwing motion to Brett Favre and Jeff George. Those are some lofty comparisons.

Lee to date

The RS freshman is in his second year on the Ponderosa at LSU, is the starting QB for the defending national champions, and has a year under his belt in Gary Crowton’s offense. He has also had a year of understudy to the capable Matt Flynn as he observed the Flynn way of managing a game.

The statistics thus far show an admirable completion percentage against the four SEC opponents he has faced (Miss. St, Auburn, Florida, South Carolina), to the tune of 60 percent with six TDs and five INTs.

For a freshman QB that has faced such SEC foes at night, on the road, in three of the most dynamic and loud venues in all of college football (yes, USC also packs in 90,000 rabid fans), that is not too shabby.

What has been shabby, however, is the number of errant passes way off the mark, as well as the number of dreaded “pick sixes” that he has thrown (or nearly thrown). This pattern has many in the Tiger nation more than a bit concerned.

However, on balance, it can be concluded that Jarrett has done about as well as you can expect a freshman QB to have done in such a scenario.

Furthermore, Lee’s combination of awesome and awful passes, sometimes in the course of the same possession, is reminiscent of the early career of first overall NFL pick JaMarcus Russell—not a bad comparison.

The challenge moving forward

Now, with the tough first half of the season behind the Tigers, the season now transitions to a different type of tough—namely switching from early season, tough SEC road venues to playing top 10 opponents at Death Valley.

Among those top 10 teams coming to Tiger Stadium are the Georgia Bulldogs, followed by a group of players ranked No. 2 from a school in the state of Alabama with a certain former LSU coach that is...well, let’s just say highly anticipated.

This week's opponent

First up, the UGA Bulldogs... The top 10 UGA team that is coming to town will offer Jarrett a stiff test, albeit on the friendly grounds of Tiger Stadium.

In looking over the UGA defense, one notices that UGA has allowed only one opponent to score more than 14 points after playing seven games. The exception, Alabama, managed quite better than that in points, but only scored one of their TDs via the air.

As for the overall UGA pass defense, they have allowed 208 ypg passing, while surrendering 10 TDs and picking off five passes. That is much fewer than the pass TDs per game surrendered, but less than one INT per game taken away.

Furthermore, the TDs UGA has given up have been predominantly short passes near the goal line, with only two of the 10 having been of the 30-yard variety.

The Lee-Way?

But now the question is: What is the “Lee-Way”? Equally important, how much "leeway" should Crowton and Miles give him in the UGA game?

Overall, the LSU nation should expect a similar performance as they have seen thus far, but the home venue and tough road lessons should trend the performance more to Lee’s favor. The question is how much of a learning curve we should expect to see. What type of progress will result from this learning process?

The factors that will determine the results, as much as anything, will be the play calling and personnel assignments of Crowton and Miles, as well as the field position of the Tigers early in the game.

Thus far, Miles and Crowton have chosen a pathway that calls for a lot of personnel variation on offense, and the QB is not immune to this approach. Indeed, Miles and Crowton keep the opponents, and the LSU fanbase, constantly guessing as to when sophomore Andrew Hatch will enter the game.

This certainly has its merits due to Hatch’s decision-making and running ability. However, for Lee to make true strides, he needs to gain momentum and to be given decent field position. If he is allowed to find his rhythm, look for Lee to find his comfort and confidence early in the game, and get a chance to get ahead in a game (for a change).

Sure, Lee will probably throw a few questionable passes either way, whether it be a screen pass over the receiver's head, or a pass down the middle of the field that he should have not thrown—that is what freshman QBs do.

But on balance, expect Lee to show decided improvement and to gain increasing confidence, providing LSU with a good chance to work their way back into the top 10 and national championship race with a victory over a good UGA team.

Give Lee more “leeway”?

So, the question is not necessarily what will be the Lee-Way, but more aptly what “leeway” will be given to Lee by Miles and Crowton. Will they allow him to obtain and retain momentum as he works his way through the inevitable INT or two?

And what field position will the special teams and defense give Lee? Will the porous LB and DB play continue, or will the defensive performance in the second half of the USC game continue, resulting in better field position for Lee and the offense?

If Lee is allowed to get into a rhythm, and he gets decent field position, look for continued comparisons to George, Favre, and Russell—and this time, not just for his throwing mechanics, but with TDs attached to the other end of the darts.

Bottom Line

Lee should have a very solid game, with a few errant throws along the way. But the “Lee-Way” should be sufficient to open up a lane on the way to another SEC-contending run.

The Prediction

LSU 31, UGA 24

Lee: Two TDs, one INT (not a pick six!), 230 yards passing