Lucky 13!? LSU is 5-0

Finally, the genius of our chaotic last second clock management pays off!  This is the third time LSU teams have tried this strategy in the Les Miles Era.  It worked against a very good Tommy Tuberville coached Auburn team a few years ago making a memorable Demetrius Byrd game winning catch with no time on the clock.  Last year it came up short against Ole Miss.  And with this extra play, no time 16-14 win against a well coached Tennessee team it worked to perfection.  I am not entirely certain what this strategy entails. I can describe some of the elements.  One component of this strategy is to do the dumbest thing you can imagine at the worst possible time.  The first time LSU tried to employ this strategy against Auburn, they got lucky.  The second time they employed this strategy, LSU lost to Ole Miss.  This third time LSU employed this strategy, today against UT, it worked to perfection.  LSU managed to cause so much confusion that the Volunteers fielded 13 players and handed LSU the win with no time on the clock.  Lucky 13?!  That was insane!  Chaos broke out several minutes after the game when Mark May and Lou Holtz tried to discuss the game.  I thought Lou Holtz had had a stroke for a few seconds. He was talking jibberish about using two quarterbacks but seemed to realize he was not communicating and said something about having an accent in an attempt to cover for the confusion.


At the first of the year, I had a regular commenter that would say something like: "Amen! That's what you say after a prayer, right?".  The commenter would leave that comment after I would write an article that said that LSU would be better this year.  All I can say is someone must have been praying for that LSU win because no way did LSU win that game without some serious help.  To my Tennessee friends and relatives:  I am perfectly willing to say that the Vols won that game.  I don't make those decisions officially but, no way are you going to catch me bragging about this win.


Just when I thought LSU could not make fans more discouraged and still win a game, they find a way to prove me wrong.  If you have hung in there this long, thanks.  Now let's talk about the game.


LSU still has maybe the best defense in the country.  Several sacks, a phenomenal 4th and inches stand during the later minutes of the game, and no superman-type help from special teams this game earns LSU's defense a place among LSU's all-time great defenses.


Special teams were average today but, without the field goal, LSU would have been working for overtime and not a win so special teams deserve some credit.


I am kind of wondering if someone on the coaching staff is reading my columns because it seemed like they tried some things that I suggested in my last article.  I think Jarrett Lee earned a few more opportunities to play against Florida and both Spencer Ware and Mike Ford may deserve a couple of extra opportunities.


Something is really wrong with LSU's offense and the LSU coaching staff needs to get it fixed this week before traveling to Florida. I will give it some more thought.  Maybe we should hire a passing coordinator.  It would be ashame to keep wasting all of that receiving talent.


The way the season has been going for LSU, Alabama is likely to play Florida so hard that they will be in no shape to face the Tigers and LSU will beat the Gators by somewhere between 2 and 6 points.  LSU continually winning despite having possibly the worst offense in the country defies all logical explanations.  That is not entirely fair.  Stevan Ridley is clearly the best running back in the country.  Rueben Randle is a good wide receiver and LSU has an improved offensive line.


With McNeese State and ULM still on the schedule it is hard to imagine that LSU will get less than 7 wins this year and I am not updating my prediction that LSU will win at least 10 games this year.  I am still thinking LSU could go undefeated this year.  Laugh all you want.  Think about it.  LSU has seemed to be on the verge of losing nearly every game that they have played so far.  After each game, most LSU fans have felt lousy - like our team lost.  And yet, LSU is 5-0.  It is hard to watch LSU play football this year but, somehow LSU is undefeated.  Three of LSU's next four games include Florida, Auburn, and Alabama.  These games are LSU's test by fire.  Geaux Tigers!


Oh and on a final note, during the confusion on ESPN Mark May made a plea for LSU to put Russell Shepard in the wildcat or even have Shepard run an option offense all game.  At this point, it is worth a try. Couldn't be much worse.  Maybe just go ahead and start Jarrett Lee.  It was nice seeing an LSU quarterback play half a game and pass for 185 yards.


If this article seems a bit confused/confusing, I know that if you just watched the LSU vs. UT game, you will understand.  The fog from what just happened has not entirely cleared.