Chavis Fails to Beat Florida Again

The Chief, LSU defensive coordinator John Chavis, couldn't defeat Florida while at Tennessee. Saturday on the Bayou, his new team couldn't get off the field on defense against the Gators.

It was the same old song and dance for a Chavis defense against the Gators.

Excellent defense on first and second downs, poor pass defense on third down. As a Tennessee fan, I came to accept that no matter how excellent of a job our defense did on the first two downs, we'd give it right back after third down.

Sure, when you have the best battering ram quarterback in the game in Tim Tebow, it helps your offense convert a lot of 3rd-and-5's. Still, Chavis is 0-5 against Meyer and  the Gators the last five years.

Tebow was back after a concussion suffered two weeks ago and his numbers weren't great, but they didn't have to be against the Tigers. LSU's offense couldn't do a thing against the Gators' returning 11 starters.

The Gators were 5-for-13 converting third downs, which wasn't great, but enough against LSU.

Look for the Gators to go on to Atlanta and face Bama in the title game.

LSU? Who knows where they go from here. Their offense needs a lot of work. Their defense, though it broke down at times against Florida, will be superb the rest of the way.

LSU fans: don't get rid of Chavis yet. Give him a chance to build a defense there like he built one at Tennessee. Then let him go when he insists on sticking with the vaunted Mustang Package.