Super Fan, Howard Gordon, Gives his take on LSU vs. Mississippi State

I receive a number of emails each day.  Every now and then I receive an email that I think most LSU fans would like to see.  This email from Howard Gordon concerning the LSU/Miss St. game is one of those emails.  

Good Morning Bob ...

 

It's certainly good to have you "back" my friend.  I've certainly missed your insights. 

 

This is my take on the Miss. State game.  Miss. State has improved immensely under Mullen, and they looked pretty good against Auburn ... right up until the last play of the game.  However, as you said, they have not played a defense like LSU's.  Auburn's defense did not impress me.  Matter of fact, there was little or no defense in the entire game as far as I could tell!  This is what I think will happen Thursday night:

 

LSU will have a good night rushing the football.  Both Spencer Ware and Michael Ford will have good games as will Alfred Blue.  The offensive line will shine!

 

LSU should pass for at least 200 yards given the Miss. State secondary. 

 

The defense will shut down the Miss. State rushing game, although not to the degree in the NSU game.  That will force State to pass more than they would like.  Our secondary will be up to the task of taking care of things there. 

 

The offensive line for State is big as usual.  However, the athleticism and strength of our d-line will also be up to the task and should control the line of scrimmage limiting State's rushing attack.  LSU will put pressure on Relf all night long.

 

State will keep the game interesting for 2 1/2 quarters or so before LSU pulls away with a convincing victory.  I don't think 40 points is out of the question.  If we don't score 40, I won't be disappointed ... just give us an SEC victory!

 

All in all, this team has talent, size, power and maturity.  As you said, that maturity really showed up in the NSU game.  In the past, LSU has played those games good enough to win and that was about it.  They showed a great deal of maturity playing that game.  Now it's time for the real games ... SEC competition!  I feel as good about this team as any I've witnessed in my 53 years of LSU football!

 

Geaux Tigers!
Howard

Thanks for checking in Howard!  I really enjoy reading your emails.

The Next Test for the LSU Tigers - Mississippi State

LSU's first two games were a real treat for Tiger fans and expectations of a national championship appear to be reasonable.  I was glad to see LSU ranked #2 after dominating a very good Oregon team but understood that Alabama fans might be miffed at having won and dropped in the polls.  It was not hard to predict that Alabama would beat Penn State and jump back up to #2.  Considering LSU plays a ranked team and Alabama plays North Texas, we will see if the trend continues.  First, LSU will have to face a very good Mississippi State team in Starkville.  

Mississippi State's defense gave up 14 points to an over matched Memphis team and 41 points to a solid but rebuilding Auburn offense.  I think it is reasonable to expect LSU to put up 40 points.  LSU's first two games would indicate that 40 points is a benchmark of what to expect.  It will be interesting to see if LSU's offense will be able to keep showing improvement against a ranked SEC West team.  Mississippi State gave up two passing touchdowns in each of the last two games and I would like to see Jarrett Lee throw at least two TDs and zero interceptions this Thursday.  By the way, if you did not get to see the NSU game, LSU's quarterback future looks bright.  Zach Mettenberger delivers the football quickly and on target.  By comparison, Lee's pass seems to be thrown more on an arc and floats.  Don't get me wrong, Lee's passes were on target and his decision making has been stellar in the first two games but I expect Mettenberger to be playing on Sundays for a number of years.  Provided he has matured enough to stay out of trouble.  The real story in the LSU/Miss. State game is not LSU's offense versus Miss. State's defense.  I expect LSU's offense to have a solid showing.

The real match up of the LSU/Miss State game will come down to the ground game.  LSU's rush defense versus Miss. State's rushing attack.  Mississippi State's passing game will keep LSU honest.  Miss. State QB, Chris Relf, has completed just over 61% of his passes accounting for 397 yards, 3 touchdowns and 1 interception but, even with an improved Auburn pass defense, I feel that LSU will significantly cut down that nearly 200-yards a game passing average.  The threat of a passing game will only keep LSU from crowding the box to defend the run.  Mississippi State running back Vick Ballard is on a mission to improve his NFL draft status and he is looking every bit like a first round draft choice so far.  So far this year, Ballard has rushed for just over 150-yards a game, 4 rushing touchdowns while maintaining a 9.7 yards a carry average.  I have watched significant portions of both of Auburn's games and in the Mississippi State/Auburn game Vick Ballard took over the game in the fourth quarter.  Ballard rushed for 94 yards including a touchdown in the fourth quarter and accounted for another 21 yards receiving.  It looked like to me that on the third to last play of the game Ballard launched himself through the end zone for a second fourth quarter touchdown before going out-of-bounds but, the ball was marked at the one yard line.  No part of Ballard's body touched the ground out-of-bounds before the ball broke the plain of the end zone.  I think at a neutral site or at Starkville Mississippi State would have beaten Auburn in overtime.

While Vick Ballard may be one of the best running backs in college football this year,  we will not know just how good he is until he has met the LSU Tigers' rush defense.  Auburn is a solid team, however; I was a bit embarrassed for them in their opener against Utah State mainly because Utah State seemed to be able to run almost at will against Auburn's defense.  Utah State may be a very good team too.  But,  I suspect that Auburn may be having troubles with their rush defense and if that is the case Ballard's ability to run all over Auburn in the 4th quarter may not be quiet as impressive as it seems at first glance.

Another thing to consider in this key match up of LSU's defense versus Miss. State's ground game is the size of Miss. State's Offensive line.  So far LSU has faced two opponent offensive lines that they outweighed at key interior line positions.  Oregon is having to play less experienced interior offensive linemen that may have needed a game to get their legs under them and let's face it - NSU O-line did not belong on the same field with LSU's D-line.  I am not sure how many teams, if any, will be able to handle the size, strength, and speed of LSU's D-line.  Thursday will serve as a big test to evaluate just how good LSU's defense really is.

Note:  Thanks to the many of you who have written me with concerns about my silence and encouragement for me to keep writing my thoughts down about LSU football.  I guess I was so elated about the Oregon game that I didn't show up to write about the next game.  Better I not show up for the NSU game versus LSU not showing up.  I did have concerns that LSU might come out flat after the victory over the Ducks.  It seems that these Tigers are mature enough to know that they have a target on their backs.  I am also glad to see that there is a "real want" for these Tigers to prove themselves on the field each and every week. 

LSU vs. Oregon: The Auburn Experience

LSU and Oregon had two common opponents last year: Tennessee and Auburn.  Both teams beat Tennessee.  LSU's win was the ugliest win in college football and though Tennessee fans will still debate whether or not LSU won the game, going over the LSU/Tennessee game will yield nothing in contributing to the analysis of the LSU/Oregon game.  However, both LSU and Oregon lost to Auburn and in both of those games Auburn exposed basic weaknesses of the Tigers and Ducks.


The LSU/Auburn Experience
LSU arrived at Auburn's Jordan-Hare Stadium undefeated and staring the national championship squarely in the face.  It appeared that if LSU could get by Alabama in the next game, they would be bound for the BCS title game.  LSU did manage to beat Alabama but, only after an embarrassing loss to Auburn.  What was most embarrassing for Tiger fans was that LSU's known weaknesses, quarterback play and more specifically the passing game, were not the reasons for the Tigers loss to the other SEC West's Tigers.  LSU's defense was crushed by Cameron Newton and Gus Malzahn's misdirection offense.  Throughout the game LSU fans were left scratching our heads while our defenders seemed frozen in their tracks either unwilling to fully commit to tackling or simply unable to get the right angle to deliver the knockout blows that we had become accustom to witnessing.   It seemed that LSU's defensive coaches had done too good of a job hammering in the idea that defenders would be embarrassed if they over committed against Auburn.  It is true that Auburn's style of offense banked on the fact that they would be playing fast defenses that swarmed to the ball.  Auburn's offense had mastered the counter-punch of football:  "Let the defender commit and then quickly change the direction of the play rendering the defender out of position and unable to make the play."  There were two teams that had perfected this style of offense last year:  Auburn and Oregon.  The quick decisive decision making of quarterback is the key to this type of offense.  Oregon's quarterback, Darron Thomas, was a sophomore last year when he executed this offense.  He's back and has a year of experience.  Another key factor in effectively running Oregon's type of offense is the coordination of quarterback and running backs.  Both Oregon's starter and back up running backs are returning.  Oregon's starting running back, LaMichael James, was arguably the best running back in the country last year.  Oregon's back up running back, Kenjon Barner, is a speedy track star who was injured much of last year.  He is completely healed for the opener this year.  If LSU expects to win, they had better have learned from their Auburn experience.


The Oregon/Auburn Experience  
Argue all you like amongst yourselves about how Auburn dominated LSU in their 7 point win at home versus how Auburn squeaked by with a last minute field goal victory over Oregon in the BCS National championship and then come back and face the reality that I will discuss in the rest of this section of this article.  


Auburn shut down Oregon's vaunted running game in the BCS National Championship.  What kept the game close was Darron Thomas' passing attack.  What shut down the Ducks rushing game  was the fact that Auburn's defensive line, Nick Fairley and company, crushed the holes that should have opened up in Oregon's zone blocking scheme.  Nick Fairley probably added some zeros to his NFL contract because of his constant presence in the Oregon backfield.  News flash:  Auburn's Nick Fairley was an outstanding college defensive tackle but LSU has become defensive line U in the past few years.  LSU has several defensive tackles and defensive ends that are of the same caliber as Nick Fairley.  Senior LSU offensive guard Josh Dworaczyk (6'6", 301lbs.)  will miss the LSU/Oregon game because of an injury that will require knee surgery.  Dworaczyk had a great Spring with no apparent or anticipated knee problems.  In fact, several of the LSU offensive linemen were "nicked up" and recovering during a recent scrimmage.  Logic would have it that all of those nicks and Dworaczyk's knee injury occurred while playing against LSU's defensive line.  Still not convinced?  Take my word for it LSU has no fewer than 4 defensive tackles that can crush inside rushing lanes and have the speed and strength to meet Ducks behind the line of scrimmage all night long.  Three other factors should also be considered: 1.  LSU has the quickest defensive ends in the SEC and 2. LSU's secondary is considered by most to be much better than Auburn's secondary was last year, and 3. Oregon is missing interior offensive linemen from last year's team.  Oregon may very well run all over and pass at will against LSU Saturday but, that would be a real testament to the arrival of the Duck offense.  Oregon proved that they were an unstoppable force last year but, Saturday starts a new year.   


What is truly exciting about this Saturday is that no one has a crystal ball.  We will all be watching the action as it occurs in real time.  We can guess that when Oregon meets LSU on the playing field that the classic "unstoppable force" will meet the "unmovable object" but, who knows, maybe the real game will somehow come down to the match up between LSU's new offense and Oregon's defense or maybe it will come down to some special teams play that decides the final outcome.
I cannot wait until this game starts and I would like to see a close game that represents the true quality of these two teams.  That is. . .  . unless. . . . LSU somehow manages to totally blow out the Ducks.  No secrets - Oregon is my third favorite team behind my Alma Maters - LSU and Texas A&M. 

Jarrett Lee: An Unlikely Second Chance

In 2007 Cameron Newton was ranked #58 among ESPN's 150 top high school football players.  Two spots below Newton, Jarrett Lee ranked #60.  In 2007 Rivals.com ranked Lee as the #7 pro-style quarterback prospect in the country.  Jimmy Clausen, Ryan Mallett, and Florida's John Brantley were numbers 1, 2, and 3 on that same list and Robert Marve was ranked #8, one spot below Jarrett Lee.  Jarrett Lee was a consensus 4-star quarterback with a promising future.  Lee may have started at some schools but LSU already had two very promising quarterbacks ahead of him (Senior Matt Flynn and Sophomore Ryan Perrilloux)  so, LSU redshirted Lee, giving him another year to develop.  In fact, it looked that after his redshirt year, Lee would probably have a couple of years backing up Ryan Perrilloux.  Rivals had rated Perrilloux as the #1 dual threat quarterback in 2005 and even though those ratings are often hit and miss, Perrilloux was showing signs that he may live up to the rating.  


Unfortunately, Ryan Perrilloux had recurrent problems off-the-field and was dismissed from the team.  Perrilloux and Jordan Jefferson grew up and played football at high schools probably not 50miles apart.   A few centuries ago pirates could be found not too far from where these guys grew up.  Makes you wonder if swashbuckling isn't somehow latent in the culture or if these guys are channeling pirates.  Face it, there is no "good" reason why guys with a shot at quarterbacking for a national champion would throw away those dreams by making bad decisions off-the-field.  I'm going with the guess that Perrilloux and Jefferson are somehow modern day pirates and therefore are destined to swashbuckle. I know, it's not funny. Sometimes I attempt a little humor when things get way too serious.  And I have digressed.  Back to the Jarrett Lee story.


Because Perrilloux had been summarily dismissed from LSU's football team in 2008 Jarrett Lee  moved to the front of the lineup.  2008 was almost a decent year for Lee at quarterback.  Lee threw for 1873 yards with 13 touchdowns while completing 53.2% of his passes earning a quarterback rating of 115.7.  The were only a couple of pretty big strikes on Lee's record.  Lee threw 16 interceptions and 7 of those interceptions were returned for touchdowns.  Redshirt freshman Lee was clearly not ready for prime time in Death Valley.  When true freshman Jordan Jefferson quarterbacked the Tigers to a 38-3 Chick-fil-a bowl victory over a favored, higher ranked Georgia Tech team many LSU fans were certain that Lee would soon be announcing a transfer because clearly, Lee would never likely start for LSU ever again.  However, Jarrett Lee did something that few expected, something kind of old fashion.  In a day and age marked so clearly by instant gratification and selfishness,  Jarrett Lee stayed committed to LSU football despite his failure, his embarrassment and a largely unforgiving Tiger fan base.


In 2009 Lee played in seven games with only one start against Louisiana Tech. He completed only 16 of the 40 passes he attempted that year for just shy of 200 yards and a dismal 40% completion record.  Things had dropped so low that some LSU fans were actually booing when Lee entered the game.  The best bet was that surely Lee would transfer after 2009 to a place where he could make a fresh start.  But once again, Jarrett Lee did what few others would have done:  he stayed true to LSU and was more determined than ever to improve enough to prove that he deserved to lead the Tigers.  


Early last year (2010) seemed to prove the general consensus that Jarrett Lee had already had his place in the sun and would not ever repeat as LSU's starting quarterback.  Through the first four games of 2010 Lee only attempted 2 passes as a backup. Still, an anemic passing game had many wondering if maybe playing Lee instead of Jefferson might be a good idea.  LSU clearly had a strong deep receiving corp but Jefferson could not seem to consistently get the ball to them.  Many will remember how LSU got unbelievably lucky on a last second call to beat Tennessee but because of the incredible ending few recall that Lee's outstanding passing is the only reason that LSU was in a position to score.  Lee also was the hero of the Florida game.  There is no bigger stage than playing Florida at home but Lee threw for 2 touchdowns(0 interceptions), over 100 yards, with an 81.8% completion rate.  Lee finished that game with two perfect fade passes to the end zone to end the Florida game.  The second pass won the game. The first pass had to be repeated because part of a toe of the LSU receiver was touching out-of-bounds.  As a backup, Lee threw for over 500yards with a nearly 61%(60.7%) completion rate.  Oddly enough, if you take out two lackluster performances against ULM and McNeese State, Lee's completion percentage rises to 65%.  Maybe LSU should consider starting Zach Mettenberger against the cupcakes this year.  Last year Lee's best performances were against Florida, Alabama, and Tennessee.  


Of course Lee has not been a regular starter since his redshirt freshman year in 2008 but he will have a most unpredictable opportunity for a second chance.  There are very few second chances in big time college football.  Jarrett Lee has proven by his actions that he is not one to walk away from a challenge. Jarrett Lee has been preparing for this opportunity for quiet awhile. Senior quarterbacks with lots of game experience tend to judge potential interceptions better than redshirt freshmen and I fully expect that Jarrett Lee will do just fine.  As frustrated as the Tigers must be right now, I would hate to have to line up against them in a few short days.  

LSU Football Lunch Links

Who has the best young talent in the SEC? ESPN's Chris Low ranks the top 5.  LSU is #1. You may want to see what Low has to say in his article "Who has the SEC's best young talent?"


Kris Brauner, author of LSU's Bloguin blog "Saturday Night Slant", has an excellent 11 part series that answers many of the most important LSU Football 2011 questions. In his latest installment Brauner explores LSU's safeties.


College Football Pundit is not so sure that LSU will have an offense this year but his perspective is one that you may want to take look at:  "LSU's Offense May Have Lost Its Fastball".


And finally, Robert Hopkins of Saturday Down South's "Calling Baton Rouge" blog give Tiger fans his recipe for a BCS National Championship in his latest article "The Bayou Bengals National Championship Punch List ". 


It may not be Duck Soup, but that ought to hold you until Supper.

Happy Anniversary! Go vote for your #1

Today is Kim and my 23rd wedding anniversary.  We met in an American History class at LSU.  My parents, who will celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary this month, also met in an American History class at LSU.  Maybe that is why I have a degree in American History.  Ironically, today also marks the anniversary of the U.S. dropping the atomic bomb on Japan in WWII.  I didn't realize that when we set the date.  Now to more important things.  Happy Anniversary, Kim!  I look forward to renewing our vows this afternoon!  Our son will be the best man and our daughter will be the maid of honor.  If you came here for college football stuff today, sorry.

I did notice that USA Today just ranked Oregon #3 and LSU #4.  I figured that you might disagree with USA Today ranking Oklahoma #1 so I set up a poll on my College Football's Big Game Poll site so that you can vote for the real #1 college football team.  Auburn was #22 in last year's preseason ranking and Oregon was #11.  I bet we know better on who is really #1.  Here is a link to the poll go vote!

LSU's New Offensive Coordinators

Bad News and more bad news for LSU

Lately the news surrounding LSU football has been bad or near misses.  Wide receiver Chris Tolliver who worked hard and had all the potential in the world will never play another down of football thanks to concussions suffered mostly in practice.  LSU has a connection with Willie Lyles.  So far, that is a near miss since LSU paid the advertised rate for state junior college video, recruited players on the video from each of the two states, and was successful in signing only one of the junior college players.  Had LSU been more successful recruiting, ironically that may have thrown up a red flag.  The fact that all star quarterback recruit Zach Mettenberger is still listed as 3rd string and not practicing with the veterans is a red flag.  LSU is on probation because of recruiting violations surrounding junior college recruit Akiem Hicks.  Reports from practice one day pointed to Hicks becoming a real force on the d-line but then for no clearly explained reason, Hicks had fallen down the depth chart list and never saw a single down as an LSU Tiger.  After seeing the quarterbacks in the Spring game, I am wondering why coaches are insisting Jordan Jefferson is the hands-down starter and why Mettenberger is listed at 3rd string.  I hope that this is not a precautionary move by LSU reminiscent of the handling of Akiem Hicks.  I also hope that LSU's recruiting problems are imaginary this time.  To add to the bad news about Chris Tolliver and the Lyles concerns, SEC media days brought the surprising news that team role model, spokesperson, and starting wide receiver - Russell Shepard was absent because of personal issues that turned out to be potential housing violations.  Shepard has taken care of business and I am pleased to report that this one was a near miss.  About the same time LSU fans learned that MaxPrep #1 wide receiver recruit Jarvis Landry has a broken foot and will probably not be available for a few weeks.  Landry is an incoming freshman and a broken foot is not usually a career ender so LSU fans should enjoy seeing Landry for several years.  LSU is loaded with talent a wide receiver so the Landry news is disappointing but it is just a temporary set back.

  

The news for LSU coach Kragthorpe is even worse

Sadly, the most recent bad news is really bad news.  New Offensive Coordinator Steve Kragthorpe informed coach Miles three weeks ago that he has Parkinson's disease.  Coach Kragthorpe took off from coaching last year because his wife, who has MS, needed coach Kragthorpe to help her recuperate from heart surgery and to take a larger role in home and parental duties with the Kragthorpe's three sons.  I am a religious man and I have always struggled with living the charge of James 1:2 "Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, . . . ."  When I think of what the Kragthorpe's are going through, I cannot imagine the kind of faith that it would take to consider these trials pure joy.  I am including the Kragthorpe in my prayers and hope that you will too. 

From a professional perspective this hiring was supposed to provide coach Kragthorpe an opportunity to redeem himself from a dismal showing as Louisville's head coach.  I had confidence that coach Kragthorpe was on track as LSU's new offensive coordinator to that redemption.  Clearly, now that coach Kragthorpe has stepped down from the LSU OC position, that redemption will have to take a different path.  But, you know what, I think now that coach Kragthorpe has changed positions to become LSU's quarterbacks coach, he will have an opportunity to focus on having a more concentrated impact.  Kragthorpe's forte is coaching quarterbacks and now he can complete his career coaching quarterbacks. Coach Kragthorpe has a real opportunity and I bet LSU will be an even bigger winner from the opportunity.  More importantly, because of coach Kragthorpe's character, how he handles these extremely difficult personal problems will teach volumes.  Jordan Jefferson needs to grow as a leader.  Zach Mettenberger exhibited poor judgement at Georgia and may need some lessons in maturity and character.  Coaches do not always get the opportunity to really teach the most important lessons.  Coach Kragthorpe may have no choice but to really teach these important lessons simply by the way he lives his life.  As I said before, my prayers are very much with the Kragthorpes.

So what is next for LSU's Offense?

In the press conference where coach Miles and coach Kragthorpe discussed coach Kragthorpe's situation, Miles announced that offensive line coach, Greg Studrawa, has been given a battlefield upgrade to offensive coordinator.  Whether or not coach Studrawa will be an effective offensive coordinator or not is without question a secondary concern to the more important problems that coach Kragthorpe faces.  Still, Tiger Nation deserves to know that promoting coach Studrawa to OC is not a knee-jerk reaction or poor decision.  

Offensive line coach/Offensive Coordinator Studrawa

Coach Studrawa  may turn out to be one heck of an OC if his background is any indication.  Coach Studrawa served as both offensive line coach and offensive coordinator for Bowling Green from 2003-2005 and was promoted to Assistant head coach and offensive coordinator in 2006. Coach Stud has been with LSU since 2007 which makes him LSU's senior offensive coach. 

  

In 2003, coach Studrawa's first year as Bowling Green's O-line and OC coach, Bowling Green only lost to two teams and both losses were to top 20 teams.  One of those two losses was to then #6 Ohio State at Ohio State by only one touchdown.  In 2003, OC Studrawa's Bowling Green team beat #13 Purdue at Purdue, scored more than 30 points in 8 games, more than 40 points in 4 of those games, and top the 60 point mark in two games.  Bowling Green went 11-3 and beat Northwestern in the Motor City bowl in 2003 - coach Studrawa's first year as an offensive coordinator.  

In 2004, Bowling Green went 9-3 with one of those three losses coming to Oklahoma at Oklahoma.  Oklahoma had a pretty good team in 2004.  In the previous game, Oklahoma had just ended with a 21-14 loss to LSU in the BCS National Championship.  Oklahoma only lost one game in 2004 - a 55-19 loss to Southern Cal in the 2004 BCS National Championship. Bowling Green managed 24 points against Oklahoma.  Including USC, only three teams managed to score more points against Oklahoma that year.  In five games the 2004 defense managed to hold their opponents to one touchdown or less, four of those games include fewer points than a single touchdown, and the OU defense completely shutout two teams.  In 2004, Bowling Green's QB, Omar Jacobs,  set the NCAA division 1-A record for touchdown-to-interception ratio with 10.25 touchdowns for each interception.  Jacobs threw for more than 4000 yards with a 66.9% completion ratio.  The next year Jacob's was injured but still managed 2590 yards with 60.7 completion ratio.   Jacobs backup, Anthony Turner, added 492 yards passing with 61.2 completion ratio.  In  2005, Bowling Green only went 6-5 but managed to score 40 or more points in 5 games including 42 points in a loss to a strong 10-3 Wisconsin team that defeated Auburn in the Capital One bowl by a score of 24-10.  In 2006, offensive line coach/offensive coordinator Studrawa was promoted to assistant head coach/offensive coordinator and Bowling Green suffered a 4-8 season.  Bowling Green's starting quarterback, Anthony Turner, still  completed 57.1% of his passes for 1596 yards, 11 touchdowns to 5 interceptions, and rushed for another 482 yards and 5 touchdowns.  After a 4-8 season Bowling Green assistant head coach and offensive coordinator Greg Studrawa took a position as LSU's offensive line coach.

Coaching at Bowling Green is not in the same league with coaching at LSU, however;  I trust you noticed the fact that Bowling Green faired well when they played LSU caliber teams like Oklahoma, Ohio State, Purdue, and Wisconsin.  Nobody would have thought twice if any of those teams had shutdown Studrawa's Bowling Green offense.  This year, LSU will face no team   where they will be the kind of underdog that Bowling Green must have been in those games.  I have certainly had a year or two where I wondered privately if coach Studrawa might be on the hot seat but this year is an opportunity for coach Studrawa to show what he can accomplish as LSU's offensive coordinator.  If LSU has the kind of success that Bowling Green had with Studrawa as offensive line coach and offensive coordinator, OC Studrawa may be more than a temporary battlefield promotion.  If that happens, I would hope LSU would be careful not to ever promote coach Stud to assistant head coach. ;) 

Questions Still Remain  

LSU suffered a horrible time with co-defensive coordinators in the recent past and we can hope that coach Miles is wiser from that experience.  In the press conference it sounded like coach Kragthorpe may still maintain some of the OC responsibilities like devising a game plan.  On the other hand, it seems clear that with the depth of experience among LSU offensive coaches that sharing responsibilities may not be a huge departure from current standard operating procedures at LSU.  We can hope that Miles will carefully consider what strengths coach Studrawa utilized in his success in performing the dual roles of offensive line coach/offensive coordinator at Bowling Green.  I have to believe that Miles has had and will have many long talks with coach Studrawa to get the most of his offensive experience.

Sadly, we have to wonder about the "hows" and "whens" of coach Kragthorpe's limitations due to illness.  Coach Kragthorpe looked incredibly under controlled during what must have been a difficult press conference announcing his illness and coaching change.  Maybe his doctors have found a really good combination of medications to help manage his illness.  Once the right combination of medications have been discovered, I have been told that Parkinson's is very manageable.  I trust LSU will continue to rally around and support coach Kragthorpe.

Let's hope that this marks the limit to the bad news that Tiger Nation will have to endure this season.  We have now met our quota of bad news.  We will now only receive good news for the remainder of the year and possibly through the end of next year.      

LSU Week In Review with Links

LSU Tight End - Deangelo Peterson

It has been pointed out that the biggest individual benefactor from the addition of LSU's new offensive coordinator may be LSU tight end Deangelo Peterson and Oregon bloggers are aware of this possibility.  Kris Brauner, author of the LSU blog Saturday Night Slant, made a solid case in a recent article for a Kragthorpe offense that may very well feature many more passes being thrown to Deangelo Peterson.  Oregon blogger Dale Newton, The Duck Stops Here, has also taken note of Peterson's potential in an article: "A Matchup to Watch in the Oregon-LSU Game".  Brauner and Newton are stars of the Bloguin Sports Blog network and the ideas in both articles are definitely worth strong consideration.  I think LSU fans first really saw the potential of Deangelo Peterson the last time the Tigers played Alabama in an away game two years ago but most of the nation became aware of Peterson in the LSU-Alabama game this year when Peterson took a 4th-and-1 handoff for 23 yards and nearly scored a touchdown.  The reverse 4th-and-1 play followed Les Miles now famous grass chewing incident.  There is a great story around Peterson as a New Orleans native who road out and survived Hurricane Katrina that marked Les Miles 1st season as LSU's head coach and even if there was not that human interest story, Peterson has all the tools of a future Hall of Fame caliber NFL wide receiver or tight end.  It would be unwise for any team to overlook Peterson as a potential offensive threat.  I believe Nick Saban will confirm that should there be any doubt. 

Willie Lyles

I have said all that I want to about Willie Lyles and LSU.  This nonsense that ESPN has perpetuated about the videos not being very worthwhile is not worth a second thought.  I included a link to ESPN in the previous sentence only for those that are not aware of the content of the ESPN nonsense.  I am not irritated with ESPN for the articles. Sports fans want to know about Lyles and LSU and ESPN is in the sports information business.  I am satisfied that LSU has been wise in their dealings with sports recruiters in the past year.  Remember LSU just self-reported and self-sanctioned two years ago because of inappropriate recruiting practices surrounding Akiem Hicks.  Hicks did not play a single down at LSU and the coach involved, D.J. McCarthy, resigned.   Edit:  If you want a quick clear explanation of why LSU need not worry about Lyles and why (on second thought) ESPN may have done LSU a disservice with a story that had more negative hype than real incriminating content, follow this link to an article from Saturday Night Slant. 

Unfortunately, Oregon still has much more Lyles drama to endure.  The best article I have read from an Oregon source concerning Lyles is once again from The Duck Stops Here author Dale Newton.  While there are several good Oregon Duck writers, Dale is right up there with the best of them.

LSU-Oregon game to become a test of strength!

Every single comment made on every single article I write is emailed to me which allows me to delete inappropriate comments.  I rarely delete comments but, I do read most of the comments and some comments inspire me to do a little research and share my findings with you.  Here is an excerpt of a  comment from an Oregon fan that made me stop and do a few seconds of research that you may find of interest:

"In the end, I don't think you guys are going to have the advantage you think you have. One thing you have to remember is that strategy and speed can counter physical desparities. I don't contend that LSU and the SEC has superior physical abilities. But this is not a weight lifting competition. If it was, then you guys would win. But it's not. GO DUCKS!!"

I know that both LSU and Oregon have outstanding strength training programs so, I was not entirely sure that this commentor's assertion that "LSU would win a weight lifting competition" was true.  As it turns out I have found some evidence that the Duck fan knows what he is talking about.


As it turns out LSU strength training coach Tommy Moffitt recently posted a picture on Twitter that included a partial list of LSU football player's squat lift totals. (Here is a link/article from BR Morning Advocate)  According to the pic LSU has 18 players that can squat over 500lbs.  LSU running back Michael Ford and middle linebacker Kevin Minter are at the top of the list squatting 583lbs.  Freshman defensive tackle Anthony "Freak" Johnson and newly converted backup offensive lineman Chris Davenport each totaled 560lbs.  Four other linemen were also on the "over 500lbs" squat list.  Starting QB Jordan Jefferson did not make the list but barely missed with a total of 495lbs squatted.


After looking through some of Oregon's official records I found that starting offensive tackle Mark Asper leads all Oregon offensive linemen with a squat max of 500lbs. and Issac Remington leads all defensive linemen with a 445lbs squat. 


As an LSU fan, I am thinking that who wins the battle in the trenches has a lot to do with who has more strength but, I know that is not by far all there is to the game and this after all is not a weight lifting competition.


LSU-Oregon game noted as a "Top 10" toughest SEC game by Fox Sports Florida 
With the University of Florida, Florida State and Miami football programs concentrated all in the same state it is probably pretty hard for a college sports reporter from Florida to look very far beyond the state's borders. In his list of the Top games for the SEC in 2011 Fox Sports Florida reporter Sam Gardner includes LSU in four of the first six games on the list.  LSU vs. Oregon is the #2 top SEC game right behind Alabama-LSU.  Here is the complete list:

Top games for SEC teams during 2011 by Sam Gardner for FS Florida

  1.  Alabama vs. LSU

  2.  LSU vs. Oregon

  3.  Alabama vs. Penn State

  4.  Auburn vs. Alabama

  5.  Arkansas vs. LSU

  6.  Florida vs. LSU

  7.  South Carolina vs. Georgia

  8.  Georgia vs. Boise State

  9.  Alabama vs. Arkansas

10.  Florida vs. Georgia 

2011 SEC Coaches Preseason All-SEC Team: LSU

The SEC coaches preseason All-SEC team has been announced and LSU has 7 players that made either 1st, 2nd, or 3rd team All-SEC.  Congratulations to all of the LSU players selected to 1st, 2nd or 3rd team All SEC.  
LSU All-SEC players
Cornerback Morris Claiborne is the sole LSU player to make 1st team All-SEC.  Wide receiver Rueben Randle, defensive end Barkevious Mingo, linebacker Ryan Baker, and cornerback Tyrann Mathieu made 2nd team All-SEC.  Offensive lineman Alex Hurst and defensive end Sam Montgomery were select 3rd team All-SEC. 


1st Team All-SEC
Only Mississippi State placed fewer players on the preseason 1st team All-SEC than LSU. Tennessee, Vanderbilt, and Ole Miss tied LSU with only 1 player selected to the 1st team.  Alabama placed 7 players. Georgia placed 6.  South Carolina placed 4.  Arkansas placed 3. And even Kentucky managed to place 2 players on the preseason 1st team All-SEC team.


Overall - 1st, 2nd and 3rd Team All-SEC
This chart shows how each school did in terms of placing players on 1st, 2nd or 3rd team preseason All-SEC:

School	1st Team	2nd Team	3rd Team	Total
Alabama	7	3	3	13
Arkansas	3	5	6	14
Auburn	0	2	5	7
Florida	0	2	4	6
Georgia	6	3	0	9
Kentucky	2	0	1	3
LSU	1	4	2	7
Ole Miss	1	2	1	4
Mississippi State	0	1	3	4
South Carolina	4	3	2	9
Tennessee	1	0	1	2
Vanderbilt	1	3	0	4

    
So What does all of this mean for LSU?
If you trust the collective judgement of the SEC coaches, then it could mean that we could expect LSU to finish somewhere in the middle of the pack this year based on talent.  Or it could mean that Les Miles is the best coach in the country considering the relative lack of talent at LSU versus the rest of the SEC.  But, honestly, I don't think it means a darn thing!  If Alabama and Arkansas have twice or nearly twice the number of talented players than LSU, then Nick Saban and Bobby Petrino are grossly over rated as coaches.  As much as I would like to say that is close to the truth, it's not even sort of true.  It is unbelievable that the national media can rank LSU in the top five in most any poll that you consult and yet, SEC coaches cannot find more than one 1st team caliber LSU player.  I watched the LSU-North Carolina game rerun recently and now wonder at the announcers saying that Morris Claiborne was in for a difficult season because of his inexperience and unfamiliarity at cornerback.  One year later he is LSU's sole 1st team All-SEC selection.  Way to Go Mo!  Still, I feel sure that even Morris Claiborne would tell you that being selected 1st team preseason All-SEC is an indication of very little.  It is how you play on the field in games that matter.


What does this mean for LSU?  This means that LSU players that are far more talented than SEC coaches realize have something to prove.  If I were Les Miles, I would post this list in the locker room and write a note that says: "If you are on this list, prove you belong.  If you are not on this list, I dare you  to prove them wrong!"  LSU is used to earning respect.  I am not sure that I would want it any other way.  Geaux Tigers!!!

LSU Lunch Links:

Here are a few LSU football articles that I know you will find of interest:


SEC Championship Talk: LSU from Saturday Down South  

Three Reasons Why the LSU Tigers will win the SEC and three reasons why the LSU Tigers will not win the SEC. Read More

2011 Florida football preview: Week 6 - LSU  by Jason Shoot for The Fort Walton Sun News Herald

"Few conference games were as thrilling as last year’s Southeastern Conference showdown between Florida and LSU at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium. Considering the number of starters both teams have coming back on each side of the ball, this year’s rematch in Baton Rouge, La., on Oct. 8 promises to be another slugfest."  Read More

Checking in on Will Lyles and Cal and How It Relates to LSU  From Team Speed Kills

"So far, the bulk of the Will Lyles story has centered on Oregon with a little LSU mixed in. There still is one other school that bought from Lyles' now-defunct scouting service, that being Cal. Jeff Tedford opened up with Jon Wilner of the San Jose Mercury News about his dealings with Lyles, and Wilner posted the best nuggets from it yesterday afternoon."  Read More 

The microwave dinged, soup's hot, now it is time for lunch.  Catch you later.

LSU Football Lunch Links:

Using Top College Teams and Top College Teams SEC Page I found these articles during lunch.  I think LSU fans will find these articles of interest:


First up - Oklahoma blogger, Allen Kenney, discusses the LSU - Tennessee game.  Yes, he talks about last year's LSU-UT game and this year's. Read This Article


Second, if this article is any indication, Louisville fans are still upset about their Steve Kragthorpe experience. Read This Article   I do not recall Louisville football being something to watch before Bobby Petrino and it seems that once Petrino left Louisville, so did their winning ways. 


In light of the Willie Lyles stuff that we are bombarded with lately, you have to wonder about any coach that has been successful recruiting top athletes.  Here is one more Willie Lyles article that discusses Lyles involvement with LSU.  Read This Article


and Finally, here is a good article from The New Orleans Times-Picayune titled "LSU vs. Oregon football game can't get here fast enough" by Peter Finney that I think you might enjoy.  Read This Article


I have to finish lunch and get back to work.  I am thinking about writing an article about the Willie Lyles experience - LSU vs. Oregon style.  Check back later, I think you will enjoy the article that I am thinking about.

LSU's 2011 Football Schedule - 7 Top Ranked Opponents

Reading through yesterdays emails, I took note of what LSU Super Fan Howard A. Gordon had to say.  Howard has let me know that I can use his emails for my blog anytime and I think you may find what Howard has to say of interest.

Good Morning Bob ...

 

I just read your column from July 6th.  I can understand the frustration the Louisville fan has.  However, extenuating circumstances probably existed, like his wife's illness.  Another important fact is a great coordinator does not necessary translate into a great coach.  There is a reason head coaches make the money they do ... it's a rare talent.  Personally, I feel Kragthrope will do an excellent job for the Tigers.  He is just what Jordan Jefferson and this offense need.  I've read between the lines in some statements from JJ, and it sure sounds like Crowton almost set him up to fail.  When a passing play was called, it was so obvious the opposing defense must have been salivating waiting for the snap.  Crowton's offense for the most part, was so predicable that I could call defenses against it.  The only time it really looked good was in bowl games and possibly after a bye week during the season.  That just doesn't make it in the SEC. 

 

I honestly feel we will see a very smooth, talented LSU team in 2011.  I agree with you ... the talent level at LSU mandates great performances on the playing field.  The main thing concerning me is the difficult schedule.  It has to be one of the toughest in the country.  The attitude of the players sounds very good, and they will have to bring their "A" game each and every week.  No weeks off this year!!!! 

 

Most publications I've read predict LSU to be 2nd in the West behind Alabama.  I don't think so.  LSU will beat Alabama in a very tough game, but the revamped LSU offense will win the day after a intense defensive battle. 

 

Only 58 more days ...

 

Take care my friend ...

 

Geaux Tigers!

Howard

While I certainly appreciate what Howard has to say about coach Kragthorpe, what caught my eye was the very thing I was already thinking about:  LSU's schedule.  Shortly after I read Howard's email I saw this opening line from an article today on al.com

"It's taken as a given in the SEC that each team's conference schedule is tough enough that it doesn't make sense to line up a power-packed non-conference slate to go with it. That line of thinking continues this year." ("Countdown to Football: 58 Days - Non-conference schedule is easy pickings" by Mark Inabinett for AL.com) 

At that point I knew that I would have to write something about LSU's 2011 Schedule. In the al.com article author Mark Inabinett throws in this last line concession:

"LSU comes closest to bucking the four-cupcakes lineup with its 2011 schedule, balancing pushovers Northwestern State and Western Kentucky with games against Oregon in Dallas and West Virginia on the road."

But, that concession does not come close to describing what most of the nation already knows:  LSU has one of the toughest schedules in the country.  LSU does play in the SEC which means in conference LSU will face five teams - Auburn, Alabama, Florida, Arkansas, and Mississippi State - that are consensus preseason top 25 ranked teams.  The consensus that I am referring to is an averaging of 18 expert sources that you may want to look at by clicking here.  In addition to the 5 SEC preseason consensus top 25 teams, LSU will face 2 non-conference opponents - Oregon and West Virginia - that are also preseason top 25 teams.  


So, by the end of the regular season, LSU will have faced 7 of the preseason consensus top 25 teams. Just to be bowl eligible LSU will have to win 7 of their 12 regular season games.  So just to get to a bowl game LSU will have to beat at least 2 top 25 teams.  



Yes LSU has 2 cupcake game:  Northwestern State the week after they open up against Oregon and Western Kentucky the week after they play Alabama at Alabama.  But considering who LSU plays the previous week, these cupcakes should expect to face a battle-worn Tiger team.  Oregon-LSU and Alabama-LSU appear to be shaping up to be epic battles.  Still, admittedly, even a "battle-worn" LSU ought to be able to crush NSU and Western Kentucky.


So that accounts for 9 of LSU's 12 game schedule.  In the remaining 3 games LSU will face Tennessee at Tennessee, Ole Miss at Ole Miss, and Kentucky in Tiger Stadium. Anybody that was alive and taking even a passing fancy in college football last year will recall that LSU only beat Tennessee in Tiger Stadium last year by a score of 16-14 because of an extra play due to a penalty that still has Tiger fans ducking and changing the subject anytime a Vol fan mentions the game. When Ole Miss visited LSU last year a shoot out ensued and LSU won 43-36. This year LSU travels to Oxford, Mississippi.  LSU and Kentucky are not in the same divisions of the SEC which means the two teams do not meet every year.  The last time LSU faced Kentucky was the last time LSU won a BCS National Title, however; many thought LSU did not deserve to be in the game because of two triple overtime losses.  One of those losses was to Kentucky.


I do not want to read another word about LSU not playing a tough schedule either in or out of conference.  I have not looked to closely but, I can think of no other national contender that has a tougher schedule this year. I agree with something that Texas A&M blogger Mike Tag recently wrote on his blog "I am the 12th Man":

"If LSU wins the national title they will have earned it. They play Oregon in Dallas and West Virginia in Morgantown in '11. Will be interesting to see if Lamichael James can run against the LSU defense. No one talks about the fact that James and Oregon struggled mightily on the ground against an Auburn defense that was nothing special save their uber-DT."  

How do I think LSU will finish this year?  I think LSU is a special team this year.  I have a strong feeling that LSU will be bowl eligible, sure.  Honestly, I will be disappointed if LSU wins less than 10 games this year and I could certainly see a scenario where LSU goes undefeated.  I think the LSU Tigers are that good.   I hope that they prove it on the field.  Geaux Tigers!