Initial Impressions: LSU 19, Mississippi St 6
by Poseur on Sep 15, 2011 10:39 PM CDT
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PrintIt wasn't pretty and at times, it was even frustrating. But by the end of the night, LSU had clawed out a fairly dominant 19-6 win over Mississippi State.
LSU looked like a team that wasn't at all excited to be playing a particularly motivated State team on Thursday night. The offense was fairly lethargic, and the defense repeatedly lost focus. The less said about third and long, the better.
But when Reuben Randle caught a touchdown pass with twelve minutes left in the game, the game was virtually out of reach. State wouldn't show signs of life again until their final drive, when the game really was out of reach.
The defense, as usual, was impressive. State rushed for 49 yards on 34 carries. This is a team that wants to beat you on the ground, but they just couldn't get it going save one impressive first half drive. The passing offense wasn't much better, as Chris Relf didn't even manage 100 yards passing before getting pulled because Dan Mullen doesn't realize Tyler Russell is Relf's backup.
The big concern on defense is the linebacking corps. The secondary is still awesome, and the safeties stepped up tonight to make some big hits, as if they were getting sick of the corners getting all of the pub. Then again, Mo Claiborne did have two picks. The defensive line dominated the line of scrimmage so much so that I thought Sam Montgomery was lining up in State's backfield. But the LB's? Quiet.
On offense, this may have been Jarrett Lee's best start of his LSU career. He put in a nice, workmanlike performance in which he took advantage of a defense selling out for the run. Described in a word, he was efficient.
However, let's not pretend he was Bert Jones out there. Lee went 21/27 for 213 yards with a TD and an INT (ATVSQBPI of 7.00). That is exactly the kind of performance LSU needs from its quarterback. He didn't get overly ambitious, and Lee threw a lot of short passes for a modest gain. Lee didn't play for the big gain and as a result, never really got a big gain. He just completed a high percentage of, well, high-percentage passes.
In the end, LSU's lines won this game. By the fourth quarter, LSU's superior depth just worse State out. Holes got a little bit bigger, and that's all Spencer Ware needed to put the game away.
It wasn't a statement win. There's still plenty of concerns - the less said about the kicking game, the better - but it was the kind of game that reveals LSU's quality. LSU won a game by playing nowhere remotely near its best game. The team seemed bored, like they didn't want to be playing a game on a Thursday night. But, as the game wore on, LSU slowly enforced its will and when you looked up at the scoreboard, suddenly it seemed the game was completely out of reach.
This was the classic "Bill Parcells win". You got a win, but the coach still has plenty of things to yell at his team about. LSU can't afford to sleepwalk through the season because there's too many tough teams on the schedule. Conversely, you can't ride the emotional roller coaster every week or you will crash.
Last year's Tigers got by on that roller coaster. They lived and died by emotion. This year's team is better. They can get a big win, on the road against a top 25 team, without needed to dip into that tank of emotional fuel. This win wasn't as impressive as Oregon, but it was just as revealing of LSU's overall quality. Maybe even moreso.
It was just so ugly, you might have missed the beauty in it.
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Good write up
generally agree – one nitpick. LSU D was lousy on 3rd downs – but just in the first half. Really tightened up in the second – especially the 1st 20 minutes of the 2nd half. Just like against oregon – close at half – and with 10 minutes to go in the game it was all over.
?
I thought this win was completely beautiful by a team that did exactly what they were suppose to do. Not counting the last, meaningless drive, LSU held MSU to under 100 yards passing and less than 50 on the ground – a team that put up over 500 total / 300 on the ground vs Auburn. 5 sacks, 2 INTs, 13 TFLs, big hits all around. Our defense has enough film to review to improve with for sure from the first quarter, but was otherwise serving notice to the nation that they are the best, period.
Offensively, we ran for over 150 yards, threw for over 200, including passes of 31, 24, and 19 to RR.
I didn’t see an uninspired sleepwalk man – that was a dominating performance, and it was beautiful.
It was 9-6 in the 4th quarter
There comes a point you have to take your statistical dominance and turn it into points. It look LSU a long time to get around to it. I think it was a subtly dominating game. Once LSU went up by 10, the game was over. That’s how dominant the defense is.
Fake Pundit. Real Fan.
And The Valley Shook!
I self-indulgently tweet @ATVSPoseur
Similar to the Alabama win over Penn State
It just happened a little later. This was how I saw this game too.
PS I effing love the name of your blog. So cool.
I like metal... therefore...
I find beauty in the chaos, the ugly, etc. Good stats are for the rotigeeks. Winning is all I care about. I don;‘t care about dominating, though to be fair when that happens it’s nice & enjoyable. But to quote Al Davis, Cryptkeeper- Just win, baby. I don’t care if it’s 84-7 or 6-3.
I must create my belief system lest I be enslaved by another - Thomas Paine
by Curtis Bleaux on Sep 16, 2011 12:46 AM CDT up reply actions
I like punk
So I see your chaos and raise you. I like aggressive and chaotic, but that don’t make it pretty.
Though I’m partially talking about stats, I’m really only talking about one stat: points. I want our domination on the field to show up on the scoreboard. We left a lot points on the table due to our own inconsistencies.
Fake Pundit. Real Fan.
And The Valley Shook!
I self-indulgently tweet @ATVSPoseur
by Poseur on Sep 16, 2011 8:33 AM CDT via iPhone app up reply actions
Split the baby
You are both right. The drives were a Miles wet dream – pound and plod until blood leaks from their ears. But not capping the drives with 7s made the score ugly and gave the game a feel of something less than artistic. But your overall finding is right, they did it without reaching into the bag of magic dust Miles carries around. They just marched over MSU like the outcome was never in doubt. That feels a lot like some special teams of yore!
"They play violent football at risk of injury for their team and for their school. The gift that I'm given is to be allowed to be on the sideline with them and coach them." Les Miles
by ZimmZimmZalaBimm on Sep 16, 2011 8:51 AM CDT up reply actions
But I tihnk closer than they should be games are good for team building sometimes
as it, to borrow a horse racing phrase, keeps the boys to their task. Yes, it’s more nerve wracking but sometimes you need that to keep the concentration up. I agree with what you mean now that my head is a little clearer (thank you Alaskan IPAs) as against teams like Bama who will give our offense sterner tests leaivng points on the field will be an issue
I must create my belief system lest I be enslaved by another - Thomas Paine
by Curtis Bleaux on Sep 16, 2011 12:58 PM CDT up reply actions
As an LSU fan...
…I thought it was a beautiful game (line dominance, running between the tackles, doing what we do best, DEFENSE). But, I’m pretty sure that the average college football fan needed their 3 hours back.
by Gas_House_Gorillas on Sep 16, 2011 8:48 AM CDT up reply actions
i dunno
I think plenty of college football fans love slugfests.
Good game, but....
We need Brad Wing back badly, the punting did not go so well tonight. I also would like to point out that there was at least 1 (maybe 2?) balls I saw that should have been caught, I thought Lee did well even with the pick. Randle certainly redeemed himself with the TD catch. Beckham had a pretty good 1st half, however I REALLY can’t wait to get RS back to see what he can do.
and...
Lee needs to stop telegraphing his targets. The only time he looked off the primary receiver, he was sacked. I don’t mean to throw a wet blanket on a great win.
Agreed
I’ll touch on this in my review later. Actually, the interception wasn’t nearly his worst throw of the night.
Writer (and a handsome one at that),
And the Valley Shook
by Billy Gomila on Sep 16, 2011 8:18 AM CDT up reply actions
No, it was that hook rout that two Moo U DBs got fingers on.
Both DBs broke on the ball before the receiver ever made his turn. Lee’s eyes are gonna get him in trouble.
"It's not all about the game. It's about who you share it with." - Les Miles
by Matt 'n' The Hat on Sep 16, 2011 8:22 AM CDT up reply actions
Yup
And the pick looked like it was a miscommunication … JL threw the fly and RR cut his route to an out.
And those types of plays happen
And if he’s gonna throw picks, better for them to be well down the field than in the flat area.
Writer (and a handsome one at that),
And the Valley Shook
by Billy Gomila on Sep 16, 2011 9:40 AM CDT up reply actions 1 recs
We need Brad Wing back badly…
Please get well soon, Wing—that was scary watching the MSU buy catch it on the 15 to 20 every time.
Reporter: What would you say a Greg Studrawa offense is like? Stud:
"Attack and be very physical…fly around…attacking, come after you and come after you and come after you…." Me: I love this answer.
GET TO THE RIM HEAT (and SKY)! ATTACK THE PAINT!
replay fail to Memphisexile
Reporter: What would you say a Greg Studrawa offense is like? Stud:
"Attack and be very physical…fly around…attacking, come after you and come after you and come after you…." Me: I love this answer.
GET TO THE RIM HEAT (and SKY)! ATTACK THE PAINT!
The more I watch this team
The clearer it becomes that Miles never thought that seriously about taking the Michigan job: he knew what he had with this group of players. These guys are really young, and really good. The majority of the defensive players are underclassman, which means they can almost certainly improve and that’s pretty scary.
Men, there's a little crippled boy sitting in a hospital who wants you to win this game. I know because I crippled him myself to inspire you.
Taking care of business...
That’s what I saw out on the field. Not a lot of fire and emotion, even from the defense. LSU just took care of business. There wasn’t any panic or desperation, just constant, persistent play and domination by the D. I think we will see more emotion from this team as the season wears on and the games get more important, but tonight showed a lot of maturity from these guys, taking care of business against a tough Moo U team that really tried to put up a fight.
I do have to admit that it’s kinda nice to watch an LSU game and see an offense that plays with confidence and doesn’t make too many mistakes. Not too many big plays, either, but that’s OK. That might be what ends up separating this year’s offense from prior years. I think I would rather see a plain, persistent offense rather than a flashy but inconsistent one. Of course, as these guys really begin to gel, I think we will start seeing those big plays.
I will say that the kicking right now is atrocious. Starting a return at the 20 might be great for our opponents, but it sure ain’t real good for us. I too hope Brad Wing gets better soon.
Geaux Tigers!
1970s offense, man
Pound, pound, pound, take a shot every now & then but for the msot part grind your opponent down by the end.
People need to get used to it, it’ll be our MO for the better part of this year.
I must create my belief system lest I be enslaved by another - Thomas Paine
by Curtis Bleaux on Sep 16, 2011 12:48 AM CDT up reply actions
Exactly
Not a lot of formations, or even plays. Keep pounding the ball, and beat the opposition on execution. Big win for the Tigers in time of possession too.
I’m very happy with the Kragthorpe/Stud offense. Nothing fancy; there won’t be game day features on it, but it’s getting the job done as needed.
Speaking of formations
Welcome back, regular usage of I-formation complete with fullback!! I missed you! LOL
I must create my belief system lest I be enslaved by another - Thomas Paine
by Curtis Bleaux on Sep 16, 2011 1:29 PM CDT up reply actions
What can't this team overcome?
When you lay everything out it just seems like too much to handle.
Head coach’s sister killed over the summer…
O-coordinator gets diagnosed with Parkinson’s and steps down…
Starting QB suspended from the team indefinitely for off the field issues…
Starting LG out for the year before playing a down…
Starting WR missed first 3 games of the year for off the field issues…
Starting punter has now missed a game and a half…
Starting LT has now missed a half of a game…
Already had to play two top 25 teams away from home…
All of that. And we’re 3-0.
What would Auburn’s record be through that? Bama? Florida? Hell Arky hasn’t played one snap of pressure football yet!
This team is unbelievable, and it’s only week 3.
"Oregon’s Chip Kelly is generally considered a coaching mastermind. Miles toyed with him here Saturday night." -Dan Wetzel, Yahoo Sports
"I don’t want to say that I think Mo Claiborne is faster than Patrick Peterson…..but I think Mo Claiborne is faster than Patrick Peterson." -Les Miles
by LSU Jonno on Sep 15, 2011 11:31 PM CDT reply actions 5 recs
We beat down a very, very tough football team.
This was a solid win against an underated opponent with a very good offense. It wasn’t pretty, but after tonight I feel better about the chances for a national championship.
Next up is dealing with Holgerson’s offense, which is a very different version of the spread than what UO and State runs. The secondary will be more important, and getting pressure will be key. Glad we have a little extra time to prepare.
Jordan Jefferson ...errrr...Jarrett Lee for Heisman!
Completely agree
I think a lot of people (not necessarily here) forgot that Moo St. is pretty talented this year even though their record may not show that at year’s end
I must create my belief system lest I be enslaved by another - Thomas Paine
by Curtis Bleaux on Sep 16, 2011 12:50 AM CDT up reply actions
THIS!
Let’s not forget. State was a very tough team IMO and would kick some butt in any other conf.
They have a good D and a nice running game and play solid. The Tigers just take it to another level on Defense. I am impressed!
by Totally Spoil on Sep 16, 2011 7:11 AM CDT up reply actions
The Defense was punishing for the most part--love the Freak break through and tackle of the back and also Reid hit,
I know you got to take it one game at a time and all but I love how Matt Hinton from Dr. Saturday described our defense last night and up till now,
If Alabama’s defense is a boa constrictor, slowly sucking the life out of opposing offenses, LSU’s is more like a goon that throws the offense into a burlap sack and starts beating it with a stick. It is not a subtle business. But it is very, very effective.
Funny way to put it but also true up till now, Let’s Go D! Keep it going
Reporter: What would you say a Greg Studrawa offense is like? Stud:
"Attack and be very physical…fly around…attacking, come after you and come after you and come after you…." Me: I love this answer.
GET TO THE RIM HEAT (and SKY)! ATTACK THE PAINT!
by mjtig on Sep 16, 2011 1:09 PM CDT up reply actions 1 recs
14 tackles for loss.
5 sacks. My God.
LSU is not “there” yet, but as Jonno pointed out, we have a unique ability to overcome tough situations that you don’t see anywhere else. It must be Miles’ secret.
Even within the game, there were some issues that we were able to move past:
MSU able to drive the field- held them to a field goal.
MSU hitting the corners in the first half- seal off the corners in the second half.
Chris Faulk injured- Greg Shaw comes in and plays well.
That awful, uncharacteristic sequence of penalties- we regained our composure and we didn’t let MSU capitalize.
Onside kick fails- MSU can’t do anything with it.
Jarrett Lee throws an INT- we force a 3 and out.
Jrlz rhymes with Charles.
Embrace the beauty of the 4 yd run
This is what I told a friend of mine who was freaking out about LSU’s performance on offense. LSU is dominant across both lines, and really won’t be challenged there until you play Alabama. If the opposition is going to let you hammer at them for four quarters with the running game, and play defense, then do it, because you will win games playing with that style.
It is a good win in a conference game on the road against a conference opponent; nothing ugly about that.
by Beergut on Sep 15, 2011 11:46 PM CDT reply actions 4 recs
nothing ugly about that.
Amen to that and your post.
Reporter: What would you say a Greg Studrawa offense is like? Stud:
"Attack and be very physical…fly around…attacking, come after you and come after you and come after you…." Me: I love this answer.
GET TO THE RIM HEAT (and SKY)! ATTACK THE PAINT!
It's a "youngin" thang
This is how football was won in the 60s & 70s. Pound, pound, pound, take a shot deep now & then but for the most part grind your opponent down over & over & over until you catch him tired & pop one deep on a run or pass.
It ain’t pretty, especially to the microwave & iPhone generations raised on Xbox & ESPN scores but it’s a no less worthy way to win.
I must create my belief system lest I be enslaved by another - Thomas Paine
by Curtis Bleaux on Sep 16, 2011 12:53 AM CDT up reply actions
Oh, and Beckham....
Jesus that kid is impressive. We might have a really special player in him.
Jordan Jefferson ...errrr...Jarrett Lee for Heisman!
by Gregatron on Sep 15, 2011 11:57 PM CDT reply actions 2 recs
A great night for our receivers in general.
They played with great hands tonight.
Jrlz rhymes with Charles.
Biggest worry going forward is the lack of the big play on offense
It is TOUGH to put together long drives without big plays. I don’t think we can be a “quick strike” offense, but you really need to show it at least sometimes. Maybe Shepard can provide that home run threat that will open up a few more holes inside.
Father. Husband. Lawyer. Nerd.
by Richard Pittman on Sep 16, 2011 12:03 AM CDT via mobile reply actions
Agree and disagree
We really need to be able to bust some big plays. It’s hard to get by in the college game without them. Although I loved to see us driving the field without them repeatedly tonight. Because great defense like Alabama aren’t going to let you beat them with the big play. But consistent QB play and an ability to execute down the field can really aid you against a team like that.
Some of it was in the running game. There were several times tonight I thought Ware should’ve broke it outside and he’d have had a big gain play waiting on him. But he was very intent on cutting upfield. I like running downhill, and we need to be able to do it. But if a big play is there, we have to take that. It’s almost like he was determined to find a lane and run into it no matter what—even if it meant three defenders were there after the 4 yard gain. I like to see the toughness, but there were definitely some times he could’ve taken the edge for more yards.
I might get crucified here….but the run game is not quite what I thought it’d be so far. It’s not bad, but I was expecting killer. So far it’s not. Everybody’s been worried about Lee and thinking our run game is some unstoppable force. I’ve been shifting away from those attitudes and tonight bore that out. Not surprisingly, we struggled in the red zone…..with the running game not giving us what we’re used to.
But I do think the short week bit us a little bit, and I’m pinning some of it on that. We looked more disorganized pre-snap tonight….way more so than the first two games. So much so at times that I was thinking of calling for a sweep of the premises to check for any Crowton sightings. With a little tightening up in redzone execution….that’s a blowout. I know, I know….ifs and buts…..but still, don’t see any reason why we shouldn’t expect to keep improving.
And the D basically sleepwalked through this one and still smothered a very good offense. Holding State to 48 rushing yards is studly. And I will argue that in a court of law, and the judge will rule in my favor.
by MikeDeTiger on Sep 16, 2011 12:23 AM CDT up reply actions
I agree about our running game
It’s not what I expected it to be so far. It is very 3-yards-and-a-cloud-of-dust. It’s great to have that power running ability, but it’s so very hard to consistently put together 12 or 13 play drives down the field. We could see tonight how it affected us. We had drives stall on mOre than one occasion because we got stuffed on 2nd and medium. One negative play and you’re way out of your comfort zone, and the longer a drive goes, the more likely there will be negative plays.
It’s great to have long grinding drives, but if that’s your primary means of scoring, it will be tough to put up a lot of points.
Father. Husband. Lawyer. Nerd.
by Richard Pittman on Sep 16, 2011 12:49 AM CDT via mobile up reply actions
One thing I didn't notice until the replay...
MSU never really abandoned selling out against the run. They pretty much left 8 in the box, even when Lee did exactly what they were daring him to do. Against Oregon, when Lee hit a few passes, the Ducks backed off some of that run blitzing.
I think MSU’s dedication against the run bit us in the redzone some, because they exposed one of the things Lee/passing game still needs work on—the short field. He looked good last night taking what they gave him in the open field. But once that field constricted down near the goal-line, it wasn’t nearly as efficient.
If the offense can manage to find a steady set of passing plays they execute well in confined spaces for just those situations, that will help our cause greatly.
My $0.02
by MikeDeTiger on Sep 17, 2011 12:14 AM CDT up reply actions
I'm not sure if this hypothesis will stick but...
I have learned a LOT about “winning” from being a soccer fan. I know soccer gets looked down upon b/c it’s a wuss sport blah blah blah (never mind the tough guys are the 1st to cry my ankle hurts like hell!) but as a general statistical correlation it is the sport that is the MOST fitting where stats are just trinkets to make you feel good. You can get dominated & get your ass kicked & get outshot 10-1 but whamo, you hit them on the counter & all of a sudden it’s 1-0, you, stats be damned.
I really believe modern football fans get too much wrapped up in stats as they are in a vacuum as oppposed to what they mean in the context of a game. 200 yards offense, 300 yards offense, 400, 500, blah blah blah. It all only means % of probable win. Yes, it is relevant but X amt. of yards doesn’t = win.
The 5+% beers up here in Winterfell/Alaska have kicked but my overall point is as 19-6 wins go, this one was pretty dominant on the defensive side of the ball, for sure. And I can’t stand that old bat Lou Holtz but when it comes to winning I completely agree with something he said a few years ago- “(paraphrased) You don’t have to be the best team in the nation every week, you only have to be the best team on the field every week.”
Stats are great. Stat rankings in the upper tiers are great. Winning > any stat you can come up with.
I must create my belief system lest I be enslaved by another - Thomas Paine
stats are merely the record of what happened
I like stats. I think you can glean a lot of knowledge from the boxscore and all of the stats of the season. Teams rarely can outrun the numbers, though it certainly happens.
However, I don’t like the misuse or even lazy use of stats. I’ve gotten on the yardage zealots, which is a good example. Teams that gain more yards tend to score more points, so it is absolutely worth looking at yards.
However, it’s also true that teams that are trailing tend to rack up big yards as the defense concedes underneath routes and defends the big play. There’s a huge cause and effect issue. Teams with lots of rushing yards tend to win more — but how much of that is due to a team running the ball more when they are ahead to run clock?
All things in context.
Fake Pundit. Real Fan.
And The Valley Shook!
I self-indulgently tweet @ATVSPoseur
by Poseur on Sep 16, 2011 10:15 AM CDT via iPhone app up reply actions 1 recs
I agree
I love looking at basketball box scores before reading the recap and trying to figure out where the game was one….most of the time the winning team just shoots a better percentage, but there are also a fair amount of times where turnovers, offensive rebounds, or free throw attempts are the difference in the game.
In football it seems like all some people do is look at the yardage numbers, which are often not very accurate. Yards per play seems like a much better measure to me…it doesn’t punish teams who are put in very good field position (like us), and it doesn’t punish defenses who give up more yards cause the other team has more possessions (Oregon).
I understand that but what I meant was
the last part of your post- the context of stats.
I must create my belief system lest I be enslaved by another - Thomas Paine
by Curtis Bleaux on Sep 16, 2011 1:13 PM CDT up reply actions
It was just so ugly, you might have missed the beauty in it.
exact opposite for me.
I think this is our best team ever, and it’s sooooooo beautiful.
Smash them, WARE em out, run em over in the Ford, ballsy ORGANIZED offense and a defense that just aint gonna be your friend, ever!
Miss State was much more effective against our defense than Oregon or NWS and it netted them a whopping 6 point.
What did we have, 37 TFL?
Just WOW.
GEAUX TIGERS!!!
by SouthernMan on Sep 16, 2011 6:13 AM CDT reply actions 1 recs
I wouldn't say best team ever...
I think our 4 best teams since 2000 might be 2003, 2006, 2007 and 2011.
If those teams played a round robin Tourney with their “end-of-season performances” I think 2006 would win followed by 2003 then 2007 then 2011.
The beauty is, the 2011 team hasn’t reached its potential yet. They’ll improve. But we can’t really afford another injury…
"Oregon’s Chip Kelly is generally considered a coaching mastermind. Miles toyed with him here Saturday night." -Dan Wetzel, Yahoo Sports
"I don’t want to say that I think Mo Claiborne is faster than Patrick Peterson…..but I think Mo Claiborne is faster than Patrick Peterson." -Les Miles
Definitely no more injuries to the Oline
I loved our depth at the beginning of the season (esp on the Oline), and it is really starting to show itself. We lose 2 Oline and replace them with 2 Seniors, just incredible. But, we cannot afford to lose anymore. We still have young studs waiting in the wings, Williford and Collins, but we need our Oline to be dominant if we continue to rely on the run game and defense.
Our LB’s were nonexistent. Besides Baker’s sack/pressure at the end of the game, I did not notice them all night. Maybe it was because Miss St was lucky to get back to the line of scrimmage on most plays. LB’s didn’;t have to make the tackle because the Dline was all over them in the backfield.
Speaking of our Dline, FREAK is going to be amazing! My buddy said last night that he could probably go pro right now. While I don’t agree with that, he has some incredible burst and acceleration. Watch him when the ball is snapped; he’s past the line before some of the OLine even get out of their stance!
Our DEF may have sleepwalked through the first half, but the Chief definitely lit a fire in them for the second half. It was like Miss St was lucky to even gain a yard. We were flying around and making plays. They also laid the wood, very hard hitting game all around.
Our Kickoffs are seriously disturbing. Over the past 10 years or so I have been amazed that we cannot find 1 person at LSU that can kick the ball into the endzone or even inside the 10. 30,000+ students, and nobody can kick the ball 70 yards? With our athletes on kick coverage, we could pin teams within the 20 everytime; if the kicker could get the ball past the 20. Imagine what that sort of field position would mean for our team. Our DEF is already dominant, but stick the opponent around the 20 everytime…GAME OVER!
by WhoDatSaintsLSU on Sep 16, 2011 7:56 AM CDT up reply actions
Possibly the most impressive thing about this game
is that the team seemed to be almost sleepwalking (the way they were against Northwestern in the first half) while it was MSU’s super bowl – and it just did not matter.
Don't know if it was sleepwalking or what
But T-Bob stood out to me as the weakest link on the o-line. State players were just blowing right by him at times. It seemed like the ball would get snapped and he had no idea who he was blocking.
I hate singling players out like that because, hey, anyone can have an off game and I tend to view the o-line as a group, not a bunch of individuals. However for ME to notice the play of one single offensive lineman as being sub-par, well, that takes special effort on the player’s part as I am no football guru.
What do ya guys think? Was I lulled into a false sense of reality by the clank of cowbells and am completely wrong or is there something more going on there?
I agree with you on T-Bob
But he has always been a weak link IMO. He was not supposed to be our starting guard all year long; he is a solid reserve who could step in every now and then and do OKAY. I am a little worried that we have to rely on him all year. He is very undersized, even though he makes up for some of it with his motor and passion.
I am more concerned with the play of Blackwell. I was very excited to see him back after losing him on the first play last year. I thought he was solid leading up to last year, and even played well in the Cotton Bowl. But he has been very underwhelming so far this year, and it resulted in him getting benched for Williford last night. Williford is talented and has a bright future, but we can’t rely on him just yet. If anything, I was hoping he would have to come in to replace T-Bob, not Blackwell. Blackwell really needs to step it up if this Oline is going to be dominant. And it needs to be dominant for us to win games later on in the season.
Our Def is incredible, but you can’t shutout all of your opponents. Our OFF is going to have to move the ball, control the clock, and score touchdowns; not field goals. And our Oline has to be dominant for our offense to work. You can maybe even say our whole team is built around our Oline wearing down defenses and controlling the clock. That is why Miles has recruited so many offensive linemen since he has been here; it may be the most important group on our team…and we lost 2 starters within the first 3 weeks.
by WhoDatSaintsLSU on Sep 16, 2011 8:12 AM CDT up reply actions
any news on how bad the oline injuries are?
season ending, couple of games? Will we be getting guys back?
Imperial Intergalactic Overlord Barkevious Mingo
That was a great article, you can tell Staples is fond of the blood-n-guts scheme. But Kiki’s full name is just classic. Imperial Intergalactic Overlord Barkevious Mingo – I gotta change my screen name.
"They play violent football at risk of injury for their team and for their school. The gift that I'm given is to be allowed to be on the sideline with them and coach them." Les Miles
by ZimmZimmZalaBimm on Sep 16, 2011 9:11 AM CDT up reply actions
This quote from Ivan Maisel at ESPN says it all"
“LSU has proven it can beat a highly ranked team like Oregon, built on speed, by having better athletes. The Tigers blitzed the Ducks for 40 points. On Thursday night, LSU proved it could win against a ranked team like Mississippi State by being more physical. The Bulldogs tied it 6-6 in the third quarter. The next time they made a first down, they trailed, 19-6, with 1:16 to play. If LSU is faster than a fast team and more physical than a physical team, it’s going to be in the national championship race all season long.”
"They play violent football at risk of injury for their team and for their school. The gift that I'm given is to be allowed to be on the sideline with them and coach them." Les Miles
by ZimmZimmZalaBimm on Sep 16, 2011 9:24 AM CDT up reply actions
It's the first point in his 3 point stance column
left side of the page a little ways down
"It's not all about the game. It's about who you share it with." - Les Miles
by Matt 'n' The Hat on Sep 16, 2011 10:57 AM CDT up reply actions
Told you worriers we would do it
That game went as expected, domination with our lines and our skill players behind them making plays. Easiest money I’ve ever made. Seriously y’all, I can’t believe y’all doubted them.
3-Pt Stance, bottom left o ESPN CFB cover page
"They play violent football at risk of injury for their team and for their school. The gift that I'm given is to be allowed to be on the sideline with them and coach them." Les Miles
by ZimmZimmZalaBimm on Sep 16, 2011 9:53 AM CDT up reply actions
sorry, wrong line, goes up one level.
"They play violent football at risk of injury for their team and for their school. The gift that I'm given is to be allowed to be on the sideline with them and coach them." Les Miles
by ZimmZimmZalaBimm on Sep 16, 2011 9:53 AM CDT up reply actions
I'm a Washington Redskins fan
And this looked like a vintage NFC East football game to me.
We played ultraconservative last night. Les knew we were playing on the road in a hostile environment and any big play by Mississippi State could upend our obvious talent advantage. We didn’t take big play shots because Les thought the risk of making a big error far outweighed the reward when we could literally just pound them into the ground. Did you notice how many State players were hobbling off the field throughout the game? We played about as vanilla as we’re capable of, and it was gorgeous how the game was never really in doubt. We will play like this against teams like State. And we will win every time.
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SEC Baseball Standings
Final Standings
# - SEC Tournament Seeding
Team Name = Eliminated from SEC Tournament
| West | Conf | Overall | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| W | L | W | L | |
1 LSU Tigers  |
19 | 11 | 42 | 14 |
|
16 | 14 | 39 | 17 |
| 7 Mississippi St. Bulldogs |
16 | 14 | 34 | 21 |
|
14 | 16 | 34 | 22 |
| 10 Auburn Tigers |
13 | 17 | 30 | 26 |
| |
9 | 21 | 21 | 34 |
| East | Conf | Overall | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| W | L | W | L | |
| 2 South Carolina Gamecocks |
18 | 11 | 39 | 15 |
| 4 Kentucky Wildcats |
18 | 12 | 41 | 15 |
| 3 Florida Gators |
18 | 12 | 40 | 16 |
| 5 Vanderbilt Commodores |
16 | 14 | 29 | 25 |
|
14 | 15 | 31 | 24 |
|
8 | 22 | 24 | 31 |
