Big Herm made it sound like the coaches did their job: "The older guys, we don't walk around. We've been taught that since our freshman year, and it's been ingrained all throughout these years," he said. "If I see someone walking around I'm going to get in their face and say, you know, you've got to pick it up. Or even in sprints today, I mean, if you can't run, get off. You're hurting the team.
Mallory and Peveto have been with LSU since 2005, both of them played a major part of coaching the great defenses that we had over the last three years. Both of them were team captain of their football teams when they played college ball. Peveto is 46 years old, had has been a football coach for 20 years (since the time the guys on the LSU football team were born). As a player, Peveto earned the Mike Kelsey Award for attitude, hustle and desire as a senior. Peveto's dad is a Hall of Fame Texas high school football coach, and both of his brothers are Texas high school football coaches. Mallory is 44 years old, and has been a football coach for 20 years (since the time the guys on the LSU football team were born). As a player, Mallory was an honorable mention All-American and second-team All-Big Ten. Mallory's dad is the winniest football coach in the University of Indiana history, a Big Ten school (he was head coach there for 13 years). Both of his brothers are football coaches -- one in the NFL, one in the Big Ten. Sure, I don't think Peveto and Mallory are great NCAA defensive coordinators, but I think they are good enough coaches to were they shouldn't be blamed for the lack of heart and character of the 21-year-olds on our football team this year.
Maybe the coaches aren't fully responsible, but they hold some of the blame. Leaders need to inspire those they lead to be better. No results = failure, at least in part. And these kids without character are all kids we wanted on our team, which places more of the blame on the coaches.
I agree with the blame for the recruiting part. Whoever was in charge of recruiting is 100% responsible for recruiting them, evaluating them, deciding to give them full-tuition scholarships to play ball for us. As for the results of the team on the field this year, of course both the coaches and players both deserve blame -- but you really can't separate one from the other -- the coaches and players are two sides of the same coin, all on the same team. Then of course you have to consider external factors (loss of RP, hangover from winning national championship, etc). But as for thinking our adult career football coaches don't know how to do something as simple as basic football coaching: yelling at 20-year-old players, inspiring 20-year-old players, holding 20-year-old players accountable, etc: that is nuts, especially since our coaches have done a great job the previous three seasons. Some people act like our coaches just started coaching football yesterday.
Re: Attitude Adjustments - who's next? What does being a freshman have to do with anything? You're either a leader or a follower. Shep will be a leader come January. Bank it!
To me, lack of leadership is part and parcel of the hangover from winning the 2007 NC. If not then I agree, it deserves its own "mentioning". I have a strong suspicion thats not going to be a problem next year. We will have more experience at quarterback but not the senior in that position that we should have. The defense is TBA.
Re: Attitude Adjustments - who's next? So....the older guys will just automatically follow Shep into the bowels of Hell if he asked? I don't think so. You think a true freshman in his first days on campus is going to command the kind of respect a person needs to lead his peers? And what exactly is he going to do to earn said respect? Show up? Like Ryan Perrilloux (the FORMER second-coming) did? His high-school stats sure aren't going to wow anybody. All these kids killed in HS. That's no big deal. He'll lead the team in a few years, but not right away. In 2009, I doubt he gets ONE legitimate start at any position. Lead the team? Not going to happen. Bank It!
Re: Attitude Adjustments - who's next? I think Shep understands this better than most. He's proven he's a GREAT high school athlete. But he'll be with the REST of the GREAT former high school athletes in January. New game. Half of great leadership is great followership. In fact, great leaders can't lead without at least a few great followers. I think Shep will lead through his followership next year. After that, I'd wager he'll have the respect (and therefore credibility) to start leading in his own right as a sophomore - and that is WAY early. I think everyone is right - Shep just might be a once-in-a-generation kind of talent at LSU. But we need to give the kid a chance to find his bearings and learn how different the college game is going to be compared to Houston area high-school football.
