College Football News Unit Rankings

College Football News has completed their unit rankings for offense and defense. Where LSU stands in each:

• Overall Offense: 5 - Hopefully the execution is much improved from last year, else this is way too high. Given that we never really clicked on all cylinders last year (again, Peach Bowl an exception), I refuse to overestimate Jimbo Fisher.
  
  
• Quarterbacks: 2 - I suppose this is a ranking by pure talent. I'm not sure a position that's gone through one of the most heated battles in the country will execute at a #2-in-the-nation level. Admittedly, Russell was superb again in today's scrimmage, and wouldn't it make every Tiger fan's day to see that carry over into the regular season.
  
  
• Running Backs: 28 - This is low; on potential we are easily Top 10, maybe even Top 5. Vincent's running well - maybe not 2003 form, but well enough - and should Alley Broussard manage to heal, look out SEC.
  
  
• Wide Receivers: 6 - Assuming Dwayne Bowe's lasik surgery has cured his dropsies?
  
  
• Offensive Line: 26 - Given the massive rebuilding job we're doing here, I'd be more than happy fielding the 26th-best line in the country.
  
  
• Overall Defense: 11 - Given the remarkable turnaround Bo Pelini effected in last year's unit after we got torched by ASU and nickel-and-dimed to death by Tennessee, I refuse to underestimate what he can do this year. And I keep thinking about how we ended the season - here are the final 7 drives Miami put together in the bowl game:
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  • 3 plays, -5 yards, Punt
    
    
  • 3 plays, 0 yards, Punt
    
    
  • 3 plays, 0 yards, Punt
    
    
  • 3 plays, -5 yards, Punt
    
    
  • 3 plays, 9 yards, Punt
    
    
  • 3 plays, -8 yards, Punt
    
    
  • 3 plays, 5 yards, Punt
    
    
    clinic: A group session offering counsel or instruction in a particular field or activity: LSU put on a defensive clinic versus the Miami Hurricanes in the 2005 Peach Bowl.
  
  
• Defensive Line: 24 - I expect this to improve considerably over the course of the season. Glenn Dorsey is dominating in practice.
  
  
• Linebackers: 36 - No argument here. Aside from Ali Highsmith we are unproven.
  
  
• Defensive Backs: 2 - One of the nation's best, without a doubt - this isn't a secret to anyone (well, almost anyone - see below for CFR's commentary).
  
  
• Special Teams: 19 - We'll have to do a little better than 14/24 on field goals.
  

Meanwhile, College Football Resource has provided his preseason ranking of the teams in the SEC, with LSU at 6th. In the SEC. Given the flak he took last year for continually rating LSU low (lower than teams we'd beaten on the road, like ASU), I have to give him credit for even posting this knowing full well he'd take a load of heat for it. In all honesty, given his love for all things offense, and our lack of execution on offense all year (until the Peach Bowl at least), I'm not particularly surprised he is hesitant to give us credit. That said, it'd be good for him to do just a tad more homework:
I think you'd be hard pressed to find any pundit in the country who agrees with that - we're returning 3 starters from a secondary that led the conference in pass efficiency last year.