Now that is more like it. I've stated before, all I want from an LSU coach is a perennial top-10 program with an occasional shot at the National Championship. Like McClendon, Dietzel, Arnsparger, and Saban. All of us want a SECCG shot, none of us are sorry for expecting LSU to be a top-10 program. The point that you missed was simply that a 8-win season is not a failure in the SEC. Period. Nick had a fabulous career at LSU and 2 of his 5 seasons were 8-win seasons. More accurately, 100% of Nick's seasons had 8-wins. This is the significant level--never worse than 8 wins. When we pile on more wins in some seasons, then LSU becomes champions. But eight wins is a good year of SEC football and can take us bowling in January. I will never be ashamed of such a team, This LSU team is in the top-10 with one overtime loss to a ranked team. LSU is still on track for 10-1 or 9-2, much less 8-3. I'll never get down on my team for achieving a top-10 ranking with a good shot at the SECCG and a long-shot at the MNC. Exactly what we both want. Everybody agrees. So why all the premature grumbling? He's the LSU coach and he's going to be here for a while. I'm proud of this team. They are doing very well by any realistic standard.
I was critical of Pelini after the ASU game and I was critical of Les and Pelini after the UT game. So with the criticism I have leveled, I must hand out the congrats too. I believe Pelini has learned some hard lessons in his play calling, his defensive schemes, and how to take advantage of the talent on the defense. He has been throwing a lot more blitzes out there and mixing the blitzing schemes up fairly well. He won't be the DC that Saban was, but he is much improved. I believe he has learned not to sit on a lead, ala MSU and Vandy because he was still fairly aggressive in blitzing in the 2nd halves of those games. He has been putting a lot of heat on QB's now and kept them off rhythm and bumped the WR's at the line. I believe the lesson was learned at the ASU game and he changed during the 1st half of the UT game but decided to sit on the lead in the 2nd half and took the aggressiveness out of the offense. HE played a soft zone the 2nd half with very very little pressure on the QB. So then Pelini learned another lesson in that game. I commend Pelini for making the much needed changes and I commend the players for giving it their all and not giving up on the DC. I think Pelini felt the heat from the public and made the adjustments and is currently enjoying success. Congrats and good job Bo and lets get Florida. Lets move up the defense list from 28th.
I agree with you except on one point. I don't think Pellini changed because he felt the heat from the fans. Same goes for Miles. I think they are both smart guys, and they just needed some time to adapt what they do to the SEC. For Pellini to change things up the way he has shows the mark of a good coach IMO.
Players need time to learn/adapt to the new system. The hurricanes disrupted the schedule and took away the much needed warm-up vs. North Texas. It was not realistic to expect the execution and game planning to be smooth right out of the box, on the road against a very good opponent. A lot of the criticism leveled at the coaching staff was uncalled for and demonstrated the incredible lack of knowlege of the biggest complainers. To come here now and "credit" Pelini for changing his "schemes" is another indication of the sheer ignorance of some fans.
I agree. Not only did the players have to get used to a new defense. But it took Pellini some time to determine what his players were capable of in a game situation. And he quickly took advantage of what he discovered. Even Jimbo has to modify the offense each season to suit the players he has to work with, and Jimbo knows those players well. I don't think coaches respond to the fans. They can't. Even Miles just blows off some radio questions from whiners. Pellini said it best when questioned about internet fan criticism after ASU, "Most of them don't know what they are talking about." These guys are well-paid professionals and they know their business. If they don't work out in the long haul, LSU will replace them. They know it better than we do. Meanwhile, they get my support.
