On Matt Flynn and Jacob Hester, Virginia Tech previews, and more

Never hurts to remember that we are damn lucky to have guys like Jacob Hester and Matt Flynn on this team. Much as I complain about our running back by committee approach, and my opinion that Hester should not be our #1 back, I think it's overwhelmingly clear that we'd be much worse off without the guy (as I've alluded to before).

On the Flynn article, it's nice to see him getting the pub he really deserves for having waited so patiently as a backup all those years. DJ Shockley got his due two years ago for a similar situation at Georgia, and Matt Flynn deserves at least as much. He could have transferred and started at any number of places, and sat through year after year of being #2.

I'd argue a little bit (and I think Flynn would, too) with the author's assertion that Flynn was flawless in that game. Certain things - like taking a sack inside our own five yard line even though he's out of the pocket - simply cannot happen against the likes of Virginia Tech and Florida. On the whole though, the performance deserves praise, as Flynn did manage to connect on several third and long plays (though a penalty negated one conversion).

I think most Tiger fans (myself very much included) adhere to the opinion that Flynn needs to be a DLG quarterback (i.e. "Don't Lose Games" - think Trent Dilfer), and with a defense as stout as ours I think that's very valid. That said, I get the feeling that if it came down to it, Flynn is absolutely the kind of guy who can go out and actually lead the team to victory, rather than merely circumnavigating the minefield by not making fatal mistakes.

After all, as much as folks like to say that Miami Peach Bowl was meaningless, and that Miami was a team in decline, the world needs to get a few things straight, because the facts don't really bear that out. The Canes' only two losses that year heading into the bowl game were by a field goal in the opener at Florida State and by 4 points to Georgia Tech. They earlier dismantled an undefeated Virginia Tech squad 27-7 in Blacksburg and came into that Peach Bowl ranked #9 in the country. This was a very good team when we met them, and Matt Flynn singlehandedly destroyed them. He may not deserve as much credit for that victory as he would if it had been a regular season matchup, but the extent to which I see some pundits writing that performance off grates the hell out of me.

Matt Flynn is awesome. And I'm stoked he's leading us vs Va Tech tomorrow night. Flynn and Hester are guys anyone would love to go into battle with. Thank God they're LSU Tigers!

BRING IT, HOKIES!

Fan IQ says the experts (100%) and fans (90%) have overwhelmingly picked LSU to win Saturday. I find it worrisome, as this is completely reminiscent of the Florida game last year. At least this time we're at home, I guess. FanIQ used to have a breakdown of the actual expert picks and I tried surfing the site to see if I could find their compilation but it's gotten really messy and convoluted so I'll leave it to you, dear reader, to see if you can sort it out.

Stop the presses: here's a note from Tigers beat writer Glenn Guilbeau that most Tiger fans would agree with!!! The point spread is indeed way too large.

I haven't felt compelled to comment on the Miles-to-Michigan rumors that are everywhere because, well, that's exactly what they are. We all know his connection to Michigan, and why waste space worrying about (or looking forward to, depending on your perspective) something that at the very least is three months out? I have nothing to add there.