how do you truely feel about this upcoming football season? I hope im wrong but I see a up and down year with tigers finishing strong and getting a decent bowl game (non BCS). a lot of holes to fill and mabe a split fanbase for QB. WR looks to be a bright spot for tigers. It would be nice if tigers can pick up right where they finished last season against the "U" .(cajuns not much of a test though)
Well we have question marks at various positions, but it's nothing we can't overcome. When your program hits the mark that LSU has, you have a good enough staff and good enough recruits coming in that you will rarely miss THAT much of a beat, IMO. Of course our road schedule is treacherous, BUT when you jump on the scoreboard first, and it's shuts down the crowd, does it really matter?
If the wide reciever catch the ball this offense has the talent to score virtually at will or at least walk down the field and keep drives alive that just died last year. The skill positions are stacked with the biggest question I have is true depth at RB. Basically I believe that with the loss of JA. After AB I think we have a huge drop off. O'line I have no clue but if they can't protect JR. I don't care who the qb is. It is not going to be good. A little protection and fear of the passing game will limit rushers and JR will or should put up great numbers. I don't see AB as the type of back that will return and not jsut pound somebody because of injuries. His style is if I have to I will run over you but I can run around you also. Defensively I still reserve judgement on Pellini. I personally would love to see us go back to the jail break style of defense. But what ever works. I just don't want to see us get beat in the passing game. I don't hink with the talent we ahve there are a bunch of question as to what we have. It's can the staff and team live up to expectaions. I expect a BCS bowl at the end of the day.
LSU will be a strong offensive team this year and a capable defensive team, with a small drop-off on D. Our kicking and punting games are good. We have a number of new starters, but all of them are talented and none of them are totally green. The schedule in even numbered years is always the kicker. Even Nick's teams never made double-digits in even numbered years. I don't see us getting through Auburn, Florida, Tennessee, and Arkansas on the road without 2 or 3 losses. One upset at home would make things worse and that happens a lot, too. I think LSU has the tools to go 12-0, but it ain't likely. I think LSU could lose all four road games and a home game as well and go 7-5, but it ain't likely either. 9-3 to 11-1 is where our fortunes lie in 2006, I think. I predict 10-2 with a final ranking around #9 and a major bowl in 2006. Winning the West and going to the SECCG depends on just who those two losses come against. But 2007 is a championship schedule if we bring back enough talent. All our worst SEC opponents at home along with VT.
Red is always reasonable about this... The main concern for me has to be the lines, combined with leadership. When it comes down to low scoring trench battle games at an opponent's stadium in the SEC, having leadership & power in the lines is often what wins the games. Also, with this 12 game schedule we have to really be concerned with depth along our lines as the season wears on. I really like our skill position players. I imagine that we will look great against weaker teams where our Oline can dominate, but if they aren't holding up their end of the bargain then our skill guys aren't going to be able to showcase their abilities. Can this team overcome it to go 12-0? Yes, but it is very unlikely. Teams almost never go unbeaten with this kind of schedule, no matter their talent level. Even people within the program don't think we can go undefeated (and that 11-1 is not likely). And there's a good chance we won't win the SEC West either, because Auburn is going to be a great team & we have to play them at their stadium... I agree with Red, that we should expect between 9-3 to 11-1, with 10-2 being my personal expectation. And if we lose even one game, there's a chance that we won't be able to compete for the SEC Championship - so I can't say that that would be a good expectation level either.
Not to sound like a broken record, but 10-2 is my regular season prediction(I've nailed our record the last 2 years). I always give myself the plus or minus one. IMO our o-line is the biggest concern. If these guys can gel early and sneak out a win on the Plains, then the sky is the limit. I really love the 2 home-1 away schedule for the entire season. The team will go through the same routine the whole year & get a needed bye just in time for the home stretch. The Auburn game will be the key to either having a good season or a magical one.
Talent won't be an issue, so what will separate good from great are two things, IMO: -Injuries (true for everyone, but avoiding them is often best) -"Mental Toughness" Without question, the 2005 team was about as tough as they come; will there be a carryover from last season? The Aubie game is H*U*G*E---win there and you have an edge, mentally, over your next few good opponents. LSU has definitely gotten into Fla. fans and player's heads, winning two in a row in the Swamp. Tennessee? You're not worth your salt as a player if you're not sky high going into Knoxville, looking to avenge a true a**-whipping at the hands of the Vols (UT was manhandling LSU during that OT). Clear that undefeated and, whoa, you've accomplished quite a bit...but it all starts w/ Auburn. All that said, a 2 or 3 loss year seems most likely. No shame at all routinely running 9 win-plus seasons in America's toughest conference, year in and year out.
