LSU Vs. Vanderbilt: Will the Tigers Really Make the Necessary Adjustments?

It is a well-known fact that all college teams expect to make more progress between Game 1 and Game 2 than at any other time during the season. This is because Game 1 helps identify the early mistakes and errors, and it shows what adjustments or changes are needed to be made for success in Game 2 and the rest of the season.   

Coach Les Miles's expression of his discontent with the way LSU allowed UNC to move the ball on them in the second half after they built a 30-10 halftime lead was encouraging to most LSU fans.  

Most teams play an easy opponent in Game 1, so they can make its early season errors without paying for them with a loss.  But in LSU's case, they played the No. 18 team, and even though UNC was short on star players, they are still a very good football team.   

Tiger fans needed to see that fire coming from Miles, and to know that he is going to take action, change things, and be more determined in Game 2.  But unless these new plans and changes result in Game 2 success, it will just make the situation worse and cause more fan discontent with what is going on in the LSU program.   

To support Miles and his plans to make improvements, many of his players are also seeing the light and expressing their need to step up.  No doubt LSU is loaded with talent, but they are still very young, and the coaching staff must find a way to unearth that talent and teach the team how to play together and understand their individual position responsibilities.

We all know that Miles has been consistently targeted as one of the major coaches on the proverbial "Hot Seat."  Therefore, if he is to remove himself from that position, he and his staff will have to demonstrate their control and use of this enormous amount of talent they have amassed.  

One of the biggest criticisms of Miles and his staff has been their inability to find a way to develop these talented football players that they have recruited.  Recruiting is one thing no one can criticize Coach Les Miles about, as he has consistently brought in top 10 recruiting classes.  

But last year, everybody was frustrated with the lack of use and almost wasted year of Russell Shepard's eligibility.  Shepard was rated as the No. 1 or No. 2 all-purpose quarterback in the country, but he was not even allowed to attempt a pass all last year, which has fueled the fires for discontent with offensive coordinator Gary Crowton and ultimately Miles.

Coupled with the continued question marks about Jordan Jefferson and the quarterback position in general, Miles is backed into a corner on this issue.   The LSU fanbase is restless and unsure of this coaching staff, and they must turn things around to put LSU back on the championship course again if they plan to continue coaching the Tigers.

So, it is time for Coach Miles to demonstrate the new physical running game he has been promising and have Jordan Jefferson take control of the offense and make it perform to the high standards the LSU fan base expects.  Time is growing short for this staff, and the time for success is now.  

Showing forward progress and a bright future for LSU's football fortunes needs to happen at today's game against Vanderbilt in Nashville, TN.