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August 16, 2010

LSU's 2010 Schedule: An Opportunity to Achieve Legendary Status

After looking at the two of the latest articles from ESPN and Sports Illustrated I was reminded of the immortal words of Auburn Legend Shug Jordan: "Always remember. . . . Goliath was a 40 point favorite over David."  


After perusing Andrea Adelson's ESPN article, "Twenty teams with the best title shot", and Andy Staples' Sports Illustrated article, "Alabama enters 2010 where it ended '09 - - as nation's top team", it became clear that LSU may be playing the role of "David" against several Goliath teams or maybe more accurately: will face a Goliath schedule.  


I do not think that it will come as any surprise to even the most disinterested college football fan that LSU will not be the odds on favorite when they face Florida in Gainesville October 9th or when defending national champion Alabama visits Baton Rouge November 6th but, according to an ESPN article released today LSU will face six of the twenty best teams with a shot to win the national championship this season.  The Sports Illustrated article only gives LSU a slightly better chance.


LSU does play McNeese State October 16th and ULM November 13.  LSU will also play Vanderbilt September 11th and Mississippi State September 18th.  LSU should win these four games with little trouble but; remember two years ago ULM upset Nick Saban's Alabama squad and recall that last year LSU struggled against Vanderbilt and barely got out of Starkville with a slim 30-26 win over Miss. State.  So even among LSU's "ought to win" games it would seem that nothing is in stone.


The other 8 games are going to be a real challenge for the Tigers.  Even thought this is supposed to be a down year for the Vols, Tennessee always plays LSU tough.  Plus the Vols new head coach, Derek Dooley, is familiar with LSU.  LSU lost to Ole Miss last year and this year should be another hard fought battle.  Houston Nutt, Ole Miss's head coach has found success against the Tigers when he was Arkansas's head coach and last year as Ole Miss's head coach.  Plus this year Ole Miss may have a secret weapon in Oregon transfer QB Jeremiah Masoli.  


To make matters worse,  according to the experts, LSU will face 6 teams this year that are expected to beat the Tigers.  ESPN lists Alabama, Florida, Auburn, Arkansas, North Carolina, and West Virginia as teams that have a shot to win it all this year.  LSU faces three of those teams, Alabama, Auburn, and Arkansas, as co-members of the Western Division of the Southeastern Conference. LSU faces Florida, their SEC east rival, in Gainesville and in fact LSU will only face one of the other three SEC teams, Alabama, in Baton Rouge.  LSU will face all four of these same SEC teams each and  every year for many years to come.  And while LSU will not face North Carolina or West Virginia year-in and year-out, LSU opens up this season against a veteran North Carolina team and will face West Virginia in only LSU's fourth game.  So before LSU faces the best in the SEC they will have already played a top contender in the ACC and in the Big East.   And by the way, in case you were wondering, LSU is not included on ESPN's list of the twenty teams with the best shot at the national championship this year. 


When you look at LSU's schedule through the filter of Sports Illustrated's preseason top 25 the story is only slightly better for LSU.  According to SI's preseason top 25, Alabama is #1, Florida is #10, Arkansas is #22, and Auburn is #25.  LSU is mentioned among the five teams that "just missed the cut" but North Carolina is listed first among the "just missed" and LSU is right after West Virginia.  So while the ESPN article placed Arkansas, Auburn, North Carolina, and West Virginia in a type of top twenty, SI places the teams slightly closer to LSU's reach.


Even with SI's slightly better prognosis some LSU fans are already starting to memorize quotes like:
"There's nothing that cleanses your soul like getting the hell kicked out of you." - Woody Hayes, Ohio State
or
"If lessons are learned in defeat, our team is getting a great education." - Murray Warmath, Minnesota
or even
"They whipped us like a tied up goat." - Spike Dykes, Texas Tech

I'm not one of those LSU fans.  As I recall, David beat Goliath.  When ULM beat Alabama two years ago that was David beating Goliath.  When LSU meets Alabama in Death Valley November 6th, the two teams will be much more evenly matched than ESPN's or Sports Illustrated's latest articles might predict.  If LSU should do the unimaginable and run the table this  season, this 2010 LSU team will have achieved legendary status.     

15 comments:

Anonymous said...

ULM beating West Monroe High School would also be David beating Goliath. Two years ago, that was Sabans first year at Bama. He had open rebellion, refusal to accept the 'process', and literally no support from any upper classmen for his program goals.

Bama was about as down as they could get. LSU fans celebrated in the glory of watching Bama play in the Independence bowl that year. It'd be revisionist history to attempt to portray Bama as a 'Goliath' of any sort in Sabans 1st yr. Heck, LSU lost to UAB in Saban's first year also.

So much for David's odds with Goliath in the near term.

When people say things like 'chances are'. The 'chances' referred to are things like the qb being unable to count past ONE on the progression of receivers. Its about how the offense cant get a play off before 4 seconds on the play clock because the qb cant be taught the hand signals to understand the play...

'Chances are' is about how the defense wont blitz because 'the front four cant get a good push, so we cant yet'... Or that the O-line is going to be asked to 'establish the run' before passing, and the head coach is going to announce the week prior to each game that this is exactly what his game plan will require.

'Chances are', that stuff wont work against equal or better talent coached on gameday by equal or better coaches... (Saban, Meyer, Petrino, Davis, Nutt, or possibly Auburns coach)...

IF LSU has a qb that can move the ball, lead the team and understand the plays to be able to ohh, check off if needed.... And if Drake Nevis reminds of Kyle Williams, or any of the LB's remind of Trevis Faulk, or Bradie james, and the Safety's hit like Laron Landry, and Peterson is as good as he thinks he is, and thats good enough to remind of Corey Webster...

If any of that happens, LSU is a real tough nut... Oh, and if the coach can be our asset on the field on gameday... if all that happens, the basic talent is available.

but one wonders this night if LSU isnt banking on its qb not taking an offer from the Dodgers, and we until the 5th game of the season dont truly realize it yet.

Anonymous said...

Zach Lee signed with the Dodgers, five to six million signing bonus. So now its official. Our season rests on Jordan Jefferson and Jarrett Lee.

Go Tigers

Anonymous said...

So in six years, LSU has put in its qb stable, Ryan Perriloux, Andrew Hatch, Jarett Lee, Jordan Jefferson, and Zach Lee that bailed.

Its not Miles fault the guy had enough sense to take the money. My goodness, who wouldnt. Though with the tax rates in CA what they are, its likely he took home barely half the overall bonus, but still.

No, its not Miles fault the guy went baseball. On the other hand, the fact that he was the only ray of light we possessed on our team at qb, and the first talent at the position recruited since Perriloux (head case not withstanding), well that is Miles fault.

Guess we'll hear all about how Miles has had the top recruiting classes the past four years now. And maybe so.

Guess all us armchair coaches with stinky opinions, guess we dont realize that the qb position just isnt really all that important. heck, we're LSU we just need someone to manage the position. Just ask the guys on Tigerroar.

Anonymous said...

I would hope, that win, lose, or draw, this football season,that the LSU football fans,do not cry like baby's,like these comments, by these (Anonymous) so called LSU football fans are crying.
It is so unattractive, to read grown men cry like kids, over not getting what they want..Les Miles is not these readers problem,that is keeping them from what they need,and want.No football player,team,or head coach,can help these cry baby's,because their problem is their own Anonymous writers (unwilling choice) not to grow up.You would think, that they would stop crying in public like that, at some point?
The tiger fans lost a chance at seeing a good QB, in Zack Lee,play QB for LSU,and it made most LSU fans sad..But after reading these cry baby's,be so shameful, in public like this..I would rather lose with Les Miles, and JJ,then win with them.

Anonymous said...

Sadly, you are very likely going to get your wish. Like the guy said in 'The Matrix'. "Welcome to the nightmare of the real".

LOL

Couldnt agree more. People take this too seriously. Beware though, the opposite of support for LSU isnt disdain, its apathy.

Billythekid said...

Congrats to Zack! Mega bucks. Can't blame him at all.
We'll be ok though.

Anonymous said...

When LSU wins all of these games NO ONE is going to dare suggest we share the NC! Go Tigers!

Anonymous said...

'We'll be OK though'

Miles probably wouldnt have played him anyway. Didnt play Shepard last year, though by his own admission, he didnt understand why the guy wasnt getting in the game.

How do you run a major program and for five years (since Perriloux) manage to land only a single marquise talent at the teams most important position. Whether he went baseball or not. The BCS title and previous Sugar bowl was won by guys recruited in 2002.

Whats so bad about playing qb at LSU?

Anonymous said...

QB Stephen Rivers (San Diego Chargers QB Phillip Rivers younger brother) has verbally committed. He is supposed to be a good one.

Anonymous said...

Bob, I like your style. We should at least have faith in the Tigers until this team takes the field this year. Those quotes are crazy. Go Tigers!

Anonymous said...

I'm glad zach lee is gone. I live in Houston Texas now but grew up in Louisiana. And to tell you the truth the high school football in texas is waaaaayyy overrated! Zach lee would have been just like Jarrett lee came in and throw pick 6's. Because he is not use to playing against top notch talent. Please do not take offense and I am definitely not prejudice against any race. But let's be realistic. There is a big difference in playing in a state (Texas) that the majority of the players are Hispanic or white. Compared to a state (Louisiana where majority of the players are African American. Of course a handful of players look good in texas because they are more athletic than the Hispanics and whites they are competiting against. That's why I'm not to excited about Russell shepherd or zach lee if he would have stayed. That's why all the texas players that come to lsu with all the hype don't live up to the hype. Louisiana is full of sec nfl talent. That's why jordan Jefferson will be the starter. The district he played in is probably one of the best districts as far as talent goes in the country. Jordan is use to playing against sec nfl talent in highschool. That's why the playmakers at lsu are Louisiana kids. Louisiana as a whole year in year out has sec nfl talent. To bad its not recognized by recruiting services who for some odd reason want to rank Texas players so high. But the main reason lsu can't win is because of gary crowton. He can't call plays worth a lick. Lsu gets a great play calling offensive coordinator lsu wins championships! And please once again don't take offense to my comments. There are great people in all races. I'm just being realistic.

Anonymous said...

If you think that this LSU football team, can do two simple things, on the football field this season, then this LSU football team can run the table and go 12-0.
Block the other players out of the way,and stop the other team from scorning...WooHoo!

Anonymous said...

In the SEC, the power game is pretty much a wash. One team now and then has an edge, but year in and year out, no one dominates for long with power alone.

So, block them out of the way, thats just not gonna be the way its won. When LSU has players with all that speed we hear about getting the ball in the open field, then the inability to dominate the O-line wont be the reason we have to lose. We dont have to. We just keep trying to beat our heads into the wall the other guys keep making stronger and stronger.

Spurrier spent 10 yrs at UF beingthe terror of the SEC by put his talent where the other guy was not. And it worked. But we're gonna 'run da damn ball'. And worse, we're gonna tell every team thats what we're gonna do (on Wednesday) then on Saturday try to do it.

Saw it last year, couldnt stop anyone on 3rd down, and couldnt get in the open field without first trying to go through the interior line.

Anonymous said...

This is a killer schedule.

Billythekid said...

"Miles probably wouldn’t have played him anyway."
I do agree with this. It's been a frustration of mine but I am not the coach. I have to assume that Miles knows more about football and his own players than I do.
I say put the best players on the field regardless of seniority.

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